In the crucial week in which second place in the competition must be secured, it is restless at PSV. Unrest that has actually been palpable all season and just doesn’t want to disappear. A sporting crisis must be suppressed on Sunday, but from an organizational point of view a difficult situation seems inevitable.
More than a year ago, it was general manager Marcel Brands who managed to persuade Ruud van Nistelrooij to become head coach of PSV after all. A daring choice and above all a gamble. Of course, guesses can pay off and there are examples of inexperienced trainers who were successful. But just over a year after Van Nistelrooij’s appointment, things are restless within the club.
Changes in staff
Players are said to have complained to the club management about Van Nistelrooij’s performance. With that devastating piece came The Telegraph Sunday night. PSV nuanced that story by saying that there was talk but not about the head coach.
There would have been talk of assistant Fred Rutten staying on, who is still hesitating to continue. Because when you ask him if he will continue next year, there is never an answer and the question is laughed off. André Ooijer drew all his conclusions by leaving. Due to “personal reasons,” he said.
That things are rumbling within the staff could have been noticed earlier when Javier Rabanal, a confidant of Van Nistelrooij, went from the bench to the stands.
Never been calm
Outwardly, the trainer tries to keep it calm. Since his ‘outburst’ a few weeks ago, when he said that the poor results are logical because of the policy pursued, not a single word has been spoken. Although internally they were logically not happy with those words.
The trainer then referred to the sale of Cody Gakpo and Noni Madueke and the dismissal of John de Jong. The latter continues to run like a red thread through the season because since then peace has never really returned.
Since then, PSV has also been doing well and a good series was started that seemed to lead to second place, but on Sunday it missed a first opportunity to get that coveted place.
Future
It will have a rematch on Sunday. If it succeeds, then the peace will return in relative terms. If PSV unexpectedly becomes third, this will all have a tail. Brands can only continue to support Van Nistelrooij, but in the meantime Earnest Steward has been appointed as technical director. Although it is expected that he wants to continue with the trainer, he can make it easier than the general manager to decide otherwise.
That decision will depend on Sunday and the atmosphere within the group of players. Because if PSV comes in second, important weeks are coming and everyone has to quickly move in the same direction.
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