Feyenoord is preparing for the final of the Conference League in Lagos. Meanwhile, Heerenveen, AZ, Vitesse and FC Utrecht are competing for a place in that tournament next season. And Danny Makkelie makes his World Cup debut. In the AD Voetbalpodcast, Etienne Verhoeff discusses these topics with Mikos Gouka who is in Portugal.
,,It’s a lot of laughter and relaxation’, Gouka describes the first training days of the Rotterdam team in Lagos, ,,Everything is based on the idea that the final is coming. Not many players from Dutch clubs experience a European final. They take that with them on their resume. But how many people in the current organization have experience playing a European final? Almost nobody. Without being cynical, it is people from NAC Breda, PEC Zwolle and SC Cambuur who got Feyenoord going.”
They also discuss injuries from the last few weeks. Like Justin Bijlow and Tyrell Malacia. And how could Jose Mourinho tackle Feyenoord?
It is also about the defeat of AZ at Heerenveen and the victory of FC Utrecht against Vitesse. ,,Giving away two goals in injury time changes the perspective for AZ in that home game against Heerenveen. It is the best for the coefficient polonaise that AZ will play in Europe next season, but I don’t want to make anyone angry in Friesland, Arnhem or Utrecht.”
Although the new trainer of Heerenveen, Kees van Wonderen, could just start with European football next season. ,,Until recently, I thought that as a novice trainer you should not think about going straight to Europe. To Estonia or Latvia and if you lose you have grumbling supporters right away. At Slot, it is precisely the matches in which he has been able to refine his team. Always one level up in opponents. So it can also be beneficial for Fraser at FC Utrecht or Van Wonderen at Heerenveen.”
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