The day after the relegation of Willem II, Freek Heerkens was the first working day of the new season. The technical director stands for a number of major challenges, such as compiling the selection and appointing a head coach. That search for a trainer has become a lot harder due to the step back to the Kitchen Champion Division. “But also because of how we get up in trainersland, they also see how we dealt with trainers and technical directors.”
The relegation after the defeat against Telstar hurt Tilburg. Also at Freek Heerkens (35), who started the season as a football policy and transformation coordinator. At the end of the season he succeeded the left Tom Caluwé as technical director and he will continue to fulfill that role with the Tilburgers for the next three seasons.
“I am aware of the risk of litigation,” says the former football player who played with Willem II for eleven years. “It is a great opportunity, there is a lot of work to do with possibilities and impossibilities. There is no time to mourn. I am here because I see a certain challenge and believe that we can perform better. Then I am talking about a different technical structure, player guidance or the development of youth education, for example.”
The scenario of relegation was one of the options and Heerkens is going to work with that. Capturing a new head coach after the resignation of Peter Maes is one of the most important things.
His temporary successor, Kristof Aelbrecht, has an ongoing contract, but does not aspire to the position as ultimately responsible. “The process runs behind the scenes. It is the challenge for us to appoint the right man for the short and long term. Quality goes beyond speed.”
Last Sunday Willem II relegated after a lost match against Telstar:
From the selection that was unable to enforce enforcement, the six mercenaries Dennis Kaygin, Youssuf Sylla, Kyan Vaesen, Miodrag Pivas, Amar Fatah and Cisse Sandra leave. Patrick Joosten, Tommy St. Jago, Jeremy Bokila and Maarten Schut are also leaving. The club is still talking to Erik Schouten, Nick Doodeman, Rob Nizet and Connor van den Berg. In the coming weeks it will become clear whether players will be pulled and who will stay there.
On the transfer market, Heerkens is looking for acquisitions in collaboration with the scouting. Chances are that players will be rented again. A new player does not become Maxim Kireev at least. The International of Belarus would come to Willem II, but the relegation passes through the transfer. “As a club, we do not want to take financially irresponsible risks. In the Kitchen Champion Division we cannot spend a lot of money on a player.”
“In terms of player budget, we are in the top five, with which we can create a competitive team.”
The relegation may offer more opportunities for players from their own training. “The gap between the final phase of the training and the first team is probably becoming smaller due to the relegation. But then the quality must be there. Supplementing the selection purely for supplementing is not the intention.”
The budget of Willem II will be more than fifteen million euros this season and may go to the sixteen. The Champion Year 2023/2024 the club worked with a budget of more than 12 million euros. “That indicates the size of the club and the degree of involvement, very beautiful. In terms of player budget we are in the top five, with which we can put down a competitive team.”
Heerkens does not want to pronounce the exact amount of the player budget. Just like a hard goal for the coming season. “You can only do that with a head coach and when the selection is complete. Moreover, we have no complete view of the competitors. When I am satisfied? Just ask me in the future.”
