Trainer ‘Mo’ does what he can, but HS’88 still loses to Niekerk: ‘The beer tastes a lot better when we win’

“Okay boys, be quiet for a moment. I am so proud of our period title, proud of you. Niekerk is breathing down our neck, but we are going to hold on to this.” It is a quarter past one and the young men of HS’88 are paying attention to their trainer. That’s Ahmad Mohamed, Mo to everyone. The Syrian with Kurdish roots is doing well at HS’88.

Mo’s discussion is crystal clear. Jaap Waijer jokes beforehand: “The trainer appoints the right people and I whisper to him what he should do.” A little later it turns out that Waijer starts on the bench. Mo sticks 22 magnets on a board and rolls out a flipchart with game principles and walking lines. “Play compactly, tilt to the ball side and, if necessary, put the women and children first.”

‘What do you think?’

Mo speaks excellent Dutch – he came to the Netherlands in 2000 – but does so with a slight accent. “High pressure, quick response, just shy of a yellow card, that’s what I like.”

Roy Eissens asks a question. Mo moves around with the magnets: “What do you think?” Mo doesn’t mince words either: “Just leave Jort (Oosterhof- ed.) in the build-up, he can only defend well.” And with humor: “With two passes we have to be in front of the goal. No three, we’re amateurs.”

He warns his team: “Numbers 9 (Ger Ausma – ed.) and 10 (Hidde Kijf – ed.) are very good.” Mo concludes with three P’s: team, points and fun. “The beer tastes a lot better when we win.”

‘Mo is performing excellently’

Mo previously talked about his life. As a twenty-year-old he fled Syria because he had to serve in the army for three years and as a Kurd he had little interest in that. After four years in Greece, he ended up in an asylum center in Appingedam. There he played football for the premier league and also for Holwierde, DIO Groningen and Godlinze.

Mo met many trainers: “I thought the best were René Wollerich, because of his technical and tactical insight, and Bennie de Jong. He knows how to touch you.”

Board member Dion Folkertsma of HS’88 is very pleased with Mo: “We have lost a few good players, but we are performing much better. Mo pointed out in his presentation the number of goals conceded and he lives up to that.”

Mo himself: “I’d rather win 1-0 than 4-0. Like an Italian.”

Fantastic goalkeeper

The discussion lasts 17 minutes. Every starling thinks his child is an eagle and that also appears to be true for the HS trainer today. Not only Kijf and Ausma are dangerous at Niekerk, Jort Zuidersma and Brian Wiersma also constantly split open the Hoogezandster defense.

It is thanks to only one man that HS’88 was not defeated at halftime: goalkeeper Lukas Wijma. He plays fantastic.

After 28 minutes, Mo, who is busy coaching, converts his team. It doesn’t help anything. HS did not get more than a header from Jort Oosterhof and an excellent opportunity for Arno Oosterhof.

During halftime, Mo starts working with the magnets again. He calmly puts his finger on the sore spot, encourages his men, but also warns: “If it doesn’t get better, it will be a wasted afternoon. It has to be brighter too, ball or man, it’s okay with me.”

But it doesn’t get better. Niekerk, from trainer Henry Kramer, remains supreme and after an hour even Wijma has no chance. Jort Zuidersma passes and Ger Ausma strikes: 0-1.

Mo continues to believe in it, but cannot get the engine to start. Niekerk simply remains standing. It’s a wasted afternoon for HS’88.