The Eredivisie is already eight matches underway. After a quarter of a competition it is time for a first interim assessment. In the run-up to the ninth round, VI will discuss all eighteen Eredivisie clubs with an expert. In this episode: Pierre van Hooijdonk about Feyenoord.
Pierre van Hooijdonk (54) played 128 official matches for Feyenoord. The 46-time international of the Dutch national team scored 72 times for the Rotterdam team and won the UEFA Cup. He is currently an analyst for the NOS, while he is the regular follower for Ziggo Sport during the Champions League campaign of coach Brian Priske’s team.
‘Simple: Feyenoord has left far too much behind. But I think it makes sense that it happens. It is a reality check for a new team, after an era in which the club was spoiled thanks to a top trainer (Arne Slot, ed.). This is not according to the standard of recent years. Slot has squeezed out more than the maximum. But I don’t think the club management did that this summer.’
‘Just look: Mats Wieffer, Lutsharel Geertruida and Yankuba Minteh are gone. I said that Feyenoord had no business in the Champions League, but then they beat Girona. I still support it. Those were two teams that were both not good. Feyenoord happened to come out on top. It has had a positive effect on the mood of Rotterdam. Especially because FC Twente was also defeated afterwards with some fortune. Everyone can see that the club has made a huge loss in quality, right? That’s really not going to change in the next two months.’
