AFPDaan Rots celebrates his goal
NOS Voetbal•vandaag, 10:15
In a Premier League season in which PSV and Feyenoord stand out and AZ and Ajax lose a relatively large number of points, FC Twente is the laughing third. And that with a typically Dutch face. “Insanely good work,” says technical director Arnold Bruggink.
In the last Premier League match with Sparta Rotterdam, no fewer than nine Dutch people kicked off at Twente. The two with different nationalities were goalkeeper Lars Unnerstall (Germany) and midfielder Michal Sadílek (Czech Republic), who have been active in the Premier League for years and are called “half Dutchmen” by Bruggink.
It is a striking fact in a football world that is increasingly globalizing. Even all five substitutes against Sparta were born Dutch, although Naci Ünüvar (Turkey) and Younes Taha (Morocco) chose a different football nationality.
PSV – FC Twente at NOS
The match between PSV and FC Twente can be followed on Sunday from 8 p.m. via a live blog in the NOS app and on NOS.nl, NOS Teletekst and via flashes at NOS Along the Line on NPO Radio 1.
Shortly after the match, a summary of the match can be seen online and later also on TV in Studio Voetbal.
Bruggink talks about FC Twente’s good season, the composition of the selection and the role of ‘child of the club’ Daan Rots.
European dreams
FC Twente’s current third place is valuable, because it entitles them to a ticket for the preliminary rounds of the Champions League at the end of the season. This gives the club a chance to win the many millions that will come from reaching the main tournament. But it also has a nice safety net: if eliminated in the preliminary round, the club is assured of the group stage of the Europa League.
A European main tournament would be a nice reward for the club’s rise, after FC Twente had failed in the preliminary rounds of the Europa League in previous years.
The fact that Twente is once again about good performances and European football is due to an impressive advance. In 2018, the club was relegated to the first division and was in serious financial problems.
When asked about the Tukkers’ comeback, Bruggink first points to the “good people” around the club. “Paul van der Kraan (managing director), together with Jan Streuer (technical director) and Ron Jans (then head coach), simply did a very good job. It is amazing how that went.”
However, what he also notes: Twente has regained its own identity. The club has a striking number of players with Dutch nationality, some of whom have also trained themselves.
Dutch core
The large number of compatriots is a conscious choice, says Bruggink. “Because I think that the core of the club should be recognizable. As a result, foreign boys such as Alfons Sampsted understand very quickly and well how the club works. But of course it must be related to performance.”
Last weekend’s match against Sparta, in which Twente used almost exclusively Dutch players, is certainly no exception. Trainer Joseph Oosting has been working with a selection full of compatriots all season. The winter transfer period was indicative in that respect: the Costa Rican Manfred Ugalde left and the born Amsterdammer Myron Boadu was recruited as his replacement.
Arnold Bruggink has been technical director of FC Twente since this season and talks about his first months
Someone who embodies the Twente club like no other is attacker Daan Rots. “He is a boy who feels in his fibers what FC Twente means and can also explain this to teammates in an inspiring way. It is sometimes underestimated how well he is developing. Rock symbolizes Twente,” says Bruggink.
Assistkoning Rots
The 22-year-old Rots has been playing for Twente since he was eleven, made his debut in the first team in 2021 and is now an undisputed basic player. He is the Tukkers’ best scorer this season with seven assists and is one of the players with the most dribbles. Last weekend against Sparta he also scored his fourth goal of the season.
Even apart from his efficiency, Rots is important to the team, says Bruggink. “Daan is essential in the way of playing that we and coach Joseph Oosting would like to see.”
Daan Rots talks about his feelings at FC Twente
Perhaps the most difficult match of the season is scheduled for Twente on Sunday: the away match at PSV. The Tukkers are keen to inflict the first defeat of the Premier League season on the Eindhoven team.
“We are on schedule, but now it’s all about,” said Bruggink. “Our season will be a success if we reach the group stage of a European tournament.”
2024-03-16 09:15:49
#Twente #Champions #League #Dutchmen #halfs
