NEC’s away match against FC Volendam is scheduled for Sunday. A look at the rankings may give a distorted picture when the number three, NEC, competes against the number fifteen of the Eredivisie. According to Dick Schreuder, it is a treacherous opponent, especially at home.
“They do very well in their home games. They also have quite a lot of experience,” Schreuder begins his analysis ForzaNEC. “We cannot underestimate them, because I don’t think we can underestimate anyone anyway. But ultimately I don’t think we are concerned with that at all. We are concerned with what we do every day. That was also the case in the period when things went a bit less. I have a good feeling about the way we train.” The big eye-catcher is of course Henk Veerman, but according to Schreuder it doesn’t stop there. “Their entire forward line is of course responsible for a lot of danger. They also have a number of good young boys. They have a good goalkeeper. I think that Volendam has played a lot less away so far than at home. Then it is a completely different team. But of course we will also go for the win.”
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The difference between an away match against FC Volendam and a home match against the eel farmers is therefore a world of difference. “Look at Heracles, they had a very bad start, but they are not such a bad team at all. They just lost there. Twente, Ajax and AZ all drew there. So I think it is not easy. Ultimately it would be nice if we can win there.” Because ultimately, NEC is expected to return home with three points. After three consecutive victories, the Nijmegen team is third. Schreuder remains calm in the attention that his team enjoys. “That was also the case in the beginning. It continues throughout the season. At a certain point it will be nice and quiet here for a few weeks, because things will then slow down a bit. That’s how it works. But ultimately I think if we continue like this, we will be in a good position at the end of the season. That does mean that what we have been doing every day so far will have to be maintained.”
Development
According to Schreuder, the number of weeks in which things went less well with NEC are relative. The Nijmegen team had bad luck a few games in a row, missing out on points. “I don’t really think there is that much difference with the other matches. If we don’t get a red card against Go Ahead Eagles, then we can get it over the line as a team effort. We play a good match against Twente, then we concede a penalty at the end, so maybe we should have defended better. There are certain moments where things just don’t go well, but I didn’t think that was bad in terms of football. So I don’t have the feeling that things are going that much better now.”
Yet the coach does see a development in his team. “I think that when we have the ball we are better in terms of residual defense. That we play better and closer to each other. But ultimately that also has to do with the fact that it took more time to put a team together. In the beginning it was good, but it fell apart. Then we had to fit other guys in. That just takes time. A supporter only looks at Saturday, but we look at the process in the long term. I certainly see an improvement in the stability of everyone. If you then take Nejasmic, Fonville or Dasa. Those boys have all arrived late and they are all making progress.”
Photo: Rob Koppers
