It is equally well known that Andries Noppert has lost his starting place at SC Heerenveen. On Wednesday, just before the kick-off for the Eurojackpot KNVB Cup match with Feyenoord, it became clear that he is no longer a second goalkeeper.
Three years ago, Noppert was a starter for the Dutch national team at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. Since then, things have gone fast for the goalie, who barely managed to maintain his excellent form in the run-up to the World Cup.
Noppert nevertheless started the season as the first goalkeeper in the Abe Lenstra Stadium, but shortly after the start of the current season, trainer Robin Veldman intervened and Bernt Klaverboer became the new first goalkeeper.
The expectation was that Noppert would be allowed to start as ‘cup goalkeeper’ in De Kuip, but nothing turns out to be further from the truth. Nordin Bakker can show it against Feyenoord and Veldman confirms that Noppert is now the third goalkeeper.
“He handled it very professionally, as he has been doing for weeks,” says Veldman ESPN. “If you look at what he means in training and in the group… We recently played a match with the Under 21 boys. That is really not the nicest match, but he is the one who takes the stage to show himself.”
“He makes sure he does everything he can in this match. He is doing very well in being an example.” Veldman therefore has a huge luxury problem under the bar. “They were under contract. I couldn’t send them away,” the trainer laughs.
“If you look at how the three of them do that, and we forget goalkeeper coach Jan Bekkema, who never appears in the media. When you see how often he has to ignore himself in that goalkeeping group, I am very happy with those men,” said Veldman.
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