Where Willem II achieved European football last season, every effort is now being made to avert relegation. Trainer Adrie Koster was replaced by Zeljko Petrovic, among whom the Tilburgers have still not come out of the danger zone. Since the appointment of Petrovic, the performances of the number sixteen of the Eredivisie have been closely monitored by Ruud Gullit and former Chelsea manager Avram Grant, the trainer says.
In the run-up to Saturday afternoon’s game against sc Heerenveen (4.30 p.m.), Petrovic talks about his role as head coach. In his career he was head coach at various clubs, but also assistant. For example, this season he worked together with Dick Advocaat at Feyenoord and he was previously an assistant trainer at West Ham United. According to Petrovic, the role of head trainer is completely different from the position of assistant. “That is something that many Dutch people do not always understand, I think. The fact that you are allowed to participate in the discussion and contribute, does not mean that you are allowed to decide. You have to know your place and be reliable, ”he says in it Brabants Dagblad.
In his career as a trainer, Petrovic worked with big names. “Take someone like Avram Grant,” says the Willem II trainer on the ex-trainer of Chelsea and West Ham United, among others. “I was his assistant at West Ham United (in 2010, ed.), And since I started working here he has been watching all Willem II matches. Then he texts me if I have a livestream for him, haha. I don’t know anything about it, so my son will forward it. But isn’t it great that such men follow us? The same applies to Ruud Gullit, he sometimes calls me with tips. He doesn’t have to do that, does he? He does take that effort, that really does me a lot ”, said Petrovic about the clubless trainer, with whom he worked at Feyenoord.
The fact that Petrovic likes to quote who he has worked with is not always good for everyone. The trainer of the Tilburgers does not like that. “People can laugh about it, fine. I’m not saying any of this to grumble. Those men don’t need me, and I don’t need anyone myself. It is really not the case that they decide on tactics in the background. My staff and I decide how and what, but I think it’s wonderful that those men watch us, “he tells the newspaper.