If it were up to Robert Molenaar, Joey Veerman will remain active in the Eredivisie after a departure from sc Heerenveen. The trainer who worked with the 22-year-old midfielder at FC Volendam advises him to first go to Ajax, PSV or Feyenoord before he dares to go abroad. Stade Reims, Atalanta, Rangers and Atalanta, among others, would currently have Veerman in their sights.
“I haven’t spoken to Joey in a while. But if he wants my advice, I would recommend that he first go to a top club in the Netherlands and then go abroad. That would be a better choice in view of its development. When you go abroad, you are not only judged on your qualities. But also on how much you have cost and what you show on the field. In the Netherlands he can stay in his familiar environment and that can help him to work towards the next step ”, says Molenaar in conversation with PA News Agency.
“He is very calm on the field, so in that respect I think he can handle life in Glasgow as a player of a club like Rangers,” Molenaar continues. The currently clubless trainer was already a player in England at Leeds United and Bradford City. “If he goes to Ajax, PSV or Feyenoord and adapts as he did after his step to Heerenveen, there will be even more clubs to choose from. That’s how I see it. He has a lot of potential, but a step within the Netherlands would be the best for his development. ”
“On the other hand, it makes it more expensive, so I can understand why Rangers want to bring it in now,” says Molenaar. “I had Joey under my wing as he progressed from youth to the first. It was special how quickly he adapted. His qualities on the ball also stood out, especially his passing. He kind of had the label that he did everything in one tempo, but at first it turned out that no one could get close to him. ”
“That was in the Kitchen Champion Division and there were doubts when he made the step to the Eredivisie. But it was the same at Heerenveen, he was still the best player on the field and controlled the game ”, concludes the former coach of FC Volendam, Roda JC Kerkrade and Almere City, among others. “The defensive aspect is his Achilles heel. He does not take enough balls, because he is mainly a number ten. If a move to Scotland doesn’t work, that’s why. But from an offensive point of view, he can certainly keep up with the faster game in Scotland. I always said it didn’t matter to him whether he would play on the village square in Volendam or in De Kuip. He has no stress or fear. ”