Rafael van der Vaart has not even been employed for a day as assistant coach and ambassador at Esbjerg fB, or Peter Hyballa has already resigned as trainer of the Danish club. Van der Vaart reacts disappointed to Hyballa’s resignation, but does not see his role change much as a result. “I have a free role. I feel like a number ten again,” said the 109-time the Dutch international to the General Newspaper.
Van der Vaart was asked ‘to bring the peace and fun’ back to Esbjerg, where Hyballa was already under heavy fire at the time. The German trainer received a vote of no confidence in an open letter from no fewer than 21 of his players. Hyballa initially stayed on, but announced on Wednesday that he would leave. “I think that’s a shame,” emphasizes Van der Vaart. “I hope he finds a new club soon.”
“Of course he was blacked out. Sometimes you don’t click. That was also the case here. His approach did not work with this group of players,” realizes Van der Vaart, who would have liked to collaborate with Hyballa. “I love his passion and view of football. I also think that our combination would have been perfect. We tried for two weeks. But if you looked into his eyes, you saw that he couldn’t do his thing. have his passion. 21 players who send such a letter. It’s really been a thing in Denmark. It wasn’t worth it to him either. And I get that.”
Esbjerg has already appointed a new head coach with Roland Vrabec. Van der Vaart will therefore not be transferred immediately. “I know myself and I certainly don’t overestimate myself. I’m here to stand between the coach and players and convey what football is about. The group is young. I know a few more players from my time here as a player. They were seventeen at the time. Esbjerg’s road is long. This is a large club, with many sponsors, which plays at the second level. That takes pressure.”
Van der Vaart’s role at the Danish club, which only took one point in the first three games of the season, will not change. “I will stand on the field and see if this is something for me. I am very eager to learn. I think I get along well with people, but as a trainer it is different. I want to experience that. As an assistant I will also try to bring back the atmosphere. I see this as a unique opportunity, also because I can combine this with my work as an analyst. When the children are at school, I go out on the field.”