Gertjan Verbeek does not have good memories of Roy Makaay, the former tells Football zone. The 61-year-old club-less trainer worked with Makaay between 2008 and 2009, but did not click with the striker. Verbeek also discusses Santiago Gimenez, Brian Brobbey, Graziano Pellè and Tom Broere, among others. “I didn't like his personality, but I think he might say that about me too.”

Coen Dillen index

The strikers from the traditional top three have managed to attract a lot of attention this season. Gimenez took off this campaign and, together with Vangelis Pavlidis, seemed to pose a serious threat to shatter Coen Dillen's record. In the 1956/57 season, Dillen managed to score no fewer than 43 goals on behalf of PSV.

The Mexican Feyenoord player's goal production stopped shortly after the winter break. Gimenez scored his last goal on January 14 in the home match against NEC (2-2). His goal production this Eredivisie season therefore remains limited to nineteen goals for the time being. Luuk de Jong currently has nineteen goals, while Brobbey now has fourteen goals. The Ajax striker in particular makes a big impression on Verbeek.

“Just because of the fact that Brobbey takes a poorly playing Ajax by the hand. Even when Maurice Steijn was still a trainer in Amsterdam, I thought he was a revelation, especially if you compare it with the previous seasons. He has really taken a lot of steps, especially in the physical aspect,” Verbeek begins, praising the 22-year-old attacker from Amsterdam.

“Under Steijn he was the only one left standing and he has continued that form. I think it's so amazing how he is the standout player every week in such a bad Ajax.” Brobbey is important for Ajax almost every week and is often also valuable in the Amsterdam team's attacking game when he does not score.

Brian Brobbey takes Ajax by the hand again.

In second place behind Brobbey, Verbeek chooses De Jong. “With his specific qualities, he fits perfectly with this PSV. The playing style that the trainer has implemented suits him perfectly. He doesn't have to defend much because PSV is able to secure things so quickly. He has to do less physically, especially in the Eredivisie. As a result, he has the energy to be decisive in every match. They are also often important goals.”

Verbeek chooses Gimenez as his number three. “Yes, that leaves Gimenez. He had a great start to the season, but is currently experiencing a significant dip in form. He is looking very hard for the liberating goal, but that means he means too little to Feyenoord. He is too looking for eternal fame and goals so that he can regain his confidence, but that is at the expense of his game. At the moment he is certainly my third choice,” the club-less trainer concludes his assessment of the three strikers.

Pelle

In his coaching career, the Deventer-born coach has worked with many strikers. Afonso Alves and Jozy Altidore, among others, became feared attack leaders under the leadership of Verbeek, but not every striker had a party. Between 2010 and 2013, the trainer was on the sidelines at AZ every week. In addition to Altidore, he also experienced Pellé.

In Rotterdam the Italian became an absolute crowd favorite, but in Alkmaar his tenure was a lot less memorable. “I had quite a lot of 'fights' with Pellè. A few years later he had a glorious period at Feyenoord and Southampton, but at AZ he did not get the most out of his abilities, certainly not when I was trainer there. He was not always a basic player.” In three years at AZ, Pellè nevertheless made 95 appearances, scoring 16 goals and providing 8 assists.

Makaay

Verbeek also has no good memories of his collaboration with Makaay. The latter returned to the Dutch fields in 2007/08 after a European tour of Tenerife, Deportivo La Coruña and Bayern Munich. The striker was announced as a big star at Feyenoord, but he was never able to fully live up to those expectations.

Makaay did manage to make a major impact on Feyenoord's cup win in his debut season. The goalgetter of yesteryear scored seven goals in five games. Verbeek was appointed head coach of the Rotterdam team in the 2008/09 season. Things just didn't work out between the trainer and that Phantom.

Makaay returned to Feyenoord injured after playing with the Dutch national team at the Olympic Games in the summer of 2008. “I just don't have any pleasant memories of Makaay,” says Verbeek. “He was one of the veterans in my selection, but was no longer able to deliver that season. He returned injured and also struggled to find the motivation to train twice a day. That just wasn't for him.”

Boere is also not a striker that Verbeek has fond memories of. “Tom just wasn't good enough for the Eredivisie. He worked very hard, but he was very conflicted about himself. When he missed an opportunity, he was very angry with himself. I didn't think he was a pleasant personality either, but he might say that about me too, I think,” said the trainer.

After a fantastic season at TOP Oss in which the striker scored 33 goals in 38 games, several Eredivisie teams knocked on the door in Oss. Ultimately, the choice fell on FC Twente, but the Breda native did not excel in the east. Verbeek was fired before the end of the 2017/18 season. Boere was then relegated to the Kitchen Champion Division with Twente. Nowadays the striker is 'at home' again at NAC Breda.

More sports news