Kevin van Veen is not happy with his reserve role at FC Groningen against FC Emmen (0-0). The 32-year-old striker said afterwards that he was ‘very frustrated’ because he had to start on the bench. “There may be opportunities to be appreciated elsewhere later in the season,” says Van Veen, who immediately afterwards indicates that he is not considering a departure.
Groningen did not get further than a goalless draw against Emmen on Monday evening. Trainer Dick Lukkien surprised by posting Van Veen on the bench and choosing 22-year-old Norwegian Kristian Lien at the point of attack. The Pride of the North Due to the fourth competition match in a row without a win, it is disappointingly twelfth in the Kitchen Champion Division.
“If I’m standing here happily when I’m not playing, then you’re not really a professional. I am just very irritated, in a good and healthy way,” Van Veen said afterwards about losing his starting spot at ESPN. The striker eventually only came on seven minutes before the end.
“If he (trainer Dick Lukkien, ed.) doesn’t choose me, then he doesn’t choose me. Maybe later in the season there will be opportunities to be appreciated elsewhere,” Van Veen then said, after which he immediately backtracked. “Am I already thinking of something else? No, not at all. I think this club is fantastic , but I think that – also because of myself – I have not performed as well. And as a team we are not where we want to be.”
“If I played a season like this last year, while I was searching here… Then you sometimes think: I also want to have fun, score goals and see those fans laughing. I don’t want all that negativity. I hope to be a very big addition to FC Groningen, but I don’t want to sit on the bench. Let that be clear, even if I have to enforce it myself,” Van Veen concluded.
“I closed his door and was furious.”
Van Veen opted out the Dagblad van het Noorden know that he heard from Lukkien on Sunday afternoon that he started on the bench against FC Emmen. The striker said he respects his trainer’s decision. “The coach is the boss. I wasn’t good against De Graafschap either, but who was? The match before, against NAC, I scored twice.”
After the message from trainer Dick Lukkien, Van Veen had his say. Then he shook his trainer’s hand. “He thought I handled it well. But when I closed the door to his room, I was furious. I went home straight after lunch, made a coffee and thought carefully about what should be done differently.”
Kevin van Veen is ‘very irritated’ that he started on the bench at FC Groningen. “There may be opportunities to be appreciated elsewhere later in the season.”
— ESPN NL (@ESPNnl) October 23, 2023
Voetbalzone is the official media partner of the Kitchen Champion Division
Click here for exclusive interviews, talent scouts, current standings and the program on our Kitchen Champion Division page.