Toon Gerbrands thinks that Gertjan Verbeek deserves more praise than he gets. The retiring general manager of PSV appointed Verbeek as head coach in his previous position at AZ and worked with him between 2010 and 2013. Gerbrands calls the currently unemployed coach in his top two most striking trainers, but also praises them as an important pivot in the foundation of the current AZ.
Gerbrands is mentioned in a major interview with the General Newspaper asked about his retirement from PSV for names from the ‘variegated company of trainers’ with whom he worked. Verbeek is soon mentioned. “The most underrated man in the foundation of today’s AZ”, the verdict of Gerbrands, “When he started, he was told: all good players must be sold, but the performance must remain the same. He would last four years. and after more than three years he was fired, nota bene after a 2-1 win over PSV. But the players were done with Verbeek.”
Just after Verbeek’s dismissal, Gerbrands had a memorable evening with Verbeek. “Two days later he came to collect his things. At seven o’clock in the evening. No one in the stadium, but I was there. We packed boxes together and also put a punching bag in the car. Then we drove to the Chinese People who saw us there together did not understand the picture: Gerbrands throws Verbeek out and yet they are now drinking beer together?! That evening our friendship started.”
Verbeek won the KNVB Cup in his last full season as head coach of AZ (2012/13). Then stood the wizard of Jubbega as ultimately responsible at the helm at 1. FC Nürnberg, VfL Bochum, FC Twente and Adelaide United, before taking on the challenge at Almere City last summer. Experienced under the new head coach the Black Sheep however, a dramatic start to the competition, in which only three times were won in sixteen matches. In November, the curtain fell for Verbeek, who was succeeded by his former assistant at sc Heerenveen Alex Pastoor.
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