Etienne Vaessen is back on the training field at RKC Waalwijk. Frank van Mosselveld, general manager of the club, confirmed this on Saturday evening ESPN. Vaessen became unconscious in the Eredivisie match against Ajax at the end of September, after a collision with Brian Brobbey. Ultimately, the goalkeeper was taken to hospital, after which RKC announced not much later that he was ‘conscious and approachable’ again. He was also released from hospital a day after the collision.
On Saturday evening, Van Mosselveld will provide an update about the goalkeeper, prior to the Eredivisie match against Sparta Rotterdam. “Considering the circumstances, things are going reasonably well,” the director opens. “I saw him working carefully on the training field again this week. It is of course an injury where you have to see from day to day what happens as you increase the intensity.”
Van Mosselveld makes it clear that Vaessen is not yet fully training. For the time being, his training sessions include ‘carefully catching some balls’. “Under the guidance of the physios, so it is very careful and slowly build up the reaction. It is of course very positive that we see him on the field again.”
Van Mosselveld cannot answer the question from reporter Hans Kraay junior whether Vaessen still has a lot of headaches. “You should ask him that yourself. But it is clear that that collision had quite an aftermath.”
Yet he is positive. “If I compare it with where he was two weeks ago: enormous progress. But that doesn’t mean he can continue this line. Of course we hope so, but we really have to take it day by day.”
Vaessen himself would return to action as soon as possible, according to Van Mosselveld. “The discussion about whether or not he can ever play again has never been had. In fact, he would actually like to be under the bar tonight. The way it looks now, he seems to be getting back to his old self. But one suffers from such an injury for a long time, the other returns quickly. We of course hope for the latter.”
For the time being, RKC obviously has to make do without Vaessen. In recent matches he was replaced by Jeroen Houwen, and that will also be the case against Sparta. Both teams kick off at Het Kasteel at 8:00 PM.