Henk Fraser is the best trainer of the past Eredivisie season, according to the analysts in the program Studio Football of the NOS. Ibrahim Afellay does not understand that 54-year-old trainer of Sparta Rotterdam has not yet been given the opportunity to take a step higher. Theo Janssen notes that Fraser would not suit Ajax or PSV, but sees him working at Feyenoord on the other hand.
“I don’t understand”, Afellay begins when presenter Sjoerd van Ramshorst remarks that Fraser has had no serious opportunity to take a step higher. “He also won the cup at Vitesse, now he is doing very well again at Sparta. Before the season everyone said they were likely to be relegated, there was a lot of criticism of his performance. But the talents do well there on the hand of the older guys, they have capital on the field. I think he is a really good trainer. ”
“He wouldn’t fit with Ajax, he wouldn’t fit with PSV. At Feyenoord it is. He is a trainer who first thinks defensively, who ensures that things are good from the defense ”, Janssen comments. “That’s because of the qualities he has at his disposal,” Afellay responds. “Because if you have better players, you can also play more creatively.” Sparta finished eighth this season and can therefore participate in the play-offs for European football, in which Feyenoord will be the first opponent next week.
“If I look at the period he was with Vitesse … He has won the cup and is the most successful trainer in club history”, Janssen continues. Fraser provisionally worked as a head coach at ADO Den Haag, Vitesse and Sparta. “But people were not very enthusiastic about the way of playing, because it was often defensive. I think it suits him: first make sure it is in good defensive position and only then look forward. Where Ten Hag wants to play combination football, he is a bit more direct. ”
“He also played football himself, it could be a legacy of his own past. First see if it stays closed in the back and only then think forward. That has helped Sparta enormously, ”notes Kees Jansma. “He is doing fantastic at Sparta and has done great at Vitesse”, Janssen emphasizes. “So if you look at the results, it’s great. Feyenoord now wants to go in a different direction, they want to play attacking football with Slot. Then you look at the selection they have … Will that work? That is really not going to work with the players they have now. No chance.”