Wednesday, April 12, 2023 at 9:58 AM• Mart Oude Nijeweeme • Last update: 10:11

Hans Kraay junior has once again shined his light on a pearl from the Kitchen Champion Division. The analyst of ESPN entered on Tuesday night Football talk praise Stije Resink. The midfielder of Almere City makes such an impression on Kraay that he can ‘take over Grillitsch’s role at Ajax within three months’. The latter was only in the base for the second time in an Eredivisie game last weekend.

In the football talk show, the question is asked which players from the Kitchen Champion Division are ready for a step up. “You can never be derogatory about football players who have achieved a thing or two. Grillitsch has quite achieved a few things. But there is a boy of nineteen at Almere, Stije Resink, who comes from his own youth. If he spends three months with Ajax trains with me, he can bring what Grillitsch brings”, Kraay leaves nothing to despair.

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“His assumption is always good, he always plays ahead and can win a ball. I hope for Grillitsch that he does great at Ajax, but these kinds of guys are also walking around. If I were Ajax, PSV or FC Twente I would really keep an eye on him. I see real potential in that.” There is, however, one point of criticism. “He may be a little more aggressive in the duels. I do know that he will get completely different opposition than Grillitsch.”

Ruben van Bommel is also ready for a step towards the Eredivisie, says Kraay. “He is really good as a right-footed left winger.” Kees Kwakman is a lot more sceptical. “I don’t see a player in the Kitchen Champion Division who is at the top of the Eredivisie like Mats Wieffer. That step is generally very big. You don’t see that often. An intermediate step like Van Bommel at Go Ahead can make (there is interest from Deventer, ed.) I can only applaud.”

Kwakman and Kraay finally drop the name of Camiel Neghli (De Graafschap). “He has a beautiful left leg. But he also has a very good right leg. You don’t often see that with players who are stiff on the left,” says Kraay. Kwakman agrees. “I was with De Graafschap against Ajax in the cup and then you see, also at that level, that the quality is splashing. All guys who just come from De Graafschap’s own youth.”