Willem van Hanegem is disturbed by the behavior of today’s professional footballer, as he shows in the Willem&Wessel podcast from the General Journal. The Curve watched in amazement on Thursday evening as Chelsea striker Kai Havertz became furious after a substitution in the 64th minute. Chelsea went to visit Manchester United without a chance (4-1), but Van Hanegem found Havertz’s reaction incomprehensible. “Imbecile, don’t you know how bad you are?”
Van Hanegem finds the level of Chelsea’s million-dollar purchases staggeringly weak. “I now saw a German walking, who cost 80 or 85 million euros, that striker. He was taken out yesterday (Thursday, ed.) And then I see him kicking everything. Then I think: imbecile, don’t you know how bad you are? 85 million! Every time he is in and out again. That’s awful to see man.” Havertz has played 46 official games so far this season, in which he scored nine goals and an assist. Against United, he was replaced after more than an hour of play by João Félix, who scored the goal of honor.
In the podcast, Van Hanegem jumps into the breach for Hakim Ziyech, of whom he has been an open fan for years. The club icon of Feyenoord was even present during the farewell ceremony of the left leg at Ajax. “I think he’s such a great player. He now also gave a great ball on that goal. But Ziyech is only allowed to come in occasionally… I enjoy when he plays football. He never comes up with that guy (Frank Lampard, ed.)…” Van Hanegem thought Chelsea was less bad than the final score suggests. “They could have scored three or four goals. Cool say…”
Van Hanegem is also not charmed by former Ajax player Antony. “And that guy of a hundred million men, who comes from Ajax. He looked like he lost his leg. Hundred million! And then there are a few more that cost 110 million. Then I think: are you all right in your head? Can’t you do something else with your money? Someone who understands football, or has an eye for football, will not take those guys for that much money. When I sit and watch it is really an annoyance.” United secured Champions League football thanks to the victory, while Chelsea will not be active in Europe next season.
| No. | Team | m | W | G | v | +/- | Pnt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Manchester City | 37 | 28 | 5 | 4 | 62 | 89 |
| 2 | Arsenal | 37 | 25 | 6 | 6 | 40 | 81 |
| 3 | Manchester United | 37 | 22 | 6 | 9 | 14 | 72 |
| 4 | Newcastle United | 37 | 19 | 13 | 5 | 35 | 70 |
| 5 | Liverpool | 37 | 19 | 9 | 9 | 28 | 66 |
| 6 | Brighton & Hove Albion | 37 | 18 | 8 | 11 | 20 | 62 |
| 7 | Aston Villa | 37 | 17 | 7 | 13 | 4 | 58 |
| 8 | Tottenham Hotspur | 37 | 17 | 6 | 14 | 4 | 57 |
| 9 | Brentford | 37 | 14 | 14 | 9 | 11 | 56 |
| 10 | Fulham | 37 | 15 | 7 | 15 | 3 | 52 |
| 11 | Crystal Palace | 37 | 11 | 11 | 15 | -9 | 44 |
| 12 | Chelsea | 37 | 11 | 10 | 16 | -9 | 43 |
| 13 | Wolverhampton W. | 37 | 11 | 8 | 18 | -22 | 41 |
| 14 | West Ham United | 37 | 11 | 7 | 19 | -12 | 40 |
| 15 | AFC Bournemouth | 37 | 11 | 6 | 20 | -33 | 39 |
| 16 | Nottingham Forest | 37 | 9 | 10 | 18 | -30 | 37 |
| 17 | Everton | 37 | 7 | 12 | 18 | -24 | 33 |
| 18 | Leicester City | 37 | 8 | 7 | 22 | -18 | 31 |
| 19 | Leeds United | 37 | 7 | 10 | 20 | -27 | 31 |
| 20 | Southampton | 37 | 6 | 6 | 25 | -37 | 24 |