Hans Kraay junior thinks that all clubs travel to Almere City with a 'shit feeling', he said on Sunday at Good morning Eredivisie. The PhD candidate has a peculiar playing style and that does not suit the other clubs, is the conclusion Hansie Hansie.

“Alex Pastoor thinks I'm a stubborn idiot, but I also think he's a stubborn idiot every now and then,” Kraay begins. “Almere is going to stay in it in their own way. They don't do shit, play around endlessly at the back. They tackle, play the long ball, they do it in their own way.”

“All teams absolutely hate Almere,” Kraay continues. “They don't roll on the field anymore, that's so nice. AZ players walk onto the field and think: what a shit field. Then you are already 1-0 ahead.”

Marciano Vink, also a guest, makes a comment. “Hans, they can do this for one season, because it is their first season at the highest level. The audience accepts this for one season. If you do this next season, with the expectation that they maintain themselves, I think the audience will want to see a little football.”

Kraay hopes that Almere will continue to do this. “This is wonderful.” Vink does not agree with that. “Year in, year out? You don't buy a season ticket to see the ball more in the air than on the ground, do you?”

“Almere is a bit like a toddler who goes to group 1. At some point people expect a little more football,” says Vink. “I understand that you throw your naivety overboard after four games and want to play realistic football, but people expect more than this.”

Almere City started the season with difficulty and lost five of the first six games, but is now at the top of the right-hand table. On Saturday evening, the Flevolanders held AZ to a 0-0 draw.

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