Adil Ramzi enjoys Ismael Saibari’s breakthrough at PSV. Ramzi was Ruud van Nistelrooij’s assistant coach at Jong PSV last season and experienced the development that the 21-year-old talent went through up close. “I have enjoyed Ismael in recent weeks and if he succeeds at PSV 1, I can almost get emotional.”
Van Nistelrooij welcomed no fewer than twelve new faces to the A-selection. That Saibari is one of them, is not surprising to Jong PSV coach Adil Ramzi, he tells the General Newspaper. “It is a boy who set the standard for Jong PSV last season and Ruud recognized that immediately. A stable boy in his head too, with a very strong body and the will to learn from Ruud and the other technical people. Ismael lives for football and is not a boy who has trouble keeping the focus.”
Saibari had to leave Anderlecht earlier in his career because he would be ‘lazy’. Something Ramzi doesn’t recognize and laughs off. “That boy is so driven… No, I really can’t imagine that.” It makes Ramzi proud and touches him that Saibari is joining PSV’s first. “I have enjoyed Ismael in recent weeks and if these guys succeed at PSV 1, it can almost make me emotional. It may sound crazy, but that is what you as a coach want to do everything for. When players improve themselves with our help, you feel a lot of satisfaction from your work.”
To date, Saibari has made four appearances in PSV’s main squad. He was allowed to fill in for the Johan Cruijff Scale during the 5-3 duel with Ajax and had a basic place in the Champions League qualifier in and against AS Monaco. Saibari was also present in the return against the Monegasques and in the Eredivisie match against FC Emmen.
Morocco
Saibari currently plays for Belgium Under 23, but that could change in the near future, according to Ramzi. Perhaps a Moroccan international career is on the horizon. “If you play with PSV in the Champions League, you are interesting for those teams anyway. If there is a choice, he has to make it himself,” said the ex-international, who played 26 times for Morocco. Ramzi may also work for the Moroccan Football Association. After the resignation of national coach Vahid Halilhodzic, he is in the picture to go as an assistant to the World Cup in Qatar. Ramzi certainly likes this and PSV would also like to participate in a double function.