Hans Kraay junior has in an interview with Football International spoke extensively about his role as a presenter and reporter at ESPN. Was for years Hansie Hansie the regular table guest with the men of Today Inside, but those days are over.

Kraay does not have his own style as an interviewer. “But a Hans Kraay Jr. interview must contain information, a laugh or it must be a good experience,” he says. “Preferably all three. I like it when it is abrasive. But when we had the rights of the Dutch team with SBS, it was a bit too abrasive with national coach Louis van Gaal.”

Kraay received a friendly but urgent request from his parents at the time. “My parents always enjoyed watching me on television, but at that time they sometimes asked me if I could take it a little easier with Louis. They found that annoying for two years.”

“Then, after my parents' advice, I really decided to only ask calm football questions. But when Louis got angry again after the first question, I thought again: we're clapping again.”

Koeman
The current national coach of the Dutch national team, Ronald Koeman, watches the bridging program of the Kitchen Champion Division every week, where Kraay is the regular analyst. Hansie Hansie knows that 'his' program attracts many 'famous viewers'.

“Koeman watches with hyperventilation every week,” he knows. “His son is of course on goal at Telstar. So every time he switches gears, he is afraid of conceding a goal. He said that he is more nervous for his son than during the Netherlands – West Germany (European Championship semi-final '88, ed. ).”

Hans Kraay is so aware of the operations in the Kitchen Champion Division that his knowledge is sometimes called upon. “Hugo Borst called me a year and a half ago to ask if there was a good right back playing for Sparta in the KKD.”

“I had seen Shurandy Sambo play for PSV and said they should take him blind. Hugo talked to Maurice Steijn, he was brought in and it turned out to be a fantastic season. So Steijn also listens to me sometimes… Now that I say it like that, I actually have to send invoices for that. No, that is without obligation.”

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