It is only a matter of time before FC Groningen officially descends to the Kitchen Champion Division. On Tuesday afternoon, coach Dennis van der Ree’s team went down again, this time in the remainder of the game against NEC (0-1), which was stopped on Saturday. After the match, a visibly shaken interim trainer reported to the camera. Van der Ree’s words surprised analyst Gertjan Verbeek.
Van der Ree was clearly looking for words after the new zeperd. “I have seen too little faith,” he added ESPN. “I didn’t see at NEC that they were going for it either, but a few guys who were working together. I miss that very much with us. It is a very young team that has difficulty telling each other the truth. Faith is now a big word. Theoretically it is still possible, so we will see how we stand in the coming days. We must not drop it, then it will completely die out.”
Van der Ree’s words surprised Verbeek. “He says they have no faith in what they are doing,” said the former trainer. “I already said that Groningen was relegated, but now I am sure. The moment the management realizes that there is no belief in what they are doing, then you can only do one thing. Even if it is the second trainer. He has noticed this for some time, I understand from his story. If he cannot convey it to the boys…”
Verbeek does not think that Van der Ree’s adventure at Groningen should affect the remainder of his coaching career. “I don’t have to. I don’t think he’s eager to become head coach again somewhere. But I don’t know him well enough for that. I also don’t know his role as an assistant well enough. This doesn’t have to be Waterloo He is a novice trainer and will have learned a lot in a short time.”