The cabinet’s decision not to allow an audience in the Eredivisie for the coming round of play has been particularly poorly received in the football world. The KNVB, clubs and supporters associations are very disappointed with the decision, after the stadiums were partially opened again this calendar year last weekend. “This is a slap in our face, with a firm fist, too,” says FC Groningen director Wouter Gudde in conversation with Football International.
The Kitchen Champion Division will still receive a limited public on Friday 30 April, as was planned for a pilot. The KNVB calls the KNVB ‘very disappointing’ that matches with an audience in the Eredivisie will come to an end for the time being. “Everything went fine last weekend, just like in August and September, but because the amendment to the law is taking longer for reasons beyond our control, there is no follow-up or continuity,” a statement begins on the union’s website.
“In all contacts of the KNVB, ECV and CED with The Hague, it was invariably indicated that football was part of the solution. If the successful pilot is not continued in this way, then we can unfortunately only conclude that this pilot was just a blank mess. Cannot be explained to the clubs and fans, certainly not that incomplete round 36 of the Kitchen Champion Division ”, reads the statement, signed by Eric Gudde (KNVB), Jan de Jong (Eredivisie CV and ECV) and Marc Boele (Kitchen Champion Division , CED).
Thijs van Es, general manager of FC Utrecht, calls the decision on the club website ‘a huge downer’. The club had prepared for supporters in Stadium Galgenwaard for next Saturday’s game against Willem II. “Everything was in the scaffolding, everyone was completely ready to enjoy a football match corona proof. Last weekend it was shown that the clubs can organize matches in a good, corona proof way. Certainly given the preparations that have been made and the timeframe in which they will be played. “Once this has been decided, we can only conclude that the decision is extremely disappointing. We are fully committed to welcome the public at the home game against PSV.”
FC Groningen would have liked to receive an audience again this Sunday against Sparta Rotterdam (2.30 p.m.). The club had even started ticket sales. “After last weekend I had the feeling that it would be okay, because it went very well in all stadiums”, Gudde explains. VI. The general director of Groningen has little understanding for the decision. “You try to find logic in decisions, and there just isn’t. If I now ask why it is not allowed this weekend and last weekend, no one can give me an answer. The ministry has not given us that answer either. That makes it painful. This cannot be explained to supporters and sponsors. ”
Ajax can officially win the 35th national title against FC Emmen on Sunday. Fabian Nagtzaam, director of the Ajax Supporters Association, is disappointed that the team from Amsterdam will be playing in an empty Johan Cruijff ArenA. After all, there were still 7,500 supporters in the stands against AZ last Sunday. “As SV Ajax, we find this decision extremely disappointing. We have been calling since August 2020 that testing events should take place. Now that this has finally happened and turned out to be successful, such a decision cannot be explained to our supporters ”, Nagtzaam told the newspaper. Algemeen Dagblad. “Unfortunately”, the PSV supporter association responds succinctly to the NOS. Supporters collective Netherlands, the umbrella organization of all supporters associations, is disappointed with the decision. “This cannot be explained. What a thoughtless, bureaucratic and unnecessary decision,” said a response to the broadcaster.