Friday, April 28, 2023 at 4:35 PM• Wessel Antes

Willem van Hanegem sees Sipke Hulshoff as the ideal successor to Arne Slot at Feyenoord. That says the Curve Friday in the Willem&Wessel podcast from the General Journal. Hulshoff is currently still assistant coach at Feyenoord, but Van Hanegem would not be surprised if the Frisian is ultimately responsible in De Kuip next season.

The club icon states that Hulshoff already has a major influence in South Rotterdam at the moment. “He is very important, in fact everything that is going well at Feyenoord. Why would you change that when Slot leaves, instead of just giving him the chance? Hulshoff has so far mainly worked as a youth trainer and assistant. Feyenoord recently managed to bind him longer, so that he is fixed until mid-2024. Hulshoff has also been assistant to national coach Ronald Koeman with the Dutch national team since January.

Van Hanegem knows that Hulshoff is in good shape in the Feyenoord player group. “And the players are ultimately the most important thing. If they don’t see it in a trainer, he will eventually leave. Just look at Alfred Schreuder at Ajax.” Hulshoff is currently still an assistant to Slot, but he could leave Feyenoord next summer. Earlier this season, the successful coach was heavily linked to Leeds United, while several English top clubs would now follow him.

Koeman was still positive about Hulshoff in January. “I always try to form the best possible staff, with trainers who complement me. Both at clubs and the Dutch national team. I collect information about people, make contact and then make an appointment so that you can look each other in the eye. That is also how it went with Sipke.” Hulshoff has an important role in preparing the training sessions for the Dutch national team, as he also does at Feyenoord.