Tag Archives: PSV Eindhoven

Man City defender makes loan move to PSV

Young Dutch central defender Karim Rekik has returned to PSV Eindhoven on loan after arrival of Eliaquim Mangala put him further down the pecking order at Manchester City writes Will Burns.

PSV TV speaking to Rekik - image courtesy of PSV Media

The competition for places in the centre of the Premier League champions’ defence made a major stumbling block for the future of Rekik in Manchester.

The 19-year-old defender enjoyed a successful spell in Eindhoven last term under head coach Philip Cocu, where the youngster formed a great partnership with Jeffrey Bruma and made 25 Eredivisie starts. Then Dutch coach, Louis van Gaal was impressed with the performances of the 6ft 1inch defender, Rekik was selected in the Oranje’s 30-man provisional squad before the World Cup finals this summer.

PSV technical director Marcel Brands has been very vocal about wishing to take Rekik back into the squad this season and with the arrival of French international Eliaquim Mangala from Porto for £32million, City boss Manuel Pellegrini made the decision to let Rekik rejoin the Eindhoven club.

Today saw the announcement from PSV that Rekik has indeed joined on a season-long loan deal and could be ready to re-debut for PSV against NAC Breda this Saturday night at the Philips Stadion. This player must boost PSV’s title challenge and may see rivals Ajax, Feyenoord and FC Twente further strengthen their squads before the September 2nd transfer deadline.

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EREDIVISIE: Willem II 1-3 PSV

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SUNDAY 10TH AUGUST 2014

WillemII-PSV

WILLEM II 1 – 3 PSV

Philip Cocu’s PSV was uninspiring away to Eredivisie new boys Willem II but still came away with a 3-1 win in the final game of the weekend.

PSV exploded out the blocks and harried Willem II into two defensive mistakes that resulted in two goals in the first ten minutes. First off, Kostas Lamprou making his debut for the Tilburg side since joining on loan from Feyenoord, dramatically rushed out of his goal on seven minutes to meet the ball a few yards outside of the area. After the keeper took an awful touch, the ball flick up in the air which allowed Jürgen Locadia to nod the ball out of the goalie’s path. The striker then aimed the ball towards goal and Jordan Peters hurried back but was unable to clear off the line and PSV were a goal ahead.

The lead was doubled minutes later after another horrific mistake. After a pass back went wrong from Robbie Haemhouts, Memphis Depay collected the ball twisted and turned the Willem II defence and place a low drive inside Lamprou’s post. The fans inside the Koning Willem II Stadion were booing, apart from the 500 PSV fans in the south east corner.

The Eindhoven side looked like they were going to go on a rout, however the Eredivisie newcomers collected themselves and put up a fight and even grabbed a goal back before the break. The exciting Terrel Ondaan got past Luuk de Jong on the right and fired in a low ball into the area. Brazilian striker Bruno Andrade collected the loose ball, spun his defender and finished from close range, a great goal.

The relegation contenders looked anything but after the goal as Cocu’s men were on the ropes and had Jeroen Zoet to thanks for retaining the lead. Before the break, the PSV keeper parried a great effort from long range by Ondaan.

After the interval, as the torrential rain came down, Willem II should have been level within eight minutes of the restart. Andrade whipped a vicious ball towards the back post from the right wing which Ben Sahar connected with his head and nodded back across goal. Belgian midfielder Stijn Wuytens was a metre out and headed the ball straight at Zoet, easy enough for the keeper to catch. A terrible miss by the former PSV midfielder.

Zoet held firm for the remainder of the game and PSV wrapped up the points with less than 15 minutes to go. Depay placed a perfect ball through to Georginio Wijnaldum in the area and the midfielder was tripped by Lamprou, who immediately received his marching orders from referee Kevin Blom. Depay easily dispatched the remaining penalty to seal the win.

TEAMS

WILLEM II: Lamprou, Peters, Ondaan (Vicento 67), Haemhouts, Messaoud, Andrade (Meul 75), Sahar (Ippel 80), D. Wuytens, Heymans, Cornelisse, S. Wuytens.

SUBS NOT USED: Heerkens, Vossebelt, Zanelli, Deckers.

GOALS: Andrade 40.

BOOKINGS: Messaoud 50, Andrade 61, Peters 68.

SENT OFF: Lamprou 73.

PSV: Zoet, Brenet, Bruma, Hendrix, Tamata, Maher (Ritzmaier 80), Wijnaldum, Hiljemark, Locadia (Narsingh 81), De Jong, Depay (Jozefzoon 85).

SUBS NOT USED: Pasveer, Arias, Vloet, Koch.

GOALS: Locadia 7, Depay 10 & 76P.

BOOKINGS: None.

MAN OF THE MATCH: Memphis Depay (PSV)

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PSV Eindhoven – Eredivisie champions 2014/2015?

When watching yesterday’s Johan Cruijff Schaal final between former champions Ajax Amsterdam and newbies PEC Zwolle, I could not help think about this year’s exciting Eredivisie campaign. When a small club like Zwolle with a budget of €9 million euros can humiliatingly defeat four-time Eredivisie champions Ajax with a budget of €65 million 1-0, it seems to give a promising insights about the distribution of chance for this year’s contender. Yes I spelled it correct, contender. Because this season will be the year of PSV Eindhoven as league title winners of the Eredivisie 2014/2015 by Lawk Raoof.

While watching the Johan Cruijff Schaal final between Ajax and PEC I was fueled with hope, excitement, relieve and comfort. PEC embarrassed Ajax today with a goal of Ex-PSV player Stef Nijland and a great assist of ‘man of the match’ Kamohelo Mokotjo. The motor and leader of PEC Zwolle. He personally removed every single existing doubt from Ajax to sign him. He was the personification of PEC Zwolle’s dominance and power today. While the Amsterdammers, deemed as many to be this year’s top-favourite contender, looked unmotivated, uninspired and playing boring football. They missed the one thing that Mokotjo had plenty of: heart and passion. However, buying him may not solve their problem.

While Ajax has experienced a huge blow in this game, it does not mean much. The Johan Cruijff Schaal is not an important prize to win for many of the top-teams such as: Ajax, PSV, Feyenoord or Twente. However, when taking into account that every team takes it seriously, it can only mean that I am right. Ajax sold Siem de Jong to Newcastle United and this will result to be a great mistake to do so. He was the leader of Ajax for many years and now there is a gap, which even recent and upcoming transfers will not fill.

While Frank de Boer’s side stutters and proves not to cope with pressure, Feyenoord sells their World Cup star-players and Twente the single most important player of previous season, PSV thrives and buys Luuk de Jong (scored the crucial goal against St. Polten) and highly likely future top-transfer Steven Defour from Porto. Not only that, the World Cup star-players: Georginio Wijnaldum, Memphis Depay and Santiago Arias return to fill the PSV squad with loads of talent and quality. It can be said that PSV has without a doubt the single most talented Dutch squad of this season and is indeed top-contender for the title. And that is not all, the technical manager Marcel Brands is set to buy/loan 3 more players to strengthen the squad.

Yes, it seems that PSV has the upper-hand this season as top-contender for the title. However, is it all good news for PSV? The answer is no. Far from it. Losing the previous six Eredivisie championships, PSV is near the brick of declining into the category of sub top teams where AZ, Heerenveen and Twente are right now. With a budget of €62million it is a shame that PSV was incapable of winning the league title. Every year there were excuses but this is the last year that PSV fans will not accept anything less than first place. I will guarantee that if losing this year’s league title, the whole board, technical director Marcel Brands, coach Philip Cocu and his colleagues will be pressured to resign. And I predict that will not be all, key-players such as Depay, Wijnaldum, Arias and more will not be able to be convinced to stay to play only in the Europa League and they will leave the club. Creating an exodus comparable with the loss PSV had in 2013/2014 when losing Kevin Strootman, Jeremain Lens and Dries Mertens.

More than ever, it seems that PSV need a league championship this season and more than ever, it seems that it is possible this season with a great team like this. However, if Cocu can’t win it this year, PSV has to officially resign there top-team status. We came far from the glory days of Guus Hiddink in 2004/2005. If PSV wants to be league favorite among Ajax and Feyenoord, they need this season’s league title. They don’t have a choice no more.

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Spurs and Man Utd target considers move

Highly-rated PSV winger Memphis Depay, believed to be a target for Premier League duo Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur, has said that he will consider leaving the Eindhoven club.

The 20-year-old impressed at the World Cup finals in Brazil this summer after an excellent campaign in the Eredivisie and now Depay has admitted that interest from the bigger clubs in Europe would prompt him to think about a move.

“I have done my time at PSV but if big clubs from big leagues ask, I will think about it. There is lots of interest but there is definitely an option to stay” he said. “I understand fans want me to play well this season in Eindhoven, but I’m one who decides how my career continues, no one else.”

Depay is under contract at PSV until June 2017 and it is reported that it would take a fee of over €20 million for PSV to consider the player leaving. In the player’s mind, one would have to say Manchester United, now managed by Louis van Gaal, would be the favourites to sign Depay. Former Oranje coach, Van Gaal was working closely with the winger in last month’s World Cup.

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EREDIVISIE WEEK 32 – Sunday’s Preview & Betting Tips

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Will Burns returns with his selections for Sunday’s games and like all his tips, you will not see a ‘best bet’ under evens – good luck!

Sunday 13th April

AZ-NEC

AZ ALKMAAR vs. NEC NIJMEGEN (13:30 BST)

NEC Nijmegen are in dire need of points to survive but they face AZ Alkmaar that have won all but one game at home in 2014.

AZ are undefeated at the AFAS Stadion in the Eredivisie this year and I feel AZ will be too strong for Nijmegen who look to cement their Europa League playoff place this weekend. NEC are well capable of goals and have scored in every game this season apart from four and that’s in all competitions.

Dick Advocaat’s men have been winning at both half time and full time in five of their last six home matches in the league but after a gruelling game in Benfica this past Thursday, they may show tiredness. The fight for NEC to stay out of that bottom spot that Roda holds may just push them to give AZ a real test and an even game. Bet Victor have the draw priced at 3/1 and I see that as a great price to start the day.

BEST BET: Draw (3/1 – Bet Victor)

RKC-Zwolle

RKC WAALWIJK vs. PEC ZWOLLE (13:30 BST)

Ron Jans is without a host of players through injury when his PEC Zwolle side travel to Waalwijk on Sunday afternoon. Goalkeeper Kevin Begois, defenders Trent Sainsbury and Leroy Labylle, midfielder Kamohelo Mokotjo and forward Densi Mahmudov are all out.

Zwolle will have one eye on next weekend’s KNVB Beker final in Rotterdam against Ajax and this may be a blessing to Erwin Koeman and RKC Waalwijk who are desperate for points to try and remove themselves out of relegation trouble.

An RKC win will take them one point to safety breathing down NAC Breda’s neck in 15th. Bet Victor value the Waalwijk win at 21/20 and I see that being our best chance of profit in this match.

BEST BET: RKC to win (21/20 – Bet Victor)

Utrecht-Heracles

FC UTRECHT vs. HERACLES (13:30 BST)

With just one point separating them Heracles in 13th travel to 14th placed Utrecht. With just three games left in the league season, both sides know that there is a possibility of being sucked into the relegation battle.

Jan Wouters’ Utrecht have only won twice in the 14 games played in 2014 so far and I can see them failing again, however, sometimes Heracles can let themselves down. Two weeks ago, they startled Feyenoord taking the lead but two defensive lapses saw them lose 2-1.

For our best bet, Heracles Draw No Bet is valued at 11/8 by Bet Victor so if the match is drawn, your money is returned.

BEST BET: Heracles Draw No Bet (11/8 – Bet Victor)

Ajax-ADO

AJAX vs. ADO DEN HAAG (15:30 BST)

Ajax could claim their fourth Eredivisie championship in a row this Sunday if Feyenoord drop points and they can defeat an ADO Den Haag side, that are undefeated since head coach Henk Fraser took over in February.

The great form has earned Fraser a contract until the summer of 2016 managing ADO to four wins and five draws. Fraser faces a tough task against soon-to-be champions Ajax, however, Frank de Boer is missing some key players. Daley Blind and Ricardo van Rhijn miss out due to suspension so Danish veteran Christian Poulsen will sit in the midfield, as young full-back Ruben Ligeon will take Van Rhijn’s place in defence.

Ajax should be too strong for ADO but with the Amsterdammers valued at 1/5 with some betting outlets, I see no value in that market. I look to goals and a trend I have noticed is Under 2.5 Goals with these two sides. For ADO, in their last four away league matches, there have been under 2.5 goals scored and four of Ajax last six matches have all ended with just two goals scored. Once again, Bet Victor offers the best odds with 85/40 being values for Under 2.5 Goals.

BEST BET: Under 2.5 Goals (85/40 – Bet Victor)

PSV-Feyenoord

PSV EINDHOVEN vs. FEYENOORD (15:30 BST)

PSV in fifth host second placed Feyenoord in the game of the weekend in a game that the PSV must win if they hope for Champions League football next season.

However, Ronald Koeman’s Feyenoord are looking unstoppable at the moment, winning their last five games in a row and are now sit four points ahead of Twente in third. With just three games to go, they know it is their spot to lose.

Italian striker Graziano Pellè made his comeback from suspension last weekend, scoring twice in a win over RKC and he will be a real threat to PSV’s back four. PSV captain Georginio Wijnaldum made his comeback from a back injury last Saturday in the 3-0 thumping off Heerenveen, he however, could start from the off against his former club.

Both sides have goals in them but I can see Feyenoord edging this one with the greater firepower, especially Pellè. Feyenoord to win and both teams to score is valued at 18/5 by Bet Victor and this could be a big winner to finish the weekend.

BEST BET: Feyenoord to win with Both Teams to Score (18/5 – Bet Victor)

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PSV’s Jetro Willems – the perfect fit for Man Utd

Header-Eredivisie2PremierLeague

Will Burns presents a new series looking at current Eredivisie players that could fit right at home at your Premier League club.

The Dutch Eredivisie has been used as a stepping stone to the Premier League and other top leagues across Europe for years. For so long, young talent has been exported into England with the likes of Dennis Bergkamp, Edwin van der Sar, Jaap Stam, Marc Overmars, Robin van Persie, Ruud van Nistelrooy and Luis Suarez excelling in their new surroundings. Dutch club football used to provide us with great teams challenging for top European honours with Feyenoord, PSV Eindhoven and Ajax clinching the European Cup (now the Champions League, to you youngsters out there) in the 70’s, 80’s and 90’s.

However, since the Amsterdammers defeated AC Milan in May 1995, with a soon-to-be all star cast involving Edgar Davids, Clarence Seedorf, Patrick Kluivert, Jari Litmanen and the De Boer twins, Dutch football has saw a decline. Mainly due to the failure to keep up with the other leagues financially, the Eredivisie has seen their top players moving onto bigger sides and helping those sides become huge successes. With all the money flying about and regardless of what some may dispute, it’s hard to see UEFA’s Financial Fair Play rule creating a level playing field across Europe, allowing other leagues to catch up.

In recent transfer windows, Tottenham Hotspur have took advantage seeing Jan Vertonghen and Christian Eriksen leave Ajax for White Hart Lane for big money moves and earlier, Liverpool picked up Luis Suarez for £22.8m and no-one can argue that he has not already paid a large chunk of that back.

You will not see the Premier League’s importing stars from the Eredivisie ending anytime soon, with low wages and Dutch clubs struggling financially, it’s an easy market for England’s top clubs and in this series I will pick English clubs and which players would suit them and make the short journey across the North Sea.

JETRO WILLEMS

CLUB – PSV
POSITION – LEFT BACK
AGE – 19

At just 19 years of age, he has cemented the left-back position at Phillip Cocu’s PSV and between him and Ajax’s Daley Blind, the left side of the Oranje’s defence for the upcoming World Cup and years beyond is looking strong. At just 18, he broke a 28-year-old record to become the youngest ever player in the history of Euro Championships when he started all three of the Netherlands games at Euro 2012.

Willems’ big break came in 2011 when he was part of the Oranje Under-17 team that demolished all competition in the UEFA European Under 17 tournament for the first time in their history. Willems’ contributions were standout and the fact that the Dutch did not concede a goal on the road to the final, where they defeated bitter rivals Germany by five goals to two.

After the tournament, a big transfer move was inevitable and Willems, who had begun his career in Dutch amateur football at Spartaan ’20 and then moved to Eerste Divisie side Sparta Rotterdam in the summer of 2010. The sharks were circling and Sir Alex Ferguson was ready to snap him up and wanted to bring the young Dutchman to Manchester United. However, as the majority of Dutch youngsters believe, he stayed in the Eredivisie to further his career and moved to PSV for a sum of €800,000. During that season, he ousted Erik Pieters out of the left-back position and made it his own, and PSV were quick to extend the youngster’s contract until 2016.

He started twenty Eredivisie matches, scoring a goal and assisting two. He became the youngest Dutch player ever to appear in a European match in a UEFA Europa League tie with Hapoel Tel Aviv. Then Netherlands national coach Bert van Marwijk included Willems in the 23-man squad for Euro 2012, it was thought to give him some experience being part of tournament squad and nothing more with Vurnon Anita, the first choice left-back.

To many’s surprise, on the team sheet for the opening game, Marwijk kept faith in the young 18-year-old, and it was a baptism by fire. The Dutch crashed out of the tournament losing three games out of three. However, as Willems started all three games, it was the experience that he needed to progress his game and has only grew stronger from it.

Of course at such a young age, Willems still has mistakes to make and a lot to learn yet but as of writing he has made 91 Eredivisie appearances and mastered perhaps the key area of the pitch in modern football. His rapid improvement in a short space of time has been incredibly impressive and his progress so far suggests he’s going to handle any tests coming his way.

Could he match the speed and strengths of the Premier League? Yes, physically strong with great pace, Willems would slot into Patrick Evra’s boots for seasons to come. Going forward he has the skill to beat any defender and his physicality and technique will hold him in good stead at Old Trafford. With names like Southampton’s Luke Shaw being bandied around as potential successors for Evra, Jetro Willems could be a cheaper and better all around replacement.

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Eredivisie to Premier League: Jetro Willems – Man Utd

Header-Eredivisie2PremierLeague

Will Burns presents a new series looking at current Eredivisie players that could fit right at home at your Premier League club.

The Dutch Eredivisie has been used as a stepping stone to the Premier League and other top leagues across Europe for years. For so long, young talent has been exported into England with the likes of Dennis Bergkamp, Edwin van der Sar, Jaap Stam, Marc Overmars, Robin van Persie, Ruud van Nistelrooy and Luis Suarez excelling in their new surroundings. Dutch club football used to provide us with great teams challenging for top European honours with Feyenoord, PSV Eindhoven and Ajax clinching the European Cup (now the Champions League, to you youngsters out there) in the 70’s, 80’s and 90’s.

However, since the Amsterdammers defeated AC Milan in May 1995, with a soon-to-be all star cast involving Edgar Davids, Clarence Seedorf, Patrick Kluivert, Jari Litmanen and the De Boer twins, Dutch football has saw a decline. Mainly due to the failure to keep up with the other leagues financially, the Eredivisie has seen their top players moving onto bigger sides and helping those sides become huge successes. With all the money flying about and regardless of what some may dispute, it’s hard to see UEFA’s Financial Fair Play rule creating a level playing field across Europe, allowing other leagues to catch up.

In recent transfer windows, Tottenham Hotspur have took advantage seeing Jan Vertonghen and Christian Eriksen leave Ajax for White Hart Lane for big money moves and earlier, Liverpool picked up Luis Suarez for £22.8m and no-one can argue that he has not already paid a large chunk of that back.

You will not see the Premier League’s importing stars from the Eredivisie ending anytime soon, with low wages and Dutch clubs struggling financially, it’s an easy market for England’s top clubs and in this series I will pick English clubs and which players would suit them and make the short journey across the North Sea.

JETRO WILLEMS

CLUB – PSV
POSITION – LEFT BACK
AGE – 19

At just 19 years of age, he has cemented the left-back position at Phillip Cocu’s PSV and between him and Ajax’s Daley Blind, the left side of the Oranje’s defence for the upcoming World Cup and years beyond is looking strong. At just 18, he broke a 28-year-old record to become the youngest ever player in the history of Euro Championships when he started all three of the Netherlands games at Euro 2012.

Willems’ big break came in 2011 when he was part of the Oranje Under-17 team that demolished all competition in the UEFA European Under 17 tournament for the first time in their history. Willems’ contributions were standout and the fact that the Dutch did not concede a goal on the road to the final, where they defeated bitter rivals Germany by five goals to two.

After the tournament, a big transfer move was inevitable and Willems, who had begun his career in Dutch amateur football at Spartaan ’20 and then moved to Eerste Divisie side Sparta Rotterdam in the summer of 2010. The sharks were circling and Sir Alex Ferguson was ready to snap him up and wanted to bring the young Dutchman to Manchester United. However, as the majority of Dutch youngsters believe, he stayed in the Eredivisie to further his career and moved to PSV for a sum of €800,000. During that season, he ousted Erik Pieters out of the left-back position and made it his own, and PSV were quick to extend the youngster’s contract until 2016.

He started twenty Eredivisie matches, scoring a goal and assisting two. He became the youngest Dutch player ever to appear in a European match in a UEFA Europa League tie with Hapoel Tel Aviv. Then Netherlands national coach Bert van Marwijk included Willems in the 23-man squad for Euro 2012, it was thought to give him some experience being part of tournament squad and nothing more with Vurnon Anita, the first choice left-back.

To many’s surprise, on the team sheet for the opening game, Marwijk kept faith in the young 18-year-old, and it was a baptism by fire. The Dutch crashed out of the tournament losing three games out of three. However, as Willems started all three games, it was the experience that he needed to progress his game and has only grew stronger from it.

Of course at such a young age, Willems still has mistakes to make and a lot to learn yet but as of writing he has made 91 Eredivisie appearances and mastered perhaps the key area of the pitch in modern football. His rapid improvement in a short space of time has been incredibly impressive and his progress so far suggests he’s going to handle any tests coming his way.

Could he match the speed and strengths of the Premier League? Yes, physically strong with great pace, Willems would slot into Patrick Evra’s boots for seasons to come. Going forward he has the skill to beat any defender and his physicality and technique will hold him in good stead at Old Trafford. With names like Southampton’s Luke Shaw being bandied around as potential successors for Evra, Jetro Willems could be a cheaper and better all around replacement.

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Fulham flop to be loaned to PSV

Team-PSV

Costa Rican attacking midfielder Bryan Ruiz has agreed to join PSV Eindhoven on loan for the rest of the season after a disappointing season and a half in the Premier League with Fulham.

Purchased in August 2011 for £10.6m by the now-departed manager Martin Jol, big things were expected from the 28-year-old. However, Ruiz has failed to live up to expectations and scored just eight goals for the Cottagers in 68 appearances.

Before moving to London, Ruiz starred for FC Twente. Twente signed the Costa Rican for €5 from Belgian side Racing Genk, and the player signed a four-year contract. In the Eredivisie, he netted 35 times in 65 games thus earning him the admirations of Martin Jol.

This past week, new Fulham boss René Meulensteen while talking to the BBC, he stated that Ruiz would be allowed to leave in this transfer window due to the player’s demands to play first team football: “We have allowed Bryan Ruiz to talk to a number of clubs to see if something can come out of that.

“Don’t get me wrong, he is a very good player. I’ve come in, I’ve looked at the squad, worked with these players, I’ve picked my teams on what I think are the right reasons and motivations, but I can also understand Bryan’s point of view.

“He is a good player, has a World Cup coming up and he obviously needs to play, but I can’t, like with any other player, guarantee that.”

PSV Technical Director Marcel Brands tonight has spoke to Eindhoven’s Dagblad and confirmed that the player has agreed to join PSV. The Eindhoven club has no option to buy Ruiz, but they will pay Fulham a €1m fee to loan the player and will now apply for a work permit. Tomorrow, Ruiz will travel to Eindhoven to finalize deal.

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Sanders to step down at PSV

Team-PSV

PSV general manager Tiny Sanders is to step down on April 1st after four years in Eindhoven.

The 57-year-old announced on Friday evening during his annual New Year’s reception address at the Philips Stadion.

Last year PSV made a profit of €350,000 and he stated that he is leaving the club in great financial state. However, this is mainly due to sales of Kevin Strootman, Dries Mertens and Jeremain Lens this past summer which accumulated over €35million in transfer fees.

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The kit history of PSV Eindhoven

In the club’s centenary year, PSV decided to revert to a club strip reminiscent of past glories. The current home kit, comprising of red shirt, white shorts and red socks, is intentionally similar to that worn by the successful side of 1987/88. After discussions with supporters groups over the summer, it was decided that PSV should remember that formidable side which won the Eredivise, KNVB Beker and European Cup. It looks great, and is but the latest in a long line of classy football kits from the Eindhoven club.  
A sensational rumour surrounds the initial selection of the PSV club colours; an old yarn perhaps too poetic to hold any truth. The story goes that, at the founding meeting of Philips Sport Vereniging in 1913, Jan Willem Hofkes, the first chairman, was taken aback by the sweet contrast between his raspberry punch drink and the white notepad resting on his desk. In a true Eureka! Moment, it was decided there and then that PSV would be a club of red-and-white. The tradition has been preserved for one-hundred years, with many different kit designs following Hofkes’ raspberry idealism.
The first strip was classic PSV: a jersey of red-and-white vertical stripes with black shorts and red-and-white horizontally striped socks. The true heart of PSV is rapped in these colours, this design, and this pattern. It remained largely untouched from the clubs very founding until the seventies, when hedonism and diversified thinking attached to the expanding professional game in Holland forced experimentation. When PSV won the embryonic League Championship in 1929, they did so wearing the red-and-white stripes; stalwarts such as Sjef van Run and Jan van den Broek making a success of the iconic strip just like Ronaldo, Luc Nilis and Mark van Bommel would generations later.
PSV won two further league titles and a Dutch Cup before the dawn of professionalism in 1954, the Eindhoven side victorious in the national playoffs in 1935 and 1951 with legendary striker Coen Dillen making an instant impact. In 1955, the red-and-white stripes would be seen by an entire continent, as PSV became the first Dutch side ever to enter the European Cup. Nonetheless, the club was on a fast-track towards big-time professionalism, with pioneer Ben van Gelder expanding many aspects of the club. An ambitious board member, van Gelder expanded the clubs recruitment policy from solely Brabantian players to include overseas footballers capable of helping the club compete on the continental stage. Accordingly, Trevor Ford, a superstar Welsh striker, became not only the first Brit to wear the famous red-and-white PSV kit, but also the first British player to play professionally in Holland.
A fourth league title in 1963 was perhaps PSV’s biggest shove towards changing the core principles which remained in-place since Willem Hofkes’ raspberry revolution fifty years prior. Now, PSV, like many Dutch clubs, had dreams of reaching far beyond the localities they’d initially represented as an amateur club. PSV power-brokers had eyes for the world stage. In the next decade, many aspects of PSV would evolve, including the kit worn by its ever more sophisticated players.
The 1960s and 70s were a time of great social change, both in North Brabant and the Netherlands as a whole. A new class of highly-educated youths challenged the traditions of society and pressed for change in issues ranging from women’s rights to environmental policy.  In Eindhoven, church attendance declined as the totality of Catholic pillarisation waned. All over Holland, a collective urging of change was felt. Somewhat trivially, it even extended to the kits worn by football teams throughout the nation, with manufacturers displaying logos on jerseys for the first time. Le Coq Sportif supplied PSV kits during a four-year spell beginning in 1970, and displayed an eagerness to change the club’s strip to an all-red shirt with either white or black shorts. Accordingly, a new chapter was opened in the kit history of PSV.
The new-found taste for experimentation accelerated in 1974, when sportswear giant Adidas agreed a deal to become the clubs new kit manufacturer. At the time, the all-red jersey was popular with PSV fans, and a similar design was kept for fifteen years, with a few famous innovations. In 1982, for instance, main jersey sponsorship was introduced to the Eredivisie, and the symbiotic relationship between PSV and Philips was acknowledged in a deal which still flourishes to this day. The first PSV kit emblazoned with ‘PHILIPS’ on its front was all-red with very fine white pinstripes and the classic Adidas logo. The most epochal period in the clubs history came with this all-red number in its pomp. PSV won the 1978 UEFA Cup wearing this strip. The aforementioned 1987-88 European Cup winning team made this kit famous. PSV announced itself on the global stage as a club with an all-red shirt.
The shorts to this strip were altogether more capricious, however, with their colour changing as with the opponent and whim of certain star strikers. Ruud Gullit, the dread-locked superstar of PSV from 1985-87, personally decided to change the shorts’ colour from black to white in order to improve the aesthetic quality of the overall kit. It seemed to work, as Gullit fired PSV to two further Eredivisie titles before taking Europe by storm with Milan.
In 1989, it was decided that PSV would return to its traditional base with the re-introduction of an Adidas red-and-white vertical striped jersey. The next decade brought a swathe of eye-catching and unique variations on this traditional theme, insuring that many of PSV’s greatest ever players wore its rightful strip. Luc Nilis and Ronaldo won the hearts of Eindhoven and numerous medals along the way, all dressed up in red-and-white. Sir Bobby Robson famously swapped England for PSV in 1990, helping to make the striped renaissance a success. Phillip Cocu, current manager and former midfield maestro, donned the stripes of his hometown club. It all felt so natural, so right, so classically PSV.
The last major change to the kits basic principles prior to this seasons centenary special came in 1995, when Nike ceded Adidas as the manufacturer. Nike increased the visibility of white on the PSV shirt, so much so that, for the first time, it could be viewed as primarily white with red stripes. It was in this style that Ruud van Nistelrooy shot to fame, fueling the clubs 15th and 16th Eredivisie titles from 1998-2001 before a £19m move to Manchester United.
The new Millennium brought greater commercialism to global football. Therefore, clubs sought to open as many new revenue streams as possible, with the sale of official merchandise booming and creating a market for new kit designs every one or two seasons. In keeping with the rest of football, PSV released many strip variations throughout the 2000s, with some more memorable than others. My favourite kit is undoubtedly that worn by the club when I first began watching games in 2004. It had the classic red-and-white vertical stripes but, more importantly, holds the fantastic memories of players such as Mateja Kežman, Mark van Bommel and Arjen Robben. I still have that shirt tucked away in a wardrobe for posterity.
I will likely purchase this seasons jersey soon, because it’s a real collectors item. The circumstantial return to the all-red of former glories is a nice touch from management, preserving one of the clubs true glory periods. However, I also eagerly await the day when PSV again run out in their famous red-and-white vertical stripes; from Hofkes’ aberration to modern day success, those colours are at the clubs core.

RyanFerguson

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PSV YOUTH REAPING THE REWARDS

The international break can be a frustrating time for football fans. When Europe’s top leagues shut down for a week as players turn-out for their national sides, a lack of club news often presents itself. However, for PSV, the recent round of World Cup Qualifiers brought cause for great celebration; the international debuts of Memphis Depay and Zakaria Bakkali constituting a major landmark in the growth of its youth system.

At De Herdgang, the impressive training complex for all levels of PSV, an emphasis on the production of talented players isn’t entirely new. In the past, players such as Boudewijn Zenden, Ibrahim Affelay, and Zakaria Labyad have all graduated through the ranks and featured prominently in the first team. Even Coen Dillen, a renowned legend who has a statue at the Philips Stadion entrance, was taught as a youth at PSV. The difference now is that the youth system has been placed at the very nucleus of the clubs long-term philosophy, with significant investment being channeled into the development of young players and a technical team headed by Art Langeler drafted in to oversee the academy’s progression. Now, youth talent is regarded as an intrinsic aspect of the PSV plan, rather than a useful coincidence.

Phillip Cocu and his coaching team are the public figureheads of this ethos. When the former PSV captain was appointed manager on a four-year contract in the summer, promising to enact this widespread belief in youngsters, a few core players were earmarked for more prominent roles. Memphis Depay and Zakaria Bakkali, a pair of lively and skillful wingers, were duly unleashed on the Eredivisie stage. In the first three months of the season, both have earned rave reviews with a succession of electrifying performances and breath-taking wonder goals; Depay netting five important goals thus far and Bakkali becoming the youngest player ever to score an Eredivisie hat-trick. The recent international call-ups were fine reward for two shining jewels of the PSV revolution.

Depay, a Dutch-born Ghanaian, joined PSV in 2006 at the age of twelve. In time, the enigmatic winger has found his niche, his style, his role within a team. While working with Cocu in the Jong PSV set-up and representing Oranje at three different youth levels, Depay began to distinguish himself as a genuine prospect for the first-team. When Cocu briefly assumed interim control in 2011, Depay was granted his PSV debut, scoring two and assisting another in an emphatic 8-0 demolition of Noordwijkerhout. He later featured in the Eredivisie, before continued improvement saw the forward make thirty appearances under Dick Advocaat last term, when he often impressed the fans of PSV with dynamic, explosive performances.

The new direction embarked upon by PSV this summer owed much to youngsters such as Depay, Bakkali, and Jurgen Locadia pressing for greater first team inclusion. Cocu has relied heavily on these players as the foundation to his squad. Depay, in particular, has repaid him with a growing list of sensational goals from long-range and set-pieces. When watching Memphis, it’s immediately evident that his footballing idol is Cristiano Ronaldo; many of Ronaldo’s famous mannerisms, from the free-kick technique to the powerful running stride, are visible in Depay’s play. It’s exciting to see such a talented homegrown player at the fore of a new PSV generation.

It’s also exciting to see products of the academy featuring in an uber-talented Dutch national side. Depay, a prominent member of the Dutch Under-21 squad which reached the European Championship semi-finals in the summer, was an unused substitute for the senior team in a September game against Estonia. However, Louis van Gaal summoned him from the bench for the final few minutes against Turkey in Istanbul on 15 October, thus granting Depay a full international debut. Whilst he had little time to impact the game, it was still a proud moment for PSV; another of its homegrown players breaking through on the international stage.

At roughly the same time 1,600 miles away in Brussels, Bakkali doubled the delight for PSV. The immensely-talented seventeen year old took the impressive step of debuting for a Belgium side experiencing its greatest ever epoch. If you thought playing within a galaxy of Belgian stars at such a tender age would faze the wide-man, you’re sadly mistaken. “Well, isn’t it just a game like any other?,” Bakkali deadpanned while talking with Belgian daily Het Nieuws Blad after the game in which he replaced Everton starlet Kevin Mirallas for the final twelve minutes. It was apparently just a routine day in the continual growth of a superstar. A growth which has already seen him score in the Champions League, fire the aforementioned historic hat-trick at Philips Stadion against NEC Nijmegen, and become an integral part of a vibrant young team.

Bakkali wasn’t always the most heralded prospect, however. In fact, only diehard fans and local journalist knew a great deal about him as he progressed through the youth ranks. However, Phillip Cocu has shown tremendous faith in his forward, who is averaging a goal every other game, and the hype has clearly extended to the international scene. While Moroccan football executives hoped that Bakkali would elect to represent their country, the enthusiasm of Belgian coach Marc Wilmots was likely a determining factor in Zakaria’s choice. Wilmots has already likened Bakkali to superstar Eden Hazard, opining that “Zakaria is a player who scores easily, is very fast and has skillful dribbling. He has just about the same profile as Eden.” No pressure, then.

The future is certainly bright for PSV, with such a stable of impressive youngsters. In a World Cup year, players are given greater motivating to produce their best form, which will only benefit both club and country. Bakkali already has his sights set on Brazil, stating that he’ll “do everything, truly everything, at PSV to be able to go to Brazil. That is my big dream!” Thus, the advantages of international football become clear: PSV will have a motivated Bakkali striving to impress Wilmots and earn a place on the plane to Brazil which, in turn, will help sustain the phenomenal level of performance which he has shown, and help PSV in their quest for an Eredivisie title.

Ultimately, however, all of this comes back to Cocu and his vision. If his thorough belief in youth is to be vindicated, the cases of Depay and Bakkali must continue to be replicated. There is ample reason to believe that, with continued investment in youth development and the bright ideas from those in charge, they will. Every young player currently being taught at De Herdgang must hold these fully-fledged internationals as role models and standard-bearers. The rise to international prominence of such homegrown talents must act as inspiration. If we see more like Memphis and Zakaria in the coming years, PSV may seriously threaten Ajax and Feyenoord as traditional seats of young Dutch talent.

RyanFerguson

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TotalDutchFootball.com

WorldFootballWeekly.com

FEATURE: How I became a PSV fan?

Why PSV? It’s a question asked of me on a near-daily basis. The people asking are compelled to do so by a variety of different factors: they acknowledge the Lighttown logo currently masquerading as my Twitter icon, or they see the red-and-white stripes of some retro jersey plucked lazily from the wardrobe that morning. In truth, they are correct to be a little bemused; actively supporting a football club from Holland isn’t exactly normal around here. However, I have a very reasonable explanation and, with the club celebrating it’s centenary year, I could think of better time to tell the story. So, if you’re interested, sit back and relax: this is the tale of how I became a PSV fan.

It’s conventional to start at the beginning. My love of football was hereditary. I was raised in a family which loves football almost as much as it loves Tranmere Rovers. After attending my first match in 2001, I was similarly gripped by the bug. The atmosphere. The grass. The excitement. Tranmere are in my heart, and are will always be my main club, with PSV serving as a delightful secondary obsession. It was on the Kop of Prenton Park that I learnt to appreciate football; learnt of players and managers and rivalries; learnt an extensive vocabulary of four-letter obscenities. It was only natural that this home-grown knowledge, and this hunger for football, would extend overseas. I quickly became interested in the different footballing cultures dotting the globe.

So it was that, after midnight on a warm February day in 2004, I began flicking the channels of my small bedroom TV. The usual assortment of late-night dross was in evidence; the quiz shows which give you no chance and the sign zone repeats of Murder, She Wrote. However, my attention was eventually held by the gloriously-named Dutch Game of the Week on Channel 5. Although I was initially oblivious, this was a weekly re-run, in entire ninety-minute form, of a top Dutch Eredivisie fixture!

I still remember that first game, that first episode, that first intoxication on the PSV drug. It was a night game at the Philips Stadion. PSV Eindhoven versus FC Twente Enschede. The whole occasion was so evocative, so atmospheric, so mesmeric. The capacity crowd enthralled me; I recall thinking how they all looked so cold, dressed in considerable dark coats with hats and scarves aplenty. In retrospect, the commentary was classic, describing the insatiable football and introducing me to hallowed names. Bouma and Affelay. Van Bommel and Vogel. Robben and Jan Vennegoor of Hesselink. The crowning climax of that sacrosanct game far outweighs even these lofty pleasures, however. Yes, the red-and-white stripes looked resplendent. Yes, the miasma of Eindhoven virtually pouring through my television was sensational. But they were outshone in my pantheon of memories by the heroic way in which that game was won.

After ninety-plus minutes of absorbing fixation, the game was still goalless. In a blurry haste, PSV whooshed the ball about the pitch one last time. I cannot recall quite how the ball fell precariously inside the Twente penalty area, but it did! There to gobble it up, with a desperate-yet-shrewd flick was my first PSV hero. Mateja Kežman had just won the game, sparking sheer delirium in wintry Eindhoven. As he wheeled away in timeless celebration, unleashing a detailed portrayal of Jesus Christ on his undershirt, I was won-over for life. I was up, celebrating with all the might a ten-year-old can muster at 3am on a school night. It was a dream-like moment which still makes the hair stand on-end. If anybody has a DVD of that game, PSV-Twente on 14th February, 2004, I would pay very good money for a copy.

In retrospect, those were the halcyon days of modern Dutch football. Ajax had Sneijder, Van Der Vaart, and Ibrahimovic; Stekelenburg, De Jong, and Vermaelen. Feyenoord had Van Persie, Kuyt, and Buffel; Kalou, Paauwe, and Ono. It was a special era. I watched religiously every week, putting my football education before my actual, real education. It’s undoubted that I learnt more from Guus Hiddink than I ever did from any primary school teacher.

Even in an Eredivisie awash with stars, it was always PSV Eindhoven for me. The experience of watching that first game was incredible; it was like watching a whole new footballing heaven unfurl before me. When I watched PSV, there was a sense of harmony, a co-existence with the team, and a natural desire to see them win. It was just always meant to be.

As I began to watch the Dutch Game of the Week with greater regularity, the fantastic memories began to form. One of my earliest, and the brightest of my PSV fandom, came during the 2004-05 season, when Hiddink’s men travelled to Amsterdam for a massive game with rivals Ajax. By that time, I was reading extensively on the subject of PSV, and was becoming ever more engrossed with the day-to-day news dripping out of Eindhoven. However, I vividly recall avoiding all potential snippets of information on this game, so as to watch the Channel 5 re-run with greater intensity. It was worth the wait. Phillip Cocu opened the scoring with an epochal diving header, before Mark Van Bommel scored an unbelievable hat-trick. It was fantasy football. I was truly thrilled.

It’s that particular incarnation of PSV which I still cherish the most. Gomes kept goal with enigmatic abandon; Park Ji-Sung matched mercurial talent with spirit and determination; Cocu was a genius. The other names still bring happy memories to attention: Ooijer, Lee Young-Pyo, Alex, Bouma, DeMarcus Beasley, Farfan, and, yes, even Remco van der Schaaf. Whereas many footballing purists talk about Brazil in 1970 or the Barcelona of Xavi, Iniesta, and Messi, I still hark back to these priceless PSV days. It was a pleasure to be involved during such a glory period.

In my mind, one game encapsulates that entire era more definitively that most: the 2004/05 Champions League Semi-Final against Milan. I’ve written extensively about this tie, and the bitter-sweet memories it evokes, but, in hindsight, it was truly emblematic of a golden period for Dutch football. Here, we had PSV Eindhoven, traditionally underestimated by the widespread European media, overcoming a succession of hurdles to demonstrate on a huge stage their true talent. The result still hurts, but I was prideful that the entire world was able to see just why I fell for PSV. Additionally, I still maintain that, if they had somehow ended up in Istanbul, Liverpool wouldn’t have stood a chance!

The years following the Milan trauma were truly historic, as PSV became the first club ever to win four consecutive Eredivisie titles. It was a blur of classic kits, memorable goals, and abundant confetti. New heroes, with names like Kone, Culina and Simons, brought a new wave of success and celebration. I became even more fascinated with PSV during this stretch, and learnt a keen appreciation for the clubs history and tradition. The trophies kept on coming, and so did the memories. It was simply fantastic.

Now, those days seem so far away. In recent times, PSV have struggled with settling upon a definitive direction for the future; a period of uncertainty which has given rise to a five-season Title drought. In that time, even AZ and Twente have won the Eredivisie! It has been a very testing period, but my passion for PSV has only grown larger. The memories and appreciation I have for those golden eras make me more determined than ever to see and experience them again and, with a hero such as Phillip Cocu promising to overhaul the club’s entire ethos, I have every faith that we will. When those illustrious times return, I hope to be there, waiting; my greatest hope is to visit Eindhoven and watch my first-ever game live at the Philips Stadion soon.

So, now you know. The next time you read my tweets about Dutch football, or the next time you see me wearing a PSV Eindhoven cap, you’ll know why! The shows which lurk on your television in the dead of night rarely hold attention for more than ten minutes; the Dutch Game of the Week, however, sparked a fascination in me which has lasted nearly ten years. It’s funny how things work out.

RyanFerguson

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Cocu’s tactical masterclass

The scene was one of unbridled joy; with fans bouncing on the terraces and raising the Philips Stadion roof. After years of frustration at the hands of their greatest enemy, PSV had finally beaten Ajax in the league, the first time they had managed to do so since 2009. In emphatic style, the Eindhoven side demonstrated their true potential with a comprehensive 4-0 rout. It was a euphoric result. It was a warning signal to the Eredivisie. It was the greatest achievement of Phillip Cocu’s burgeoning managerial career.

In recent encounters with Ajax, PSV have let emotion destroy rationality. The magnitude of fixtures against de Amsterdammers seemed to bring about a cavalier attitude, with PSV overly-eager to earn bragging rights. When the two clubs met last season, Dick Advocaat employed a typically-offensive style which led to high-scoring affairs won by the more composed Ajax. It felt like PSV were lacking a solid foundation from which to attack, rushing forward with reckless abandon. In many ways, they were victims of their own desire.

However, the more pragmatic approach of Phillip Cocu proved to be a perfect antidote for PSV this time. Cocu is of a similar ilk to Ajax head coach Frank de Boer; the two sharing a similar career trajectory culminating in a coaching partnership with Holland at the 2010 World Cup. The dividing lines between PSV and Ajax are well-documented, but Cocu and de Boer have a lot in common. They are from the intellectual breed of coaches, who take an almost scientific approach to analysis and game preparation. Therefore, it was tremendously-exciting to see this subplot develop over the weekend.

In all honesty, Cocu outmaneuvered de Boer from a strategical standpoint, which is fine praise for even the greatest managers. The highly-successful de Boer is amongst the sharpest coaches in the game today, as illustrated by the succession of Eredivisie championships which he has masterminded. In recent times, PSV have lacked a manager to compete with de Boer’s new-wave ideas and philosophies. Fred Rutten wasn’t favoured. Advocaat was consumed by a love of goals. However, now it appears that, in Phillip Cocu, they’ve finally found a manager to compete with de Boer on every level. PSV’s 4-0 victory was the biggest league defeat inflicted upon Ajax in the de Boer reign, and may prove to be a portent of greater competition to come. It shows that PSV are serious again. It shows that Cocu, viewed as a figurehead of change, also has the tactical acumen which could lead to great things. It shows that de Boer may be facing his stiffest test yet.

For the first time in four years, PSV entered a heated game against Ajax with a discernible game-plan. It’s no coincidence that they won for the first time in that duration. As a spectator, it was clear to see that Cocu, along with impressive coaches Ernest Faber and Chris van der Weerden, had plotted a comprehensive plan as to how his side should deal with Ajax and win the game. It worked to perfection.

The first part of PSV’s plan relied on greater discipline than they’ve shown for a number of years against Ajax. It revolved around pressurising in sensible, important areas of the pitch and earning a right to play. Ajax are renowned for a slick-passing style, often beginning with goalkeeper Kenneth Vermeer and his ball-playing centre-halves. Thus, PSV directed a majority of their defensive energies to this portion of the field, closing down quickly and restricting any Ajax rhythm. The high-octane industry of Park Ji-Sung was instrumental in setting this standard, which is surely the type of impact Cocu envisioned when bringing the South Korean back to Eindhoven. Ajax were stifled by PSV in the areas of maximum importance around each penalty area, with only long-distance shots from Bojan and Ricardo van Rhijn really troubling Jeroen Zoet during a controlled first half.

20131001 - PSV 4-0 Ajax

Now, PSV had earned a measure of control, in much the same way we’ve become so accustomed to Ajax doing. After the break, Cocu saw the second part of his plan come to fruition. In a more prudent manner than recent years, the teams offensive spontaneity was unleashed. Memphis Depay broke into intelligent positions. Oscar Hiljemark began to probe forward from a central midfield berth. Even Jetro Willems broke into advanced positions when sensible to do so. In essence, PSV were using energy where it was needed, rather than wasting it in the all-out, gung-ho style of previous regimens. It gave them a more sustainable footing within the game. Eventually, Ajax were on the ropes.

The eventual flurry of goals even took Cocu by surprise; the manager fist-pumping in giddy excitement at the success of his plan. PSV went wild, scoring four goals in fifteen mesmeric minutes. When Ajax ‘keeper Kenneth Vermeer spilled an innocuous cross, allowing Tim Matavž to poke home the opener, it was symptomatic of that self-same pressing which so restricted the Amsterdam side earlier in the game; first Joritt Hendrix and then Memphis Depay working hard to force Ajax into uncompromising positions. The latter eventually wrestled back possession, whipped over a cross, and watched as Vermeer’s howler let Matavž in. Whilst the goal was somewhat suicidal from Ajax, PSV forced the issue so as to create such openings.

A scintillating breakaway saw Jetro Willems dance inside before bending a shot around Vermeer on the hour mark, before Oscar Hiljemark rapped one into the top corner and Ji-Sung Park completed the rout when through on goal. The blind fact of Ajax’s 4-0 thrashing was that they weren’t accustomed to seeing such a balanced, all-encompassing PSV. In many respects, PSV played like Ajax have for many years, taking an even-keeled, controlling approach with resourceful counter-attacks and searing breakaway goals. It could be said that PSV out-Ajax’d Ajax.

If you’re a PSV fan, this is a great sign. The future certainly looks bright under Phillip Cocu. After a disappointing performance and result in the Europa League against Ludogorets, it was especially pleasing to see such a rebound. When PSV most needed a strong performance, they were able to find one, helped by a mightily-impressive tactical plan from their exciting young coach. Now, as PSV look to drive towards the winter break as Eredivisie pace-setters, and as Cocu continues to gain deserved notoriety, the exciting times are back in Eindhoven. If a celebration is to be held in May, we may look back at this weekend, the 22nd September, as a seminal moment. It was when Phillip Cocu came of age as PSV manager.

RyanFerguson

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