22 Oct 2023 at 05:05
After a disastrous start to the season, the question is whether bottom line FC Utrecht is a relegation candidate. Club celebrities are divided, but hope that a home win over arch-rival Ajax on Sunday will mean a turnaround. “Ron Jans will get a bottle of cognac if he keeps this team alive.”
An FC Groningen scenario? FC Utrecht defender Mark van der Maarel said a few weeks ago that that is far away for his club, but Ton du Chatinier now has to laugh about that. “Apparently they don’t look in the mirror at FC Utrecht. Yes, in the distorting mirror of the Efteling. That FC Groningen scenario is really not far away,” says Du Chatinier, who played 235 Eredivisie matches for FC Utrecht from 1977 to 1987. and later coached the club.
The ‘FC Groningen scenario’ is a reference to the relegation of FC Groningen last season. In other words: a large club with a large following that drops to the Kitchen Champion Division after a disastrous year. In addition to FC Groningen, it also happened to FC Twente in the recent past (2018).
It seems a bit early to talk about such a scenario at FC Utrecht, with 26 matches to go. On the other hand, everything has failed so far this season in the Cathedral City, resulting in the dismissal of coach Michael Silberbauer. FC Utrecht is the least scoring team (four goals) in the Eredivisie.
And only two teams conceded more goals than the three-time KNVB Cup winner (seventeen), who is last in the Eredivisie for the first time in 22 years. “I don’t believe they will be relegated. But since I went to the stadium as a supporter, I have never experienced this,” says Gert Kruys, who played with Du Chatinier in the main squad of FC Utrecht in the 1970s and 1980s.
First eight matches FC Utrecht
PSV-FC Utrecht 2-0
FC Utrecht-sc Heerenveen 0-2
PEC Zwolle-FC Utrecht 1-0
FC Utrecht-Feyenoord 1-5
Heracles-FC Utrecht 1-3
NEC-FC Utrecht 3-0
FC Utrecht-Almere City 0-2
FC Volendam-FC Utrecht 1-0
‘In practice it’s nothing’
Kruys, born in Utrecht, sees several causes for his club’s disastrous start. “It’s partly bad luck. Red cards cost you a defeat in the last two matches. But the team also lacks any form of self-confidence. It looks extremely insecure. And the boys who have been recruited are not doing it yet.”
FC Utrecht lost important players last summer, such as Sander van de Streek, Sean Klaiber and Eredivisie top scorer Anastasios Douvikas. Technical director Jordy Zuidam anticipated, just like in the summers before, by bringing eleven players to Stadion Galgenwaard. But in the most recent league match, only four of them started.
“On paper it seems like a lot and they have some nice clubs on their CV. But in practice it is nothing,” says Du Chatinier about the purchases. According to him, they are often “the same type of players”. “We now have eight midfielders and five numbers ten, but a winger who can pass a man or a high-scoring striker is missing.”
Kruys believes that the club has not properly anticipated the departure of important players, especially at the front. The departed Douvikas, Bas Dost and Van de Streek together scored 37 competition goals, 73 percent of the total production. Isac Lidberg, Mats Seuntjens, Marouan Azarkan and Ole Romeny were replaced.
The foursome have only scored once together so far. “They do lack quality in that,” says former striker John van Loen, who scored a total of 51 times for FC Utrecht in the 1980s and 1990s. “On the other hand, things aren’t going well for these new guests either. They do get opportunities, but they just don’t get them.”
Ton du Chatinier (third from left) was trainer of FC Utrecht from 2008 to 2011. Photo: ANP
‘They are sweet, ideal sons-in-law’
Meanwhile, criticism from supporters is increasing. This criticism is mainly aimed at the man responsible for the composition of the selection: Zuidam. Du Chatinier believes that the technical director has failed.
“In my years as FC Utrecht coach, Foeke Booy was technical director. I didn’t like him, but we did bring in players like Dries Mertens and Kevin Strootman. Now things just happen. I know Jordy (Zuidam, ed.) and think “He’s a nice guy. But he has put together a hopeless selection. He has been throwing out trainers for years, but it is also over for him.”
According to Van Loen, that selection is much better than the players currently show. “This FC Utrecht is good enough to play in the left row. But I miss players who carry the team. In my time, for example, Dick Advocaat, Wim Rijsbergen or Jan Wouters did that. They really wouldn’t let this happen.”
With Jens Toornstra, Mike van der Hoorn and Nick Viergever, FC Utrecht now also has experienced players. Du Chatinier: “But they are not leaders, man. They are sweet, all ideal sons-in-law. You have to be prepared to bite someone’s throat. In the past, teams came to Utrecht with fear. Now even Almere City (0-2, ed.) .) win there.”
Jens Toornstra returned to FC Utrecht in the summer of 2022 after eight years at Feyenoord, but cannot yet carry his team. Photo: Pro Shots
‘Ajax deeper in shit than us’
Ron Jans, who succeeded Silberbauer as trainer in mid-September, seemed to get FC Utrecht going for a while. The team won the first game under his leadership against Heracles Almelo (1-2), but things went wrong in the subsequent games against NEC, Almere City and FC Volendam.
Van Loen nevertheless thinks that Jans can bring about something good in Utrecht. “His predecessor Silberbauer was a dead man. He was quite soulless on the sidelines. Jans brings enthusiasm and is a top-class trainer, although he is also dependent on his players.”
Jans himself sees still enough to hold on to and does not seem to fear relegation. Van Loen doesn’t do that either. “Ajax at home, for example, could be the turning point. They are in even deeper shit than we are. Red cloths for the eyes and go, I would say. And even if it doesn’t work out on Sunday, I don’t see FC Utrecht being relegated. “
Du Chatinier does. He is very concerned. “If Jans keeps this team, he will get a nice bottle of cognac. Club people and former players think far too lightly about relegation. I hope they get three good players during the winter break, otherwise we will just play in the Kitchen Champion Division next year .”
2023-10-22 03:05:41
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