Ron Jans Reflects on PEC Cup Win: ‘Don’t Be Louis van Gaal’

A cup final between a top club from the Randstad and a sub-topper from the east of the country. This year it is on the program with the meeting between Feyenoord and NEC, but that was the recipe ten years ago. Then PEC Zwolle won 5-1 against Ajax.

The PEC trainer at the time was Ron Jans, who in 2024 will be looking back at the winning cup final. “We were so effective in the first half. I think we had four chances and they all went in. I don’t think this will be topped anytime soon.”

Regardless of how good the match was, many remember Jans about the hours afterwards. “I think it’s a big advantage: we came back from De Kuip on Sunday afternoon, and there were four thousand people in our stadium!”

Then the cruise and the ceremony were still to come. “That was really scary for me. I gave advice to the players: make sure you experience it sensibly and don’t fill yourself up too quickly.”

In addition, Jans had to make another mission for himself. “Be normal, don’t be Louis van Gaal, who can be a bit ‘too’ sometimes in dealing with the audience. But yes, there is so much in you, and you do something, And here it is: the dance,” he refers to the famous dance ‘Ron Jans.’