With a transfer-free status in his pocket, Branco van den Boomen can go wherever he wants after this season. His old trainer Mike Snoei would know if he were Feyenoord.
It should be clear by now that Snoei is a fan of Van den Boomen. As coach of De Graafschap, he saw his midfielder make the move to Toulouse, which played in Ligue 2 at the time. “When I started at De Graafschap there was not much money for investments, until El Yebli went to the desert. I asked the main sponsor if we could try to get Branco loose at FC Eindhoven. He had a limited transfer fee of 350,000 euros and people were willing to participate in that,” says Snoei Football scoop.
In Doetinchem, Van den Boomen would immediately make his mark and force a top transfer, although Snoei would have preferred it differently. “He played with us for one year. The funny and sad thing is that if we had been promoted, which was stopped by the KNVB (corona season, ed.), Branco’s clause came into effect: he would not have been able to leave. Toulouse was a great step for him, but we thought it was a shame, because we more or less counted on him in the Eredivisie.”
Toulouse
Snoei did not mince words and openly wondered whether Toulouse was the right step for Van den Boomen. Telstar’s current trainer was not happy with his departure. “No, I was disappointed because we would actually be promoted to the Eredivisie. I already had it in my head to do that with Ralf Seuntjens and Van den Boomen, but that boy was so ambitious that I understood that. He was able to sign a great contract with Toulouse in Ligue 2. He was immediately a monster in his first year and scored twelve goals and gave 21 assists. The move was also a very good one in retrospect, because he was ready for something new. “
Snoei would have preferred to see Van den Boomen in South Rotterdam. “I said more than a year ago that I would find him a very good midfielder for Feyenoord. I still think so, he is actually the perfect replacement for Orkun Kökcü. He has the same qualities and I even think he is in passing a bit better than Kökcü. He has an enormous creative ability, although I think Kökcü is a bit more dynamic than Branco, but otherwise he comes awfully close to him.”
Van den Boomen was a guest at Rondo on Monday, where he was asked whether PSV is not something for him. The 27-year-old Veldhovenaar indicated that he would like it. Snoei: “If I were Branco, I would think of Feyenoord, provided they are interested, of course. I read some names that Feyenoord may be interested in, but Van den Boomen is better in many ways.”
Feyenoord
“It is a typical late bloomer: via the youth of Ajax to sc Heerenveen, FC Eindhoven, De Graafschap and now to Toulouse. Everyone recognized his talent, otherwise you don’t go to Ajax and Heerenveen, clubs with an eye for young talent, but he has never really lived up to it. Later he took huge steps. I can see it: Branco at Feyenoord. Arne Slot is crazy about these kinds of players, I’m sure he will be interested in this. Then he will also come in eligible for the Dutch national team.”
Snoei is proud of Van den Boomen’s development, but also dares to admit that he had doubts about the switch to Toulouse. That had nothing to do with his football qualities. “He comes from a protected environment and people often struggle with the French language. You have to master that to find your place in the French league. I think that’s the most clever thing of all. He fought through it, together with his girlfriend. He’s really grown into a big boy.”
“He depends on his Brabant family, I know his father a bit, a big PSV supporter. Take a boy like that away from a protected environment, then it will be quite exciting whether such a boy will succeed. That’s Branco well done. And how much stretch there is left, I’m curious about that now. I find these figures very impressive: involved in more than thirty goals last year and now more than ten at the highest level in France. gets better players around him, he might get even better. I would like that.”
Van den Boomen’s story may inspire other young players. “Technical manager Piet Buter and I brought Jerdy Schouten from ADO ll to Telstar, who is now a millionaire in Italy. He has also taken fantastic steps, especially because he was very ambitious himself, but you still have to get it done. He went to Bologna via Excelsior, where everyone is now talking about him. These are nice boys’ books. You also do it a bit as a trainer, because I also present these kinds of examples to my players at Telstar. “
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