In 2004, Pascal Bosschaart turned down Manchester United’s interest in playing football at Feyenoord. Tomorrow the current assistant coach of SC Cambuur will face the club of his dreams. His love for the Rotterdam club then goes on hold for ninety minutes, he says General Journal.
“As a Cambuur coach, I naturally want us to win. And that is possible, crazier things have happened,” said Bosschaart, who is in acute relegation distress with the Frisian club. Furthermore, the born Rotterdammer gives his old club everything. “I hope that the national title for Feyenoord will soon be a fact, yes. You can have it inside, can’t you?”
The former Feyeno player sometimes cannot believe what is happening in South Rotterdam this season. “Man, this is so rare beautiful. And if you think about it, it is actually quite crazy, isn’t it”, he refers to the big lead in the ranking. “I am 43 years old and in those 43 years I have never seen the club rule like this. Yes, the ’93, ’99 and 2017 championships were fantastic. Just like winning the UEFA Cup in 2002. But eight points ahead of the competition, that is almost impossible to imagine!?”
Professional as he is, Bosschaart will give everything tomorrow as employees of SC Cambuur. But otherwise he is mainly a supporter of Feyenoord. “Really, sometimes I just have to pinch myself to believe it. And you can taste that feeling with everyone in the city. Man this is so rare beautiful. Please give Arne Slot a statue. I really mean it.”
The former robust defender caught himself thinking surrealistic thoughts, as more Feyenoord supporters experience that new and sometimes unfamiliar feeling. “When I drove to De Kuip for Feyenoord-Ajax last week, something remarkable happened in the car. ‘We are favorites tonight’, I suddenly heard myself say to my eldest daughter, just as crazy about Feyenoord as I am. And then, a little louder: ‘We’re favorites!’ Okay, we lost in the end. But still: I can’t remember ever saying this in 43 years prior to a duel with Ajax. It is significant for the changed relationships at the top of the Eredivisie. After years in which Ajax set the tone, the roles have been completely reversed.”
Despite the sentiment, he will not give away the points tomorrow with his SC Cambuur. “No definitely not. I think I can’t do that given the situation we are in with Cambuur. That doesn’t mean I’m super happy with that title. And, above all, with the modest way in which players like Orkun Kökçü present themselves in front of the TV cameras. That is exactly what Feyenoord is. Just work hard, then you don’t need that bluff.”
