PSV’s Jan Reker: don’t dispair….

Lex Schoenmaker and Feyenoord’s UEFA Cup in 1974

He didn’t enjoy the Atletico match. His PSV was being served off pretty easily, that was not what the PSV general manager had expected. “Still, it’s too easy to say now that PSV lost touch of the European top. That’s a bit too fast jumping to conclusions after just one game.”

Reker did admit he was surprised. “PSV can play much better than we did. But, to win against a side like Atletico at least eight players need to be top. And I think we only had three players at the right level.”

Still, it seems something is rotten in the state of Eindhoven. Every season, the best players are sold. Of the group that reached the semis three years back, only Afellay is still a PSV player. And before that, Kezman and Robben left PSV. Where Ajax and Feyenoord lost the plot years before, it seems now it’s PSV’s turn.

Reker: “Remember the early 1980s…. We had a generation Kraaij, Van der Kuylen, Stevens…and they left the club, resulting in a tough period. But, I can’t really compare. Football has changed a lot since.”

It’s no news that Holland lost the competition with the top nations, but it seems now that countries like Russia and Turkey are gaining in on us. “And don’t forget Romania, Greece and the Ukraine. These countries have oil. They will all follow Russia. And in Sweden, the sports betting offices have a turn over of 600 mio euros. We can’t compete with that.”

It’s a sombre perspective for the future, admits Reker. But, Reker will always fight before he throws the towel. “I’ve worried for 20 years now. But, I won’t accept it. We need to stay creative. Although I wouldn’t know what to do, really.”

Reker is a member of the steering committee of the CL. “The current set up is there for at least three more years. We need to find solutions for after those years. I feel the middle nations like Holland deserve two clubs in the CL but the big nations don’t want to let go of their number of tickets. And that’s understandable too.”

He then continues: “PSV grabbed a lot of points for Holland. Now it’s time for Ajax, Feyenoord and FC Twente to step up to the plate. Points earned in the UEFA cup are weighed like the CL points. And those clubs do not have to face opponents of the calibre of Atletico, so it’s up to them now.”