There’s something wrong with Martin Jol

Simon Kuper’s column in VI

Football and logic… It’s like water and fire. And that’s why it’s fascinating. Every day. But sometimes, things are beyond belief. In Holland, more than sometimes.

Why does Ajax think that a former player who only managed a youth team for one season can save the club? Why does the KNVB want to sign a coach who – despite of all the new signings at Feyenoord – hasn’t been able to perform better than last season this time around? Why are matches on tv being analyzed by a former tennis coach and the wife of a singer?

How can you explain that the two coaches who perform best in this season – at Heerenveen and NAC – are being fired? Why can the coach of the most disappointing club this season explain to the people that his team – AZ – plays great football? You can’t explain. It’s the caravan of madness, on it’s way to new adventures.

Football in Holland resembles politics. The executives plan for survival. Ajax chair Jaakke asked for applause for his coach Adrie Koster from at the new years reception after he won only one match of five in December. Most important thing for Jaakke was the fact that Koster has a better relationship with td Martin van Geel than his predecessor Henk ten Cate.

Koster doesn’t have any enemies and that’s the most important qualification for him.

And what about Henk Kesler? He appointed Marco van Basten to stop all the criticism on the KNVB. But it did take three years for our team manager to realize he had to adapt his tactical system to the players instead of vice versa. And now Kesler picks another coach who seems to have an indisputable reputation.

Somewhere above all those shenanigans, one of Holland’s best managers is available. But, there is something wrong with him. Although it can’t be on a football technical level. He turned ugly duckling RKC in a winning football machine with minimal resources. Something Frank Rijkaard wasn’t able to do at Sparta. After that, Jol pulled Tottenham Hotspur out of the swamp of mediocrity. But, that didn’t impress the top of the Dutch Eredivisie. With all sorts of weird arguments the top clubs try to keep Jol at bay.

Former Feyenoord chairman Van der Herik thought he was too fat for his club. And Kesler took him off the shortlist. Because there were rumours that Kesler wanted to hire him as Van Basten’s successor. What? With Van der Herik gone, Kesler opting for Van Marwijk and Ajax chasing Van Basten the road is open for Feyenoord to do the right thing.