Van Marwijk full of praise for ‘versatile’ pillar Feyenoord: “He plays so smart”

Bert van Marwijk calls Lutsharel Geertruida the big surprise in Feyenoord’s championship year. The former national coach and trainer of the team from Rotterdam is full of praise for the defender.

Van Marwijk raved about Geertruida

Where the majority of football connoisseurs highlighted Mats Wieffer as the surprise of the championship team, Van Marwijk opts for Geeetruida. “Of course it was not a surprise at all, because he also did well last season. But he plays so smartly as a right back and you can also effortlessly put him in the center,” the former coach praises the 22-year-old from Rotterdam. Football International.

“He has also earned his place in the Dutch national team. Normally, as a back you have certain responsibilities: making sure your side is good defensively and making sure you get over it every now and then. But nowadays you have to be so versatile, that also has to do with the general development of football,” Van Marwijk continued.

“Pep Guardiola started that at Bayern Munich. He sent Philipp Lahm into midfield as right back. Everyone then thought: How is that possible, isn’t that dangerous? But opponents didn’t know what to do with it. And Arjen Robben was always released as a right winger. Now Guardiola suddenly does that with John Stones, who steps into midfield as a center defender,” Van Marwijk analyzes.

“A lot of value for the team”

“Almost no coach dares to do that kind of thing, but Guardiola succeeds. Geertruida now has such a role at Feyenoord. He does that very well, which makes him much more valuable to the team. Normally a back is a back, I don’t mean that derogatory, but Geertruida adds more: he is comfortable on the ball, has the speed and is good defensively.