Scuffed | USMNT, World Cup, Yanks Abroad, futbol in America - #570: PSV reporter Rik Elfrink joins from Eindhoven

Episode Date: February 17, 2025

Rik Elfrink, the world's preeminent source on PSV Eindhoven -- the club, its players, academy and front office -- joins to talk about the American contingent in Eindhoven, Earnie Stewart's performance as technical director, the best away grounds in Holland, how he got into sports journalism, and a lot more.Like I said, he's a must-follow on Twitter if you know how to use the translate function: https://x.com/RikElfrinkHere's where you sign up to receive updates about the Rome trip and try to hammer out the details with George Quraishi: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfp2O1bIr5KNSymt3ayP3ctERCooDo3ADM5Kf_kSHpmr6ITMg/viewform Skip the ads! Subscribe to Scuffed on Patreon and get all episodes ad-free, plus any bonus episodes. Patrons at $5 a month or more also get access to Clip Notes, a video of key moments on the field we discuss on the show, plus all patrons get access to our private Discord server, live call-in shows, and the full catalog of historic recaps we've made: https://www.patreon.com/scuffedAlso, check out Boots on the Ground, our USWNT-focused spinoff podcast headed up by Tara and Vince. They are cooking over there, you can listen here: https://boots-on-the-ground.simplecast.comAnd check out our MERCH, baby. We have better stuff than you might think: https://www.scuffedhq.com/store Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Welcome to the Scuff podcast where we talk about U.S. soccer. Hey, everybody, the Monday episode on the public feed this week is going to be an interview. The Monday Review with Vince and Waki falls back behind the paywall for today, where you can also get Vince's clip notes, videos, and all the other bespoke video content that resides within those garden walls. Now to the interview. Our guest today is the top PSV Einhoven reporter in the world. The source for news on the club, its players, its academy, its front office.

His name is Rick Elfrink, and he's a reporter for Einhoven-Daily, and a must follow on Twitter if you are a U.S. Men's National Team fan, given our players heavy presence at the club these days. Rick, thank you for making the time for this. Welcome. Yes, thank you very much. It's a big honor to be in your show. Yeah, great to see the mentality of the American players.

They're all so dedicated and focused. Well, yeah, let's see what we are going to discuss and what we are going to talk about. Yeah. So, I mean, first of all, about you, how does one become a sports journalist in the Netherlands? Like, what was your path to this job? Oh, my God. It wasn't really prepared for that question. Well, I used to be a lawyer, and to make it short, I didn't really get enough satisfaction

of that job and I always was in sports so I used to cycle a lot in the past I used to play football but I was injured when I was like 1617 I got injured and I was not able to play anymore I always regret it and yeah in 2004 I got a chance to become a journalist so first I was a financial journalist and since the beginning of 2011 I got the chance to follow PSC Einhoven and of course I didn't have I didn't have to think a lot of time about this offer because, yeah, in only one hour, I decided to take the job and I never regretted that. It's really nice to be in sports every day and to cover one of the biggest clubs of the Netherlands. When you were injured at 16 or 17, were you playing for a club that people would recognize or for an academy?

No, no, I was not that talented. Maybe I would have been a good amateur, but I don't think I would have made it to the professional leagues. But yeah, you never know, but I was not that talented, no. Okay, okay, okay. And are you from Eindhoven? Is that where you're from, or are you from a different part of the? I live here now for, I think, 30 years. In the past, I lived in the eastern of the East Netherlands, so I lived near F.C. Twente, also one of the big clubs in Holland.

But now I live already here 30 years in Eindhoven. So, yeah, then I work at the paper who daily appears in Eindhoven. So, yeah, then it's clear that when you want to do anything that you cover, Paysvay. Yep, of course. One more thing about journalism. Who are you competing with? Like, who is your competition?

Is it the TV reporters? That's also great. Americans, they always see competition. They always see like pressure and that that's not the way I look at the job. Of course, you have to bring the news. You have to, yeah, to give the people also the first news. You have to be the first one who brings the news, of course. But it's not always a competition.

It's also about covering, you're covering a club. That means also that you have to write about financial affairs, about fans fans affairs that you have to know what happens in the stadium what is around the stadium and of course that you analyze the games that you follow all the matches that you can see that you can analyze the performance of the team so it's not only about bringing some transfer news of course that is an that's an important part of of the job. It's even becoming more important for many people because they follow transfers and they want to know the last news. But covering a club like PSC is also, yeah, it's about several

topics that you have to write about. And yeah, I think also the financial affairs, the, yeah, Also, club is also, at the moment, they also have like a corporate thing behind their club. You have to follow that also. Yeah, I don't know the word, but thoroughly, is that the good word? What was the word you used? No, you have to, yeah, you have to be careful. I mean, you have to be. Okay, yeah.

Yeah, and you have to take good care of what you write. It has to be the truth. Yeah, and it also has to be correct. That's important that you always write. What you write has to be correct. Yeah, now more than ever, I feel like, it's important. Yeah, for sure. That's the way you can, yeah, you can build up something.

I think when you only write things like eight or nine, ten things are true. No, ten things, eight or nine of ten things are true. No, ten things have to be true always. Right. So it's, yeah, you have to, people have to rely, they must rely on you. They, yeah, you have to be reliable. That's also on the pitch, you have to be tactical, reliable. You have to be physical, reliable.

But as a reporter, you have to be reliable always. Yeah, wonderful. Okay, so Salerno in New Orleans asks, what is going on with Malik Tillman's injury? And why have we heard so little about it? Why has the club been so quiet about it? Well, here in Holland, we have some privacy aspects around injuries. So clubs, they are not able to tell everything about an injury when the player doesn't want. So they always talk with the player, the directors or the media directors,

what can we tell our fans? What can we tell the world about your injury? that is because of some regulation here. We call it AVG. It's a kind of privacy thing. So clubs are not able to tell everything. From my side, what I can tell you is that it is an ankle injury. And, yeah, of course, Malik went to Qatar for some research.

And of course, he got a three. treatment over there. I think the last games of this season, of the current European season, he could perform maybe again. But that is not really sure. So we have to see. The prediction is that he can maybe back end of April, beginning May, so that he can still play some games. Yeah, it's really tough for him because he was, I think, performing on a very high level. He is the player that took the lead in the general ranking of all players in Holland. So when you look at one of the biggest sport papers in Holland, Malik Tillman is in first position now.

That means a lot, I think, that he is the – yeah, he's already seen as the best player in the league when he is fit and when he's capable to play. So that means a lot. that means that in one year after he went to P.C. Eindhoven, he was able to be the best player in the whole league. That says a lot. I think Malik did before his injury, he did an incredible job at P.S.V. Eindhoven. What happened is that the normal number six of P.S.C. Eindhoven is Jeredi Schauten, who got injured. So Malik had to play on different positions. He played on the 6, on the 8, on the 10.

And to be honest, he played a really bad game against Ajax. So that was... I remember that, yeah. That was really disappointing for him. But he played also some very good games and also in the Champions League, so on the highest level in Europe. And I think you see this guy can play on almost every position. he also can play in the defense even I think

although his qualities are of course in the attacking zone I think his best position where you want to bring him in is the number 10 or number 8 I think as a number 10 he can really make the difference because he's also always

he's able to score a lot of goals and he can create a lot in really small spaces Malik so yeah for PSV it's a big loss now that he had to leave the games behind for a few months. I think that is one of the reasons also that the team started to struggle after he got injured, although it was, yeah, they already played some bad games before he got injured.

But I think, yeah, he is a player who can, out of nothing, decide a game. And these players are really rare. You know that everyone who listens know that. Yeah, Malik has just something special that he can with his, yeah, he's like, yeah, it's like art what he sometimes does. Right, right. And in attacking, yeah, I think in the attacking zone, he's most, he's most, most worthwhile for a club. Where do you think that comes from that, that specialness, that ability to make something from nothing? I'm not going to put him in the same category as this player,

but another player who comes to mind like that in the history of football, Dennis Bergkamp. Yeah, yeah, yeah, for sure. Is it just a God-given ability, or where does it come from? I don't know. I think Malik Tillman is also a player. He learned in one and a half year. Also, his defensive skills, they improved, really.

So he's also very, yeah, when, When you see his figures and interceptions, for example, he's also improving in that aspect of the game. So let's not only focus on his offensive game, but he's also improving. He's like he's become a mature player, really mature player. And where it comes from, of course, it is talent. He's also, yeah, he's an athletic guy.

he's so talented. I had an interview with him in January. He was really disappointed that he could not bring in the US team what he brought in Europe already. So he was really disappointed about that. I saw that. And yeah, he hopes to do better, of course. He hopes to improve his game.

But he could not tell me what exactly the reason was. So at PSG Ainthoven, I think he feels really good. I think it's also a guy who's really sensitive for good atmosphere. And yeah, he feels really good in Aintovin. That is what I see. That is what I hear. But he also wants that in the U.S. national team. So that's still something that he should improve.

And to, yeah, he wants his national career. has to be better than he already showed. I think he has a lot to prove in the US team. But of course, also the other players in the team, like Christian Puluzik, for example, he's a top player. So, yeah, they will have to find a way to combine and to let the best players play together. But for now, it's difficult for Malik to enter the team, I think, because there are many good players.

but yeah, when he comes back at PSV and next year he will maintain his level and even improve and I think normally he will be a first team player and the first 11 player on the world championships next year. Yeah, I think there's a good chance of it too. I believe that he will bring the quality he's shown for PSV to the US. It's just a matter of time. So can you give us the shape of the relationship between Ricardo Pepe and

Luke DeYoung. The TV crews in the Netherlands seem to love to cut to his face every time Pepi scores. Oh my God, you are really well informed. I must say, yeah, that is a thing because every time that Pappy scores, the camera goes to Luke the young and shows the face of Luke the young. So they eat from it, as they say here. And, well, I must say, what I see is that these players are respecting each other a lot,

that Pepe learned a lot, I think, from Luke DeYoung. But the last half year, it became more difficult for Peppy because he was performing on a really high level. Peppy scored everywhere, scored his goals in really short time. He has an incredible average. I think in one hour, he needs only one hour on average for a goal. So that's in Europe. He's one of the best performing strikers that I know.

and yeah it's really a pity for Paysay and for him of course that he got injured so bad I was a bit surprised to to be honest because he this happened in the game against Liverpool you saw that all and yeah he played he played further when when yeah when he got injured so it didn't seem really bad but after all yeah then he had to yeah He had to undergo surgery also. And, yeah, I think he's out for three, four months. They communicated. So until the end of the season, he's not able to play anymore.

That's a big, big pity because with him in the team, you can verify, yeah, you have two strikers who are totally different because Luke DeYoung is a great header. Yeah. Yeah, he's great in giving a team performance. as a number nine and Pappy is the striker who scores so easy when he's around the 16

when he's around the 16 meter line this guy is so incredibly dangerous and all teams know that so you have to offer two men to neutralize him so it's really Peppy when you give him the ball

when you send him away in the space and it's always dangerous and yeah when he can shoot around the 16 then it's almost always it's a goal and that's incredible so he's also a guy out of nothing he can give him

give him one or two chances and normally he always scores and it's a mentally very strong player because his situation here was of course not for a striker it was very difficult because he was behind the legend of the club, so Luke De Jong

is a club legend in Holland. He's already eight seasons at Piers Zeindhoven, from which he was only one season. He was very bad, Luke de Young, and in the other seven seasons, yeah, he was always on a top level. And for Peppy, it must have

been really difficult to compete with him and every time to hear you are on the bench, you are on the bench, yeah, and he must have thought, what can I do more than score my goals? Right. Because he always he always delivers Pappy. He always scores wherever you go.

He scores in the Champions League. He scores in the National League. He scores that US national team. So for him it was very difficult, I think. It was a good thing that PSC played many matches so that they could divide a little bit their playing time. But after all, Pappy should play more. And I think he stayed now.

He extended his contract until 2030. And I think next year, season, we will even see him more when he recovers. I have big faith in that. Yeah, he's a mentally very strong guy. And, yeah, I have also all faith in him when I see him play. He normally is the U.S. national striker in next year in the World Championships. I would really be surprised if that was not the case.

Okay. I mean, so just to push a little further, Mario from Los Angeles asks if the relationship between the two strikers is, is it, is the young still mentoring Pepey? Because you'd think Pepe could have, could learn a lot from DeYoung, or is it kind of cold and professional? No, it's not cold. I cannot say it's cold.

The players respect each other. But of course, it's difficult when one always plays and when one doesn't play. But I must say, Ricardo, Pepey was really. respecting Luke de Jong in every interview that he gave. So I think six, eight or ten times, he always said the same. He said, Luke is a legend. I can learn from him. But of course, I would love to play more.

And I think I need to play more. But the guys, they are really respecting each other is what I see. And I would be surprised because Luke DeYoung is a very sympathetic player who is always trying to improve the team. And who is also wanting that the team. is in totally feeling well that every player gets his role but for

for Peppy it was of course very difficult because he didn't play a lot and I think he sometimes could have played more because every game what I said he delivers also when he starts it seemed to be shifting

it seemed to be shifting a little bit before yeah there was there was kind of changed this year so he played more and sometimes he was a starter in which Luke DeYoung was on the bench. So I think this development would have gone on. But yeah, for now, of course, Ricardo is injured. And yeah, next year in the preparation on the new season, he will be back.

And for sure he will get his role and he will grab his chances, I'm sure. Okay. Pardon me. This is Bells from the future reminding you that our trip to Rome is still in the works for May. The clubs will need concrete numbers from us for tickets to the Lazio Uve game and the Roma Milan game. You can still come if you want. There's a link in the show notes where you can join an email list where we are hammering out the final details. The last trip to Como, Venice and Turin was amazing, as I'm sure you've heard me say before.

This one promises to be as well. Both Yuvay and Milan look increasingly likely to be fighting for something by season's end. McKenny is now captaining YuVe regularly. will be in the most important city in the history of Western civilization and when it comes to food, lodging, and finding other cool stuff to do, George Qureshi, our guide on the last one

and on this one, is not new to this. He's true to this. More than half of the people who went to Turin, Como, and Venice with us are trying to make it happen again a year later. Vince is likely to join for this one. So come on. Come on.

Let's make this happen. Now back to Rick L. Frank and the Americans at PSV. Eindhoven. When will Serginio Dest return to the field? Do you know? Yeah, that's also a very sad story because, yeah, this guy was, Peter Boss, the coach, he told, Sergino was performing on world-class level last season until April.

Yeah, I think that was not a lie because what you saw of him, he was as a left fullback. He was one of the most important players of Pais Faye. giving the team in offensive way he gave a lot to the team he had some assists and he always had good crosses but it's also about mentality about defending

on the right way I would not say he's the best defender in the world because the most impressive thing is I think the way he can play on the whole left wing. I think he can also maybe he also could play as a forward on the left side

because his crosses are really well. But no, it's his running ability, yeah? So he's one of the best runners in the group of base. I also saw that. I saw him once in Spain in January

24 I think and they did some running exercises and this guy was only running, running, running, and he was able to do so many more meters than the rest. That was really impressive. Yeah, so Tom from Connecticut asks, how much does PSV miss him in the attack? And it sounds like, I mean, you've sort of already answered this question,

but... Yeah, they miss him a lot. That's for sure. I think it's one of the reasons even that they are struggling still now, because when they would have when they would have had in a lot of games last season when they got

an incredible amount of 91 points, he was also important in a difficult period of the season and I remember last year a game in Daventer against Gord Eagles he was really the best player

I think when he was not on the pitch then maybe they lost the game even so yeah In a season, of course, you need every player, but some players are in every period of the season. Yeah, they are the best player or they are the player who makes the difference. And Sergio is able to do that also as a left fullback. And that's incredible, of course. And normally you have to have a striker or a winger who's in good shape to decide your matches.

but he's also able to do that. That's sure. They miss him a lot. I think in three or four weeks, we will see him full on the pitch again. There was some hope that he could have made his first appearance again in January. That didn't happen because in January, his situation did not really improve.

So he wasn't training already with the group. But there were some weeks that, yeah, He didn't make progression. And so there was no fallback, but he didn't make real progression. And now in February you see again that he, yeah, that he's improving. That it's really big when you are nine or ten months injured. The knee injury that he had was really, really bad. For every football player, it's a nightmare.

And, yeah, you have to get back to trust in your body. you have to learn some things again but of course that you and death did not he's still the same player that is what I wanted to say I think he will come back and make a real good comeback

although normally it will take some time after such a long injury you need a certain time to get back and to get in your best condition of course. So, yeah, I think, to be honest, in the next season, we will see the best offset Neo-Dest again. And the rest of this season,

yeah, of course, he can be decisive again for Pace Verainterhoven. But it will also take some time to get him back on his best level. That's normal. Yeah. It's a good thing for us. The world championships aren't this summer instead of their next summer. You know, because we need, he's so important. You are so lucky about that because otherwise,

maybe you would have missed three really quality players, I think. Yeah. You're right. But, yeah, maybe San Diego or for San Diego, it could have been okay, July, June. For Tillman also, but for Peppy, yeah, for Peppy, it would have been really early. But, yeah, you are really lucky about that, that's sure. One other play. We've got to talk about one other American who's at PSV real quick.

Richie Ledesma. What's the outlook for his career? He sort of found his way to a lot of minutes this season. I don't know that he's actually been that good. Like, what's your opinion on him? It's an amazing story about Richie because he was always a midfielder. Right. At the six, eight or ten he played, I think, in the past more as a ten than as a six.

But in Holland, yeah, he came as a six and he was an eight after a couple of times. After a couple of matches, after some time, yeah, they used him as an eight. So he was the midfielder who was responsible for some defensive tasks and also offensive tasks. This year there seemed no playing time for him. So I was really surprised that he was at once he was a right fullback. He had to transform himself into a right fullback. And I must say he did a really amazing job. it's not easy

and in some games he's really struggling because the defensive things the real defensive skills for him it's impossible to develop them in like a few weeks you cannot be a fullback

transform from a midfield or in a fullback in a few weeks that's impossible but yeah he played some very great games in PSC Eindhoven. Also some bad games. But, yeah, the outlook is positive. Do you think he stays?

Do you think he stays at PSV? Yeah, PSV offered him a new contract. So, yeah, we have to see. Maybe there are some other offers, so Club America from Mexico, they wanted him also. There are some other offers. Yeah, let's wait and see. I don't know if the agent and he will extend. But I think it's a good offer from PSV to extend.

And maybe from here on he can play himself in the national team also. But yeah, then he has to have more experience, of course, on this position. And by time and time it will be better. played against Juventus away. So that's a very big game,

a Champions League game. It was not his best game. It was also not a very, very bad game. But it's good for him that he

gets the experience in these kind of games, Champions League games. That's, yeah, that means something.

So, yeah, he could be interesting also next year for the U.S. national team, for sure. Yeah,

I notice he much prefers, or maybe he wouldn't say this, but he looks more secure at right back defensively when parisich is is helping him out um sure that's because parisage is so responsible yeah yeah but when you are in in on a side on the right side with such a the yeah with such a dedicated and experienced player of course and and the way

evan parisitz is is defending also that is that is some that is all i think it's still The way he is defending is still world-class. The way he has no... When he loses the ball, there's never any moment that he got frustrated. He can switch from an attacker in a defender in nothing. And what you see normally is that players are always... They have like a frustrating moment in their head. But Paris is never.

So he's a real example for all the other players when it comes to that. And I think Richard, Richard Ledesma, he's really feeling well when he plays with a football legend like Yvonne Peresich, who played also, yeah, even a World Cup final in 2018, for example. He was seven years a player at Internationale in Italy. So, yeah, this guy, yeah, when you can play with him, you learn so many things. And yeah, for Richard, it's great, I think. So for him, when I was his agent, normally I would say, okay, when I get the offer from PSV Einhoven, he is 24. I think that's not the age that you are only focused on earning a lot of money. I think that's also still the age where you have to develop.

Richie also had a very big injury and he came back and he came back stronger than ever. So before, I think also it was difficult to get a lot of playing time. But yeah, when you are on his age like 24, then it's still important to develop. And he gets a big chance, I think, at P. Scheindhoven. Okay. Hey, this is a good spot for a break. If you want you, the listener, want all of these episodes ad-free, as well as a lot of video evidence for the things we say on the podcast, join the Patreon.

The link is in the show notes. We'll be back in a moment. We're back with Rick Elfrink. Wonderful to have him here coming to us from Eindhoven. Dave in Pittsburgh asks, how do supporters and journalists around Eindhoven feel about Ernie Stewart's work with the club? The team building was very effective last season, obviously, maybe less effective this season. What do people like?

What do people think needs to be improved? I think Ernie made a great start at B.C. Einhoven. So he started at March 1, 2003. Since then, I think PSV won almost all the games. Yeah, I think that was not directly because he took the job. But he got really responsible in the summer of 2023. So then he bought new players like Jury Schautezhauten, Lozano. And, yeah, I think Schaun was one of the,

one of the best players that he bought. And then also the American players came in, like, yeah, Tillman-Sidion-Dest, what we discussed about. Ricardo Peppie came a little bit earlier. Yeah, I think his first transfer summer was the best. So he told us then that he needed three or four transfer periods to build Pais Faye in the way he would like Pais Faye to be.

This first summer was really convicting and made a big difference for Pais Faye and has lead to an incredible season. Yeah, season 23, 24 with 91 points in the league that was really impressive and yeah, they lost in the Champions League

against the final, the club that reached the final, Borussia Dortmund. Yeah, that was a pity. difference, was not a big difference. They lost the game in Dortmund then. And in the National Cup, PSV was a little bit unlucky in the game against Feinord. So I would say the last season was really top. And of course, Ernie Stewart also deserves credits for that season.

This season, I think people look at it a little bit different because they people didn't get the feeling although Ernie invested in the defense he bought Ryan Flamingo for example from Utrecht for 9 million he bought Adamo Nagallo

a defender and he was able to contract Cedino Desk for four years so he invested in the defense but Nagallo got injured Desd was still injured so I think people got the impression

that Earl Ernie did not give enough attention to the defense of Pais Faye. Because Pais Faye on the short term, they had to fall back on players who were not maybe able to get the level to play every time in PSV-1. I give you an example, a player like Mateo Dams, who went this winter to Al-Ali, a club in the Middle East for 10 million euros.

That was a big surprise for us. but it was a little bit early for him to come into the team. And, yeah, it was difficult for Ernie because he bought Seginio and he was not able to play against now until now. Seginio would be out until January, February normally. Yeah, he knew that. And the solutions that came over there, so Morrow Jr. is now playing over there.

I think that's a decent solution. But behind him, the solutions were not always convicting. So, yeah, that is what people think about now. That did Ernie invest enough in the defense. I think the investment in Seidio death was top. But the short term, yeah, it was difficult to fill in his position, to fill in the position of Seidio. And on the right side, also I think with Richard,

Richard was what we discussed about. He was a midfielder who transformed into a right fullback. I don't think everyone likes it in Eindhoven, that he's now playing a lot of games, because he has to learn, he has to improve. So what some people are saying is that Ernie should have bought maybe a better player also than Rick Karzdorpe, the player that is also competing with Richard for playing time.

Right. Because Castorp is not always fit. He's struggling with his body sometimes. Yeah, and I think people hope for more on this position. So that is what I think they criticized Ernie a little bit about. But, yeah, of course, he did also some good things. You cannot say that PSV is performing very bad. although after January 1, 2025, everything seems to be so difficult at once.

That's for me also a surprise. I didn't expect that because the first half of the season, they won some games with incredible figures against 20 with 6-1, against Utrecht 2-5. So they were clear in the lead at the winter break. And now after the winter break, everything seems to go really difficult. And of course, when you are the technical manager

or when you are the technical director, I don't know how you call it in the States, but then you also get a lot of criticism, that's sure. And what he's criticized of the criticism now is about the fact that Pappy is injured and that Ernie was not able to contract a second striker for the team. So people are also criticizing him that there are not enough

attacking options. I would say there are also some options in the team now who we maybe even don't know yet because they have a lot of players and some players can also play on the number nine position but it would have been better

maybe for PACE when they would have contracted the real number nine. So that is also something that people are looking at. For the left back position Ernie repaired in the winter period

some things because he was able to contract Turtle Malacia from Manchester United. He came into the team now. So that is what people are satisfied about. I recognize now. But the fact he was not able to contract a second striker. Yeah, that is what people also, some people are criticizing, they have criticism about it.

Okay. Can you remind me, was Pepe, did Pepe get injured before the transfer window closed? No, that is also something because it was a very, difficult. It was a very difficult period because Pappy was injured. He got injured on January 29. So very late in the transfer period. Yeah, then you have only some days to seduce new players to bring an offer in at a club. People think he should have been able to do it in the like three or four days that he had. Yeah, that's that's a tough job. And I think sometimes also that people think very easy about the job that Ernie has.

It's not so easy because in the winter period, picking up a striker is not like you are going to buy some milk in the supermarket. Clubs are not wanting to let their players go because they are in the middle of the competition. And you never want the bad players of a club. So you always talk about players when you go to snow. small clubs, you always talk about players who are the best players for those clubs who make the difference. And then they are expensive. And when you go to bigger clubs, of course, there are players on the bench.

But also in the winter, they ask very high prices. So PeiSfe wanted a player from Lazio, Lum Chiauna, one of the strikers there. But yeah, suddenly Lathio decided not to sell the player. And Pei's Fe made an offer of like 12, 13 million euros. which is almost the same in dollars currently. So I would say it's a decent offer and it's an offer on which you see that they wanted the player, of course, but it was not enough. And then also a club like PSC, they have some limits. They cannot invest at once 20 million in a player or 25 million.

PEC never does that. Yeah. Okay. Do you go to the trainings a lot? No, that's not allowed anymore. So in the past, I saw every training. I followed a club for 14 years now. I really regret it sometimes because when you see the training,

you have a clear picture of what they are doing, of the playing style. And now you have to focus on what you see in the matches. So that's sometimes when you want to make a story, it's not so easy because you don't always see what the players are doing in training sessions. But to be honest, yeah, I also understand because with social media it's really difficult currently because you don't want the opponent to see everything what you do. But a club also has a responsibility to show defense what they are doing.

and I think it's also worthful for a club to give journalists good insights in what they do. And so it's a kind of balancing act. It's difficult for a club to have a good policy in this. But I understand a lot, but I hope sometimes they would give a little bit more ability to visit a training at least. Yeah. So these aren't trainings, but how do performances for young PSV? I assume do you still catch some of those games, the Young PSV games? Yes. I almost see all of the games, and I must say they are really struggling this season.

Are they? Yeah. I remember there was an American player. Dante Sili, who was in the team a few years ago. Yeah, yeah. He was from Dallas. That's right. I don't know where he is now.

Le Desmo played Young PSV too. Yes, sure. He played Young PSV too. He played a lot of games in Young PSV. No, they are really struggling, although it's very worthwhile for young players to compete with players like 28, 32. It's interesting.

I don't know if in America this exists, the way it exists in Holland. So on the second league, there are some under 23 teams. We have four under 23 teams in the second league, young Ajax, young PSV, young Utrecht and Jung AZ. And they are competing with the clubs who want to promote to the first league in Holland, the Ered Division. So they play against experienced players from Volendam,

from Excelsior, from the Grafschab, from Kambeur. Yeah, these are the big teams in the second league. And I think the young players are learning a lot. So you see when they enter the team, they make a lot of progression in the first games. But yeah, this year they are really struggling. And yeah, sometimes you have a group of young players who are not able to form a team or their progression is not, doesn't go the way that you expect it. you cannot always predict a career.

Well, that's my question. That's my question, Rick. So Daniel Smith in Western North Carolina asked, how do performances for young PSV determine if a player is ready for the first team? Because Saibari and Bakayoko from a few years ago were excellent for young PSP, and now they're excellent for the first team. Babadi and Land were also excellent, have also been excellent for young PSP, but, you know, Bosch seems more hesitant to use them.

Yeah, you're right. How do you predict? Maybe it's impossible to predict. Yeah, and another time, you are really well informed. Well, Daniel is well informed in this case. Yeah, yeah. No, wow, he's really well informed. My compliments for that.

It's indeed one of the difficult things for a club because you see these players have something special, like Lant and Babbardi. They are really talented. But it's difficult to bring them in when you want to be a champion. Because the difference between being number, 18 in the second league and wanting to be first in the first league, it's such a big difference still. So, yeah, sometimes they need a sidestep. And yeah, it could be that in the summer

that also Lent and Barbadi are making a side step. I would really advise them that unless when you say sidestep, sidestep, you mean find a different club in the area of Izzy? to a club in the middle of the first league. Okay. So, yeah, or a step, it's not really a side step. It's a step outside to make a step outside, is what I mean. I got you. And on loan, and then you come back after a year.

But, yeah, that depends on their preparation in the next season, if they are able to make progression in the preparation. Maybe they get their chances. That is always the, yeah, That's always, yeah, we have to wait for that. We don't know yet, but when it's not the case, then they should be on loan at another club in August, I think. Okay.

One more long, another long question and then a bunch of quick ones. So bear with me for this one. It's from Bob Morocco in Montana. And he says, for a long time, the Netherlands was associated with a certain way of approaching and playing the game that goes back to the 1970s, you know, Johann Kroif. Maybe starting with the 2014 World Cup, the national team has been more open to taking a less romantic, more pragmatic approach. And at the same time, many of the ideas that the Dutch pioneered have been widely adopted across the highest levels of the game.

How do Dutch football fans, how do you feel about this? That it's pragmatism is becoming more of a thing for the Dutch. while the total football is something that's been adopted everywhere else. Can you synthesize the two? What's your reaction to all that? No, for sure. I think the coach of PSV is playing a very attacking style. So he's always playing with high pressure.

And I think he's playing on a Dutch way, as they would say. But you cannot be naive. You cannot be childish in. in some things. It demands a lot when you want to play this way. It demands also that you can defend one-on-one on top level everywhere that you are able to organize the rest defense when you make a mistake. That is so important in current football.

You cannot play only attacking and high pressure and not giving attention to the things that every team overcomes when they lose a ball or when they are playing against the ball. So, yeah, people, I see that. People in Holland are still, some are still always looking at what a player is able to do with the ball. But football is about so many more things. It's also about playing against the ball. about a do well, about defending one-on-one, yeah, about mentality, about interceptions, tackles.

Yeah, so, yeah, you know that, of course, but indeed, what I see sometimes is that people are still looking at what a player is capable of when he's in ball possession. Football is so much more than that. Okay, so it does have to be both, I guess. it has to be both yeah sure uh you cannot you cannot you cannot um only focus on attacking attacking that's uh that's incredible that that's impossible in the current current football uh and you see every team uh has to focus on on on things what i what i mentioned already like rest defense or defending in a good way when you want to play one-on-one everywhere on the pitch and then and you to be on world class, then you have, yeah, you need also world class defenders.

Okay. You have to focus on your organization. Yeah. And you always have to be in top shape. And I think a good coach is also able when your team is not in top shape or when some things are not going well, and then sometimes you have to, yeah, you have to address that and you have to change a little bit your playing style. Where do the cutting edge Dutch football minds?

the geniuses. Where do they see the game going now? You know, it's been Pep Guardiola's world for, you know, the last decade or so. Yeah, so where is it, where are we going next? Yeah, I would say

Arna Slott and Peter Boss they were performing on a real high level the last one and a half years. So, yeah, they were like the, the leading figures in football in Holland. Arna is now then

a trainer coach of Liverpool. Of course, yeah. Yeah, Peter Bosz. Doing pretty well too, I think. Yeah, sure. Although he also had a bad experience this week. Peter Boss is now at P. Scheinthorven, but struggling since January.

Yeah, I think football is about it's about what we talked about some minutes ago, it's about entertaining people also. So first you have to win and entertain, that's very important. But yeah, you can never ignore the other aspects of the game. But the first the first meaning of the game is to win and to entertain people. And when it doesn't work that way,

when you have a shit game one time, then you have to address that, what I said. And then you have to maybe change some things in your team to get a 1-0 if you cannot go further. If you don't have the condition to go for 2-0-3-0. If it doesn't work, then sometimes you have to, to accept that it doesn't work and that you have to get the one-nil.

Yeah. It's kind of a little bit like life. So what is, two more questions, and then I'll let you go. I appreciate you being generous with your time. What's your favorite away ground in the Air Divisi? My favorite away ground, yeah, in the Aerodivision. I think the stadium in Rotterdam and in Enschede, they make a real difference for the teams who play there.

So Feinort and Twente, I think they always have good results in their own playing round. That is because of the fans, they are really excited when they play there, when everything is going well. And then they are supporting their team. And yeah, the Kuiper is very, is an old stadium, but it's, yeah, when Feinord is scoring, it's trilling. So that is something, yeah, I think that is always a difficult away game for the team that I cover, Peres-Ve.

But it says also something about Fein-Hord. And for Twente in Ensigday, it's the same. I think that, yeah, they have a stadium of the capacity is now 30,000 spectators. So, yeah, and it's really difficult to win over there. That's because of the atmosphere. who is really supporting the Twente team. And yeah, that is what you need in football also. You need the crowd.

And here in Eindhoven, I think it could be better sometimes that the crowd, of course, they support their team and in the stadium at the east side. They are really doing their best and they are giving everything. They are giving even their life for PESFA. But it's not the whole stadium that is enthusiastic. So yeah, some people, of course, you cannot tell people how they should act in a stadium. But sometimes you can give your team more support.

And I think in Ensurede and Rotterdam that, yeah, the stadiums over there, they are giving a good example how it works for how it can work well for a team. Awesome. That's good to know. So also, what is lastly, what is Einhoven like? I know that's a very open question, but is it a place where players enjoy living outside of football? You live there for 30 years.

What I always hear from players from other countries, that it's very calm. The training ground is, is among, forest is among the training ground, so it's really quiet. Yeah, we, the press are not a lot present at the training. So that is what I regret.

But sometimes... Maybe you could climb a tree, climb a tree, you know. Yeah, we are not always allowed to be at the training ground, but sometimes only. So they can work in rest. And, yeah, what I said in a forest. So the pitches is, yeah, there are only three. around the pitch. So it's very calm and even when the trainer gets angry,

I don't think that people will hear it. So, yeah, they can work calm. And in the city, I think that the players like it because, of course, sometimes some fans will ask them for an autograph or a photo. But it's not like people who are here dying to get an autograph or so. So it's a calm place, Eindhoven. And yeah, it's also, yeah, the economy in Eindhoven, as I think really great of the economy. What I want to say with that is that people are educated well.

We have a company here in chip machines, ASML, who's performing very well and who's attractive for people around the world. So many people Is that the one that makes the machines that make microchips? For sure. What I said, you are well informed. So ASML is a world leader in chip machines. It's the only one that makes this, right? Yes, they have a market share of like, I think, 90% or 95% at the moment.

So you see a lot of people around the world who are coming here, who established their future, they want to come here, they want to build a future here. And that's also something that you see back in the city now. So a lot has changed in 30 years. Einhoven is, I think, a modern city who developed well, which developed well in 20 or 30 years. And, yeah, also for the players from other countries,

is very attractive. Okay. What's the best restaurant in town? What's a good restaurant that you've eaten at every? recently. I like Japanese, so I would say Fuzho, that's at the opposite of the stadium, but it's a place where many people come. But yeah, I like Japanese, so I would advise the players to go there once, but I don't know if they like it, really. I like Japanese. I'm not a well-informed restaurant person. Thank you so much, Rick, for your time and your expertise. We really appreciate

it. Thanks everybody for listening. We'll see you.