Psv U21 resumes the league tonight (Monday) with a home game against Young Ajax. The first half of the season was one of trial and error. Also for coach Peter Uneken, who ended his first half year as coach in professional football with a 17th place. A report from Weert.
Palm Tree
The contrast was stark, last Wednesday. While Noni Madueke, who just transferred to Young PSV, together with Ricard Ledezma and Claudio Gomes, trained with the A-selection in the best possible conditions of the Aspire complex in Doha, their teammates were working on the artificial turf of the Weert football club MMC to complete the first of a number of group trainings in Limburg. The only thing somewhat reminiscent of the heat of Qatar or southern Spain (where the PSV women were staying) was the palm tree in one of the backyards of the residential area adjacent to the sports complex.
Nostalgia
Some ten or thirteen degrees at most it was in northern Limburg. "Fine weather to train in," noted team manager Roel Engelen in MMC's cafeteria after taking a sip of coffee. The place exudes nostalgia. The wooden interior and the 70s music coming from the music boxes inside reminds with melancholy of the time when MMC's neighboring club - Wilhelmina 08 - could call itself one of the best amateur clubs in the Netherlands. Anno 2020, the opponents who travel to Weert are of lesser stature.
Group dynamics
"Why we train here?", Peter Uneken repeats the question after training along the field. A laugh follows. "Beforehand it was not our intention to leave, but after it turned out to be possible to train here we chose to leave for a while. Partly in the context of team building. It's good to get away together for a while. It always does something. You can discuss more with each other than when you are in Eindhoven. Things happen together, you rely on each other. In the evening you stay together. It's really an added value."
Uneken coaching along the line
New faces
Morning practice is sharp and lasts over an hour and a half. On the field some new faces. That of Shurandy Sambo, for example. The 18-year-old right wing defender from Geldrop extended his contract with PSV in December until mid-2022 and moved directly from PSV under 19 to Young PSV. Following in the footsteps of teammate Madueke. The Englishman made his debut in professional football earlier this season on behalf of the youngsters and graced his first starting place against FC Den Bosch with a fine goal after an even more beautiful slalom. In the coming six months, the eyes of many interested parties in the PSV youth will be on him.
Internship
In Weert, due to said obligations with PSV 1, that is still impossible. Partly because of this, Uneken took some O19 players with him on training camp. Among others, Mees Kreekels and Norwegian Mathias Kjølø showed themselves on the training field. "This could just be the group that takes on Jong Ajax," Uneken indicated. "How the exact fill-in looks like will still reveal itself."
Development
That the trio who trained with PSV 1 will be there tonight seems unlikely. "They had a good time there. Of course they are very happy that they were allowed to train at that level. I understand they adapted well. It's all a bit faster, a bit more is expected of you, but it seemed to go well."
Compliments to Sekou Sidibe, one of the players added to the Psv U21 selection this summer
Vertessen
More good news is Yorbe Vertessen 's return to the training pitch. The talented striker of Belgian descent made his debut a year ago at PSV's winter training camp (also in Qatar), but suffered a setback in his path to professional football this season due to injury. This season he too made his debut, but also came to only three duels due to various injuries. A hard laugh for him, but also for Young PSV, which of necessity often found itself without a true center striker.
Ups and downs
"During a season you run into things as a group and staff," Uneken looks back. "I experienced it as fun and educational. Through experiences you get better. I am still grateful that PSV gave me the opportunity to do this," said Uneken, who wants to advance in results with Young PSV in the next six months. "The team is developing with ups and downs. I had hoped we would be a little further along at this point. Situations were still recognized too late, causing us to give up goals too quickly and not scoring enough goals at times when we could have struck. On the other hand, the group wants and goes forward. They are really working on getting better together."
Result
What needs to be improved is clear, according to Uneken. "Getting results by improving the two points I mentioned. I think the new and guys returning from injury are going to do the group good. In the football part we have made a good step this year. Even against the top teams in the Keuken Kampioen Divisie we can compete well. Results must now follow that."
Earlier this season, Young PSV lost to Jong Ajax, the match can be visited tonight at De Herdgang for €5.