For years he was active in PSV's youth training program. He trained the youngest youth, was involved in setting up the FUNdament program and now sees his youth really breaking through in Eindhoven. Meanwhile, however, Bastiaan Riemersma is Head Football Academy at Willem II. He talks about his time at PSV and which players he trained in the youth.
Bastiaan Riemersma has been with Willem II since 2017. He looks back on his time as youth coach at PSV with pride. "I gained a lot of experiences there. I like the fact that I got so many opportunities. I have never been a professional football player myself so it is extra special that you still enter a professional football organization (BVO). You enter an institute where you work with enthusiastic colleagues."
Riemersma was discovered by chance by a couple of scouts. "I caught the eye of scouts from PSV who were actually looking for players. Apparently my coaching style suited PSV according to them. That's how I ended up in Eindhoven. There was also a shift in the coaching staff. Pepijn Lijnders, who is now at Liverpool, made a move so there was a spot for me," he says.
'Football pur sang '
Riemersma has trained several talents when they just came to play at PSV. "Among others, I worked with Mohamed Ihattaren, Cody Gakpo and Armando Obispo. They were very young then. The great thing is that they really love the game like little kids do. They are not involved in professional football yet, nor do you have to deal with all kinds of business agents. It's football pur sang."
"At that age, it is difficult to say whether the little players will actually break through," Riemersma continued. "So I can't say I saw it coming in advance that Ihattaren, Gakpo and Obispo would break through. After all, you depend on so many different factors. But the fact that these guys have come this far is great to see."
Trainer decisive
One of the factors Riemersma refers to is the head coach. "Some head coaches prefer to spend the money on players from outside. As a talent it is then more difficult to break through to the first than when a trainer looks for players within the own training. It just depends on who is in charge."
He cites Fred Rutten, Phillip Cocu and Mark van Bommel as examples. "Rutten, Cocu and Van Bommel gave and are giving young players a chance. The trainers have experience with youth. Cocu and Van Bommel have been working at De Herdgang themselves and know the players."
