Danny Buijs: ‘They cost so much energy. They have something exceptional, but sometimes you want to…’

Fortuna Sittard have made an excellent start to the season and Danny Buijs has played a big part in it. The coach knows how to get through to his players, though that is not always easy, as he tells ESPN's cameras.

"For some people it is very difficult to work with me," he begins. "That is not only down to those people, sometimes it is also a bit down to me. But sometimes it is also about how those people approach their work."

"However, there are also a lot of people who work with me just fine. If we do not lose too much, there are few problems. If we lose a lot, it all becomes a bit less pleasant," he admits.

Among the players under Buijs are Mohamed Ihattaren and Lecquincio Zeefuik, two who come with specific needs. Even so, he also has a big soft spot for "players with a scratch".

"I am a Gemini, horoscope-wise. One side of me absolutely loves those lads, I almost see them as my own children. They do not beat around the bush. Sometimes they colour outside the lines, I like that. They are often boys with something exceptional."

"But sometimes you also want to stick them behind the wallpaper. You go grey, you lose your hair. In the end, you hope they manage to cash in on the talent they have. It makes it beautiful, but sometimes it also costs so much energy. Especially if you have a few of them together."

Seven matches in, Fortuna sit sixth in the Eredivisie. Whether the Limburg side can keep that up remains to be seen. "It would be damn nice to secure that play-off spot by the end of it all, but we still have a number of big steps to take this season," Buijs concludes.