Driessen strongly reproaches Eenhoorn after failed deal for Hadj Moussa
Mike Verweij and Valentijn Driessen tore into the Feyenoord board on Monday in Kick-Off from De Telegraaf. Their verdict was clear: Dévy Rigaux and Robert Eenhoorn could have handled the last transfer window better.
"Rigaux has taken a huge swipe at his predecessor Te Kloese," Verweij says as the discussion turns to Feyenoord. "But now it appears that Te Kloese, with the money for Hadj Moussa included, had 40 million. €25 million was bid for Ueda, who was sold far too cheaply to Lille OSC. And Read could have risen to almost 35 million. And 20 million was bid for Targhalline by Hull City."
Verweij then steps up his criticism. "If they had simply done their job, and sold the good players, Feyenoord would for the time being have had a great deal of financial resources. That same Te Kloese assembled a squad there that was worth around €120 million. So I think Rigaux and Eenhoorn did not do something right in this transfer window. If they had sold Read immediately, they could have been much more effective in the transfer market," the critical Ajax watcher adds.
Driessen quickly picks up the thread. "It comes back again to the Friends of Feyenoord. They own 49 per cent of the shares. And the moment Feyenoord pay €17.5 million, they lose 25 per cent. And again in two years. But Feyenoord are also obliged to buy part of the shares if they record a positive transfer balance in a transfer window. And they would certainly have done that if one of those transfers had gone through. Then that transfer balance would have been so high that they were obliged to buy part of the purchases from the Friends."
He then makes a major accusation against the Feyenoord technical director. "But the Friends of Feyenoord do not want out. And Eenhoorn came in at the request of the Friends. He is their favourite, and became director. So he is not going to go against those Friends. Eenhoorn allowed himself to be influenced not to let the Hadj Moussa transfer go through," Driessen says.
Driessen also rejects the idea that a bank guarantee was behind Hadj Moussa's failed move to Al-Ittihad. "It concerns a transfer of €40 million. This is about Saudi Arabia, just ask Ajax. They have always had the money and are solvent."
He goes further. "Feyenoord also barely answered the phone, it was very difficult to get in touch with them. It was delayed for a very long time, and in the end the medical could no longer take place. Robert Eenhoorn is simply an extension of the Friends of Feyenoord. He is their mate. The moment someone puts you forward and you can serve their interest, that happens nine times out of ten. He has already previously made it known that he is not eager to buy out the Friends. And then you remain stuck with those Friends."
