NEC coach Dick Schreuder received the Rinus Michels Award, honoring his excellent season. Despite the joy of the award, he remains disappointed by a recent defeat.
However, Schreuder's day was not without its share of bitterness. A few hours before the ceremony, his team had suffered a defeat in a friendly against MSV Duisburg. 'I was pretty frustrated on the way here. And I'm still a little frustrated. You always want to do better. This award, however, makes me remember the times when things were good. We are in a different phase now, but we will continue to work hard.'
Reflecting on his success, Schreuder added: 'I stray from the topic a little. But in the end, when I stand here and win this award – against coaches like Peter Bosz and Anthony Correia – I'm really proud to be able to receive it. Anthony and I are new to the trade, while Peter has an impressive career. He won three consecutive championship titles and achieved many goals. But I don't win this award alone. I win it with the whole team.'
This recognition is especially significant for Schreuder, who becomes the first coach to win the Rinus Michels Award in multiple categories. Three years ago, in fact, he had already won the award in his variant for the Keuken Kampioen Divisie as coach of PEC Zwolle. 'It's really special. Interestingly, all three of us would have achieved something unique if we had won. Peter would have achieved something no one has ever achieved, while Anthony has done an extraordinary job with Telstar.'
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