PSV coach Bosz always chose to attack: ‘We lost 9-0 to the Dutch team’ | NOW+ Football

Jos Dietrich grinnikt als hij terugdenkt aan wat Peter Bosz op 16 augustus 2000 zegt in de AGOVV-kleedkamer. Die dag speelt de amateurclub een oefenwedstrijd tegen het Nederlands elftal, dat zich voorbereidt op de kwalificatiereeks voor het WK in Zuid-Korea.

Bondscoach Louis van Gaal neemt het duel met de zondaghoofdklasser serieus en treedt op het met twaalfduizend toeschouwers gevulde Sportpark Berg en Bos in Apeldoorn aan met spelers als Marc Overmars, Phillip Cocu en Ronald de Boer. Toch wil AGOVV-coach Bosz aanvallen.

“Hij zei: ‘We gaan gewoon vooruit spelen. Het publiek is niet voor niks gekomen.’ We verloren met 9-0, maar Peter had schijt aan tegen wie we speelden, als we maar van onze eigen kracht uitgingen. Zo is Peter nog steeds”, zegt oud-AGOVV-speler Dietrich.

Het duel met Oranje staat symbool voor de tijd van Bosz bij Alleen Gezamenlijk Oefenen Voert Verder. Bosz begint er in december 1999 als trainer, een week nadat hij is gestopt als speler. Hij is drie seizoenen hoofdcoach van de Apeldoorners.

In die periode zet Bosz de club op de kaart, met zeges op profclubs in de KNVB-beker en de algehele amateurtitel in 2002 als hoogtepunten. Dat doet Bosz met zijn ploeg – net als dit jaar met PSV – met zeer aanvallend combinatie- en pressingvoetbal.

In the championship year at AGOVV, Bosz has former professionals Stanley Menzo, Hendrie Krüzen and Marcel Valk in his selection. AGOVV has invested heavily because the KNVB requires it to become overall national champion before it can enter professional football. That requirement will later be dropped.

Bosz wants to dominate, he makes it clear to his players from the start. “He wanted to play extremely attacking football, to be dominant, as he has tried at every club since,” says then player Remon de Vries. “If we didn’t execute it properly, it was a kamikaze tactic.”

Bosz opts for a 4-3-3 formation at AGOVV, with Valk – originally a midfielder – as center defender. The former professional is given the task of moving to midfield as much as possible. “That was new at the time, especially at that level,” says Valk.

“Now Bosz often places midfielder Jerdy Schouten at the back at PSV, to move to midfield when in possession of the ball. But Bosz had already figured out that trick for me.” Laughing: “When I see Schouten play, it’s as if I see myself at AGOVV.”

In the attacking formation, goalkeeper Menzo plays so far from his goal that he often acts as an extra field player. “Peter wanted to completely pin down opponents. We often had the ball back after four seconds,” says De Vries.

Bosz hones his playing style during four training sessions a week, where he often shows his love for attacking football. “Every exercise was with a ball. Even the running gear. And everything had to be done on the front feet, à la his example Johan Cruijff,” says De Vries.

“We often did rondos, then Peter himself would participate. He thought it was wonderful. After training we often met with the experienced players and Peter in the canteen to talk about football. Then the name Cruijff often came up.”

Bosz’s football did not lead to any prizes in the first two seasons, but in the 2001/2002 season the team won three titles: the championship in the main class C, the overall Sunday title and the overall amateur championship.

Bosz won the latter prize with AGOVV thanks to a victory over Huizen. It is Bosz’s last game as AGOVV coach. After the season he leaves for De Graafschap and AGOVV goes bankrupt in 2013 after ten years in the First Division.

Dietrich: “We were very disappointed that Peter left. You had coaches who made it seem like you were playing against Real Madrid every weekend. But Peter did the opposite. He made us look fantastic every week.”

According to the former AGOVV players, it is also due to Bosz’s mindset. They call him a football freak. Bosz is direct and strives for perfection. For example, he asks the AGOVV players to visualize the upcoming match the evening before a match.

Bosz, who had to rely on his work ethic as a player, is also praised for his winning mentality. Sometimes Bosz goes too far. Dietrich remembers a conversation between the coach and striker John Stegeman just before a match.

“John often whined about opponents tackling him too hard. Then Bosz said just before a match: ‘You know, John, on the next run you just put your head in your opponent’s chest.’ That’s also Peter.”

When Bosz and his good friend and striker coach John Lammers participate in games, things get tough. “They always sought each other out and were completely pissing each other off,” says Dietrich. “We thought: what is this, dude? But they both wanted to win.”

All players must participate in this. When De Vries feels ill on a match day, Bosz is not impressed. “He said he had never missed a game due to illness in his career. I just had to play, flu or not.”

Yet, according to the former AGOVV members, Bosz also has a soft side. He is not averse to a beer and regularly hangs out in the canteen at Berg en Bos after training or matches. He likes to have personal contact with the AGOVV players.

On the evening of the attack on the ‘Twin Towers’ in New York on September 11, 2001, Bosz talked at length with his players about the impact of the event. Players also have the feeling that they can always contact him.

“He sometimes invited us for a barbecue at his home in Ugchelen,” Valk remembers. “Then you saw him enjoying himself because he had ‘his boys’ together. He had that fatherly feeling.”

Dietrich tore his cruciate ligament at the beginning of the championship year, but Bosz did not drop his pupil. “He arranged for me to recuperate at Feyenoord and then at the KNVB in Zeist, with top physiotherapist Dick van Toorn.”

“And he offered to come and work out at his house. I have only been there twice, I found it a bit uncomfortable. But the fact that Peter made the offer says a lot about him. He is a warm man. I think he is also with the current PSV players also very good.”

According to Dietrich, Valk and De Vries, Bosz has hardly changed over the years. They still see the Apeldoorn player playing hyper-attacking with his teams. According to the trio, Bosz’s sometimes different look after matches is no different than in the past.

Valk: “I recently heard people say in the media that Peter is acting. He doesn’t do that. He can be very concerned about details. I recognize it from his AGOVV days. After a 5-0 win he was still able to to go out of his way.”

None of the three former players are in contact with Bosz anymore. De Vries, now active as a youth coach, still played under Bosz at Heracles. Dietrich is head coach of AGOVV and trains two cousins ​​of the current PSV coach, Joey and Marco.

The trio awards their former coach the title. “Especially because this PSV reminds me of our own team and the beautiful football we played,” says Dietrich. And laughing: “Peter hasn’t changed a bit in those twenty years.”