Former director Nijland: ‘Attracting Robben is mega stunt of FC Groningen’ | NOW

Former director Hans Nijland thinks that FC Groningen deserves a big compliment that it has convinced Arjen Robben to return to his former club for a return as a footballer.

Nijland was general manager of FC Groningen between 1997 and 2019 and still has close ties with the club. “I knew there was something going on. This is great news, fantastic,” he said in a conversation with Saturday FOX Sports.

“I would like to congratulate them on this, this is a mega stunt. This means so much for the appearance of the club. It is also wonderful for the whole of Dutch football. This just gives FC Groningen four or five thousand extra season tickets.”

Shortly before Robben’s arrival was announced on Saturday, Nijland received a call from the player himself. “He says he feels in top shape. Whether I think Arjen is taking a big risk? I don’t think in problems, but in possibilities.”

‘Players can learn an incredible amount from Arjen’

Nijland expects Robben to play a major role in the selection outside the matches. “If you can sit next to Arjen in the dressing room, what more could you want? They can learn an incredible amount from him and only get better from it.”

Robben made his professional debut at FC Groningen in 2000, during the period when Nijland held sway. “It says a lot about Arjen that he just does this, at the club where he entered the C-juniors as a twelve-year-old boy and later forced a transfer to PSV. That such a player returns to the club is great.”

FC Groningen organizes a press conference on Sunday at 2.30 p.m., during which Robben will give a detailed explanation of the process he is currently taking. He regularly trained with Bayern Munich this season to keep his fitness level.

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