Colchester United could be in line for some Dutch inspiration - thanks to former Ipswich Town ace Romeo Zondervan.
U's coach Brian Owen is hoping his links with the Blues' former flying Dutchman could net his club the new Ruud van Nistelrooy.
My ball - NVV wing-back Yrial Trustful (left), 25, was one of the Dutch trialists on show at Layer Road yesterday Picture: ROB SAMBROOK
Zondervan, who Owen knows from his time coaching at Ipswich in the 1980s, used to be Town's European scout but he now runs his own scouting company in his homeland.
And the ex-Holland international recommended the five Dutchmen who played in a game packed with trialists at Layer Road yesterday.
The players are all being released by their clubs including Heerenveen and NVV at the end of the season and although a decision has yet to be made on whether to give them another look, Owen believes the U's could benefit from taking the Dutch route.
"Dutch players are very good technically," he told the Evening Gazette
"Our academies are catching up with them but, in terms of development, they are still ahead of ours.
"However, a lot of clubs are in financial difficulty in Holland and hundreds of good young players will soon end up free agents, so it's here where we could benefit."
Published Thursday, April 10, 2003
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