Club icons Willy and René van de Kerkhof hail Peter Bosz’s dominant squad, vindicating Earnest Stewart’s summer recruitment after a masterful display in the Johan Cruijff Arena.
Willy and René van de Kerkhof have praised PSV’s squad after the impressive 3-1 victory over Ajax, indirectly backing Earnest Stewart’s summer transfer work.
PSV’s 3-1 victory over Ajax has given the club plenty to celebrate, but for Willy and René van de Kerkhof, the performance was about more than just three points.
The PSV legends were impressed by what they saw at the Johan Cruijff Arena on Saturday, where Peter Bosz’s side secured their first victory in Amsterdam since 6 November 2022, when they won 2-1.
The brothers believe the quality of the match has been somewhat overshadowed by the controversy surrounding Ruben van Bommel, but they were keen to highlight PSV’s overall performance.
“It was the best topper I have seen in years. With big opportunities for them, but also for us. And a well-deserved victory for PSV,” Willy said on the Willy & René PSV Podcast from Omroep Brabant, as quoted by PSV Inside.
The result was secured with goals from Ricardo Pepi, Tolu Arokodare, Lutsharel Geertruida and Esmir Bajraktarević. Geertruida was particularly impressive on his starting debut, scoring a stunning goal just before half-time to put PSV 2-1 ahead.
The Dutch defender joined PSV on loan from RB Leipzig during the summer and immediately showed why the club were keen to bring him to Eindhoven.
Geertruida was not the only new arrival to catch the eye. Kodai Sano also received strong praise from the Van de Kerkhof brothers, with Willy going as far as calling the Japanese midfielder PSV’s best signing.
“I think Sano is also the best signing we made. All in all, we still have a fantastic team,” Willy said.
The comments represent a significant endorsement of the work carried out by technical director Earnest Stewart during the summer transfer window. Stewart faced criticism from sections of the PSV fanbase over the club’s incoming transfers, but the early signs from the new-look squad have been encouraging.
PSV have made a strong start to the Eredivisie campaign and the victory over Ajax demonstrated the depth and quality available to Bosz.
René, however, is not expecting PSV to cruise towards another league title. The competition, in his view, could be considerably tighter this season.
“It may well become a battle between four teams, with Ajax, Feyenoord and AZ,” René said.
Willy agrees that the Eredivisie is likely to provide a stronger challenge than last season, when PSV ultimately dominated the domestic landscape.
“The competition is a lot stronger than last year, and that can only be good for Dutch football. We really don't have a Mickey Mouse league anymore, and we did last year,” Willy concluded.
For the Van de Kerkhof brothers, PSV’s victory in Amsterdam was therefore about more than bragging rights. The performances of Geertruida and Sano, alongside the overall quality of Bosz’s squad, offered further evidence that Stewart’s summer recruitment is beginning to bear fruit.
