Club icons condemn the goalkeeper’s shaky performances following a collapse against FC Twente, demanding a tactical shift to Nick Olij as defensive issues threaten the Eredivisie leaders.
PSV icons Willy and René van de Kerkhof have questioned Matej Kovář’s position in goal after Peter Bosz’s side suffered a 3-2 defeat to FC Twente.
The Eindhoven club surrendered a 2-1 lead in the final quarter of the match at De Grolsch Veste, suffering their first competitive defeat of the 2026/27 season.
Kovář again came under scrutiny from the Van de Kerkhof brothers, who believe PSV could soon turn to Nick Olij between the posts.
“In seven matches he has already had ten of those little marbles thrown at his ears,” René said on the Willy & René PSV Podcast by Omroep Brabant.
Willy was particularly critical of Kovář’s involvement in FC Twente’s equaliser, scored by Wout Weghorst.
“If he just keeps going, I think he would have had that ball. But he goes back. This has been the way all season. He’s just not in form,” Willy said, as quoted by PSV Inside.
Brothers question PSV’s defending
The former PSV players also criticised the defending for Twente’s winning goal.
The decisive attack began after a PSV corner, with Twente breaking quickly before Michal Sadílek finished the move.
“It’s a corner for us, but a Twente player runs seventy meters from goal to goal without anything happening!” Willy said.
René felt PSV should have been more prepared to stop the counter-attack, even if that meant taking a booking.
“Get him by the collar, dash rolling through the grass, and if necessary then you get a yellow card,” René said.
“Well, it’s 3-2 now. I’m missing a winning mentality to want that ball. Especially with Dest.”
Willy agreed that PSV sometimes need to prioritise defensive responsibility over playing out of every situation.
“It’s great if you can solve everything through football, but sometimes you have to fall back on pure defending,” he said.
Four players praised for mentality
The brothers also identified four PSV players they believe currently demonstrate the required winning mentality.
“There are four: Mauro Junior, Til, Van Bommel and Perišić,” they said.
Their comments come after a frustrating afternoon for PSV, who appeared on course to maintain their unbeaten start before Twente produced a late comeback.
The defeat leaves Bosz with several issues to address during the international break, including PSV’s defensive organisation and the debate surrounding Kovář’s form.
For the Van de Kerkhof brothers, the goalkeeping situation is another area that may require consideration, with Olij now mentioned as a possible alternative.
