Feyenoord captain Kökçü with voice skipping: ‘Rotterdam deserved this’
NOS Football–
Kökçü addresses Legion in skipping voice: ‘Rotterdam deserved this!’
In a skipping voice, Feyenoord standout Orkun Kökçü addressed the Legion. “Feyenoorders, champions! Are we going to make another party or not?” the brand-new champion spoke in front of his own crowd after clinching national title number sixteen, an instant 3-0 win over Go Ahead Eagles.
“I just got this microphone pushed into my hands, too, and I don’t really know what to say,” he said ecstatically. “I’m extremely happy, extremely proud. We deserved this, Rotterdam deserved it. We are champions!”
Immediately in love with Feyenoord
The 22-year-old midfielder has been playing at Feyenoord for nine years, but began his soccer career in hometown Haarlem. “Close to Amsterdam, then it’s easy to become a fan of Ajax. But once I saw Feyenoord, I immediately fell in love. This is really my club.”
“As a young boy at Varkenoord (Feyenoord’s youth complex, ed.) you dream of making it to the first team. To now become champion as the captain of Feyenoord is a boyhood dream,” said Kökçü, who was presented with the trophy from the hands of club icons Robin van Persie and Giovanni van Bronckhorst.
In the carousel below, watch the presentation of the bowl, footage from the dressing room, the summary of the championship match and reactions from Arne Slot, Santiago Giménez and Justin Bijlow.
Like Kökçü, goalkeeper Justin Bijlow is a true Feyenoord player. He dedicates the title to the collective. “I think really everyone did their bit. After a year of hard work, a lot of training and playing a lot of games, this comes out,” he concluded proudly.
“We started the season with fifteen new players. That’s also fifteen people coming into the group all at once. By working hard and being honest with each other, we have grown towards each other as a group. Then with good soccer in it, you grow into the season as well.”
Hartman was almost gone
For Quilindschy Hartman, another child of the club, tears rolled down his cheeks after the final whistle. “I think everyone at the Feyenoord Academy is very proud of this championship,” he said moments later. “Normally I’m very calm, but definitely not tonight!”
The energetic left back has broken through at Feyenoord this season. He was close to being let out to his old club Excelsior, with whom he was already in talks. “I was looking for minutes and thought I would find them there. Not a crazy thought at the time.”
Hartman almost left Feyenoord: ‘But Slot thought I was too good to rent out’
Until Arne Slot intervened. “He said I was too good to be let out and would get my chances. See here the end result,” Hartman told proudly with a championship medal and Feyenoord scarf around his neck.
In the stands at the Kuip, many fans sat with a sombrero on their heads, out of love for Mexican Santiago Giménez, who scored the 2-0 against Go Ahead Eagles. “The fans are insane. It’s great to be here,” the striker revealed.
