Hi Elko, thank you for joining us here on TheStamfordShed. Please could you explain to our readers a little more about yourself and your role as a journalist?
I’m a journalist from Amsterdam, Holland. For the past year, I’ve lived in London. I write about Dutch football, footballers and managers for a number of publications, including FourFourTwo, ESPN and The Daily Mirror.
From covering Dutch football, you will have seen a lot more of some of Chelsea’s loanees than most British fans. Has there been a standout talent for you?
He wasn’t on loan from Chelsea, but Wilfried Bony has by far been the best player to play for Vitesse in the last couple of years. For Chelsea fans, it could be considered a disappointment the club didn’t exert its influence with Vitesse to sign him ahead of Swansea.
What impact have the Chelsea players had on Vitesse’s season? How would they have coped without them in the side?
Vitesse didn’t have a good season this year, but last year they looked like serious title contenders. This would not have been possible without the Chelsea loanees. In that regard, those players completely transformed the role Vitesse play in Dutch football in the past couple of years.
What do you make of the way Chelsea work closely with Vitesse? Why do you think it has not proven very successful?
It’s fantastic for young players to gain experience in the Eredivisie, in part because playing in an actual competitive league speeds up development. Why have none of them broken through definitely at Chelsea? I believe they simple weren’t talented enough. This is no surprise: a lot of youth players don’t make it at big clubs like Chelsea – whether they get loaned out or not.
Reports have linked Chelsea with other European clubs lately, including Marseille. How do you think a potential line up with the French side would compare to that of Vitesse?
Arguably Marseille is of bigger stature than Vitesse. On the other hand, the Dutch league is quite tactical, and therefore a good place for young players to develop a certain tactical awareness – and get plenty of playing time while doing it.
How do the fans of Vitesse react towards the Chelsea players?
Some have at various points questioned their motivation, but generally Vitesse fans are happy with the injection of quality their side is enjoying.
Is there anyone you would like to see at Vitesse next season?
Nathan Ake would definitely benefit from regular first team football – whether that’s at Vitesse or a smaller Premier League side.
Nathan Ake came on as a substitute in Chelsea’s shock defeat to West Brom on Monday night. Where do you think Ake could end up next season? Would he benefit from a spell in Holland? Or even elsewhere?
Do you agree with Elko about Wilfried Bony? Should Chelsea have gone in for Wilfried Bony when they had the chance? Leave your thoughts in the comment section below, we’d love to hear from you as always.
From everyone at TheStamfordShed, we would like to thank Elko for his time and answering our questions.
