Upon his return to Feyenoord, Dirk Kuyt is already amongst the goals and early signs suggest that he’s going to be instrumental in how their season plays out.
- By Ethan Gore
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The veteran forward returned to De Kuip this summer after nine years away from Rotterdam, signing a one-year-deal after leaving Turkish side Fenerbache. The signing was heralded among fans, who were delighted to have their old hero back at the club, and new boss Giovanni van Bronckhorst immediately restored the striker as Feyenoord’s captain, a role he held during his first spell with the club.
Originally signing for Feyenoord from Utrecht in 2003, Kuyt cemented himself as a fans favourite in his three years with the club, as he scored 83 goals in 122 games, while forming a lethal partnership with Salomon Kalou known as K2. His goal-scoring record made him one of the most sought-after forwards in Europe at the time, and eventually Liverpool convinced him to leave Rotterdam.
Over the years, Kuyt has moved away from the striker position where he made his name, and he returns to the Eredivisie as a winger, where he puts his determination and never say die attitude to use. Kuyt may no longer be able to score 30+ Eredivisie goals, but his experience and leadership will be crucial to van Bronckhorst’s side this season.
After missing out on European football last season, Feyenoord have got off to the perfect start in this campaign with two wins from two, and Kuyt is already proving crucial. In the opening game of the season against Utrecht, Feyenoord were reduced to ten men but still managed to win 3-2, with Kuyt not only scoring a penalty, but using his experience to wind down time perfectly as his side came under pressure. The former Dutch international then added his second goal in two games from the penalty spot in the 2-0 win over Cambuur.
In his prime years with Feyenoord, Kuyt claimed the Dutch Footballer of the Year award in 2006, the Eredivisie Top Scorer award in 2005 and the Dutch Golden Shoe award in 2006 , but he didn’t win any silverware. Now in his second spell at the club, Kuyt is aiming to captain his beloved club to their first Eredivisie title since 1999.
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Great to see him back. Wished it would have happened 2 years ago and I hope we can get one more year out of him after this. Dutch football needs their vets to return and help teach the next generation of players how to play/prepare/perform.