Adelaide United boss Gertjan Verbeek shares concern over Reds “family” communication breakdown
Adelaide United coach Gertjan Verbeek is set to meet chairman Piet van der Pol on Saturday for the first time since he and his football staff were stood down on April 1.
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Adelaide United coach Gertjan Verbeek is worried about the wellbeing of his players and coaching staff after they were stood down with the presumption the A-League season will continue.
A Red spokesman confirmed off contract assistant coach Gerald Sibon was flying home to the Netherlands on Saturday night to be with his family, it’s unclear if he will return.
Verbeek confirmed he is now expected to meet Reds chairman Piet van der Pol on Saturday for the first time since the club communicated the lay off via a letter without discussion on Tuesday night.
All wages were suspended for 80 per cent of Adelaide United’s staff from April 1.
Adelaide still had five games of the regular season to play before the competition was postponed at least until April 22 when Football Federation Australia is expected to reconvene to make a decision.
“I’m responsible for the health of the players, it’s my profession so I can’t say to the players ‘stop training’ because the club says ‘you can’t that’s work’,’’ Verbeek said.
“We’re in a strange position and nobody can advise us, the PFA (player’s union) is suing already the owners.
“Everyday I contact the trainers (Reds coaches) and we make the programs and we contact the players.
“Some have some problems with their muscles so the physiotherapist is working with them individually one-on-one you can’t say “we have to stop all this.”
“I don’t attack Bruce and Nathan, they are only the messengers.
“That’s OK I don’t complain and health is the biggest issue.
“But the biggest complaint I have is they don’t communicate, they only send us a letter and in the it letter states ‘we have to stop work and all the football activity’.
“We can’t because also in the letter it states we have to ‘stay here and be prepared to be playing in the last five games.
“So you can’t do nothing you have to make training programs for the guys otherwise we can’t play the five games.”
Verbeek said he would now have to dip into his savings in a bid to pay bills for him, his wife and young daughter.
He said he would remain in Adelaide for as long as the remainder of the A-League season is in limbo and the club tells him to stay during the postponement.
“I get less money than in Europe so now I don’t get paid but the rent and everything is still owing,’’ he said.
“It is more expensive to live here than in Holland, health insurance is more expensive, we don’t get any benefits here from the government, so we have to pay all of it ourselves.
“I have some savings, so for me it’s not the biggest issue, but a lot of players don’t have a big salary and if you go from 100 per cent to zero (wage) that’s hard.
“Maybe they have to go back to their parents and ask ‘can I live with you’.
“But their landlords will say ‘you still have to pay rent’.
“For everybody it’s a bad situation, for the whole world, if you want to be a family, communicate, you explain and negotiate with us.”
Originally published as Adelaide United boss Gertjan Verbeek shares concern over Reds “family” communication breakdown