Former Feyenoord players Karim El Ahmadi and Mario Been have voiced strong support for newly appointed manager Giovanni van Bronckhorst, believing he can restore the club's dominance at De Kuip.
Feyenoord finished second in the Eredivisie last season under Robin van Persie, but their home form was inconsistent.
El Ahmadi noted that visiting teams found it surprisingly easy to play in Rotterdam, a trend he expects to change under Van Bronckhorst, who led the club to the 2017 league title.
"In home games, our greatest strength was playing neat football from the back and giving the opponent no chance to catch their breath.
That is how I know Gio and how I experienced him," said El Ahmadi, now an ESPN analyst.
The former midfielder emphasized the need to recreate an intimidating atmosphere for opponents. "Last season I saw that opponents could sometimes play easily in De Kuip.
This year that is really going to be a different story," he added.
Scoring Distribution and Squad Management
El Ahmadi also pointed out that Feyenoord relied too heavily on forward Ayase Ueda for goals, while rivals like PSV scored across all positions.
Improving scoring distribution will be a key tactical challenge.
Technical director Dévy Rigaux has taken a firm stance on player sales despite interest in talents like Anis Hadj Moussa, Givairo Read, and Ueda.
"Feyenoord only sells for the price it wants. I think that is good.
Previously, I sometimes had the idea: that one could have left for more money," said Mario Been.
Been urged the club to prepare replacements if key players leave late in the transfer window, while also highlighting youth academy talent as internal solutions.
"What if Read and Hadj Moussa only leave at the very last moment? I hope they think carefully about that and that the replacements are ready," he said.
He specifically praised young prospect Shaqueel van Persie, saying, "Shaqueel has all the qualities of a great player.
Something always happens, and if you have talented players like this as a club, you must always bring them."
Van Bronckhorst has clear expectations for the new season, aiming to compete for the championship.
"Ultimately, we must have a squad that can compete for the championship," he stated.
