Telstar goalkeeper Ronald Koeman junior has criticised referee Martijn Vos following the 2-1 away victory over NEC. Koeman received a yellow card for time-wasting in the closing stages and felt targeted throughout the match, as he told ESPN in an interview.
Koeman was booked in the 78th minute because, according to Vos, he took too long to take a free-kick. "I feel they were really after me," the keeper said to ESPN reporter Milan van Dongen. "The crowd, the referee... I have to go get that ball and he's already counting." In stoppage time, NEC was awarded a corner because the officiating team ruled Koeman had delayed his goal-kick too long. The goalkeeper felt Vos over-applied the relatively new rule.
Why did Koeman receive a yellow card?
Koeman argued the immediate reason for his booking was unjust. He claimed NEC forward Bryan Linssen was still too close to the ball when Vos started his countdown, meaning the referee shouldn't have begun timing him yet. What bothered Koeman more was a comment Vos allegedly made. "Then he said to me: 'I'd advise you to think about how you want to handle this this season.' I think that's a very strange reaction," Koeman stated.
Where does Telstar stand in the league?
The three points from Nijmegen are valuable for Telstar in their battle against relegation. The team currently sits in 16th place in the Eredivisie with 8 points from 7 matches. The standings page shows the gap to the relegation zone remains narrow. The win at NEC was the team's second away victory of the season, a positive sign for a side that struggled on the road last year. The next fixture is a home match against FC Utrecht, which can be found on our fixtures page.
Who is Ronald Koeman junior for Telstar?
Ronald Koeman junior is the established first-choice goalkeeper for Telstar. The 24-year-old shot-stopper joined from FC Volendam in the summer of 2024 and has firmly held his starting spot since. This season, he has played every minute of all 7 league games. His experience and leadership are important for a relatively young defence. The full team roster is available on the squad page. Koeman's contract runs until mid-2027, providing stability in goal.
Despite his criticisms, Koeman acknowledged that Vos otherwise had a good game. "Apart from that, he refereed very well, let's put it that way," the goalkeeper smiled. For him, the secured victory was what mattered most. Telstar now prepares to face FC Utrecht at the BUKO Stadion on Saturday, September 12th.
