PEC icon Van Polen questions Pastoor’s fit in Zwolle

Former PEC Zwolle captain Bram van Polen has expressed reservations about the appointment of Alex Pastoor as the club’s new head coach. The 60-year-old has signed a contract through to the end of the season as the permanent successor to Henry van der Vegt.

Van der Vegt departed after seven Eredivisie matches. Interim coaches Dennis van der Ree and Maikel van der Werff subsequently collected two wins and two draws, lifting PEC to 13th place. Their spell also included a first-round KNVB Cup exit, with second-tier TOP Oss winning 2-1 in Zwolle.

Van Polen, who made 512 competitive appearances for PEC, told ESPN programme De Eretribune that Pastoor had not been his preferred candidate. As reported by FCUpdate, he also believes PEC initially pursued René Hake. While praising Pastoor’s football knowledge and clear ideas, Van Polen questioned whether the coach’s character would fit a club with a relatively understated culture. “Whether his personality will suit PEC, I don’t know,” he said.

The former defender is also wary of PEC adopting the direct approach he associates with Pastoor’s final Eredivisie season at Almere City, describing that football as reliant on battling and long passes. Van Polen feels the current squad should be capable of avoiding relegation while also producing more with the ball. However, he considers the short-term agreement sensible for both parties because it gives PEC and Pastoor time to assess whether the partnership works.