Following FC Anyang’s 1-1 draw with Ulsan HD, I met Dutch defender Thomas Oude Kotte for his thoughts on returning to Anyang, fixture congestion, and upcoming matches.

Andrew: You are back with Anyang for another season. How do you feel?

Thomas: I feel okay. I feel like we struggled a bit in the beginning. I felt like last week, the Pohang game, it was kind of a turn around for us. It showed what we can do was a team when we’re all sticking together, and we find the rhythm, and I felt like today (Ulsan) we showed this again against the strong team. It’s time to for us to really grow up as a team. And to just kill the game by scoring more than just one goal.

Andrew: If you look at the K League 1 table, apart from FC Seoul, the clubs are changing position regularly. There are so many draws. How does that impact on your mindset?

Thomas: Yeah, but that’s the thing. If you’re losing, for example, 2 games in a row, it’s a bit like a crisis within the team. But now, for example, we had a win and now we had 4 points in 2 games, and now you look at the table. You think, ‘oh actually quite nice’. So it’s very hard not to get caught up in the feelings for so long. You know, because also a bit of the tight schedule, it’s you have to just move on. I feel like for us now we’re in a good position, with a good rhythm, and I hope we can just push this through. 

Andrew: The win in Pohang earlier this season must have been really important for the club. To get that first win against a K League powerhouse at last.

Thomas: Yeah, it was a big thing for us. Also, we struggled a lot over there. We had to fight hard for the points, but that really gave us, the team, the boost that I think we needed. I hope we can continue to build from here.

Andrew: The schedule is very condescended. Do you like a busy period, or would you prefer a break now?

Thomas: I prefer it this way, having lots of matches. It also shows what you’re made of. Are you ready to play 3 games in the week and are you ready to show the level every time? I think it’s also a good test for the players to see where your physical level is, if you ever want to move to like Europe or some other league, it happens quite often. I feel like it’s good for the K league to push the schedule a little bit. 

Andrew: You signed a new one-year deal with the club. You must be happy in Korea, and with Anyang?

Thomas: Yes, I’m very happy here, and my family is happy here. I come with a smile to the club every day. I had an amazing first season but I felt like I was not done here. Anyang made a good offer for me to stay. So after some discussions with my family, I was like, ‘let’s just run it back for one year.’

Andrew: And you know Anyang loves you, especially the fans. Is that your daughter on one of the flags?

Thomas: Yes, that’s my daughter. The flags says ‘hand in your passport‘ and ‘dad must live in Anyang forever.’ Anyang fans are amazing. I know for sure they love me.