Danny Buijs: ‘They take up so much energy. They have something exceptional, but sometimes you want to…’

Fortuna Sittard have made an excellent start to the season and Danny Buijs has played a big part in that. The coach knows how to get through to his players, though that is far from easy at times, as he told ESPN 's cameras.

"For some people, it is very difficult to work with me," he begins. "That is not only down to those people, sometimes it is also a little bit down to me. But sometimes it is also about how those people approach their work."

"However, there are also plenty of people who work with me just fine. If we do not lose too much, there are few problems. If we lose a lot, it all becomes a bit less pleasant," he admits.

Among those under Buijs' wing are Mohamed Ihattaren and Lecquincio Zeefuik, players who need a specific approach. Even so, he also has a real appreciation for "players with a scratch".

"I'm a Gemini, horoscope-wise. One side of me absolutely loves those lads, I almost see them as my own children. They do not beat around the bush, they admit it when they are wrong. Sometimes they colour outside the lines, I like that. They are often lads with something exceptional. You try to help them."

"But sometimes you also want to stick them behind the wallpaper. You go grey, you lose your hair. In the end, you hope they manage to cash in on the talent they have. It makes it beautiful, but sometimes it also costs so much energy. Especially if you have a few of them together."

Seven matches in, Fortuna sit sixth in the Eredivisie. Whether the Limburg side can keep that up remains to be seen. "It would be damned nice to secure that play-off place by the end of it all, but we still have a number of big steps to take this season," Buijs concludes.