AZ coach shamed by riots after loss against West Ham; Young fans over violence

AZ coach Pascal Jansen says he is ashamed of the riots that broke out in the AFAS Stadium on Thursday after the semi-final loss of 1-0 against West Ham United. Young football fans are tired of the continuing violence and being afraid to go to the stadium.

After the semi-final loss against West Ham in the Conference League, a group of Alkmaar fans broke through a fence and sought confrontation with people cheering for West Ham on the main stand. The West Ham players’ family members, partners, and friends were also in the stands, as were the team’s technical staff.

“I didn’t realize at first,” said Jansen. “Then I looked up at the back and saw that quite a few blows were being handed out. I then directed my gaze directly at my players and staff members and tried to keep them away.”

It was not the first incident in a Dutch stadium this season. “It’s annoying. It doesn’t belong in our stadium. Preferably not in any stadium. I feel ashamed. People experienced anxious moments. You still have to be in control of your emotions, even on a night with a defeat.”

Young football supporters couldn’t agree more, according to the newspaper AD.

Daniel, a 9-year-old Sparta supporter who goes to watch every home match with his family, has had enough of the “stupid, very stupid” people who ruin the matches, he told the newspaper. “It makes me sad,” he said. “And I don’t understand why they do it either. Isn’t football too much fun for that?” He and his father witnessed people throw plastic cups on the field during the match against FC Volendam and how Xavi Simons was constantly taunted and insulted by his fellow supporters when Sparta played against PSV.

Guang, a 13-year-old FC Groningen fan, had nightmares after angry supporters threw fireworks onto the field in an FC Groningen-Ajax match earlier this week. “You don’t want to know what an impression that made on Guang,” his father, Jan, told the newspaper. Guang has an intellectual disability and is sensitive to stimuli. “Things like smoke and fire hit him very intensely,” Jan said. “He literally asked me: Dad, am I going to die if they have to take penalty kicks? And he was already so nervous. Believe me that does something to you.” Guang had bad dreams about people trying to get him all week, Jan said. “You can be angry, but please also think of all the children who are so fond of their club. They can’t do anything about FC Groningen being relegated.”

Noah, a 13-year-old NAC supporter, was very disappointed by the recent match against Willem II. Not because NAC lost but because supporters threw fireworks and beer glasses onto the field. The referee stopped the game and sent all the supporters away to finish playing in an empty stadium. “Why don’t they just drink that beer? That is much smarter,” the Breda boy said. The supporters missed how NAC turned 0-1 into 1-1. “I’m still upset that I wasn’t able to celebrate when we equalized in the last minute,” Noah said. He wants to be able to cheer for his team without being afraid of older supporters who can’t handle their feelings. “A small group of fans ruins it for tens of thousands of others.”