Derksen and Van der Gijp already see an extremely expensive flop: 'He is poor, really poor...'

Famous Dutch television pundits Johan Derksen and René van der Gijp have launched a fierce attack on two Feyenoord signings after a difficult start to the 2026-26 Eredivisie season. On the show Today Inside, they did not hesitate to label striker Nacho Ferri and goalkeeper Tjark Ernst as "extremely expensive flops" even though the season is only a few rounds old. Derksen, known for his blunt statements, questioned the value of the €9 million deal from Westerlo: "He is poor, really poor. If he's worth €9 million in the Belgian league, he's only worth €1.5 million here." He compared Ferri to veteran FC Volendam striker Henk Veerman, who has been scoring regularly since joining the club. Van der Gijp was even more scathing about the 21-year-old Spanish striker: "He is absolutely useless. I don't understand where Feyenoord's scouts were looking. He's slow, lacks basic technique and doesn't know how to position himself." The criticism didn't stop there. The duo also targeted goalkeeper Tjark Ernst, signed from Hertha BSC for €5 million. According to Derksen, Ernst has a serious technical flaw in his shot-stopping reflexes: "He lands on his stomach instead of turning onto his side when diving to the left corner. That is basic technique that any German football academy should have taught him by the age of 12. If this continues, Feyenoord will concede goals all season." Early statistics don't favor the two newcomers. Ferri has only played 52 minutes in 3 substitute appearances (19 minutes vs Sparta, 23 minutes vs Cambuur, 10 minutes vs ADO Den Haag) with no goals or assists. Ernst has started all 4 league matches but has conceded 6 goals, an average of 1.5 per game – a figure not befitting a team considered title contenders. However, looking at the bigger picture, the harshness of Derksen and Van der Gijp seems premature. Ferri has played less than a full match cumulatively. A 21-year-old striker moving from the Belgian league – where he was the main attacking outlet for Westerlo – to a big club like Feyenoord, where he is only a backup option, needs time to adapt to his new role. Comparing him to Henk Veerman – a 32-year-old veteran with years of Eredivisie experience – is an unfair benchmark that ignores developmental trajectories. As for Ernst, Derksen might be pointing out a real and fixable technical issue. The habit of landing flat on his stomach when diving is a flaw he can correct with the help of a goalkeeper coach. But are 6 goals conceded in 4 matches entirely Ernst's fault? Feyenoord signed multiple newcomers in various positions this summer, indicating a defensive rebuild. A new defensive system still gelling is a major reason for the high number of goals conceded. It is also worth noting that Derksen and Van der Gijp are famous for their entertaining, deliberately controversial statements to boost show ratings. Calling a player "poor" or "a flop" after 52 minutes of football is not serious tactical analysis but rather a media product. Where does the real risk lie? Not in the quality of the two young players, but in the public pressure that could crush their confidence. A striker labeled "useless" in one match will carry immense psychological pressure in subsequent appearances. Feyenoord have historically excelled at buying young, developing, and selling high – a strategy that has kept them in the top 3 of the Eredivisie. Dismissing a deal as a failure at the start of the season lacks foundation and contradicts the club's own development model. The blind spot of media pundits is that they judge based on emotion and an extremely small sample size. Let the season progress a few more months. If after 8-10 appearances Ferri still has no goals and Ernst still makes basic errors, then the criticism will have a solid basis. For now, Derksen and Van der Gijp's words are simply a typical television spectacle. Will Ferri's potential hat-trick in the next match force Derksen to change his tune? History shows they always find a way to spin the story to maintain viewer interest. But for a young player, support from the coaching staff and fans is the most important medicine at this moment.