Van Bronckhorst explains cancelled substitute appearance for Steijn

Van Bronckhorst cancelled Steijn's planned substitute appearance after Feyenoord scored, preferring to keep the defensive pairing of Vanhoutte and Targhalline on the pitch.

former Feyenoord manager Giovanni van Bronckhorst explained his decision to cancel Sem Steijn's planned substitute appearance during Saturday's match against Fortuna Sittard. Steijn had prepared to enter the game after Luciano Valente opened the scoring, but Van Bronckhorst asked him to return to the bench to maintain the defensive partnership of Charles Vanhoutte and Oussama Targhalline.

Van Bronckhorst acknowledged it was a difficult decision, noting he would have preferred to bring Steijn on with the score level. "Then you score and suddenly you don't need that goal anymore," he said. When Fortuna equalized through Feyenoord loanee Shiloh 't Zand, Steijn still did not enter the match.

The manager was frustrated with the result, criticizing his team's finishing despite creating three or four clear chances. He felt Feyenoord's defensive solidity in the first half was undermined by poor conversion, allowing Fortuna to become dangerous late in the game.