Van Bronckhorst missed freshness at Feyenoord: 'Maybe I should rotate more often'

Van Bronckhorst acknowledges fatigue after three games without a win but says Feyenoord remain on course; he may rotate more frequently next block.

Feyenoord's strong start to the season has stalled. After draws against PSV and Fortuna Sittard and a loss to SC Heerenveen, the Rotterdam club surrendered top spot to PSV ahead of the international break.

Manager Giovanni van Bronckhorst attributed the dip to fatigue accumulated over a congested fixture schedule. "At the end of a block with many matches, you notice tiredness kicking in," he said. "The freshness you're missing—maybe five or ten percent—you have to compensate for with mental resilience and character."

He acknowledged his own role in managing the workload, suggesting he may make more frequent changes in the next block to maintain sharpness.

Despite the recent results, Van Bronckhorst remained upbeat about Feyenoord's position. One-third into the season, they sit just a point behind the leaders. "If you start very well and slowly decline, it's understandable the feeling is less positive than if you start poorly and improve," he said.

"But we're still where we want to be. Prizes are awarded at the end of the season. We want to finish first, and the next block is crucial for that."