Gernot Trauner is on his way back at Feyenoord, much to the delight of manager Robin van Persie. The Austrian centre-back (34) has not played a single minute this season due to a persistent Achilles tendon injury.
Trauner has been training with the squad more and more frequently in recent weeks. Van Persie is very positive about this development, although it remains to be seen whether the veteran will get any playing time in the final weeks of the season.
“Whenever he trains with us, it really makes me very happy. He’s a real class act,” Van Persie enthused on Friday at the press conference ahead of Sunday’s away match against FC Volendam.
“Gernot is also working very hard for it. We’ll see where that leads us – looking ahead to the coming period and next season,” said Van Persie, referring to the fact that Trauner’s expiring contract has been officially terminated as of 1 April. This is standard procedure for players whose contracts end in the summer.
“I’m particularly pleased that I’m now seeing him more often on the training pitch, because it’s quite special that when you’ve been sidelined for so long, you can immediately reach that level. Not many players manage that,” said Van Persie, who also discussed the physical condition of Anis Hadj Moussa.
The winger was sidelined with an injury against Ajax and consequently had to miss Algeria’s international fixtures. “He returned last week, has been training on a modified programme and is still doing so this week. So we’ll have to wait and see how things go ahead of Sunday,” explained the Feyenoord manager.