For Sam Lammers, it is a season to forget so far. The FC Twente striker has been pushed to the bench since rival Wout Weghorst arrived, and now it seems he is not even second choice anymore.
Weghorst's arrival on a free transfer had already left Lammers frustrated, with the Netherlands international taking his starting spot straight away. "I have no doubt that he will start," Van den Brom said, among other things, before the Europa League qualifier against Ferencváros two weeks ago.
Now, ahead of Thursday's home match against FC DAC 1904 in the Conference League qualifier, the coach has confirmed that twenty-year-old forward Lucas Vennegoor of Hesselink is also ahead of Lammers in the pecking order.
"Outsiders are far too easily overlooking Lucas's development," Van den Brom tells ESPN. "And believe me: Lucas really is a good striker, who has been knocking firmly on the door in pre-season."
"Last season as well, he hardly played then, once I think. But he has developed. That is continuing. He is the first substitute if needed up front."
Reporter Milan van Dongen calls it a 'hard message for Sam Lammers'. "Yes, that is what I am saying," Van den Brom continues. "As a coach, you always have to make choices. It is much nicer to say that someone is going to play than the other way round."
"Sam is not happy about it either. It is simply about communicating, sitting down, and then you understand that players do not like that. I played enough as well and was in that situation often enough, I know it is not nice."
"The art is always, and I also have to give Sam credit for this, that you keep going at all times. And that is nice. It could easily be that he has to come on tonight. Then I simply know that he is ready," Van den Brom said.