If everyone in Jos Luhukay’s squad had performed like Giorgios Giakoumakis this season, we would probably be heralding this VVV-Venlo side for sealing European qualification.
Instead, Luhukay’s Yellow and Black Army are marching their way out of the Eredivisie, relegated on Thursday following a 3-1 defeat to newly-crowned champions Ajax.
And Giakoumakis could be forgiven for wondering how on earth this happened.
After all, the Greek striker has scored almost a goal-a-game in his debut season in the Dutch top flight, taking his tally to 26 in 30 matches during that fateful loss at the Amsterdam Arena.
Never before had a player won the Golden Boot and been relegated in the very same season. But, with Giakoumakis seven goals clear of second-placed Donyell Malen (with 19), the former AEK Athens poacher can at least console himself with a place in the Eredivisie history books.
Even if VVV had survived, keeping hold of their irrepressible centre-forward would have been easier said than done.
TEAMtalk reported in April that Norwich City, Brighton and a Southampton side who have raided Dutch football on numerous occasions over the years – to rather mixed results it must be said – are queuing up to take Giakoumakis to England.
VVV’s director Stan Valckx has already admitted that the 26-year-old is likely to leave, with a bargain fee of £5 million potentially enough to secure his signature (Voetbal International)
Giakoumakis scored 62 per cent of VVV’s league goals in 2020/21. And that alone highlights both why they went down, and why they staved off the threat of relegation for so long.
Giakoumakis kept the survival dream alive but not even he could do everything by himself.
“Then came a series of defeats that we could no longer fix. We didn’t earn any points because we played the worst football in the league,” a dejected Giakoumakis told AD.
“I have never scored so many goals (but) I cannot be happy. It’s a difficult day. For me and my team. A day with a bad feeling that I will never forget. ”
“I don’t know if I’ll be there (next season), but I hope and am convinced that VVV will return to the Eredivisie soon.”
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