Rotterdam football club Feyenoord, languishing in ninth position in the premiere league, will resume training tomorrow after a two-day break. Players were sent home on Sunday by an angry Erwin Koeman (foto) following the team’s 0-4 defeat to Amsterdam’s Ajax.

‘Tougher training and more of it is not the answer,’ technical director Peter Bosz told the Telegraaf. ‘These lads need to distance themselves… they need to get their freshness back.’ Leadership expert Peter ten Hoopen told the Financieele Dagblad that Koeman has used the ultimate weapon. ‘He literally behaved like a father who pushed his children aside and withdrew his affection,’ Ten Hoopen said. The Parool reported that Sunday’s match was almost abandonned because of inflamatory chanting by supporters. Referee René Temmink was subjected to chants describing him as the ‘son of a whore’ while Feyenoord fans shouted ‘Hamas Hamas, Jews to the gas’ at Ajax players. Ajax fans traditionally describe themselves and the players as Jews – refering to the city’s Jewish past. Under new rules, referees can abandon matches if racist or inflamatory chanting persists.