Luc Nilis calls Jaap Stam and Ernest Faber PSV’s toughest training foes
Former Belgian striker Luc Nilis revealed on the Rood Wit Podcast that his most demanding opponents on PSV’s training ground are former teammates Jaap Stam and Ernest Faber, describing them as ‘beasts on the field’. He added that their physicality and lack of space made them particularly hard to beat.
During the same podcast, former PSV colleague Tommie Van der Leegte sat at the table and laughed at Nilis’s answer. Nilis replied, ‘I don’t see you as a defender; I would rather play against you than against Jaap Stam or Ernest Faber.’
Why Stam and Faber stand out
Nilis explained that both Stam and Faber were ‘bikkelhard’, giving almost no space in training drills. He said he had to win the pre‑assist, then either go deep or receive the ball deep, exploiting any brief lapse in their tight marking.
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Met Stam he shared the pitch 77 times, while with Faber the tally rose to 98 appearances together at PSV.
Nilis himself amassed 212 matches for PSV, netting 133 goals and providing 62 assists over his spell.
The candid remarks on the Rood Wit Podcast underline the high standards that former PSV stars still expect from the club’s training environment.