Tomorrow’s cup final between Feyenoord and Roda JC will only really be of interest to the fans of these clubs. After that, it will be all about the play-offs, though this will be the last time.

One year ago, the second and third place competition teams faced each other in the cup final: Ajax, ultimately victorious after penalty kicks, and AZ. The closing act of a tournament that never quite reached its full potential did have great appeal, even in a broader context, when played by two clubs who challenged champion PSV for the title to the very end. It was beguiling even to those who had no club alliance to see whether the losers of the battle for the title could bounce back so soon after their disillusionment.

The club final could teach us something about the state of national club soccer – and it did: Ajax was ultimately mentally stronger than AZ, who had since fallen by the wayside. None of this will be in play now that the teams ranked sixth and ninth in the Dutch Eredivisie major league, Feyenoord and Roda JC, will be the finalists playing in De Kuip stadium tomorrow. Fans of both clubs will get worked up, but for outsiders nothing of interest is expected to happen.

Opponents of the play-offs are up in arms about the possibility that the second place team in the competition could lose its chance to play in the Champions League because of these extra qualifying rounds. It actually happened to AZ in the first season, but not to Ajax the following year. The opposition ignore potentially beneficial sports-related effects. In the long term, an increase in the number of more strenuous matches could improve the mental tenacity of clubs and players. It could also add to the excitement which had already increased notably, for all divisions, right through to the final day of the season.

Tomorrow’s cup final between Feyenoord and Roda JC primarily interests supporters of the two clubs. After the match, the play-offs will draw more attention, albeit for the last time.

A year ago, the cup final featured the second and third-ranking teams in the competition: Ajax, which prevailed after penalties, and AZ. With the two teams who had battled champion PSV for the title until the very last minute, the closing match of a tournament that had never developed to its full potential actually took on a certain appeal, even for a broader audience. Viewers who had no attachment to any particular club were still interested in seeing how the losers in the fight for the title would play so short after their disillusionment.

The cup final could teach a lesson about the state of national club football – and that lesson was learned: in the end, Ajax proved to have a stronger mindset than the sadly fallen AZ. But none of these factors is relevant now that numbers 6 and 9 in the premier league, Feyenoord and Roda JC, are the finalists in tomorrow’s match in De Kuip stadium. Supporters from both clubs will be all wound up, but outsiders should not expect anything interesting.

Opponents of the play-offs were mainly bothered by the fact that the second-ranking team in the competition could be bumped out of the preliminary rounds of the Champions League in the extra series. That actually happened to AZ in the first edition, but not to Ajax in the following year. Above all, the opposing movement disregarded possible sporting benefits. An increase in the number of more intense matches could boost the mental resilience of both clubs and players in the longer term. An additional factor could be the tension, which had increased notably already, among all the ranks, and continued to rise until the final day of the tournament.

Tomorrow‘s cup final between Feyenoord and Roda JC grips the imagination of especially the supporters of both clubs. Thereafter, the play-offs should attract more attention, even though only for the time being.

A year ago the competition’s second and third teams still faced each other in the cup final: Ajax, who came out victoriously after a penalty shoot-out and AZ. With these two teams fighting for the title to the final whistle against the champions PSV, the championship, until then rather of mediocre stature in the Netherlands, erupted into a significant end-phase, even amongst the general public. Those without club sentiments suddenly became keen to observe how the losers of the title clash would brace themselves so soon after falling short of glory.

The cup final would be capable to signal something about the state of club soccer, nationally – and did exactly that: Ajax looked mentally stronger than AZ in the end, who in the meanwhile had lost a lot of footing. Now, however, nothing of that will be the case here tomorrow when the numbers six and nine of the honorary division, Feyenoord and Roda JC, turn out as cup finalists in De Kuip. The supporters of both teams will be rallying rank and file, but for those on the side-line there will be hardly anything interesting to expect.

Those opposing the play-offs are agitated by the prospect of the number two team of the competition being forced out of the first round of the Champion’s League, because of the additional matches. Exactly this AZ managed to prevent in the inaugural year of the event, but Ajax was not that lucky the following year. The flood of anti-emotions surpassed all potentially beneficial sporting advantages. An increase in the number of tougher games could in the long run have strengthened both clubs and players mentally. Such emotions, which already have risen noticeably, could then ebb itself out positively on all levels and invariably remain consistent until the final whistle.