Aberdeen boss Jim Goodwin has hailed the self belief and fighting spirit of Dutch winger Vicente Besuijen.
Goodwin says Dundee resorted to ‘kicking him up and down the park in second half’ of the 1-0 win at the weekend – and he praised the winger for brushing off the challenges to play a key role in the victory.
Goodwin says he wants players with the characters to handle the pressure of playing for Aberdeen.
He reckons January signing Besuijen fits the bill perfectly as he ‘has something about him’.
Besuijen, 21, was secured for €500,000 (£420,000) from Dutch second-tier ADO Den Haag.
The former Dutch youth international penned a four-and-a-half-year contract until summer 2026.
Goodwin said: “The wee man (Besuijen) certainly has something about him.
“It doesn’t matter how many times he gives the ball away he keeps looking for it to get into the game.
“He never shirks a tackle.
“You could see that. The Dundee guys were kicking him up and down the park second half, but he continues to get up and get on it.
“That is very pleasing.
“You need strong characters in the building to be able to handle the level of expectation at a big club like this.
“Vicente has real self-belief and great confidence.”
‘A good asset for the club’
Besuijen arrived at Pittodrie, having made 30 appearances in the Dutch top flight, the Eredivisie, in 2020/21.
ADO Den Haag were relegated at the end of that campaign.
Besuijen then featured 25 times in the Dutch second tier, pitching in with six goals and 10 assists before signing for Aberdeen.
🇳🇱 🔟
🔴 A first goal at Pittodrie doesn't come much better than this. pic.twitter.com/249PhvtNuF
— Aberdeen FC (@AberdeenFC) March 21, 2022
The winger began his career at the legendary Ajax Youth Academy before a switch to Italian Serie A Roma in 2017.
He returned to the Netherlands three years later with ADO Den Haag.
Besuijen has made a positive impact since arriving at Pittodrie in January.
He scored a memorable first Pittodrie goal with a stunning strike in the 3-1 defeat of Hibs in March.
With Besuijen contracted for another four full seasons, Goodwin intends to develop him into a top asset.
Goodwin said: “The recruitment team deserve a lot of credit for Vicente.
“That was done prior to me coming in.
“He is a really good young talent who still has room for development.
“And he will be a good asset for the club going forward.”
The need to stand up and be counted
Besuijen has quickly transitioned into the Aberdeen squad and the pressures which come with a club of the Dons’ size.
Goodwin insists there must be a perfect combination for players he wants at the club – talent and temperament.
Another fundamental is players who are willing to dig deep and not hide when the chips are down.
Goodwin said: “Playing for a big club like Aberdeen is not for everybody.
“You either have that self-belief and confidence in your own ability.
“When things are going well at a club like this it is very easy because the place is bouncing and everyone is happy.
“But – when you are up against it and the chips are down – then you have to still stand up and be counted.
“That’s when you find out a lot about players.”
Character key in summer signings
Goodwin will undertake a summer rebuild of a squad who have struggled to deliver most of the season when the ‘chips are down’.
He aims to secure not just talent to improve a squad who will finish in the bottom six for the first time since 2013.
The criteria for Goodwin’s summer signing target is also having the right character – like Besuijen.
He said: “That’s a big, big part of the recruitment.
“Obviously players with good technical ability that can go and add that bit of quality we need.
“But they also need to have a bit of character.
“That’s what you need to play for a big team like Aberdeen.”