So it looked liked, for Ajax won a double. Twente was the other Cup finalist. By now they were in a decline.
Third row, from left: John Scheve, Andre van Gerven, Niels Overweg, Hans Loovens, Ab Gritter, Roy Wiggemansen, Heini Otto.
Middle row：Masseur Smit, Theo Pahlplatz, Cees van Ierssel, Harry Bruggink, Jaap Bos, Eddy Paveer, Bertus Strijdveen, Piet Wildschut, assistant coach Jan Morsing.
Sitting: Frans Thijssen, Hallvar Thoresen, Roel Smand, coach Spitz Kohn, Kick van der Vall, Henk van Santen, Epi Drost.
Like Feyenoord and PSV Eindhoven, Twente missed the right moment of starting rebuilding. Unlike the big clubs, Twente had fewer options… the team dangerously aged, but next generation strong players did not last long enough to provide some foundation for new squad. Even this photo shows the problem – Arnold Muhren was already gone to Ipswich Town in the summer of 1978, but Piet Wildschut and Frans Thijssen are present for the new season. Well, Thijssen joined Muhren in January 1979 and Wildschut moved to PSV Eindhoven. The key players of the team were known ‘forever’: Drost (b. 1945), Overweg (b. 1948), van Ierssel (b. 1945), Pahlplatz (b. 1947), van der Vall (b. 1946), Gritter (b. 1942). Those of them who were national team players years ago were also not called to the national team for quite a few years. Individually and as a team, they reached their peak about five years earlier – inevitable decline settled. Twente finished at 12th place this season – the time when this team played at the UEFA Cup final were long gone. Perhaps their coach was the reason – Antoine ‘Spitz’ Kohn, from Luxembourg, was the maker of the team in 1972. He was still coaching the same team seven years later – none young anymore, including Kohn. There were only three young hopefuls – all strikers, all lacking experience, and all foreign: Soren Lindsted (Denmark, b. 1957), Sanchez Torres (Spain, b. 1960), and Hallvar Thoresen (Norway, b. 1957). Hardly something to build on. Well, Kohn was finally dismissed after the end of the season, but too late… Yet, he and his old boys were still able to fight on occasion. Cup formats are probably best for such teams – direct elimination somewhat favours old foxes. Twente reached the final.
And old foxes fought strongly – the final ended 1-1 after extra-time. A replay… but old foxes have strength for only one game. The predictable happened – much younger Ajax won easily the second match 3-0. No cup for Twente, one more trophy for Ajax, and a respectable double this season. After the end of the season both winner and loser fired their coach. One can think how strong is a team whose coach is fired right after wins a double… Hardly anybody heard of Cor Brom again, but Spitz Cohn was to coach Ajax on three occasions in the 1980s.