ROTTERDAM (Reuters) - Feyenoord's victory in the Dutch Cup must herald a renaissance for the former European champions, captain Dirk Kuyt said in the wake of the 2-1 victory over Utrecht in Sunday's final.
"This must now become a prize that starts a new phase for the club in which more trophies are won. I have won five trophies in five successive years," added the 35-year-old, who had cup success at Liverpool and Fenerbahce before rejoining the Rotterdam club at the start of the season.
"It feels tremendous and I want that feeling for all in the squad.
"From now onwards we are going to win more prizes. That is what a big club like Feyenoord deserves. I know it is not the ultimate prize that the supporters are hunkering for but we have to start somewhere," he told reporters.
Feyenoord had not won any silverware since their last Dutch Cup success in 2008 and their last Dutch league championship triumph was in 1999. They are a distant third in the title race in the current season having gone through an unprecedented run of seven successive league defeats around the turn of the year.
Feyenoord had their halcyon days in the 70s, winning the European Cup and UEFA Cup, but still enjoy wide support throughout the Netherlands with their populist image as a working man's club.