Tag: Zlatan

Farewell to Wesley Sneijder

The next international game vs Peru has Sneijder’s farewell as the main theme. The new qualification series for the Euros is starting too, but all eyes and focus are on the little captain first. 34 year old and with 133 caps to his name, the former skipper looks back and looks forward from Qatar, his current home.

“I decided to go to Qatar also because of the World Cup coming here. Football is alive here and I enjoy exploring these types of countries. We loved living in Turkey, and we love it here. And when the World Cup comes, who knows, I hope to play some part. Maybe for Qatar, for the FIFA or maybe for Oranje. And until that time, I want to be an active player. Playing football is the best thing there is.”

Sneijder lives like a prince in Qatar. He describes his day. “In the morning, I am busy with my non football activities. I have a building company in Turkey, and we’re building apartments in Istanbul. In China I have SPort8, a youth academy company and I also have SportChain which is a crypto company. On Ibiza I own a restaurant and since this week I’m also ambassador for the Johan Cruyff Foundation. So, busy enough. Then it’s time for lunch and an afternoon nap and in the evening we have training. And when Yolanthe is here with our son we do fun things as a family. And hey, I know the stories, the big paychecks and what not, but I could have made more, much more, in China. But quality of life is important too. I don’t think I would have been happy in China. Life here is comfortable, hardly any crime, and I met a lot of cool new friends, locals and Dutch expats, all sorts. And Nigel de Jong and family lives here too of course.”

Last weekend, they played against each other, again. “We had our derbies in Milan and now here, hahaha. We beat him 4-0 but I decided to float a bit on the pitch as I didn’t want to get to near to him. I still have an Oranje match to play, hahaha.”

The matches in Doha are played before 100s of people, instead of 1000s. “It took some time to get used to, but like anything, you do get used to it. Playing before a full Bernabeu becomes normal and this becomes normal too. I think I prepared well mentally for this step and I enjoy myself. Just the training sessions alone and making fun with my team mates. I’m now at an age where I can support the coaching staff and I enjoy that.”

Wesley’s Favorite Coaches. “You won’t find Louis van Gaal in my top 3. Yes, he’s a great coach, just not my great coach, hahaha.”

#3 Danny Blind

“I worked with him at Ajax and Oranje, and I think the success we had in 2014 was partly his work. Van Gaal got the credits, but Danny was important with analysis, training sessions and he was a wonderful guy to work with. A special coach.”

#2 Henk ten Cate

“He’s also a friend. But objectively, he is a very tough task master. He’s tough, he’s disciplined, he sees the game. I had my best season under him at Ajax. I scored 18 goals. And I was a bit complacent but he got me really going. And when I was unfit in 2013, he came to Ibiza to work with me to get me fit. Henk was also the one to motivate me to work on my fitness. He called me Billy Bigmans (Big = Pig). Told me I was too fat for the top. He challenged me and I needed that.”

#1 Jose Mourinho

“We didn’t work together that long. My most successful period. He is the special one, but you need to work with him to understand this. He has skills no one else has. His management skills, with 23 egos, that process. He can manage that so well. To get everyone focused for the big objective. Tactically, he is also super strong.”

After his failed Nice adventure, Ajax or FC Utrecht could have been Wes’ new club. But it didn’t happen. “I get that. Utrecht was actually more interested than Ajax but I decided to stay longer abroad. I enjoy this life. I do follow the Eredivisie by the way. Every match. And Nigel and I were cheering last week when we watched Ajax play Dynamo Kiev. We’re on the coach, and cheering Ajax on. That was fun. And I think Ajax will be doing so well, with the likes of De Ligt and De Jong. These two will be key for Dutch football. Everything they do has a forward focus and purpose. This is a natural thing for them. And I love that, which Is why I love watching Man City and Barcelona too. And with Memphis in good form and Van Dijk and Wijnaldum at Liverpool I really think Oranje has turned a corner. And particularly with Ronald Koeman as coach. He’s pragmatic, he demands a lot but he also has that Barca / Cruyff DNA. He’s good in his communication too.”

Talking about Oranje, the high point of his career needs to mentioned. “I have had many. I personally think our football at the 2008 Euros, in the group stages, was the best we played. Van Basten and Van’t Schip just said: go out there and play! We didn’t do much in a tactical sense. And we played ever so well, until that terrible thing with Boulahrouz. My first match vs Scotland was special too of course. I scored my first goal in the first 15 minutes or so. But the real high point was the Brazil quarter finals in 2010. When we were 1-0 down. And it wasn’t so much my two goals in the second half. It was what happened in the dressing room. I surprised myself. I came in latest and the whole team was staring at the floor. And I was like: Hey! We can go home a bunch of losers, or we go back out there and play. And take the game to them. And hurt them. And that did something. The heads came up, other players chimed in and we went out and turned the game around.”

In 2014, Sneijder again plays a main part in the World Cup story but differently, with his love-hate relationship with Van Gaal. “I frequently thought, is this guy a genius or is he insane?”. I think he’s both now. Hahaha. When Van Gaal first started I told him: you’ll need me there. And he did. But he decided to push me and pester me to get me to react. One example. During the tournament, we were on our day off and some of us went to this lounge bar for some drinks. Nothing spectacular. We returned, precisely at 10pm as instructed. Who is in the hotel lobby? Van Gaal. And we walk past him and he starts barking at me. Only at me: “So, why did Sneijder have to go to that lounge bar?” And I was like: “We all went, why are you not asking them?”. And he said: “Because I want to know from you!!”. And I just said “goodnight” and walked off. The next day, I was really pissed off and I played another good game. And I think now he did it to get me worked up. We did well with him, but I won’t pick him as my favorite coach. My top 3: Jose Mourinho, Henk ten Cate and Danny Blind.”

“After the WC in Brazil I realised we were not fully focused. We lost away vs Iceland, 2-0 and I knew we were in trouble. Not because we lost. But the manner in which we lost. We were without a chance. I even considered quitting but that’s not me. I wanted to fight back. But we were going downhill. My biggest low point was the 4-0 loss vs France under Advocaat. He put me in a 3 man’s midfield as the playmaker vs Kante. And I thought… oh… that is not smart… But what do you do? I should have said “Dick, please put me on the bench, that is not ending well” but I didn’t. The coach needed me and I wanted to deliver. But I don’t blame Guus Hiddink and Danny Blind. I blame the many players who decided to skip qualification games, only to play for their club 3 days later! No I won’t mention names, the players know exactly who they are. They let the team down. Fuck off. Should I ever become part of the Oranje staff, those types will have a problem with me, that is not on. You need to be proud to play for your country! Danny Blind’s sacking really hurt me. He was a perfect coach. As assistant to Van Gaal he was so important and his influence was huge. A real expert and he didn’t deserve that mentality.”

“The last years, it felt like some internationals needed to be pushed to play for Oranje. I think now these changes, the new Zeist centre instead of the players’ hotel in Noordwijk…all good measures. When players can’t deal with the freedom you need to create a situation where the focus is fully on the game. And it’s really a big trap, players thinking they are the Man because they are big at their club… You have to demonstrate that in the national team!”

“Another key concept is sacrifice. In 2010, we all were focusing on getting the best out of it. And the benchwarmers did their job. Huntelaar, Elia, Van der Vaart, no one was negative. How this changed in 2012. We had more players with big reputations and they couldn’t accept that bench role anymore. And I realised vs Denmark, if we lose this match, it will be all over. And it is such a shame. Players simply don’t realise how special it is to play one great tournament. Just one already is amazing…”

“My future, well… I can say this: I would not be able to think of anything better to do than be involved with the national team. I would love to be an assistant coach for Oranje. Being with the lads, parting my knowledge, setting up training, just sharing my experiences, you know? I spoke about it with Koeman. We’ll see. For now, I’m still playing and I will most likely keep on playing for a while still. But I love that whole group process of having a goal and working towards it. Preparing for a World Cup for instance. It’s amazing. And I paid attention with all the coaches I had. And I realised, you can be the best tactician but if you can’t communicate, if you can’t motivate your players to do something, it doesn’t matter. Mourinho was the maestro. He was able to let you do things you thought you couldn’t. He had the backroom staff for the practices, and the physiological stuff and tactical analysis. He simply asked you to do things for him and you did. Eto’o, a super striker, he was a flank player under Mourinho, running up and down and defending and attacking… Incredible. But now, my future is the Peru game. One more time part of the group. Having fun, kicking a ball, goosebumps with the national anthem. And then I will be watching Oranje on the coach, with a Heineken! Enjoying myself.

Below, Wesley’s favorite team of players he once played with:

 

Ok guys: tell me your best Wesley Sneijder memory below!

 

The Fosu-Mensah bros in England

Timothy Fosu-Mensah (18) gets paid well. He’s a raw diamond with everything to dream for. His brother Alfons (22) struggless at North Ferriby United and isn’t understood. Two brothers, together but also apart… From the Xmas special of VI.

Sale, the southern satelite town of Manchester. A typical street. It’s getting dark and in this particular home, the only light illuminating the living room is coming from the TV. Tim and Alfons Fosu-Mensah are on the couch, watching football. Don’t think it’s a coincidence. Fons: “This TV only broadcasts football, hahaha. Go and switch channels, I dare you: South American, Australian, Italian, the sandy desert. Whenever a ball rolls somewhere, Tim and I are watching. That’s how it was when we were young and it’s still like that.”

When you and pimpled, the brothers watched football on TV whenever they weren’t out playing themselves. Watching Ajax (they lived in De Bijlmer, a poor area in Amsterdam East, watching the Dutch team and all European games they could find. Dreaming of a life as pro player themselves. That fantasy became reality for both. But that’s where the comparison stops.

Timothy has played Europa Cup football for Manchester United on Old Trafford. Tim has been seen hanging off Zlatan’s shoulders after a goal. On the way to that game, he was reading Zlatan’s biography. Again. He played with team mate Daley Blind. The guy who gave him his first football boots years ago when Timothy was but a ball boy, and Daley played in Ajax 1. “They were a size too small already,” Timothy smiles, “but I kept them. They were my first real boots!”

Timothy-Fosu-Mensah-Daley-Blind-Boots-Man-Utd-714490

And now, Paul Pogba, the world’s most expensive player, is his friend. And only yesterday, he showered next to Wayne Rooney, David de Gea and Juan Mata. Louis van Gaal and Jose Mourinho only have positive things to say about him. Meanwhile, Alfons was playing on a rough surface in East Yorkshire, watching all the balls flying over his head, apparently aimed at the river Humber.

Alfons plays for United as well. North Ferriby United, to be precise. Hij plays with two bricklayers, a car mechanic and a couple of students.

The Daily Mail hails Fosu-Mensah: “He’s strong as an ox and highly skilled. A player with everything he needs to become a Man United icon!”. Asked about Alfons, the North Ferriby United PR man says: “Alfons. We haven’t seen a lot of him, to be honest.”

Two worlds come together in that house in Sale. In front of the house: a second hand Peugeot and a slick black Mercedes. Alfons: “I sometimes get to take the Merc. So cool, driving it to the club. Tim? No, he won’t take the Peugeot, he than grabs his grey Mercedes.”

tim zlatan

They played together for years on the street. “There were always amazing young players, the brother tz were always there. Queensy Menig (Ajax player on loan at PEC Zwolle) and Brandley Kuwas too (Heracles). Tim is younger than us, but I’d take him with me, as this level would teach him to man up,” smiles Alfons. “But I didn’t want him in my team. He never tracked back, he was only up front with the ball, dribbling. I always said: man, you gotta put in the work too.” They played a lot together too, just the two of them. Practicing. “I was his first coach. There were always dads doing this and criticising and yelling. Not my style. I taught Tim to use both feet. We did this for hours, playing the pass with his weaker foot. And long and longer distances. I had him dribble, sprint, do shimmies and tricks, finishing, everything.”

Timothy smiles, remembering it all. “He was the best coach, always positive. Whenever I made a mistake, he made me do it again and again, just to help me develop. But things went quick.” Alfons: “I just wanted to help him, as he was my little brother, but I also saw he had that knack. He was special already. He can make it big. So we put the time and effort in.”

And before they knew it, the student was better than the master. Timothy: “Hahaha, I know right? I was 12 years old, we did a 2 v 2 match and I was up against Alfons, and I nutmegged him, Perfect, in between the sticks, hahaha.” Alfons: “Yeah well, I was wrongfooted, just for a second. Pretty bad, but this was the moment where I thought: hmmm, my little brother has the best of me….”

TIMOTHY FOSU-MENSAH kid

And now Alfons watches his little brother from the stands at Old Trafford. “And I still see him do things we practiced in Amsterdam, on the streets. And I think: well done brother! We spent hours working on this and that basic skills, that ball technique, he got that from the street. The foundation was laid there.”

The door opens and another young Dutch player enters. Rodney Kongolo, younger brother of Terence Kongolo of Feyenoord. He’s a player for Man City. The two played against each other since they were 6 years old. Rodney for Feyenoord, Timothy for Ajax. The two rivals have become firm friends. Kongolo’s impressive technique allow him to walk through the room, eyes on his iPhone, while avoiding all the obstacles on the floor. It’s a bit messy, there’s train tickets, cups, football trophies, coins, unopened bills and pizza folders. It looks like a shared student accomodation. “Ah no, usually it is nicely managed. My dad lives with us, and cooks and does our washing etc. But he’s back in Holland for a couple of weeks so… I now pick up food from Man United at times or I go and cook myself.” Alfons: “But if Tim goes to the supermarket I need to watch him. He throws everything he likes in his trolley, but most of it is not good for him, cookies, icecream…. I we cook here, it’s usually chicken rice or we eat pasta. No fastfood.”

The mum of the family lives in Amsterdam still. Their younger brother, a football talent as well, Paul is still in Holland, playing for Ajax (C1). Alfons: “Paul is a good player, more a traditional defender. Strong, tall, good header. Paul is a bit like Rio Ferdinand, whereas Timothy can play anywhere. Holding midfielder, full back, centre back… Me? I think I’m a striker Benzema style. Our styles are similar. A bit. I mean, I’m not that good but I am not focused on scoring alone, I wish to support the team and create. I’m a team player, skilled and very quick.”

alfons

Alfons

He’s playing in the National League, and makes gets he calls a Jupiler League level pay-check (between 50 and 100k euro per annum). Alfons: “I was unlucky. Everything that can go wrong, went wrong. I played for Zeeburgia (top amateur class) and I apparently was offered several test options from big clubs. They never told me. Finally, Almere City approached me directly. A step up, so I went. And then it started: knee was crook. Everything crashed. But FC Oss came along and after recovering there were issues with my transfer. Finally, I played a number of games for them and the Oss technical staff was amazing for me. The coach wanted to keep me, said he was very positive but he needed to work on my consistency. But I didn’t sign an extension. I wanted to go with Timothy and try my luck here. I got a chance with Southport and in my first game vs Oldham Athletic I got injured. The coach said: I do like you but can’t use you now. We gotta move on, so he signed another player.”

Ferriby Utd

The “Old Trafford” of Alfons….

He did all sorts of tests for clubs he can’t even remember anymore. “Then there was a chance with Colwyn Bay. And another kid I knew got a test too, so I drove with him. Guess what? It was in Wales! We drove for hours, over hills, through valleys…endless. And when I got there, I got a 5 minutes sub run. And after the match the coach said: I haven’t seen enough of you. Yes of course not! 5 minutes and then we drove back. I was glad they didn’t want me. I couldn’t be driving there all the time…”

In the meantime Rodney Kongolo and Tim Fosu-Mensah discuss Tim’s big chance to score a Man United goal. “If Zlatan would have passed the ball late in the game, I was in on goal. Goalie was out of position. I had run a mile, but I was still fresh you know. And he saw me! But he decided to score himself. He said: I haven’t been plodding in the cold here for 85 minutes for nothing you know, hahahaha.”

Timothy-Fosu-Mensah-in-Man-United-training-July-2016

Alfons smiles. He knows the anecdote well. His United anecdote makes him grimace. So North Ferriby. I never saw that before. It’s a tiny town, with a tiny football club. And all those old, fat creepy guys eating their pies and yelling “Fucking hell!” all the time, hahaha. We are fighting relegation. They were supposed to play football, the coach said, but now it’s all long hail marys forward. He told me: don’t ask the ball in your feet, run run run! And that just isn’t my game…”

But Alfons is a fighter. “I do everything I can, I enlisted a personal trainer and he trains with me three times a week. I need to become stronger. We got some new players in and they are quite good. So we might make it. And then I hope to be able to make a step up. When the chance comes, I need to be ready.” Timothy: “I have the utmost respect for Alfons, he is a hard worker and a good player. If all goes well he can easily play in the Championship. He had bad luck but keeps on getting up. My trajectory was quite simple. Ajax signed me from Zeeburgia at young age and the guidance I got from Ajax and then Louis van Gaal signing me for Man United at this young age. I am so fortunate. Trust me, I have to work super hard as well, but it’s different. He is working hard and hoping and I do not know, if I would be that strong.”

LVG Tim

Alfons: “You would have said “Fok it!” hahaha. I just need the right club, and a coach who gets it. I actually need my Louis van Gaal but…I don’t think I’ll find him at the level where I am at, hahaha.”

Timothy: “It’s not always easy for him, sometimes he does get down and then I pick him up. I believe in him and I tell him: it will work out… You need a buddy like this. He is there for me, whenever he is here, life is pleasant, it’s positive. Memphis took a good friend with him to Manchester for the same reason. Someone who’s real to you. Who you can trust. Our whole family is like that. We’re strong together.”

There was always love in the Fosu-Mensah family, but not a lot of money. “My dad worked two jobs to pay for everything. He worked at the flower-auction and had a night job as taxi driver. My mother took care of us. They couldn’t see us play all the time, simply no money to travel to the games. They sometimes took the train illegally, without a ticket, just to come to a match. All my team mates wore the newest clothes while I had hand-me-downs from Alfons. I owe it all to my family and now as a Manchester United player I can repay them. My family and The Lord. They made it happen.”

Alfons laughs and pokes his brother, who by now is lying flat on the sofa: “Hey we have visitors. Sit up!”. Timothy: “Just tired man, had a massive session at the club today.” Alfons starts to organise the house. “He always was trouble. We would keep the house clean and sit up when visitors came in, but he would be exactly how he is now. But I’m proud of him. He is doing well and hanging with some of the best players on the planet. And I get to know his team mates now too. Anthony Martial and Marcus Rashford come on down for a chat and Jesse Lingard came by last week to hang. That’s cool, they’re all cool guys…”

Timothy Fosu-Mensah of The Netherlands U19 during the EURO 2016 U19 qualifying match between Netherlands U19 and Northern Ireland U19 on March 26, 2016 at Sportpark Parkzicht in Uden, The Netherlands.(Photo by VI Images via Getty Images)
Timothy Fosu-Mensah of The Netherlands U19 during the EURO 2016 U19 qualifying match between Netherlands U19 and Northern Ireland U19 on March 26, 2016 at Sportpark Parkzicht in Uden, The Netherlands.(Photo by VI Images via Getty Images)

Are you ever jealous, if you see what Timothy has and where you are? “No not jealous, but I do have…you know I wanna play football. Focus on football. And where I’m at is different. There’s always something. But that is something all of us on this level have to deal with. And yes, sometimes people can’t stop talking about Tim. Even my team mates are constantly fishing for tickets or jerseys….”

What are the plans for the coming years? Timothy knows it by heart. “I want to be important for Man United. Focus on a starting spot, reach Champions League football, develop myself, stay on the radar for Oranje…” Van Gaal gave him his chance, but he feels the support of Mourinho too. “Well yes, I’m part of the squad more and more and I did renew my deal with Man United and obviously Mourinho will have agreed to that. But I don’t see myself as a talent anymore. I’ve arrived. Whenever there is a spot in midfield or in defence, I’m ready.”

Alfons’ answer is clear as well: “Play football in the Football League. That is my aim for this year. But I don’t wanna go lower. I’m almost 25 now so it’s time. And if that doesn’t work, well… I have finished my marketing degree. I will assist Tim for when he launches his fashion label.”

Timothy: “Done deal brother. But I’m starving now. Let’s get some food. Pasta time!”