Eyes shut tight in storm over De Kuip

Sjoerd Mossou
Algemeen Dagblad
Monday 21 July 2008

The player with that magnificent name sheepishly looks out the window.

Kermit Erasmus can hardly see the helicopter outside through the driving rain at Rotterdam Airport.

Dark clouds have gathered over the airfield, the wind screams around the building as a thunderstorm is on it's way.

A few months ago he signed his first contract with a European professional club with a big smile on his face.

No, no one said anything about a helicopter.

The young South-African says he is not afraid to fly, but the storm clouds are causing him some concern.

Increasingly shuffling his feet.

Of the four Feyenoord-players boarding the helicopter in a minute, Jon Dahl Tomasson seems most relaxed in the waiting room of the KLM Jet Center at Zestienhoven Airport.

Ten years ago, at the start of his first period in De Kuip, he was sitting here as well.

"Peter van Vossen and Bert Konterman were also flying along that day," Tomasson remembers.

"I don't remember much of the rest. Yeah, the sun was shining."

Feyenoord and it's helicopter; it's become a synonym in Holland for the start of the season in Rotterdam.

Julio Ricardo Cruz was the first player to be presented to the home crowd stepping from the big chopper onto the field in 1997.

After that all new summer signings entered the fantastic stadium like that.

The landing of the helicopter grew to be the highlight of the annual Open Doors in De Kuip.

A visible symbol of new hope.

Karim El Ahmadi and David Henrique Dos Santos 'Manteiga' complete the quartet of new Feyenoord players.

The young Brazilian only speaks Portuguese and looks around him without a clue of what is going to happen this afternoon.

Tomasson tries to encouraging the young lad by giving him thumbs up.

"Tranquilo," the Dane says.

Manteiga nods and is off to the toilet once again.

"At AC Milan chairman Berlusconi always came to the Milanello training ground in a helicopter," Tomasson says.

"And coach Ancelotti had a helicopter to fly him home a few times a week. He lived in Parma and that way he'd get there fast."

Pilots Soeters and Jansen want to take off shortly after 1h30, right when the storm is at it's peak.

"Let's get in anyway," says Soeters who has orders to land in De Kuip at exactly 2PM.

"I'll fly around the storm."

A few minutes later they are crammed together in the flying machine, after a short dash through the rain.

"Cold," Erasmus says.

He puts on yellow protective head phones and pretends to be a deejay.

Tomasson laughs while El Ahmadi and Manteiga stare into the distance.

Pilot Soeters gets the last instructions and fears the storm will delay their arrival by five to ten minutes.

Michel, the man from the organizing committee straight away gets on the phone to the people in De Kuip.

The delay might make the waiting time for the crowds in De Kuip too long.

"I'll text you when we take off," he tells them.

Once off the ground things go quickly.

The view of Rotterdam is spectacular, with the Euromast-tower, de Meuse river and the Erasmusbridge in the distance.

The turbulence isn't all that bad, which is a great relieve to the four players.

We shoot across the city at such a speed that there hardly is time to process all the impressions.

The moment we approach De Kuip Soeters sends the chopper into a dive.

Just over the stands he makes a sharp turn to the left.

El Ahmadi holds on to the knees of Manteiga and Erasmus, and keeps his eyes shut tightly.

Deep sighs.

Those who keep their eyes open have a magnificent view of the stands, where the crowds eagerly look upwards.

After two rounds around the stadium Soeters starts the landing, heading for the designated spot in front of the stage.

Because of the incredible noise from the rotor blades the cheers from the crowd can not be heard.

The door opens and El Ahmadi gets out first.

Erasmus and Manteiga follow, Tomasson is the last one to get off.

The people clap their hands to pieces, the players wave.

Ringmaster Koert Westermans thanks the helicopter as it takes off again.

"See you next year!"