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'Lerra' takes center stage
Tuesday 17 March 2009
Except for Andre Bahia Leroy Fer
got most playing time at Feyenoord.
Not so bad for a player who thought
he would have to settle for a supporting role this season.
"At the start of the season
I was told in all frankness that I would get few starts
this season," says the 19-year-old-midfielder.
His friends call him 'Lerra'.
"Never Leroy. At the youth
academy Jeffrey Bruma, who is now at Chelsea, once called
me that and now everybody does. Even my parents sometimes
call me Lerra these days, hahaha."
The Antillian from the city of
Zoetermeer only missed one game this season as coach
Leon Vlemmings and his predecessor Gertjan Verbeek left
him on even when things didn't go so well.
Yet Fer knows these days might
soon be over.
"When Tim De Cler is back
Van Bronckhorst can move back to midfield, and Denny
Landzaat is also close to fitness. They will give the
coach many more options. I'll just have to show every
week that I want to be in the starting lineup."
Playing like he did on Sunday it
will be hard to leave him out, and he would never have
dreamt he would be the match winner for Feyenoord against
PSV, his task being a defensive one.
"I was paired with Afellay.
That went pretty well I think. He is very dangerous
when he gets the chance to run at defenders so you have
to get really close to him. And sometimes yo have to
be a bit nasty so he'll start complaining. You can't
take your eyes off him for one second. Did I enjoy it?
When the coach tells you to eliminate their best player,
it's quite the compliment. PSV were less dangerous because
of it."
Vlemmings had pointed out Fer's
spectacular development ahead of the game and used it
as an argument to keep Van Bronckhorst at left-back.
But Vlemmings also thought it was
time to give Fer a compliment publicly.
When people talk about the many
young talents at Feyenoord most attention usually goes
to 18-year-old Georginio Wijnaldum.
Fer doesn't make a bone about it.
"Georginio has more flair
and pace. He is the eye catcher, a beautiful player
to look at. I am a holding midfielder and just have
to deliver the ball to an offensive player. But if that
is way too get higher up, why not? I am very happy about
my development at Feyenoord."
Together with his tam mates Kevin
Hofland and Diego Biseswar he has been named for Holland
B, who play a practice match against Italy and Germany
at the end of the month.
Deep within he would love to play
for the Dutch Antilles, so he has not yet made a choice.
"It's not on my mind at the
moment. I am still young and I have not yet received
an invitation for the national team. Holland would be
the most evident choice though."
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