The only Dutch local derby

Wednesday 04 February 2009

Seldom Feyenoord and Sparta Rotterdam have been closer in the ranking than they are now and it will add some extra color to tonight's city derby, Holland's only real local derby.

He doesn't lunch at the home for the elderly at the Nieuwe Binnenweg, a mile-and-a-half from the Sparta Stadium 'Het Kasteel' (the Castle).

Toon de Nijs feels he is needed at Het Kasteel this week.

"We are playing Feyenoord you see," says the living club icon.

"That has always been the most important game of the year."

The players all get a handshake of the former player, youth coach, team leader, scout and fixer.

"I have faith in you," 'uncle Toon' shouts at Sparta-defender Ruud Knol, who will return from a suspension tonight in De Kuip.

Last Sunday, after AZ-Sparta Louis Van Gaal took him aside.

"Louis rote a line in a book for me," De Nijs says.

"'Out of sight but never out of heart,' it read. It shows just how connected people are to this club. When you have played here you never lose the feeling."

He doesn't really remember the last two home victories of Sparta over Feyenoord.

"I am 90 years old after all. But when we beat Feyenoord twice in a season I will certainly remember."

Feyenoord-Sparta; it's nothing like the Old Firm or Spain's Superclasico, but it is a city derby full of subtle contrasts.

Aristocratic (Sparta) against common, small against big, West against South.

It's obvious that the sentiments are a lot stronger at Sparta as the little brother always tries ti kick the big brother a little harder than vice versa.

The boundaries of decency are guarded in Rotterdam-West.

Sparta is a club of gentlemen, of the Red-and-White Dinner and of the stately Kasteel.

A club founded in 1888, a year that has a magical sound to it in Rotterdam.

The Oliver B. Bumble-image is partly cultivated, but it's a fact that Sparta attracts more nobles, students and women than the rough Feyenoord Stadium does.

It doesn't get mean at Sparta until their toys get taken away.

There was a nasty street fight around Georginio Wijnaldum in 2004.

The player was the pearl of the Sparta Academy and a child from the west-side, grown up a stone's throw from Het Kasteel.

Until Feyenoord lured the 13-year-old to De Kuip.

Henk van Stee didn't make any new friends with it.

He was then the head of the Feyenoord Academy but he spent 25 years at Sparta in different roles.

He knew Wijnaldum very well.

"Everybody knew Georginio,’’ says the now coach of De Graafschap.

"I had agreed with Feyenoord chairman Jorien van den Herik that I would try to get the biggest talents to De Kuip, even if they played for Ajax or PSV. Georginio was a supertalent. If we hadn't lured him away Ajax, Manchester United or Arsenal would have done it instead."

Still Van Stee admits he would have preferred to have taken Wijnaldum from RKC or any other club.

The contempt from the Sparta camp hurt him.

"But let's not exaggerate things," says the man from Schiedam.

" I mean: Henk Fräser, John de Wolf and Pim Doesburg also came from Sparta. Even Gerard Meijer briefly worked for Sparta and Willem van Hanegem has been coach there."

It's a rivalry without blind hatred, is what Van Stee is trying to say.

There's never any fights at Feyenoord-Sparta, not in the stands and not on the pitch.

Feyenoord keeper Eddy Pieters Graafland once planted his knee in the back of Sparta center forward Wim van der Gijp, but that was in August 1959, in a times when both clubs were still at the top of the league.

Sparta had been crowned Dutch champions in the previous season - the last time.

The current proportions add a new dimension to the city derby.

Feyenoord-Sparta is a fight against relegation.

For the team losing the line is drawing very near.

Grand supporter Nico de Borst of Sparta has no sympathy for Feyenoord.

"As far as I'm concerned they can go down, " says Borst, the chairman of the supporters club.

"I am very surprised by what is happening at Feyenoord. But when we have to do without them for a few seasons: so be it."

De Borst says he feels no acquaintance with 'that club'.

But even the primal Spartan is capable of nuance.

Cause many die hard Feyenoord fans help out on his Breath Foundation that collects money for children who need help.

The two Rotterdam clubs don't compare at all, but both have an indistinguishable character.

Popular singer Lee Towers goes to Feyenoord, jazz musician, author and poet Jules Deelder is a Spartan.

Both jerseys ooze out tradition and both De Kuip and Het Kasteel have the status of national football monument.

Still the end of both temples is imminent.

Feyenoord want a new Kuip so they can finally compete with the top of the Netherlands on budgets.

Sparta want a move because Het Kasteel is too small.

When there is one comparison between the two clubs it is their empty wallets.

"But still both clubs have a claim to existence," says Van Stee.

"Feyenoord and Sparta both have a very big following, big enough to survive. The past has proven so many times."

Sparta also went through a deep crisis such as Feyenoord is going through now.

The managerial and financial chaos was followed by a painful relegation.

It can happen to Feyenoord as well, says Geert Meijer, who worked in De Kuip as an assistant coach for years an is now coach of Young Sparta.

"Everyone may say it can not happen, but I can still remember a great FC Twente side who went down to the Jupiler League in spite of all the big names. This derby will be crucial. When Sparta can pull of another upset Feyenoord are in real trouble."