"We still have so much to win at Feyenoord"

Saturday 21 March 2009

Georginio Wijnaldum, Diego Biseswar and Leroy Fer: together they made Feyenoord's season a little easier to bear.

"The misery was good for us in a way."

The trio gathered for an interview with Dutch daily AD Sportwereld, with pundit Hugo Borst as their host.

A toddler of five or six years old frolics towards Georginio Wijnaldum, over the cobble stones on the side of the Meuse river.

Can she have her picture taken as well, the girl asks.

"Because that's fun," she says.

Wijnaldum puts the kid in front of them and puts his hands on her shoulders, his face shining besides her.

Leroy Fer and Diego Biseswar each pick a side bend over a bit and the picture is perfect: three men and a little lady.

But in fact they themselves are boys, the three pearls of Feyenoord.

The little girl that happened to pass by with her mother during the photo shoot didn't have a clue that Fer, Biseswar and Wijnaldum are young heroes in De Kuip.

The big boys in her street look just like them: jeans, sneakers, street talk; three pals in the city.

A little later the trio are chilling in the Stijlkamer of hotel Pincoffs, on the other side of the river.

Hugo Borst has joined for the occasion, sometimes tickling, sometimes slightly provoking.

The youngsters are very polite at first , but they ease up quickly.

"That goal against Sparta was the highlight of the season," Biseswar says jokingly to Sparta-fan Borst.

"Really, I've never been happier in my live."

Amidst all the misery in De Kuip it were the three teenagers that blossomed, like three sunflowers in a barren landscape.

"No matter how negative things got this season, for us this season has been very good," Wijnaldum says.

"Because it meant our breakthrough, and also because of everything that has happened."

Biseswar: "The things that we have seen this season. It may take others ten years to experience the same."

Dramatic results, unrest in the dressing room, the early exit of coach Gertjan Verbeek and a revolt in the stands.

It isn't easy to remain standing after all that as a teenager.

"We have been a great support to each other," Wijnaldum says.

"Together we talked about these things, how you should deal with certain situations. I have tried to stay focussed on football as much as possible. As a young player you don't have much influence on things anyway. We have just come out of the shell, so you can't go and tell others how things should be done."

Hugo Borst picks in: "But why not? You were just about the only players who performed."

"I just don't think that that's how it works.," Wijnaldum says.

"As a young player you just have to do your best and listen to the older players with more experience."

Borst: "Robin van Persie didn't care about that."

"Well, everybody is different on such matters,says Biseswar.

"II do not know Van Persie personally, but I believe he would see these things differently now as well. And we are who we are."

The coach who had every bit of faith in them was shown the door early.

The three are unanimous on Verbeek's dismissal.

"Very regrettable," Wijnaldum says.

"Had it been up to me he didn't have to go. I owe a lot to him. And so do Leroy and Diego."

"That is true especially for me," Biseswar says.

"I could go this summer. Wasn't even welcome on the first day of training. But Verbeek has given me a fair chance. I will never forget that."

- Are you still in touch with him since his dismissal?

They all nod affirmative.

"I'm still in touch with him regularly," Wijnaldum says.

"First we spoke on the phone, now we still text each other. We talk about football or small daily matters. Just about how things are going. Verbeek has meant a lot to me. He helped me with school, by giving me advice and be considerate when I had exams. When my grandmother was ill he arranged a special place for her in the stadium so she could come to the matches."

Borst: "If Feyenoord would have had mainly youngsters in the team, would he still have been coach of Feyenoord?"

"I think so, yes," says Wijnaldum.

"For us he was simply a very good coach because of all the attention he gave us. And because we were allowed to make mistakes. He had a lot of faith in us."

"Verbeeks knew you shouldn't give me to many tasks," Biseswar adds.

"He let me play freely. For me that is the right way. He tried to approach us all in a different way."

- Did you feel guilty after he got fired?

"Yes," says Wijndaldum.

"I did. I though we were to blame. Had we won more games he wouldn't have been fired. It's a thing you do as a team, all together."

Fer: "But I am sure he has no hard feelings towards us. He told me himself. 'You have done all you could,' h said to me. 'It's not your fault'"

- But Giovanni van Bronckhorst said that the players were unanimous in their stand on Verbeek.

Borst: "So that was a lie?"

For a minute uncertain looks are exchanged over the table.

"I think Gio wanted to express how we are a team," Wijnaldum says.

"And that is true."

- The older players got all the blame from the fans. They were responsible. Justified?

"We do things as a team," says Biseswar.

"You can not simply point your finger at a few players. That just isn't fair."

"Oh my, you are soo well-behaved," Borst says and leans back, pretending to yawn.

"Diego is right," says Wijnaldum.

"It really bothered me to see what Kevin Hofland had to go through. When there is one player who spends a lot of time with us it's him. Kevin always tries to help us. I learn a lot from him. The older players just want what is best for Feyenoord."

"Hofland might perhaps be better off focussing on himself instead of you. It might have earned you some more points,"Borst says.

Wijnaldum cautiously smiles and then gets serious: "Kevin always puts the team first. I don't see anything wrong with that."

They are a modern trinity, Fer, Wijnaldum and Biseswar.

A mirror of the urban youth of nowadays.

Civilized bluff.

When you see them sitting here together it's hard to imagine that they are the real wealth of Feyenoord.

They are the future of the club, although that remains to be seen for Biseswar, as his contract expires.

Fer is the quietest of the three.

He looks like an angry gangster, although one with friendly eyes and a shy smile.

On his lower arm he wears a big catholic cross and a text that reads: ‘In God I trust’.

"I have been raised as a catholic," the midfielder says.

"In Zoetermeer me and my parents went to church every day. God gave me my football talent. I am grateful for that every day."

"I always think that is a bit selfish of people who believe in God. As if he doesn't have any other priorities in this world," Borst says.

"I pray for everybody, not just for myself," Wijnaldum says.

Fer nods: "God is there for all of us."

Coming through the ranks at Feyenoord Fer was long considered the least talented of the three.

"Diego and Georginio, and also Luis Pedro always got all the attention,’’ he says.

"In a way that was good for me. I was allowed to develop quietly. When I was fourteen I had a year when I was on the bench a lot. Then I had my doubts whether I would make it. But since then things have gone very quickly."

They have all been on the big stage before, but this season brought their big breakthrough and they went from anonymity to being public property.

"I have less privacy than I used to," Wijnaldum says.

"Everybody wants to talk to you. In the street, on the subway. Why did Verbeek get fired? How long will you stay at Feyenoord? It's okay, but it's strange. I still simply Georginio."

- In a way you are roll models

Biseswar: "Some kids say they look up to me. 'Keep trying hard' I answer. And always listen to your mother."

Fer nods.

As an Antillian he has to deal with prejudice at times.

"It can be a nuisance. There are many good Antillians, who behave very well."

Borst makes a shooting gesture: ‘Boomboom.’

"I am from Zoetermeer,"’ Fer says.

"Nothing ever happens there. Not everyone gets the same opportunities. I have had a carefree childhood. But it wasn't that easy for everybody. That makes it hard to judge."

Biseswar, Amsterdammer: "Whenever I saw a ball I lost track of everything around me. Perhaps that was my rescue. All we ever did was play football. And whenever I did something silly my father would be on my back immediately. He kept me in check."

- Not everybody understands your street talk. How is that for a man like Roy Makaay?

"At first he didn't understand a word. But he's learning," Wijnaldum says.

"Some words are used so much, all the players know those by now. 'Kaka' for instance means bad. They all know that. To wind each other up it's used a lot. Sooooo, kakaaa!"

Biseswar and Wijnaldum like messing about the everlasting rivalry between their cities, Amsterdam and Rotterdam.

"Diego needs to adapt a bit when he is in my town," Wijnaldum says laughing.

"He is still an Amsterdammer. This our hood, you see."

"I like to come to Rotterdam, but I like to leave as well," Biseswar counters.

"But to make a choice between Ajax and Feyenoord is easy. The connection with Feyenoord is much stronger."

But there is a real chance that Biseswar is in his last months in De Kuip.

His contract expires and clubs are lining up.

But he really doesn't know yet, he explains yet again.

"I simply haven't made a decision yet. It isn't easy you know."

"Come on lads, you know him so well," Borst says to Fer and Wijnaldum.

"How big is the chance that he will stay?"

Fer keeps it at fifty/fifty, but then quickly changes that.

"When I see him now I think Diego will stay. Yes he will stay. Right Diego?"

Biseswar smiles and says nothing.

"I am certain Diego hasn't made up his mind yet. Otherwise he would tell us. I know him so well. The three of us we share everything. And I understand him. He came a long way at Feyenoord. I hope he will stay, as simple as that. We still have so much to win at Feyenoord."