Gianni Zuiverloon: "I'll have Ryan rapped up"

Andy Walker
Sunday Mercury
Monday 3 November 2008

Albion's Gianni Zuiverloon is preparing to dish out his own Anfield rap next weekend when he faces his best pal and part-time musician Ryan Babel.

Tony Mowbray’s Baggies head to Liverpool on Saturday – a fixture Zuiverloon has been eagerly anticipating since his arrival at The Hawthorns.

Dutch duo Babel and Zuiverloon grew up together, played in the same Holland Under-21s side and still speak over the phone on a daily basis.

The Liverpool flyer also urged Zuiverloon to sign for Albion during the summer when Mowbray first made an approach to Heerenveen.

In fact the 21-year-olds are such good friends that Babel has even tried to involve Zuiverloon in some of his rap records!

Babel has written and recorded several of his own rap records that have been screened on Dutch TV and also proved to be internet video hits.

Having known his chum for almost ten years, Zuiverloon has always been aware of Babel’s love of rap music.

But there’s no danger of right-back Zuiverloon lighting up the airwaves of the Black Country any time soon as he admits he’s no lyrical master on the mic.

“I’ve known that Ryan Babel has been into his rapping for a long time,” said the former Feyenoord man.

“It’s always been something he wanted to do. I’ve heard many of his raps, one was with a radio station with a label and he also records a lot at home. He made a song with an artist in Holland, which was on TV.

“His music is quite popular in Holland, it’s just one of his hobbies besides football.

“I’m not interested in rapping.

“He always liked rap music, especially Dutch rap music, and he always wanted to be a producer or a rapper and now he’s doing it.

“He’s tried to get me rapping. When we’ve been room-mates with the national team he’s been making music and we’ve sung together but it was nothing special.”

Come Saturday, Zuiverloon will be looking to knock ex-Ajax man Babel completely out of his rhythm.

Both Zuiverloon and fellow Albion Dutchman Ryan Donk plan to meet up with their compatriot for dinner either in Liverpool or Birmingham during the next week.

And Zuiverloon admits the pre-match banter will soon start to fly.

“The Liverpool fixture was the first thing we spoke about when I came to England,” said Zuiverloon.

“I’ve known Ryan Babel since I started playing against him when I was 12. I was playing for Feyenoord and he was playing for Ajax.

“We’ve always been competitive because I’ve always been a defender and he’s always been an attacker so we always faced each other.

“When we played against each other, we got to know each other. When I was 15 or 16 we started hanging out together, now we speak almost every day by text.

“This week maybe we will go to Liverpool or he will come to Birmingham for something to eat.”

During his first four months at The Hawthorns, following his £3.2million move, Zuiverloon has largely impressed and attracted regular praise from boss Mowbray and admiring glances from other clubs.

However, occasional lapses have shown the hugely-talented stopper is still not the finished article as he continues to get used to the pace of the Premier League.

Zuiverloon hasn’t been completely happy with his own performances, most notably his showing in Tuesday’s defeat at Newcastle, but he enjoyed his Old Trafford experience where for large parts he stood up to the might of Cristiano Ronaldo.

But he’s issued a promise to the Baggies faithful that the best is yet to come from both him and defensive partner Donk.

“My performances have been okay, except for the game against Newcastle, which was a little bit disappointing,” said Zuiverloon. “I was still a little bit tired from the Hull game and I didn’t feel so good.

“I think my best performance is still to come, well I hope so. I did okay against Manchester United, Ronaldo went past me two or three times but overall it was a good experience and a good test to play against Ronaldo to see where I stand.

“It’s good playing with Ryan Donk because it’s good to have someone next to you that speaks the same language. I’ve known him for a few years so I know how he plays and that also helps.”

* To see a video of Ryan Babel rapping log-on to http://blogs.sundaymercury.net/final-word