So working in Glasgow pubs and clubs during the Dick Advocaat and Alex McLeish years at Ibrox I was lucky enough to meet quite a few footballers. I really enjoyed meeting the Dutch internationals. Here are a few of the stories for you.

I was lucky enough to meet and serve both the De Boer brothers. Current Ajax boss Frank was nice but I can’t say much more as he didn’t stay for a big chat at the bar. Ronald on the other hand was the life and sole of the party… he was the main man in the VIP room I was bar tending in. the room wasn’t huge and I was the only one behind the bar, so I chatted to all the customers. Ronald came up and was extremely pleasant, telling me he was having a great night & that he was buying a round for his table. So he reels off a list off drinks… As I am pouring whisky shots, pulling pints and shaking up cocktails we talk football and he is impressed with my knowledge and we discuss the fact we have the same birthday. As I set down his last drink Ronald tells me to get one for myself… Really kind guy. So I tell him his full round costs £89, ‘fine, fine.’ says the mega rich footballer bringing out a brown leather wallet. He opens it up and turns arounds laughing and waving to his table, before suddenly noticing he had no cash in his wallet, he starts padding himself down… What every barman in the VIP room hates to see especially when its a celebrity and you have already poured the booze! I am dreading whats coming next, he looks at me extremely embarrassed ‘Eh’ he says “Ehhhh” he continues as he looks around at the table full of supposed friends who somehow have little interest in him now. Then suddenly help has just entered the room. Ronald shouts ‘Hello Mo can I see you’ Recently promoted reserve player Maurice Ross currently a free agent after spells in Norway, Turkey and China, made his way over to the bar. He was obviously not expecting the call as he was not invited to the Dutchman’s party, De Boer whispers into the young Scots ear explaining his predicament and fair play to Mo Ross he secretly passed over £100 out of sight from the ladies and gents at Ronald’s table. I was extremely shocked to see this young player paying off the Champions League winners tab, especially as I saw De Boer shut his wallet and noticed he had a gold Arn-Amro visa card sticking out!

Some player just seem to shout out professional and disciplined at you when you watch them. One such player was left back Arthur Numan, a great player who won league titles in both The Netherlands and Scotland plus earned 45 Dutch caps. So I was excited to hear that he was in the club one night. I kept hearing that he was in but I never saw him. Then at 2.45 am as the club is shutting and the bouncers are ushering people out the doors I go to the toilet for a quick pee, I know you didn’t need the details but there you go. As I enter who is in there but Arthur talking on his mobile phone. He was as drunk as a skunk as he end the call he manages to drop the phone in to sink full of water. Picking it up and shout into it he is surprised that its no longer working… He looks around and he tells me in his heavy Dutch accent that his phone is not working, I explain that the interaction with a sink full of water might have cause the phone to break… ‘Yesh yesh yesh, thank you’ he says…. Then he tells me three more times his phone is no longer working and he has not battery or signal. I couldn’t believe it, I thought to myself Dutch footballers are just like normal Scottish folk when they are steam-boats (drunk). He very kindly gave me a £50 tip for holding the toilet door open for him, so maybe not totally alike!

Fernando Ricksen came into the club during his sober days, yes he did have a time where he did not drink. Again a very nice guy, they obviously teach manners as well as confidence (arrogance) in Holland. He was so polite in fact that he offered to throw a punter across the room so another member of staff could get passed, his mates also enjoyed a ‘Quick Fuck’ cocktail which is a shot glass layered with Kahlua, Baileys and Midouri. I only seen Michael Mols once and that was in the street with my mate. It was the day before his last game which was against Aberdeen. We both wanted to run up to him and shift & turn him just like his own trademark turn but we bottled it. Oh and in that last game Michael captained the team but managed to get sent off early on in the first half!

These are the reasons why I love the Dutch players.

Posted on July 11th, 2011 by scott
Filed under: Football Anecdotes