Completing your degree whilst training during the week and playing matches at the weekend is quite an achievement. What are you most proud of?
‘That, during periods that were really tough, I always held on to how much I enjoyed it and what it would bring me. By nature, I’m someone who wants to keep developing in every area, so the challenge that studying offered was exactly what I needed. But sometimes it was tough, for example when I had to write my thesis.’
‘Football is the best job there is, but you’re always with the same people. During my studies, I also came into contact with people who lead a completely different kind of life, and that was a great way to keep stimulating and challenging myself. I do miss that a bit since graduating, so I’m currently taking a Spanish course.’
You live with your brother in Nijmegen. Did he also play a part in helping you balance your studies with your football career?
‘He’s always been a huge source of support, partly because he studied Psychology himself. So if I sometimes struggled with a subject or certain material, he knew exactly what I was going through. He did, however, consciously keep himself out of it. I wanted to sort it out and do it myself, because that’s ultimately where I get the most satisfaction from. But if I’d had a tough training session and still had to study in the evening, he at least made sure I didn’t have to cook.’
It’s not as though I can suddenly read my opponents’ minds.
In an interview a few years ago, you mentioned that you found it easier to cope with the psychological pressure of football the more often you experienced it. How is that for you now, and has your studies helped you with that?
‘I get asked this question quite often, and I understand why. It’s not as though I can suddenly read my opponents’ minds. What I have learnt is that everyone is motivated and driven in their own way. For example, when I look at my teammates at N.E.C., there are all sorts of different personalities there. What I find important is understanding what motivates someone and how I can help that person play to their strengths. Ultimately, everyone benefits from that. It’s good to focus on the things you can influence yourself, and to focus less on external factors that you can’t really do much about.’
To conclude: you’re having a fantastic season with lots of important matches. How did you cope with the pressure or tension that these kinds of matches can bring whilst you were studying?
‘I actually found studying a pleasant distraction. I’m convinced that studying doesn’t affect your concentration or how you approach a match. Okay, I didn’t spend five hours studying the day before a match. But after a physically demanding training session, my body was tired and it was nice to be able to take my mind off things. In the world of football, it’s all about performing and improving. The fact that I could also find a different kind of challenge and distraction in my studies was really nice to have.’
