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Edgar Davids: active in integraties issues

July 3rd, 2009 | By: Jan | 32 Comments »

Seventeen years in a row, Edgar Davids spent his days on a football pitch. Last season, he was no longer. Retired? And then suddenly, yesterday, a piece in the news on him, in which he said he wanted to see where he was, physically. “I want to train again. I haven’t really played for a year and I want to see where I stand…” A come-back? Probably not.

Davids has had busier days last year than in the years he was an active player for clubs like Ajax, AC Milan, Juventus and Barcelona.

Instead of pushing forward with the ball, last year Edgar Davids walked with Secretary of Integration Ella Vogelaar through the “development suburbs” of The Hague. Or he was in his office from 9 to 5. Meetings, phone-calls, workshops and brainstorming with the Street Football Association (SVBN), an initiative he founded with sports journalist Humberto Tan.

Davids: “I think Mrs Vogelaar was doing a tremendous job. She was really pro-active in the so-called problem suburbs. And there’s not a lot of people who’d dare to do it her way. She went in head first, instead of just talk. Her goal is our goal, so we had a connection. We even played street football together in The Hague! Whether she was any good? Well, she was quite talented, haha…”.

Her successor Eberhard van der Laan also found his way to Edgar Davids. The politicians know that Edgar Davids serves a purpose as figure head of street football. Through him, the government can address and access the problem youth.

Tomorrow, Rotterdam is the hosting city for 64 teams from all sorts of “problem suburbs” to play for the National Title of Street Football. The area around suburb Alexandrium will be turned into a social meeting place for young, old, male, female of all walks of life. Other than football, it will be music, dance, food, drinks and parties all day long.

There were qualification rounds in 55 regional competitions, in total 500 teams competed. And Edgar Davids was able to convince Oranje skipper Gio van Bronckhorst, Andy Slory, Wesley Sneijder and Klaas Jan Huntelaar to act as ambassador for Street Football in Holland.

“Honestly, I busier now with this than I was as player,” says Davids, still fit as a young God. Apart from the national competition, Davids also interacts with Dutch schools, with the aim to stop the exodus of youth out of the schoolsystem. Students can use Davids’ and Tan’s association to organize apprentice jobs in companies or institutions and there’s a project to help the semi-illiterates in society.

The official slogan of the Street Football Association is “Make a goal, don’t make trouble”. Davids translates this into his own motto: “I aim to let Kees and Mohammed play together. Both lads need to experience that they have more in common than that they don’t….”

Davids himself grew up in one of the problem areas in Amsterdam. In a time when Kees and Mo did play together. “In football, it’s easy. You want the best team, so when the muslim kid is the best player, you want him in your team, whoever his God is…. Football looks at skill and talent, not at color or religion. That makes football a strong integration force. Kids grow up like that, they don’t care what your race, color or creed is. Only later, when you realize “the world” says they’re different is when they start to make that distinction. As if we need to enlarge our differences instead of strengthen what we have in common.”

Davids always wanted to be involved in worthwhile projects. “I knew I’d do something like this after my professional career. And with the same passion with which I played football. When our first competition in 2008 appeared to be a huge succes, I knew enough. I wanted to be the role model for our organization.”

“It’s as Barack Obama says: it starts at home. In your community, in your suburb and street. That’s where you need to engage people and give them a purpose. We do this for the youth through street football.”

“And it’s good as it is, you know. I played for the biggest clubs in the world. Now I’m going to pay back. Football was great for me, 17 years long. Wonderful. Now, I want to do something meaningful with my life. I thought I’d do this when I was 40 years old, you know, but the opportunity was here so I took it.”

The 74 times capped international didn’t see a lot of games last season. He visited Italy once and saw a couple of Ajax games. What’s the matter with Ajax, now? “Well, it’s the same old song. Every season, the new coach has to work with a group of youngsters. The more experienced and binding players are sold. So, every season you have to start all over. In football, it’s about team. And teams get stronger due to the build up of young talents, players in their prime and some veterans.”

“I don’t follow football that much. I won’t stay home for a game on tv. I sometimes catch the news. That Zidane returns to Real Madrid is a nice peace of news.” Zinedine Zidane, Davids’ former team mate, would be a good ambassador for street football in France. “Zidane also grew up in a backward suburb and the issues in France, Italy and Germany are similar to ours. I’d love to take this initiative internationally.”

Another old team mate- Lilian Thuram – is part of David’s network. “Lilian also likes the idea. He’s on a mission as well. He’s part of the High Council of Integration. I don’t have political ambitions. I like to speak my mind and I don’t think politicians can or will do that. You need to be subtle, and understand how the alliances work. That’s not me.”

The finales tomorrow in Rotterdam are the crown on David’s year of hard work. But his moment of satisfaction already came.

“We had just started our football association. We were talking for days about our mission, strategy, values and all that. We needed big words to package our message. And one day, we’re at somebody’s house, the telly is on and we see the Youth News, with a Morrocon kid, really young, who said it in three simple statements. He basically said: when we play football, we dont fight. We bond together and it keeps us from using drugs.”

Tags: AC Milan, Ajax, Edgar Davids, Group C, Humberto Tan, Juventus, Thuram, Zinedine Zidane

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Comments

Displaying the most recent 25 comments from a total of 32 comments.

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By Carlos | July 3rd, 2009 at 6:18 pm

Like most here, big Davids fan and we miss his likes (and Stam). He had his own ways and thoughts (typically Dutch) but look what he is giving back now. So we are all STILL big fans.

Posted from Singapore

By Tiju | July 4th, 2009 at 1:06 am

@jan plz trasalate this into english and post it,its an intersting news about ron vlaar.hope you will do that.
ROTTERDAM – De rentree van de Feyenoord-verdediger in basisploeg is kwestie van tijd. De supporters die Ron Vlaar deze week weer zagen aansluiten bij de eerste selectie van Feyenoord, moét het zijn opgevallen.

Ron Vlaar (l) is blij met zijn terugkeer op het trainingsveld. ,,Het gaat stap voor stap.” FOTO ORANGE PICTURES
De bovenbenen van de 24-jarige verdediger hebben, na twee jaar intensief revalideren, inmiddels iets weg van kabels.

De centrale verdediger werkt al bijna twee seizoenen koortsachtig aan een terugkeer op de velden. Op 16 december 2007 in Kerkrade tegen Roda JC liep hij zijn eerste zware kruisbandblessure op. Zijn rentree leek begin vorig seizoen aanstaande, maar op het trainingsveld ging het op 17 september 2008 weer gruwelijk mis.

Tijdens de laatste training voor het duel met Kalmar FF raakte hij in een ongelukkig duel verwikkeld met Kevin Hofland. Opnieuw raakte zijn linkerknie ernstig beschadigd. ,,Ja, ik ben voor veel mensen inmiddels de man van die knieblessures,” haalt de ex-international zijn schouders op.

,,Dat moet dan maar. De periode vol tegenslag heeft mij wel veranderd. Ik ben als persoon harder geworden. Ik heb geleerd dat je als mens ook schijt aan dingen moet hebben. Ja, misschien ben ik gewoon wel egoïstischer dan vroeger.”

Ruim zeven maanden herstelt hij alweer van de laatste forse schade aan zijn kruisband. Een rentree lijkt aanstaande. ,,Zo voelt het wel,” klinkt Vlaar hoopvol. ,,Gemiddeld herstellen spelers ongeveer negen maanden van een dergelijke, zware knieblessure. Maar het kan ook sneller. Nee, ik vrees niet voor het feit dat ik misschien te snel ga beginnen. Het gaat allemaal stap voor stap, volgens schema. Ik kan in principe alles al meedoen, maar het is nog steeds een revalidatieproces.”

De terugkeer in de kleedkamer voelde als een bevrijding. De Hensbroeker revalideerde maandenlang in Zeist waar hij met ‘lotgenoten’ dagelijks knokte voor een terugkeer naar de club, in het geval van Vlaar in Rotterdam-Zuid.

,,Het was ook beter om afstand te nemen van de club,” zegt hij. ,,Op den duur begint aanwezigheid van een speler die niet kan spelen toch te irriteren. De vraag ‘hoe gaat het?’ is uiteraard goed bedoeld, maar het herstel gaat gewoon langzaam. Al mis je de kleedkamer wél, je hoort er even niet meer bij. In Zeist was er voldoende rust om mijn herstelprogramma af te werken.”

Vlaar fluisterde trainer Mario Been al meer dan eens in zijn oor dat hij ‘hoe dan ook terugkeert’. De voormalige speler van AZ ziet wat de komst van Been heeft gedaan met de club en wil zijn steentje bijdragen aan het eerherstel.

,,De aanstelling van Mario Been wekt gewoon vertrouwen en geeft de supporters weer hoop,” zegt hij. ,,De mensen geloven in de combinatie Been en Beenhakker. Nee, ik heb persoonlijk geen richtpunt. De doelstelling voor de club is wél helder. Met dit materiaal moeten wij bij de top-vijf kunnen eindigen.”

Servische concurrent
Ron Vlaar krijgt er met Aleksandar Ignjatovic een concurrent bij. Feyenoord huurt de 21-jarige Serviër van Borac Cacak. Feyenoord heeft ook een optie tot koop bedongen.

Ignjatovic kwam afgelopen seizoen tot 35 officiële wedstrijden. Hij speelde vorig jaar mee in beide UEFA Cup-wedstrijden tegen Ajax. In die twee ontmoetingen viel hij op bij de scouts van Feyenoord.

Posted from India

By Jan | July 4th, 2009 at 4:23 am

Ok Tiju:

Ron Vlaar: “My motivation comes from the Netherlands blog. People like Tiju, Carlos, Finn, Alaa, Goose, Mohamed, OranjeRules and Andrew really make me work harder to come back! I talk a lot with Castelen and he’s really doing well to make it back. We all want to go to the WC with Oranje, and Castelen thinks he can make the world forget about Kuyt.”

Haha

Just kiddin’ Tiju!

I’ll translate it and post it later…

By susanne | July 4th, 2009 at 4:36 am

lol

Posted from Netherlands

By Alex | July 4th, 2009 at 6:02 am

It’s roughly saying that Vlaar is steadily on his way back, his legs have become as big as Jaap Stam’s treetrunks were, he changed his haircut and doesn’t want to rush things.
I saw a recent picture of him the other day, he really is starting to look more and more like big old Jaap, let’s hope he can match his performances and stay fit.

Posted from Netherlands

By Alex | July 4th, 2009 at 6:04 am

perhaps our future central duo: Maduro-Vlaar

Posted from Netherlands

By OranjeRules | July 4th, 2009 at 6:56 am

Alex – isn’t Ryan Donk suppose to be the second coming of Jaap Stam?

By finnster01 | July 4th, 2009 at 7:01 am

Ryan Donk couldn’t even hold down a regular starting spot at West Brom.

If that is the second coming of Jaap Stam, we are in some serious trouble. He’s still young though.

By mohamed | July 4th, 2009 at 7:50 am

ryan donk is a big talent , hope he do well in club brogge so he can return to the eredevisie again , i think this is his only chance !
mercellis also is a very good defender , but i still feel he is not fit yet for the world cup ( needs more experience )
our defence in 2010 ( as i wish )
boulahrouz….. bommel….mathijsen…….. brafhied

subs.

weil …… maduro …..vlaar ……. emanuelson

By ferenc | July 4th, 2009 at 8:58 am

if ryan donk was a big talant he wouldn’t be in club brugge. what the hell is belgian football and club brugge? nothing,even worse than eeredivisie. if he really was a big talent clubs like mu,arsenal,chelsea,liverpool,inter,barca,milan etc. would like to sign him. this is not the case,instead of manchester he goes to brugge. the reality is that he had one or two great seasons in holland,but in england – in a very bad,relegated team – failed to demonstrate his talent. he’s not the kind of player oranje need.

about edgar: he’s great. i have always loved his personality (even when he said things about hiddink in 96 he was ok). he’ll still remain one of my heroes.

Posted from Hungary

By mohamed | July 4th, 2009 at 9:21 am

@FERENC, HA HA .. you reminded me with what davids said before euro 96 !
Hiddink dropped him out of the dutch squad , davids had to apologize to return to the squad in wc 98 !

about donk , i think we cant judge and say he is a bad player because he didnt succeed in one season in england , and forget all what he did in the eredivisie and how he played in the u-21 championship with the dutch team, he was great ..
even the great coach foppe de haan said that and predicted he will the be the best defender in holland one day

By ferenc | July 4th, 2009 at 10:46 am

@Mohamed: drenthe did great as well at the u21 level,but in madrid he was unable to repeat the same performance. playing a u21 championship and playing in a very competitive championship are 2 totally different thing. in the past so many people did great things in u21,u19 etc. championships but after the glory lots of them disappeared.

Posted from Hungary

By mohamed | July 4th, 2009 at 1:23 pm

@ferenc : drenthe was wrong when he went to real madrid too early
he should wait till he prove his talent in the eredivisie
anyway …. there is great news : perez have jut announced he dont want any dutch player in his team in a TV interview , jerk !

By susanne | July 4th, 2009 at 1:33 pm

about Donk.. I’ve seen him play. I was charmed of him, but I also hold my breath each time at his AZ time. That’s not a good thing. for his sake, I hope he can become a winner… But I am not sure. Zuiverloon seems for me to be a big promise in a few years. Not right now though. I still prefer Heitinga over vd Wiel/Zuiverloon RB position, even though Heitinga does some stupid things sometimes, he can be brutal, and I see a winner in him. Boulah would be good too. I’d rather see a natural Back, instead of them (they are more central) but we need some Davids’ishness

Davids: I’m really happy he cares about this kinda stuff. To be honest, I didn’t expect him to be, so this is really great. I do feel football can be very important in social issues, and to have someone like Davids making his contribution, is very nice.

Posted from Netherlands

By mohamed | July 4th, 2009 at 1:50 pm

@ ferenc : we have to remember great players like davids , he failed when he played first with ac milan , then he went to juventus and became the best player in the world in his position
bergkamp didnt succeed in inter milan , then he became the best player in the primership ..
who knows ! may be drenthe will be like them one day !

@susanne : boulahrouz is better than heitinga as a rb .. i feel no place for players like heitinga , ooijer or gio in the oranje

By susanne | July 4th, 2009 at 1:54 pm

Heitinga can score goals by headers but also distant shots. He proved that at his last year at Ajax. Boulah?? Nah

Posted from Netherlands

By goose | July 4th, 2009 at 2:29 pm

i never really liked Davids, though he was a nice little player with a good attitude on the pitch; i really hated his attitude outside the pitch, he was far too arrogant for me likings… the way he treated the press was pathetic and i never forgave him for acting all tough on Hiddink and he was one of the main reasons this ‘kabel’ shit came into the team in 96.. Davids wanted to be like the NBA ghetto blacks… bit of a wanker if you ask me

Posted from Netherlands

By Jan | July 4th, 2009 at 9:24 pm

Ah wanker… One of the best words in the English language…

By finnster01 | July 4th, 2009 at 9:46 pm

If you look up the dictionary for wanker who would you see a picture of?

My guesses:
1) Maradona
2) Holzenbein
3) Cristiano Ronaldo

By Carlos | July 5th, 2009 at 1:22 am

Finn ? Which dictionary shows pics as well ? Wiktionary perhaps (Wikipedia). Think wanker is more an aussie term isn’t it. (Come on Aussie come on come on ?) David Carradine died being one !

Posted from Singapore

By Alex | July 5th, 2009 at 6:01 am

I honoustly expect that most if not all dutch players will leave Real, and they will end up playing even more boring football with Ribery, Ronaldo, Kaka, Benzema, Raul all crammed in one team. Too much ego and uncertainties to play great football, even I remember the shitty football they played in the first delusional period under Perez.
The best example is that they just bought Huntelaar last season for 27 million, now they bought Benzema for a lot more, when he hasn’t shown he is really worth that much, or that he is a better striker than Huntelaar, not as a French international and not at Lyon.
Huntelaar most likely going to AC Milan, and I feel that club suites him.
Sneijder and Robben can take their pick.
V.d.Vaart should go to Bayern and let Ribery most likely ruin his career by going to Real.
I think only V.Nistelrooij, with his reputation and skills might have a chance that if he stays he can keep Benzema and/or Higuain on the bench.
Huntelaar would have fewer chances, given his only minor reputation, and still needs to develop a bit.

Posted from Netherlands

By Alex | July 5th, 2009 at 6:07 am

BTW Donk looked to be going to the international top at lightspeed, but his engines failed and hasn’t impressed last one-and-a-half seasons. Though he might get his rythm and form back at Club Brugge, cause still only 22/23.

my first choices now are: Bouma, Marcellis, V.d.Wiel, Heitinga, Boulahrouz, Mathijsen and Braafheid
And then Maduro, Zuiverloon and Vlaar.

Posted from Netherlands

By finnster01 | July 5th, 2009 at 6:13 am

@Carlos: Granted, not liberally applied in the US, however in the UK they certainly know what a wanker is too. All it takes is approx 5 mins of any football game in any division and the term is well defined.

By bobotoh | July 5th, 2009 at 7:04 am

OOT, now Benzema joins Real Madrid. What will happen to Huntelaar? I must leave Madrid as soon as possible. If not, then it will ruin his football career. Why there aren’t club want to sign him? I mean any big clubs in Europe. I should have stayed at Ajax.

Posted from Indonesia

By finnster01 | July 5th, 2009 at 7:16 am

I am not worried about Hunter.

There will be plenty of takers. July just came around, there has been only 3 full business days in the transfer window, players & agents on vacations etc.

Hunter will find a new home, and a pretty big club on top. Some of the other Dutchies may have to settle for smaller fish though, but they need to play on a regular basis with WC2010 and they know it. Their value will increase after the WC, but they need to be in the team for that to happen. Sitting on the bench in Madrid will not do it, and they know it.

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