Once in Oranje: Marcel Peeper

They stood firm to sing the National Anthem only once. We’ve looked at several players who may be called “not good enough” for a long career in Orange. With this bloke it was different, though. I remember his debut – and this particular game – very well. Marcel Peeper. Talented left winger, impressed the punters at Haarlem and made a big move to FC Twente. He got his well deserved debut in Oranje, against the Soviet Union, only to be butchered already in the first half of the game. A horrible tackle broke his leg severely and the long-haired winger never played top football again. You could hear the crack on telly, you could hear him scream… Thinking about still gives me the shivers…

After Twente, Peeper would play for Sparta, Lokeren (Belgium), FC Groningen and Wuppertaler SV (Germany) but would never reach his old level…

Anyone who reminisces over his international career will talk with pride and passion about that high point in their career. Not Marcel Peeper. His high point was also a career low. It was a friendly against the Soviet Union and one Gorloekovitsj knocked the Amsterdam born player with outstretched leg on the shins… Peeper would break both his bones and couldn’t play for 2,5 years. End of career in Oranje.

And it wasn’t the only blow he had to face. Some months before his debut in Oranje he lost his partner in a car-accident. “Football was my way of handling that loss. I could play away my grief. When I got the nod, I wasn’t really happy. Happiness is relative. I wish she was with me to enjoy that moment in my career.” The fast and skilled Peeper played his best football at FC Twente. PSV courted him, but Juventus and Celtic were also on the prowl. The WC in Italy was around the corner and the left winger was hoping for a busy summer.

“I was pretty nervous for the match. Jan Wouters and Ronald Koeman helped me a lot. They said: don’t worry, we’ll keep the team afloat, you can just play your best game and have fun. If those type of players support you, you walk onto the pitch with your chin up”. Peeper showed his skills in the first 20 minutes or so. Richard Witschge was the left midfielder and both youngsters played the Soviets drunk.

And than that moment came. “Richard gave me a good pass over the defense and I went deep to give the cross. Gorloekovitsj could never reach the ball, but still he tackled me from behind. I’m not sure if he did it on purpose, but it was a wild challenge. I immediately knew it was really bad.”

Gorloekovitsj never apologized. “I would have, if the situation was reversed. But anyway… I went to the hospital straight away and was allowed to leave the next day. I knew it was bad, but I did expect to play within 8 months or so. But I had several cracks in my bones and I needed several operations. I still have an iron pin in my leg, from my knee to the ankle.”

“The KNVB was great for me. There was lots of support and during the WC1990, the KNVB offered me a cruise on the Mediterranean Sea and a holiday to Sicily and Sardinia. That was cool, but I would rather have played the WC.”

After 2,5 years, Peeper returned and played for Sparta and Lokeren. “It was great to be back and I expected to be able to play along, but I was away too long. I did get to a decent level but never good enough for Oranje anymore.”

Statistics

28 March 1990, Zentral Stadion, Kiev, friendly

Sovjet Union – Nederland 2-1

Score: 10. Protassov 1-0 (pen.), 70. R. Koeman 1-1 (pen.), 80. Ljuti 2-1.

Attendance: 60.000

Line up Nederland: Van Breukelen; Sturing, Fräser, R. Koeman, Rutjes; Van ’t Schip (81. Laamers), Wouters, Richard Witschge; Bosman (55. Van Loen), Kieft en Peeper (19. Eijkelkamp).