Van Hanegem on Jaap Stam

Willem’s column in the AD

“Jaap Stam was a great defender, but more importantly, he was a great guy. A sensitive guy to, but it’s hard to believe when you look at him. Still, he proves it now, he let his heart do the talking. I have been following him from his career start at Cambuur onwards. When I was at Feyenoord, we almost signed him. Some people didn’t believe in him, and in all honesty I had my doubts too. And Feyenoord had Ully van Gobbel, which wasn’t a bad right back either. And Jaap didn’t look the part back then. He didn’t have the gladiator look, but spikey hair and freckles. A rural farmers’ boy. Could he survive the big city mentality? Well, he could and he did…

Later I worked with him at Oranje. The first time I met him, the group had gone up in the hotel restaurant for coffee. I was late and Jaap Stam was the only one left in the lobby. His hands folded before him on the table, as if he was praying. But he wasn’t. He was hiding a glass of Heineken beer! I walked up to him and said: Jaap, if you want to drink a beer after lunch instead of coffee, you drink a beer, ok? And if you want to drink two, you can drink two. We won’t say anything about that, because we know you know how far you can go.

Jaap and I spent a lot of time talking. About football, but also about life. He missed his family when he was away with Oranje, or with AC Milan. And I can relate to that. I had that too.
And it was courageous of him to tell me that, because the football world is a macho man’s world. But he wasn’t how he looked. He looks ferocious, with that bald head and all those tattoos. I must say, the tattoos made me laugh a bit. Because his skin is pretty white, the tattoos almost jump off of him.

But, he was a world class defender in every sense. And he proved it time and time again for PSV, Manchester United, Lazio Roma and AC Milan. And now Ajax. Look at those names… Let it sink in. If you can play for these type of clubs, you are a very big boy.

We always planned for Jaap to end his career with me, somewhere. It’s not meant to be. But I really understand him.

He deserves a grand farewell and everybody’s respect for what he’s given us as a football player.

I enjoyed working with him and I want to wish him and his family all happiness…