Clarence Seedorf ages like red wine…

February 15th, 2012 | by: Jan | Comments(67)

On the day after the CL clash with Arsenal ( I’m at the moment oblivious to the result as I can only watch it delayed…), we look at the remarkable 2011 Clarence Seedorf had… The 35 year old AC Milan midfielder is the skipper of the team, won the title for the first time since 2004 and was heralded as Knight in the Order of Oranje Nassau. And this warrior doesn’t even think of retiring.

A scene from the life of Clarence Seedorf. The midfielder just finished another training session at Milanello and steps in the back of his car. Andrea is his driver, his p.a., his secretary and his “organiser”. Andrea picked up a box of pasta at the Milanello kitchen while Seedorf settles in the backseat with an ice pack on his knee. He starts calling his list of contacts while he’s wolfing down the pasta. The mobile office speeds into the Milan CBD, on the way to the first business meeting of the day.

Time is money for the Milan skipper. He owns sports management buro ON Management, is technical director at Serie C club AC Monza, president of his own foundation Champions for Children and co owner of Fingers, a small chain of Japanese restaurants in Milan. The combination of sport success, humanitarian work and his all-round positive personality earned him a prestigious knighthood. It touched him deeply.

And at the ceremony, a lot came together for the sensitive Seedorf. “It was the crown on a project that I started long ago. As a result of my football career, doors open for me and I can use those doors and avenues for doing good. I started this journey when I started to play in the D-pupils at Ajax. I think it was important to have key people from my youth and from all the clubs I played to be present at this particular ceremony. They all formed my personality. Hans Jorritsma was here, on behalf of the KNVB. David Endt was here for Ajax. I know David more than 20 years and he is the ultimate club man. His passion for Ajax and his personal interest in people, real interest, always touched me. I left Holland 16 years ago but this honour from our Royal Family touched me deep. It’s a confirmation I’m doing something right.”

Clarence and family…

“Silvio Berlusconi was here too and I am proud to say he’s my friend. Honestly, people judge him for his public persona and his politics. I don’t look at him as a politician. I judge him on how he treats me, and how he is with his children. He is a real “mensch” as they say. Genuinely interested in others. He is a bit of player, sure… But with a lot of heart. I don’t judge people on their politics or work. I don’t judge my team mates on their performance on the pitch, but on their personality and character. Someone is a nice guy or he’s not.”

“So, the Royal Family supports me but the Oranje team doesn’t need me, hahahaha…. Ah well, I always had a strange relationship with the Dutch team. I’ve done my best. Seriously, I’m a regular starter at AC Milan for many years. If that is not enough, fine. I can’t do more. I can’t play for Inter and Juve as well, haha. Maybe our Queen should become team manager… I did dream about playing in South Africa, Mandela’s country. Sure. I think I could have been of value. But now…I think it’s over. Not that I would ever close the door, but I need to be realistic. ”

“My high point in sports was our title in 2011. It took us some time but we’re back. Italian football is going through an interesting phase. The money is gone. There are scandals. Time to become creative again. I believe football here will come out of it stronger. In Italy, AC Milan is the absolute top. In Europe, I’m afraid we’re sub top. But we’re doing better than Inter. I still don’t understand why Inter allowed Mourinho to leave for Madrid. His successors immediately changed things around but the team was designed to play the Mourinho way. But, that’s not my problem.”

“Being the skipper here is a big honour too. I mean, Franco Baresi, Paolo Maldini and now me. I’ve always been a “present” chap, but now it’s official, haha. We are in an interesting transformation with Milan. The arrival of Mark van Bommel was important for us. He was able to adjust to Italian football within one game. He was immediately important for us. Urby Emanuelson starts to find his mojo too. Which is great for him. I have know him for quite some time. I played with his brother Julian at Ajax. An elegant left footer, just like Urby. He is working so hard on training and he’s making it very hard for the coach. His versatility might be his biggest asset and liability. I think it would be important for him to focus on one spot. The left back position is what I’d say. I think Bert van Marwijk would be delighted with that too. But Urby could have so much added value as full back, as he is an extremely good football player. He’d do well in England or Spain too.”

“The Ajax situation annoys me. All those egos and those infights. And it must be tough on all of them. Louis van Gaal being blocked by his former players… All that stuff. But, I have to say, for me it’s not a given that you need ex-players as youth coaches. In my time, we delivered a wealth of talent and the people who brought us there were people like Tonnie Bruins Slot, Dirk de Groot, Herman Borman… Not the biggest names. Sometimes you had someone who had both like Ton Pronk, but you can have great youth coaches without having a big career as a player. I’d be happy to help Ajax in any way, but not now. The dust needs to settle. It’s impossible to make long-term strategic steps in this situation. Ajax can return to the top, I’m sure, but you need vision and clarity and both are lacking today. Unfortunately.”

Urby Emanuelson

“People always want to talk about my age. And about when I will retire. They don’t get that as a result of good fitness, nutrition, mental health and practices like yoga, we can ask more from our bodies. There is heaps of science out there on this. Look at players like Raul, Zanetti and Ryan Giggs. I think I still have three good years in me. I’m not retiring. Paulo Maldini had a cracker of a season here when he was 40 years old. And there is always room for older players. See Giggs at Man United and in the past with Blind at Ajax, or Hierro at Madrid. It’s important for balance. Whether I will stay in Milan is a question mark. I will decide this on a season by season basis, and so can they. I was tempted to go on this Brazilian adventure last summer. It came close too. Who knows. England is tempting too. I’m also thinking of taking up another university studies… International Relations or Management or something like that. You need to keep reinventing yourself. Soon, I will take my kids to a drugs and alcohol rehab center. I want them to see how you can ruin your life by making the wrong decisions. It’s all about taking responsibility. And sport is important. It keeps kids from doing stupid things. It helps you to understand the world and process life better. You can develop your own vision and then you can navigate through life easier. That’s how I do it…”

Beckham and Seedorf in the bus…

Clarence Seedorf will play his 100st European Game for AC Milan against Arsenal. He played 16 CL games for Ajax, 26 for Real Madrid, 17 for European games for Inter and 99 for AC Milan…