jonovision Posted August 2, 2004 Share Posted August 2, 2004 Tomorrow morning I fly to Toronto, and then on to the Netherlands where I will be living for a year. Can anybody give me the lowdown on the Dutch soccer scene (and possibly the beer situation as well)? I know the nearest Eredivisie team to where I will be living is AZ, who are from Alkmaar. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Canuck Oranje Posted August 2, 2004 Share Posted August 2, 2004 Very quickly. There are three big clubs. Ajax Amsterdam, Feyenoord Rotterdam and PSV Eindhoven. Each has had success in European tournaments in the past. Then there are a group of middle class clubs that tend to always be at the Top level. These would include, Vitesse Arnhem, NAC Breda, FC Twente Enschede, Roda JC Kerkrade, Willem II Tilburg, FC Groningen, SC Heerenveen, FC Utrecht, and probably AZ Alkmaar. The third level would then be the teams that seem to flip flop between the first and second division. The difference in quality is substantial between the three big teams and the flip floppers. Games between these teams can be high scoring. Games between the middle class teams and the big teams are more competitive but the results tend to be predictable. However, in some years a middle class team is strong enough to get into the top three. Games between two middle class teams are enjoyable to watch because the style of play emphasizes possession. Tickets are relatively easy to get for these games. Games between Feyenoord and Ajax are the feature games as they are traditional rivals. The top teams of the two largest Dutch cities and only about 30 min apart. Tickets are harder to get for these games. PSV is an anomaly in that they come from a small city but are essentially financed by Philips Electronics. Nevertheless, PSV is a regular fixture near the top of Dutch soccer. On PSV, it is really a business venture for Philips. When PSV acquired Romario from his Brazilian club in the 1980s, part of the transfer fee was a negotiated debt swap. Apparently, a Brazilian bank owed Philips debt denominated in a European currency. With the hyperinflation in Brazil, Philips took the opportunity to clear the debt with the acquisition of Romario leaving the Brazilian bank to pay the Brazilian club. There is another story of a player transfer in the 1980s between PSV and Juventus that involved a contract that Fiat (who owned Juventus) would use Philips radios in its cars for a specified number of years. Enjoy your time in the Netherlands.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cheeta Posted August 2, 2004 Share Posted August 2, 2004 Holland for a year? Well that's pretty sweet. I'm gonna assume for schooling reasons. Buddy from high school went tramping across Europe for a couple of years. Only place he ever felt nervous in was Amsterdam. And some piss ass German port town he couldn't remember the name of. Said it was the foreigheners in both places that made for a rough, unsettling enviroment. Sort of fellow who was right at home in a rough, unsettling enviroment to-boot. Either way, Amsterdam was great fun he said no matter your vice or lack of. Just a little dodgy in spots. Have fun. If I win 6/49 wednesday, maybe I'll pop 'round on the way back from Egypt. P.S. Check this out. Two and a half years in Europe and he never saw a football match! Couldn't afford it. Least not the matchs he'd have liked to seen. Local girl he met in France took him to a rugby game apparently. Said that was pretty neat, but that was about it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Canuck Oranje Posted August 2, 2004 Share Posted August 2, 2004 I should add that seeing a match between two middle class sides in the Netherlands can be interesting. I saw a match Heerenveen between SC Heerenveen and NAC Breda in 1994. The halftime entertainment was a 4 or 5 piece brass band dressed in blue farm coveralls and wearing wooden shoes. Seemed appropriate because Heerenveen is in the middle of Friesian farm country. Anyway, two young strikers played in that game. Pierre Van Hooijdonk for NAC Breda and Jon Dahl Tomasson for Heerenveen. If you get the chance to travel in the Netherlands, check out the city where Hastings was playing, Maastricht. It is very nice. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marcl_19 Posted August 2, 2004 Share Posted August 2, 2004 I;ve driven through maastricht it is a very nice city and everyone i know who's been said its great (cheaper than amsterdam too ) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
amacpher Posted August 2, 2004 Share Posted August 2, 2004 quote:Originally posted by Canuck Oranje Games between two middle class teams are enjoyable to watch because the style of play emphasizes possession. Tickets are relatively easy to get for these games. Are you sure? I can't speak for every team in the Dutch league, but I have had my share of troubles to get tickets for games there. Even for the games that never did sell-out, they would not sell tickets to people that weren't a club member or at least know someone who is. Anywho, Alkmaar is a beautiful town with a rich history (especially their history of cheese). Jonovision: you might never come back! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beachesl Posted August 2, 2004 Share Posted August 2, 2004 quote:Originally posted by marcl_19 I;ve driven through maastricht it is a very nice city and everyone i know who's been said its great (cheaper than amsterdam too ) Maastricht?.....that's in the Dutch Alps, right? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jonovision Posted August 2, 2004 Author Share Posted August 2, 2004 quote:Originally posted by amacpher Are you sure? I can't speak for every team in the Dutch league, but I have had my share of troubles to get tickets for games there. Even for the games that never did sell-out, they would not sell tickets to people that weren't a club member or at least know someone who is. I think you are right about that club membership bit; at least that is what I can tell from perusing a few club websites in Dutch, which I can't read. However, I think that is a bit of a red herring as club membership seems fairly easy to acquire. Usually you pay a small fee for the right to buy tickets. Kind of like buying a membership to shop at MEC (Mountain Equipment Co-op, you can't buy anything there without paying $5 for a membership card). It is probably a good way to separate home and away fans as well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bxl Boy Posted August 2, 2004 Share Posted August 2, 2004 Enjoy your trip Like Canuck Oranje said, the three big ones have won all titles since I would see 20 years Last one to win that wasn't PSV, Ajax or Feyenoord was... yes, AZ The team was bad those last en years but since last year, they have new ambitions, to be the fourth part of the triangle So, you could be at the right time at the right place Players to watch : Huysegems, Reini, El Khattabi Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Canuck Oranje Posted August 2, 2004 Share Posted August 2, 2004 I can't speak for every team but I did not have problems getting tickets. Again, that is outside of Ajax, Feyenoord, and PSV. quote:Originally posted by amacpher Are you sure? I can't speak for every team in the Dutch league, but I have had my share of troubles to get tickets for games there. Even for the games that never did sell-out, they would not sell tickets to people that weren't a club member or at least know someone who is. Anywho, Alkmaar is a beautiful town with a rich history (especially their history of cheese). Jonovision: you might never come back! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Former Champ Posted August 3, 2004 Share Posted August 3, 2004 Hey guy! clean out a corner and I'll come and live with you. I've been to Amsterdam a few times. You likely won't have any trouble there unless you go looking for it (Red light district at 3am, ect). A friendly local actually said "don't visit any other cities in Holland because it isn't worth it." He also couldn't belive that a Canadian could like South Park. I was trying to get a ticket to see the Super Cup (I think) match between PSV and Heerenveen and the lady at Amsterdam Arena said to contact the teams directly and "MENTION YOU ARE CANADIAN". I did have a ticket reserved by Heerenveen, but I drank too much in Belgium and didn't sleep for 2 days and got lost. I didn't make it back to Amsterdam in time. I did pay club fees at FC Brugges in Belgium, and a significant part of that fee (apparantly) is the security check. So if you're Canadian you can assure them you aren't on the 'Hooligan List'. It cost me the same amount as my UEFA Cup game ticket (500b). So contact your local side and pull the old "polite Canadian trick" and you might get around those club fees. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marcl_19 Posted August 3, 2004 Share Posted August 3, 2004 quote:Originally posted by amacpher Are you sure? I can't speak for every team in the Dutch league, but I have had my share of troubles to get tickets for games there. Even for the games that never did sell-out, they would not sell tickets to people that weren't a club member or at least know someone who is. Anywho, Alkmaar is a beautiful town with a rich history (especially their history of cheese). Jonovision: you might never come back! I have the same problem herE! I went to a local RAEC Mons game last fall, but then in the spring when i tried to get tickets they wouldnt sell any to me. I think it could be a late season thing tho, i dunno....im just hoping to go to the only home game this august here b 4 i go back to canada for college Oh and current champ: I hear the red light district in Amsterdam is the best in europe Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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