Pieter Dral became good friends with Israel. The co-owner of the bicycle shop, also Feyenoorder, saw his childhood idol stepping into his business some fifteen years ago to have something tinkered with his bike. Israel never left. “Every day around half past twelve he came in stealing.” They talked about everything: football, cycling and women.
Dral: “This became a bit of his home when it came to recordings, interviews. That was always fun to experience.” NH also found him, for example to ask how Orange would do it at the European Championship of 2022.
“Occasionally it was very busy with all kinds of people who came for him, but we would like to take that up. Rinus was a very appreciated person for us.”