When Ajax takes on Brighton and Hove Albion tonight, they will encounter a familiar face. Joël Veltman left Ajax in 2020 after almost 250 games in the first team. He also appears to be very popular in Brighton.
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“Joël in one word? Brilliant,” said a fan on the Brighton pier about the defender. Another: “He is a legend here. That is because of his brave way of defending.”
Where does that popularity come from? “Hard work, as I have always done,” says Veltman. “It is certainly why I extended my contract. I feel very appreciated here. From the trainer to the fans. When you walk on the street or in the supermarket: everyone wants to take a picture with you or have a chat. “
Gentleman
One of the Brighton fans we meet says that he often sees Veltman. “He does his shopping in the store where I work. A really nice guy, so friendly. A real family man and a gentleman. I interviewed him once and he loves Ajax. He really loves that club. So I think it hurts him to see how the club is doing now.”
“I played there for eighteen, nineteen years. So when you see them lose to Utrecht, yes, it hurts you,” says Veltman. “Such a defeat brings even more disappointment. As if the poison cup really needs to be emptied. So that certainly hurts.”
A touch on training
During his time in Amsterdam, Veltman had regular contact with Ajax fans Kale and Kokkie. The two still have a request for him before the match against Ajax. “You have left wingers from Japan, give them a little bit of a workout during training,” says Kale about Brighton star player Mitoma. “Just a sliding at knee height. You don’t have to break anything, but he won’t be able to participate in one or two games,” says Kokkie jokingly.
“That didn’t work, he was too fast for me,” Veltman responds with a laugh. “So I have to disappoint the men. Hopefully he will do well for us against Ajax’s right back.”
When asked by Brighton fans whether we can take Veltman back to Amsterdam, the answer is clear. “No, no, that’s not possible,” says a young fan. “There are probably other players in the Eredivisie who can take his place. Because you certainly won’t get him back from us,” says another.