Toine Rorije, former player for Go Ahead Eagles, FC Groningen and BV Veendam, now earns his money as a caretaker.
Toine Rorije (53) disappeared in the football books as ‘eternal talent’. The reddish winger from Marc Overmars’ Go Ahead class went through all national youth selections. National coach Guus Hiddink invited him to join the Dutch team in the run-up to the 1996 European Championship in England.
The footballer from Heerde received an invitation because the Ajax players were missing due to the Champions League final against Juventus. He played for half an hour in a practice match with DHC. He still considers that one of the highlights.
Rorije was promoted and relegated with Go Ahead. Things went wrong during his transition to FC Groningen and he got into trouble with the fans. The eternal talent is now back in high school and currently works as a janitor at the Carmel College Salland in Raalte.
The ‘eternal talent’ is back in school?
Toine Rorije: “I didn’t spend that long at school because I made my debut in the first group of Go Ahead when I was seventeen. I did the MEAO. I stopped doing that. I did some evening courses and obtained my SME diploma. Now I work as a janitor.”
How did you end up at Carmel College?
“I was in a work process. A test was taken there and the result was that I get along well with children. This position as a concierge came up. It is very varied work. Printing, catering, making maintenance requests. It is also very important that you are there for the youth. Children should have fun at school.”
You didn’t make it to the real Oranje, but you sold high-quality coffee for eight years after your football career.
“I was just a bartender at Café Doedel. I was able to combine that with my work as a trainer. Doedel is a drinks bar with many regular customers on De Brink square in Deventer. In the morning they sit there having coffee. That’s what they advertise.”
The name has nothing to do with the infamous Jan Doedel, does it?
“No. There are many stories about our Doedel. He was a fisherman and a real urban legend. There is a picture of him on the wall.”
Playing football at Go Ahead, working in a pub. You must be devoted to Deventer.
“I was already part of the Go Ahead Eagles youth academy together with Marc Overmars and came into the first team when Marco Heering broke his leg. He was in the group just ahead of me with Paul Bosvelt and Dennis Hulshoff. They were called Huey, Dewey and Louie with those mats in their necks. After my first six months I was able to go to FC Twente. PSV and Ajax showed interest. But the interest faded away.”
Not Guus Hiddink’s. You received an invitation to supplement the Dutch squad.
“That was in the run-up to the European Championship in England. The Ajax players were missing because they were in the Champions League final. A number of talented boys from the Eredivisie were able to train with the rest of the Dutch team for a week. Then you suddenly find yourself on the field with Dennis Bergkamp. Then you notice the difference with the absolute top.”
Except for two goals against Feyenoord, your transition to FC Groningen was not a success. You were regularly whistled at.
“I was just a phlegmatic player who had to rely on his speed and technique. I didn’t throw out a sliding so easily. If the team is not running and you play very inconsistently, you will quickly be left behind. It’s because of your attitude. The fact that you are known as a great talent works even more against you.”
You weren’t the only one who had a hard time at FC Groningen. Guys like Pascal Averdijk and Tony Alberda never really broke through .
“That had to do with the guidance. You were advised to let the criticism go ‘in one ear and out the other’. That’s it. I needed mental guidance. I regularly had heavy legs before competitions. Unconsciously the idea crept in that nothing could go wrong because the audience would act differently. I am satisfied with my career, but with good guidance there could have been more.”
As a youth coach of Go Ahead, was that why you were so keen on the talents?
“I was suspended because I like honesty. I think you can demand something from boys who play for Go Ahead under 19. It was all a bit lame. Many youth players cannot handle criticism. They thought I was too hard.”
You are no longer a trainer?
“I have trained Colmschate and Activia in the past and have been an assistant at Spakenburg for five years. There I worked with Erik Meijers, the inventor of the pussykeeper . No longer being a trainer is a conscious choice, but I do miss not being on the field with a group anymore.”
Now you no longer ring the bell in the pub, but the school bell?
“They haven’t had a bell for a long time. You press a button. Then a buzzer goes off, just like in the old days in the locker room.”