Edward Dekker’s sports moment: “There he is, there he is…..”

But am I? It used to be not done as a sports journalist to admit honestly that you are a supporter of a certain club. You would then automatically be against the other. Yet we have known for a long time that Tom Egbers is Heraclied, while Leo Driessen openly flirts with his love for Telstar. Wilfred Genee is for Cambuur and Jan-Joost van Gangelen has an Ajax head. At least that’s what Feyenoord striker Graziano Pelle bit the presenter years ago.

Antique club record

Back to that evening in The Hague. FC Volendam had just received two huge blows from Excelsior (2-5) and FC Emmen (5-1) the week before. The so fervently desired promotion to the premier league is wavering. Striking because the men of trainer Wim Jonk are working on a fabulous season. No less than 26 games in a row, the team from Volendam is deprived of a loss. An old club record is broken.

Text continues below the video.

But after the peak, the collapse threatens. And exactly against the competitors at the top of the first division. Excelsior and FC Emmen left the Volendam team in the dust and the same seems to be happening in The Hague. Samy Bourard scores 1-0 in the 80th minute. The Heen en Weer makes water quickly. Time is running out and desperation grows. Until that last ball. In the 95th minute. The unyielding captain Damon Mirani prevents the botter from capsizing with his header goal.

Text continues below the tweet.

The goal creates an orgy of revelry. This is not an ordinary tie, this is the life buoy needed not to drown. That realization is there for everyone. Although Mirani is calm again in the chilly mixed zone of ADO Den Haag afterwards.

Text continues below the video.

Chairman Jan Smit puts the images with the frenzied radio comment on his Twitter account the next morning. Almost half a million followers see / hear it on their timeline pass by. The responses are pouring in. Mostly positive. The comparison with Jack van Gelder and the commentary on Dennis Bergkamp’s goal against Argentina at the 1998 World Cup is made. Fun to read, no more than that.

Playbook ESPN

ESPN has also noticed. At the next game of FC Volendam I was even included in the script: 19:30 Recording shot RTV-NH reporter in the press gallery (is he back today??). The ESPN reporter then also comes to the press gallery with the camera for two questions.

Then I will go back to the order of the day. Report the match as accurately as possible. Don’t scream for screaming. No, critical, objective and enthusiastic if there is reason to do so. FC Volendam will be fine. The promotion in Den Bosch is a fact on the 35th match day.

Text continues below the video.

A great party in Volendam follows, including an unforgettable boat trip with the selection from Monnickendam to the port of Volendam where countless people welcome their heroes with orange torches. And even though I then sit in the double-decker behind the Heen en Weer, the trip to the stadium is just as impressive.

Of course you enjoy those moments when you can get so close. I watched almost all FC Volendam matches in the stadium for a whole season. I enjoyed special matches and got annoyed when things went nowhere. It is logical that you then roar along when Mirani scores such an important goal.

We are now more than half a year further and there is very little to cheer in the Eredivisie. The frustration and annoyance can be heard in almost all interviews afterwards. With the already legendary conversation with Henk Veerman as the high/low point.

Text continues below the video.

On NH Sport’s Facebook page, the video goes by one hundred thousand views through the roof. The comments also flow in. The same ‘supporter’ can now get the microphone pushed down his throat. “Is a jellyfish of a guy, a journalist of nothing and deserves a poffert…..”

As an NH Sport journalist, I have often said that I am not optimistic about the chance that FC Volendam will maintain itself in the Eredivisie with the current selection. I really hope it works out for the fans.

Edward Decker