They differ eight days in age and a cartload of international football experience. But no one can rule out the possibility that Koos Werkman will provide a new cup stunt against Luuk de Jong and PSV on Tuesday evening with his Spakenburg.
The number of interviews is increasing again in the run-up to the semi-final against PSV and Werkman is enjoying it to the full. ,,After the cup victories against FC Groningen and FC Utrecht, we have of course been everywhere, from Jinek to Studio Sports and various radio programs. And now it starts again. Very nice.”
Football millionaire versus marketer
Luuk de Jong was born on August 27, 1990 in Aigle, Switzerland, almost on the banks of Lake Geneva. Koos Werkman was born eight days later in Groningen. Where De Jong became a full professional via De Graafschap and FC Twente and joined the top of Europe via Borussia Mönchengladbach, PSV, Sevilla and Barcelona, Werkman had to leave FC Groningen at the age of twenty and was able to look for a ‘normal’ job.
Via Harkemase Boys, ACV and HHC Hardenberg, he ended up at Spakenburg, while he graduated as a marketer and has now been working as a project manager for years at VONQ, a recruitment marketing agency in Rotterdam.
‘Was already a super talent back then’
On Tuesday evening, Werkman and De Jong will face each other in the semi-finals of the cup tournament. And it’s not even the first time. ,,I have played against Luuk before”, Werkman remembers. ,,In my time in the youth of FC Groningen. He then played at De Graafschap. He was already a super talent back then, I remember. I don’t know if he still remembers me. I don’t think so, haha.”
As a center defender, Werkman will mainly have to deal with PSV’s long striker, but most likely also with Xavi Simons, the handy dribbler who was trained at Barcelona. ,,That’s really a very good one”, Werkman says with admiration, ,,although he still has to make the final step to the absolute top. That’s in him.”
Bad general against OFC
Simons and De Jong, they are once again a few different names than Fouad Belarbi and Soufian Reclaoui, the attackers of OFC from Oostzaan against whom Werkman had quite a bit of trouble last Saturday. Spakenburg, who started the match against the last team as the number 9 of the second division, dropped one spot due to the draw against OFC (1-1) and is now in tenth place.
,,The focus was a bit less on that match”, explains Werkman. ,,Of course that is not allowed, but I think it makes sense, with a match against PSV ahead of us.” But the central defender from Groningen did score: Werkman scored the equalizer shortly after the break with his head.
Battle plan
After the cup stunts against FC Groningen (2-3) and FC Utrecht (1-4), half of the Netherlands secretly or less secretly hopes for a new cup sensation. Werkman is no longer ruling out anything. ,,We were in the same position against FC Groningen and FC Utrecht: we have a battle plan and fully believe in it. If that plan works again, another stunt could be possible. But we also get a few hits around the ears. PSV will prepare better than it normally would against an amateur team, I reckon. Because there is something at stake, of course.”
Speaking of that final, which will be against Ajax or Feyenoord: Werkman is allowed to do it on Sunday, although the board of Spakenburg has already announced that it does not want to play football on the Day of the Lord. ,,This is not what we as players are about”, says Werkman, ,,so let the board fight that out. I also like Saturday. I’ll make time for it, haha.”
As he says it, he also changes his mind. “It is strange that we are now talking about the cup final. But yes, you better arrange things like that in advance, right?”
Too late for Ryan Babel
Has he already decided with which PSV player he will exchange his shirt afterwards? ,,No definitely not. I’m not into that. When we played against Ajax a few years ago, I walked over to Ryan Babel afterwards when I saw the other boys also swap shirts. But it turned out that his shirt had been discussed for a long time, I should have done that before the game, haha. I don’t need it at all. The match is already on my own shirt, that is already a copy to keep. I like that already.”
Nice party
About 6000 spectators, 300 of whom are supporters of the people of Eindhoven, will provide a nice atmosphere in Spakenburg on Tuesday evening. Mom and Dad Werkman will of course also be present in Spakenburg. ,,Additional stands have been built, which are always there temporarily when we play the derby against IJsselmeervogels”, says Werkman. ,,Everything is sold out, as a player I also had to disappoint people, because we could only reserve a limited number of tickets. But my parents are there and many friends from Groningen and Amsterdam. It’s going to be a great party.”