I am glad to present you the first interview with a supporter of PSV on Eindhoven News. I want to thank editor-in-chief Irene Martens for having asked me on board of the writers’ team of Eindhoven News and giving me room to post not only news, but also other articles and interviews about my favorite football team in the Netherlands. Let me tell you how things got to this point.
I have been an admin at the PSV Eindhoven Facebook Community since 2008 and started interviewing supporters in March 2015. My plan was to showcase a diverse as possible type of supporter and put them in the spotlights, where it’s usually a special type of supporter, players or people with an important function who make it to the magazines. I asked a befriended designer to help make the interviews look professional and ready-to-print, in case we would get the possibility of getting our interviews printed.
After one and a half season, PSV’s official fan club contacted us and offered a cooperation. So since the start of this past season, we not only offer our interview for free on our Facebook-page, but also through De PSV Supporter, the magazine of the supporters club. Now that I’ve started writing for Eindhoven News, I’m able to share an interview with you in English sometimes as well.
This first interview is from a PSV supporter who was born, raised and still live in Denmark. What better way to kick off this kind of article than with a supporter from abroad? I want to thank Anders for his cooperation and hope you, the reader, will enjoy the interview and get a bit of (new) interest for PSV Eindhoven.
Name: Anders Plougmand
Age: 42
Birthplace: Copenhagen
Place of residence: Copenhagen
Marital Status:I have a girlfriend
Work: Legal Officer Danish gambling authority
Hobby’s: I enjoy spending time with my friends, family and girlfriend…and I used to play a lot of soccer
Season ticket holder: No
Anders, how did you become a supporter of PSV?
I must have been around 10 years old, playing in the garden, when I heard there was some kind of goal show on the TV. There wasn’t much football on TV at that time, so I ran in and faced a team that was presented as having won their first title in a while. I saw 10 goals. It was PSV and they beat Go Ahead Egles with 8-2. I remember Ruud Gullit for his hair and style. Actually I remember that day clearly, it was love at first sight. And I don’t believe in love at first sight in any other way, but this team and the name PSV triggered me.
From that day on I checked the results each Monday morning, tearing the newspaper’s sports section to see how PSV had done, and they had good years. Not many people questioned my relation to PSV at that time, because some Danes played there, so it must have made sense to them. I myself couldn’t care less if Danes played there or not; it was the team I supported. Later on, many people asked me why I’m supporting PSV, and they still do. There have been times with no Danes in the club and especially now, with Dolberg and Schöne playing for a club I don’t like. I can’t explain them, but PSV is simply my club.
What is your favorite Danish club?
I watch a lot of football, but I only support PSV. I live near to our national Arena and often watch FC Copenhagen, but that is only for social reasons and perhaps a cold beer with a friend. I don’t care about the result. Actually, I would have preferred to see PSV become champion rather than the Danish national team to have won the Euro 1992. I love my country, but I don’t care much at all about our national team.
How popular is PSV in Denmark?
We don’t have too many PSV-supporters, maybe only me. Some of my friends know my passion and commenting on the club’s results on Mondays. People remember Ajax for the way they played in the late nineties and that club is popular because of the Danish players. Without them, people lose interest. Feyenoord is even lower on the rank here in Denmark. When Jon Dahl Tomasson played there, they got some attention, and again now with Jørgensen. But I have never met a Danish Feyenoord-supporter.
How do you think Danish people see the Netherlands?
When Danes think of the Netherlands, they think of Amsterdam with the coffee shops and the red-light district. Apart from that, I think there are many similarities. The calmness and innocence in society and we struggle with the same political and global issues. And of course many Danish players start their international career in the Netherlands, because the mentality is the same.
Which are your best memories as a supporter of PSV?
My trips to Eindhoven to go see matches are good memories. I also was there when Ronaldo (Luis Nazário de Lima, ed.) made his first hattrick. But whether I’m present or not is not important; the titles are. I remember the close ranges on the last match day…and most recently the fantastic title in 2016. It was nerve-racking, but I was as happy as ever and found myself celebrating like I was 10-years-old again.
Other good memories are our Champions League-campaign in 2004/05, where we almost reached the finals, only being beaten by Milan. And beating Benfica in 1988 was fantastic. I still remember the penalty shootings and me being clinched to the TV. The atmosphere at the Philips Stadium is also amazing. I have seen football all around the world, but it’s not to compare with when the tension is high at the Philips Stadium.
How did you experience this past season?
It was a big mistake not to sell a few players and bring fresh blood to the squad. The squad clearly lacked sharpness and motivation. With two titles in a row, you need rotation in the selection. We’ve had many injuries, but that should not be an excuse. Just look at Jürgen Locadia since he’s back: he is hungry, with a hunger that I’ve missed from the team.
So what do you think we need to make 2017/18 more successful?
I am very excited about next season. It would be hard to face another streak of seasons without being champions. I would like to see Nicolas Isimat-Mirin replaced, he just isn’t good enough. Jetro Willems has to move as well. He’s a fantastic player, but served his longest time. We need a new striker; a real goal getter. I think Feyenoord has had their season this time. Their team will depart. Ajax is a problem; Bosz has done good things there.
What is your all-time favorite PSV line-up?
Goal: Van Breukelen
Defence: Alex, Nielsen, Willems
Midfield: Guardado, Van Bommel, Cocu, Park
Attack: Robben, Romário, Dzsudzsák
What would you like to say to the reader, Anders?
I envy that you can go to the stadium each time to see PSV play. I would love to do that too, but the trip from Copenhagen is an obstacle sometimes. And I would like you to keep the atmosphere. Teams should fear our home ground, but it is also important to hiss at the players when they don’t perform.
Written by Joey
