Why you don't need to wait for certainty to take a big leap.
No certainty. Yet choosing.
The biggest step in my career I took at a time when I wasn't sure if it was the right one.
I still had a contract with Hull City.
I had my place. My rhythm. My safe haven at home in Hull.
But somewhere I felt: if I want to progress in professional football, I need to step out of my comfort zone…
I couldn't ignore that feeling.
Someone who sees something in you
After a practice match against Cambuur, someone came up to me who changed everything.
Coach Nol de Ruiter.
I took him and the players out afterwards to one of Hull's nightclubs, Romeo & Juliet. We had a good time and got chatting. He said something that has always stuck with me:
“I want you to come to Holland.”
That wasn't a long speech. No analysis.
Just one sentence.
He saw something in me that I myself didn't quite dare to believe yet.
Photo: Nol de Ruiter, manager of Cambuur in the period 1976-1980. He was a people-oriented coach (an eye for the player behind the player) and later worked as an assistant to Rinus Michels at the European Championship in ’88 (Ed.)
Another world
I then went to SC Cambuur on loan.
And I immediately noticed: this is different.
We trained on grass.
We did specific warm-ups.
There was structure, attention, development.
The game itself, 4:3:3, also suited me much better than the direct 4:4:2 game I was used to.
I felt: I can grow here..!
Setbacks are part of life.
But growth never comes without resistance.
Things went wrong in the run-up to Terschelling.
A heavy load, complaints... and ultimately a meniscus operation.
That cost me time. Rhythm. Competitions.
When Cambuur played a decisive match for promotion, I couldn't be there. I was gutted.
That does something to you.
But this is what many players forget:
Setbacks are not a sign that you are on the wrong path.
It's often a part of your development.
The second chance
I went back to Hull City. But Nol de Ruiter kept following me.
And again he came with confidence.
He wanted to bring me to FC Wageningen, where he had become coach in the meantime.
Then something special happened. At Hull City too… a new manager arrived. And he didn't see anything in young players, nor in me.
The moment of truth
I was called into the office.
“There is a coach in the Netherlands who wants you.
We want to sell you.”
That was the moment.
Unplanned. But perfect.
A decisive one, as it would later turn out.
The conversation that made everything clear
At home, I spoke with my mother.
I explained everything.
She didn't give me a ready-made choice.
No pressure.
She said:
“Follow your dream. And your heart.”
And that was enough.
The real choice
It wasn't easy. I had something to lose.
My security. My surroundings. My mother.
But I also had something to win:
Growth. Development. A new direction.
And so I made the choice.
Shortly after my 21st birthday, I left for Wageningen. And that's where my real career in professional football began.
What you can learn from this
Many young players are waiting for certainty.
They want to know first if something will succeed.
Whether it's safe.
Whether it is the right choice.
But that's not how it works.
Certainty does not come before the step.
Certainty comes after the step.
Your career isn't determined by the opportunities you're given, but by the choices you make when things get tough.
Your next goal
Are you at a point where you're having doubts?
Are you staying where you are because it feels ‘safe’?
Or do you choose growth? Do you dare to step out of your familiar comfort zone?
But one thing I do know for sure:
- The most important steps never feel comfortable
- But those are often the right ones
More of these honest insights?
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FAQ
It's important to take risks as a footballer to develop your skills and improve your game. Taking risks can lead to scoring more goals, making more assists, and becoming a more unpredictable and exciting player. It also shows confidence and encourages your teammates to be more adventurous.
- Because growth lies outside your comfort zone. Without risk, you will remain stagnant in your development.
How do you know if you are making the right choice in your career?
- You often don't know that in advance. You have to learn to trust your gut feeling and be prepared to learn as you go.
What can you do when you are unsure about the next step?
- Talk to people you trust, but ultimately take responsibility for your own choice.
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