After my first season in the Netherlands, everything seemed to click into place. I had adapted to a new country, a different style of play and a completely new environment. On the pitch, I started to find my stride, and off it, I felt increasingly at home. Yet, that same season also revealed another side of elite sport.
Despite things going well for me personally, we were relegated with FC Wageningen.
And at that very moment, the real process began.
Not physical.
Not football-wise.
But on the inside.
Where feelings and ambition clash
The relegation meant everything was suddenly exposed again. Choices you'd rather postpone suddenly came to the fore. And that's precisely what makes elite sport so confronting.
On the one hand, I had a fantastic time in Wageningen.
I had really built something up there.
Friends.
Trust.
A place where I could be myself.
Those are things you don't just let go of.
But at the same time, I felt something else too. Something that grew stronger as the season drew to a close.
The question that kept coming back was simple, but decisive:
👉 What do I choose for my future?
Honest self-reflection
Looking back now, that was one of the most honest moments in my career. Because you can tell yourself all sorts of things, but deep down, you often know exactly how you feel.
And my feeling was clear.
I didn't fancy playing first division football, I wanted to develop further. That's why I had come to the Netherlands!
I'd had a good season: thirteen goals, not missed any matches through injury, and I'd shown that I could adapt to Dutch football.
From day one, I set myself a goal: I wanted to see how far I could get in the Netherlands.
And at such a moment, you have to ask yourself the question:
Does this situation still fit with where I want to go?
The tension of a real choice
What many people don't see is that this isn't solely a rational decision. It's not a simple sum of chances and statistics.
It is a process in which feeling and ambition clash.
You leave something behind that feels good.
Where people believe in you.
Where you have built memories.
And yet you know:
If I stay here, I might also stay at the same level.
That realisation makes it exciting. Because growing doesn't just mean going somewhere.
It also means leaving something behind.
Then came William II
It was at this stage that Willem II crossed my path.
And sometimes you just know: That's right, now, for me..
Through Nol de Ruiter, I got into conversation with coach Bert Jacobs. That conversation gave me exactly the feeling I needed to confirm my choice.
This was not a step back.
This was not a safe choice.
This was a step forward
Willem II offered me an environment in which I could develop myself further. A higher level, a different challenge, and a coach who looked beyond the here and now.
Some clubs give you playing time.
Other clubs offer you perspective.
For me, Willem II was that last one.
What I've learned from this
This period has taught me a number of things that I still carry with me:
Growth requires honesty with yourself
• Good performance gives you options, but not direction
• The right choice often feels exciting, not comfortable
Growth is in the environment you choose.
Sometimes you have to let go of something good to get better.
What you can learn from this as a player
For young players, there's an important lesson here:
Talent opens the door, but choices determine your route
• Don't just ask yourself where you can play, but where you can grow
• Dare to look beyond certainty or a feeling of trust
Be honest about your ambition: do you want to participate or grow?
Understand that real steps are often accompanied by doubt
Your next goal
Are you at a crossroads in your development?
And so this might be the most important question you can ask yourself:
👉 Do I choose what feels right…
Or do I choose what will take me further?
Because that's where the difference lies.
Not in talent.
Not in luck.
But in the choices you make when things get tense.
More of these kinds of honest stories and lessons from professional football?
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👉 https://robmcpro.com/basiskwaliteiten/waarom-the-next-goal/
FAQ (SEO)
Why didn't Rob want to play in the first division?
Because he felt his development lay elsewhere and he wanted to continue to challenge himself at a higher level after a strong season.
Why was William II the right step?
Because the club matched his ambition, offered him a higher level, and an environment in which he could develop further.
What makes a transfer difficult?
Not just the sporting choice, but especially letting go of a familiar environment and people.
What is more important: talent or choices?
Talent opens the door, but the choices you make determine how far you go.
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