Johan Derksen

Johan Derksen

Johan Derksen in 2014
Born Johannes Gerrit Derksen
(1949-01-31) 31 January 1949
Heteren, Netherlands
Residence Oudewater, Netherlands
Nationality Dutch
Occupation Sports journalist, pundit and analyst
Publisher, Editor-in-chief, Author, Columnist, Television presenter
Employer RTL Nederland
Known for Voetbal International (Magazine)
Voetbal International (TV show)
Spouse(s) Isabelle Pikaar
Children 2 daughters
Notes
Association football career
Playing position Defender
Youth career
SDOO Heteren
Nieuw-Buinen
Rolder Boys
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1966–1968 Go Ahead Eagles
1968–1972 Cambuur 105 (2)
1972–1975 Veendam 77 (4)
1975–1976 Haarlem 47 (2)
1976–1977 Meppen
1977 MVV

* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 16 August 1977 (UTC).


Johannes Gerrit "Johan" Derksen (born 31 January 1949) is a Dutch sports journalist and former football player. He played professional football between 1966 and 1978 for five clubs: Go Ahead Eagles, Cambuur Leeuwarden, BV Veendam, HFC Haarlem and MVV Maastricht. During and after his active career he became well known as a sports journalist, specialising in football. He was the editor-in-chief of Voetbal International from 2000 until his retirement at 1 August 2013, the country's most prominent football magazine. He is also a television football pundit on RTL7's Voetbal International.

Early life

Derksen was born in Heteren, Gelderland into a right wing Protestant Christian family. He describes his father as a very strict policeman, both professionally and at home. Ever since he was a child he wanted to become a drummer. Derksen, who was an only child, stated his father wanted him to become a footballer instead of choosing the uncertain life of a musician. He played for the local team SDOO Heteren at the time. His family moved to Drenthe when he was a teenager. There he played for amateur football clubs Nieuw-Buinen and Rolder Boys before moving to Deventer to join the youth academy of Go Ahead Eagles.[1][2]

Club career

Go Ahead Eagles (1966–1968)

His first professional football club was Go Ahead Eagles, where he stayed for two years. Go Ahead Eagles was famous back then for having the country's most successful youth academy. Derksen was one of the six players in the club's boarding school, together with Oeki Hoekema, André van der Leij, Ger Veerman, Herman Tieselink and Tiny Broers.[1] However, he did not make it in Deventer and the 19-year-old left-back then signed a one-year-contract with Cambuur Leeuwarden.[3]

Cambuur Leeuwarden (1968–1972)

He made a good debut on August 1, 1968 in a friendly against PEC Zwolle,[4] and quickly developed into a reliable defender notorious for his rough playing style. His contract was extended by another year.[5]

In a game against Vitesse Arnhem he injured his knee and was forced to decline an invitation from the Dutch military football team. He did not return before the start of the next season. After fulfilling his military service he was employed as a textile salesman. At the time Cambuur Leeuwarden was a semi-professional football club, meaning that at least a quarter of the players were amateurs and the rest were semi-professional.[6] Derksen was punished multiple times for his reckless behaviour on the pitch. Nevertheless, most people agreed it was better to have the fierce player on one's own side rather than on the opposing side. In the summer of 1972 Derksen was transferred to Veendam (now known as BV Veendam).[7]

Veendam (1972–1975)

Derksen continued the playing style he had developed in the past years. Notorious is Veendam's away match against Derksen's former club Cambuur in 1973. The second half had only just started when Derksen received a yellow card from referee G. Jonker from Voorburg. Derksen later made an extremely harsh foul by charging Cambuur's centre-back Sietse Visser in a scrimmage, leaving the unfortunate Visser severely injured. Visser left the pitch on a stretcher. Despite this, referee Jonker did not send Derksen off. The furious crowd chanted en masse insults at Derksen, which he returned with a well-known obscene hand gesture at the moment he was about to leave the playing field. Out of fear for a lynching (Note:Dysphemism) the police closed the gates to ensure the visiting team would be granted a safe passage home. Sulking, but without demur the fans watched from behind the gate how the Veendam players laughed, scornfully, from behind the safe windows of their coach.

According to some bystanders Derksen had threatened Cambuur players that they "would indeed get a good licking". The charge fueled the debate on the ever more violent behaviour shown on the pitch.[8][9]

Cambuur won the rough game 3 to 1.[10] Johan Derksen received a monetary fine (150 fl.) and was suspended for four games. His colleagues Dick Nanninga (3 matches, 100 fl. fine) and Jan Bont (1 match, 100 fl.) were also punished by the arbitration committee.[11]

A week later Johan Derksen was put up for sale. In a statement Veendam said his bad behaviour in the match against Cambuur was the last straw.

In case we are not able to sell him during the upcoming transfer window he will placed under a supervising commission. Don't worry, we'll just look at him with a little more suspicion.
Derksen is a great player, he's a man I can identify with. I will probably be alone in this, but I did not think we played too rough in Leeuwarden. Before the break we played even soft. They shouldn't be affected so easily up here in the north. They're trying to be more devout than the pope here. Football is a rough game. Cambuur made 36 fouls against PEC Zwolle, we commit 34 against them and they blame us for being rough? Bullshit, football is like war, I said that before and I stand by that. This is a professional sport. Beenhakker can say what he wants, I don't care. He coaches the way he talks: very stupid.

Cor van der Gijp on Derksen's suspension[12]

Despite persistent rumours of a fl. 15.000 transfer agreement with FC VVV (now VVV Venlo)[13] no deal was concluded and consequently Derksen stayed in Groningen for another season. A year later the 25-year-old journalist-footballer was laid off. In a statement in the press he said that only five players (including himself) were good enough to play in the Eerste Divisie. He expressed himself unsympathetically in Voetbal International on his fellow players and the club's management.[14]

In the winter of 1975 a transfer took place. Eredivisieclub Haarlem agreed to take over the explosive defender for a fee of fl. 6.000 and signed him a half-year deal.[15]

Haarlem (1975–1976)

In Haarlem's first match since they bought Derksen, he immediately impressed the club. He formed the link Haarlem's defence had missed. His contract was extended by a year in time.[16] At the end of the season Haarlem had to play a last decisive game against Cambuur Leeuwarden. With a victory they'd have gathered enough points to celebrate the championship. They won, although nobody could deny they had been very lucky: many arbitral errors had helped them achieve their goal.[17]

SV Meppen and Noord-Nederland-team (1976-1977)

For a year he tried his luck in West Germany at SV Meppen, a club then active in the Regionalliga Nord. Derksen, living in Emmen, found it too hard to travel over 400 kilometers to Haarlem and back every day.[18][19] Meppen is just across the Dutch-German border, so that's where he went. He didn't play many games though. What he did do was fight a lot with every one.[20]

Together with former Cambuur manager Atte Bouma as head coach he acted in the mini football show (Dutch:minivoetbalshow), an initiative of VI and NCRV, in the Northern Netherlands football team. In November that year they made their first appearance in Ahoy sports palace in Rotterdam against last year's champion, Domstad Utrecht. It was broadcast a week later.[21]

The team consisted of eight players: Jochem Lökken, Henk Zoetendal, Johan Derksen, Hennie Weering, Pierke Alma, Wim van der Heide, Hans Ooft and Henk Prinsen. Andries Roorda was reserve goalie.[21]

He did not play professional football for eight months. In the spring of 1977 he signed a contract with MVV Maastricht. The 28-year-old defender signed a provisional contract valid until the end of the season. He was signed to replace John Webb, who departed for the United States in order to serve out his outstanding contract with Chicago Sting.[22]

MVV Maastricht (1977)

Derksen did not play football for a long time, yet he did very well in his first games. His manager George Knobel proved himself an amiable man: "I am very happy with Johan Derksen. He has the experience to deal with kind of thing." Knobel did not respond to questions why he left his best players Willy Brokamp en Jo Bonfrère on the bench.[23] Derksen shed some light on the case in the next volume of Voetbal International. Derksen said that MVV did not use them for fear that they would get hurt. From experience MVV had learned it's best to shield their precious boys in away games. In an article, Derksen asked himself what the world had come to when creative players in the First Division can't freely practice their job. He was widely criticised for this article. Derksen himself is noted as one of the most vile players in the division. In the match in question Derksen could clearly be seen in Monday's edition of Studio Sport kicking Kuzamanovic between the legs without playing the ball.[24]

Career statistics

Start End Club Matches Goals Competition
1966 1968 Go Ahead Eagles N/A N/A Netherlands Eerste Divisie
1968 1972 Cambuur Leeuwarden N/A N/A Netherlands Eerste Divisie
1972 1975 Veendam N/A N/A Netherlands Eerste Divisie
1973 1974 Veendam 30 1 Netherlands Eerste Divisie
1975 1976 Haarlem 47 2 Netherlands 1+2
1975 1975 Haarlem 15 1 Netherlands Eredivisie
1975 1976 Haarlem 32 1 Netherlands Eerste Divisie
1977 1977 MVV Maastricht N/A N/A Netherlands Eerste Divisie
Totals
1966 1977 All 62 2 Netherlands Eerste Divisie
1975 1975 Haarlem 15 1 Netherlands Eredivisie
1966 1977 All 77 3 Netherlands 1+2

Source:[25] Note: All available statistics are mentioned above.

Journalistic career

Derksen started writing in the regional daily Dagblad De Noord-Ooster, moving on to become an editor for the Winschoter Courant and Nieuwsblad van het Noorden. After his professional football career, he focused mainly on his journalistic career. Starting on February 1, 1977, he was employed by weekly magazine Voetbal International (VI). He moved from Emmen to Gouda, the headquarters of VI. Since 2000 he was the magazine's editor-in-chief. He recently confessed to have written for VI before as a side job, using pseudonyms "Gerrit Westers" and "Freek Zoontjes", without his employer's permission.[26][27]

Cambuur incident

Johan Derksen claimed in VI that Cambuur had paid a large sum of money to keep Oeki Hoekema from being suspended. According to Derksen Vlaardingen player and chief witness of the case Herman den Haag had received a few banknotes for the trouble out of the hands of a Cambuur official whilst on the toilet. De Volkskrant wanted to get to the bottom of it and called KNVB official Van Zon, who stated he had laughed very hard when he heard the claims. "Money handed out on the toilet? How did he come up with that? I have seen it with my own eyes: the Cambuur representative gave the cash to the witnesses. No, not on the toilet but in public in the bar of our restaurant. It wasn't much money either, If I recall correctly it was fl. 50. Those few ten-guilder notes aren't even enough to cover the witnesses' expenses, since all the witnesses had to travel from Rotterdam to here. The KNVB pays fl. 0.35 per kilometre." "Quite a crappy story indeed, Derksen wrote, but then again, that's what we're accustomed to. You wanna know who were present in court at the time? Me, another journalist and a man with a tape recorder. Derksen wasn't there. Probably on the toilet."[28]

Becoming CEO of BV Veendam

In the spring of 2002 Johan Derksen agreed to become the new CEO of BV Veendam. He would lead the club together with manager/head coach Jan Korte and quit his job as editor-in-chief of Voetbal International immediately, where he had worked for almost 25 years.[29] Two days after he was presented as successor of Henk Nienhuis he reversed his decision. He did not agree to the contract presented to him because of the retirement arrangements. Derksen called the contract "outrageous and shameless". He made these comments during RTL 5's Sunday United.[30]

Other activities

Writing

Derksen has written several books on football. What follows is a complete list of works using APA style citations.

Coach Noord-Nederland-team

In the autumn of 1977 Derksen was back in Rotterdam with his former Northern Netherlands selection. Only now he was the acting coach instead of a player. Joop Niezen, former footballer and sports journalist and at the time editor-in-chief of VI gave commentry during the match between "Rotterdam Ahoy" and "Noord-Nederland" (6-2).[36]

Music

His greatest passion is music. He has always been a great fan of blues and soul music. As an adolescent he met singer Harry Muskee of the Dutch blues band Cuby & the Blizzards, who became his idol. Cuby + Blizzards were very popular throughout the 1960s and early 1970s. In 1972, the band dissolved. Derksen founded "Cuby is back", a foundation committed to bring the band back, together with business people and Cuby fans Henk Aa and Jan Lagendrijk in 1996. The band members reunited and made a complete new album. Their tour was considered a great success and in 2007, more than ten years later, they are still together and playing.[37]

Music is the only thing that moves me.

Derksen live at De Wereld Draait Door. (05-09-2007)[38]

For some years he worked for the American record label Stax in the late 1970s. As a press officer in Haarlem it was part of his job to make sure the visiting American musicians got everything they needed. He jokingly referred to himself as a "notorious whore-hopper", since he accompanied American soul artists to De Wallen in Amsterdam almost weekly.[38]

Derksen hates "happy music", for him music can't be melancholic enough. He believes the greatest artist of all time is the American singer-songwriter Mickey Newbury. After his retirement he plans to move to the United States, a country he refers to as a "heaven of music".[38] In 2012, he said he won't move to the United States because of the death penalty.

Personal life

Derksen has been married three times. At age 41 he lost his wife in an accident, leaving him and a twelve-year-old daughter behind. He remarried a younger wife with whom he has one daughter. After a year they divorced. He then met and married his current wife. They don't have children together, but his step-son (son of his current wife) is also working with Voetbal International as a photographer. He is a republican and astaunch atheist.[39]

References

  1. 1 2 "Oekie Hoekema doelpuntte al 34 keer vooor Go Ahead-jeugd" (in Dutch). Leeuwarder Courant. January 26, 1967.
  2. ↑ "Johan Derksen". KRO Profiel. Season 5. Episode 2. 2007-09-05.(Dutch)
  3. ↑ "Jan Bens weer trainer van Cambuur" (in Dutch). Leeuwarder Courant. June 25, 1968.
  4. ↑ "PEC uit Zwolle werd met 3-1 verslagen" (in Dutch). Leeuwarder Courant. August 2, 1968.
  5. ↑ "Johan Derksen van SC Cambuur in het ziekenhuis" (in Dutch). Leeuwarder Courant. June 25, 1969.
  6. ↑ "Bens' selectie voor het eerste" (in Dutch). Leeuwarder Courant. June 5, 1969.
  7. ↑ "Johan Derksen van Cambuur naar Veendam" (in Dutch). Leeuwarder Courant. June 27, 1972.
  8. ↑ "Veel rumoer rond voetbalwedstrijd Cambuur-Veendam" (in Dutch). Leeuwarder Courant. November 5, 1973.
  9. ↑ "OORLOG" (in Dutch). Leeuwarder Courant. November 5, 1973.
  10. ↑ "Cambuur klopt in grove botsing Veendam met 3-1", Leeuwarder Courant, (1973-11-05), Retrieved on 2007-11-12
  11. ↑ "Johan Derksen (Veendam) schorsing van vier duels", Leeuwarder Courant, (1973-11-14), Retrieved on 2007-11-12
  12. ↑ "Veendam biedt Johan Derksen te koop aan" (in Dutch). Leeuwarder Courant. November 24, 1973.
  13. ↑ "Johan Derksen naar FC VVV" (in Dutch). Leeuwarder Courant. December 7, 1973.
    Original Dutch:
    Eerste divisieclub Veendam heeft Johan Derksen getransfereerd naar FC VVV in Venlo. In verband met zijn zeer grote straflijst had Veendam Johan Derksen, die ook voor SC Cambuur heeft gespeeld, op de tweede transferlijst geplaatst. FC VVV zou voor Derksen een bedrag van f. 15.000 hebben betaald aan de club van trainer Cor van der Gijp.
    Translation into English:
    First Division club Veendam have transferred Johan Derksen to FC VVV in Venlo. In view of his very long list of penalties Veendam had placed Derksen, who also played for Cambuur Leeuwarden, on the second transfer list. FC VVV would have paid a sum of fl. 15.000 for Derksen to the club of manager Cor van der Gijp.
  14. ↑ "Derksen onbepaalde tijd geschorst" (in Dutch). Leeuwarder Courant. December 21, 1974.
  15. ↑ "Johan Derksen naar Haarlem" (in Dutch). Leeuwarder Courant. January 16, 1975.
  16. ↑ "Versterking Derksen" (in Dutch). Leeuwarder Courant. January 20, 1968.
    Original Dutch:
    De even verrassende, als noodzakelijke overwinning, die Haarlem behaalde tegen FC Twente, mag voor een belangrijk deel worden toegeschreven aan het aansprekende debuut van Johan Derksen. De ex-Veendamspeler ontpopte zich tot leidsman, die rust en orde wist te brengen in de tot nu toe vaak zo chaotische Haarlemse verdediging. De grote waarde van deze nieuwe linkervleugel-verdediger ervoer Haarlem vooral na rust.
    Translation into English:
    Haarlem's victory over FC Twente, as surprising as necessary, could be mainly attributed to the great debut of Johan Derksen. The former Veendam player revealed himself as leader who brought peace and order in the usually chaotic defense Haarlem has. He showed his value especially after the break.
  17. ↑ "Cambuur kan een mazzelend Haarlem titel niet onthouden" (in Dutch). Leeuwarder Courant. May 17, 1976.
    Original Dutch:
    Thomas Haan greep de gelegenheid aan tot centrale man uit te groeien. Elke actie van Cambuur liep via hem, zo ook na een klein half uur spelen. De Blaauw werd door de middenvelder prima gelanceerd. De rossige spits verloor de bal aanvankelijk, waardoor Johan Derksen hem nog kon achterhalen. De Haarlemverdediger nam geen enkel risico en speelde de man. Vervoort zag er geen penalty in, tot woede van o.a. Haan, die al protesterend ook in het boekje van de scheidsrechter terecht kwam.
    Translation into English:
    Thomas Haan used the opportunity to develop into the man of the match. Every Cambuur attack was initiated by him. So was a moment after about half an hour of football. De Blaauw was launched well by the midfielder. The ginger striker eventually lost control over the ball, after which Johan Derksen was able to catch up with him. The Haarlem defender took no chances. Vervoort did to everyone's surprise not give a penalty, enraging Haan, who was booked a few moments later.
  18. ↑ "Your Route Planner Results". The AA. Retrieved 2007-11-12.
    Your route details: From: Emmen,Netherlands To: Haarlem,Netherlands Distance: 203.1 km Time: 2 hr 12 min
  19. ↑ "Johan Derksen naar SV Meppen" (in Dutch). Leeuwarder Courant. March 17, 1976.
  20. ↑ Harry Walstra (April 5, 2005). "Meppen" (in Dutch). WK '74 finale. Retrieved 2007-12-17.
  21. 1 2 "Noord-Nederland debuteert op vier november in Ahoy" (in Dutch). Leeuwarder Courant. October 15, 1976.
  22. ↑ "MVV contracteert Johan Derksen" (in Dutch). Leeuwarder Courant. March 5, 1977.
  23. ↑ "Leeuwarden - Trainer Georg Knobel van MVV toonde zich" (in Dutch). Leeuwarder Courant. April 12, 1977.
  24. ↑ "Pot en ketel" (in Dutch). Leeuwarder Courant. April 16, 1977.
  25. ↑ "VI - Johan Derksen" (in Dutch). Voetbal International. Retrieved 2007-11-13.
  26. ↑ "Johan Derksen naar Noordwijk?" (in Dutch). Leeuwarder Courant. August 8, 1977.
  27. ↑ "BIOGRAFIE" (in Dutch). Retrieved 2007-12-17.
  28. ↑ "Sportspotjes" (in Dutch). Leeuwarder Courant. April 2, 1980.
  29. ↑ "Johan Derksen directeur Veendam" (in Dutch). Leeuwarder Courant. April 19, 2002.
  30. ↑ "Johan Derksen geen directeur Veendam" (in Dutch). Leeuwarder Courant. April 22, 2002.
  31. ↑ "Boeken" (in Dutch). Leeuwarder Courant. August 19, 1983.
  32. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 "Derksen, Johan" (in Dutch). Koninklijke Bibliotheek. Retrieved 2007-12-20.
  33. ↑ Mik Schots (2007-09-18). "De beste en de slechtste Rotterdamse buffelaars" (in Dutch). Friesch Dagblad. Retrieved 2007-12-20.
  34. ↑ "Johan Cruijff" (in Dutch). Nummer 14. Archived from the original on 2007-09-11. Retrieved 2007-12-18.
  35. ↑ "Willem van Hanegem / druk 1" (in Dutch). Boek.net. Retrieved 2007-12-20.
  36. ↑ "Over voetbal, Hans en ander geweld" (in Dutch). Leeuwarder Courant. October 11, 1977.
  37. ↑ "Cuby + Blizzards" (in Dutch). National Pop Instituut. Retrieved 2007-11-15.
  38. 1 2 3 De Wereld Draait Door. Season 3. Episode 3. 2007-09-05.(Dutch)
  39. ↑ Het Elfde Uur, 2008
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