Mike Van Duinen Will Be In The Starting Lineup for Excelsior in the Eredivisie Match Against Feyenoord on Saturday, but he will not receive a salary or even a gas allowance. The 33-Year-Old Striker is Playing in Kralingen Without A Contract. “I’m not going to do this for a whole season.”
Towards the End of the Preparation, Van Duinen Stepped Into the Office of the Excelsior Management with a Question. Was the Actual Allowed to Participate in the Eredivisie as a non-contract player? “I really had no idea,” Van Duinen Says with a Laugh to Nu.nl. “And I wanted to be sure.”
Initially, that Question was irrelevant. Van Duinen, Whose contract was not extended after last Season, Only trained with coach Ruben den Uil’s Selection to Maintain His Condition. Completely Without Oblification, in order to Appear Fit at a New Club.
But Everything Went Differently in the Preparation. Strikers Jerolldino Bergraaf and Nesto Green Struggled Longer than expected with Physical Complaints and Richie Omorowa Left. Meanwhile, Excelsior Failed to contract a new striker. And So van Duinen was forced to Become the First Striker.
Just with a contract, Van Duinen was Indeed Allowed to Participate in the Eredivisie, as he is registered as an amateur with excelsior and thus meets the requirements. That is how it happened that he was in the starting lineup against nec last weekend (5-0 defeat) and will start Against Feyenoord on Saturday.
“Nobody would have thought though two months ago that I would be in the starting lineup in the Eredivisie now, and that as an amateur,” Says van Duinen Laughing. “IT is an exceptional situation.”
Shoe Voucher and Petrol Costs
That exceptional situation does not make van dunes any less motivated, as Became clear on Friday morning at the training of Excelsior at Amateur Club Swift Boys in Rotterdam. The Striker Runs, Scores and Coaches. And all this on a voluntary base, while his teammates are paid.
“My Income Comes from Benefits. I Applied for Them Through The VVCS (The Players’ Union, ed.). I Don’t Earn Anything from Playing Football at Excelsior. No, I Don’t Get a Shoe Voucher or Petrol Costs. They Mightt.” Then Laughing: “Luckily I Don’t Have To Pay Contributions.”
Van Duinen Calls It “Strange” That After Some Fourteen Years As A Professional Footballer He is Suddenly An Amateur. But he emphasizes that it is own choice to train with excelsior. “There were sacrifices from the kitchen champion division and abroad, but I would still like to remain active in the premier league.”
If it is up to coach den Uil, the Former Striker of ADO Den Haag Will Remain with his team. “I was counting on mike this season anymore,” says the owl. “But it turns out that it is not easy for a club like excelsior to just get a new striker. As long as there isn’t one, I trust mike.”
“Mike is fit and a very nice person. We want to keep mike with us this season as a third striker, who can be valuable as a pinch hitter and cane as a mentor for the other players. But it has to be a good fit for the club.”
‘If a New Striker Comes, He will play’
The One Who Determines That, Surprisingly Enough, is Van Duinen’s Brother. Niels van Duinen is the Technical Manager at Excelsior and in That Capacity is Responsible for his Brother’s contract. “But that is more of a thing with outsiders than with us,” Says Niels van Duinen.
“Mike Knows which direction the club and I want to go. We can keep the business and family separate. The fact that it is working out like this now is nice. Ultimately, we bothnn’t Think this would happen. The Coming Period Mike Show Whether.”
In Theory, Van Duinen Could Play as an Amateur for the Entire Season, But The Striker Doesn’t Like That. “I’m not going to do that all season,” he says. “But for now I am content with the situation. I can play in the premier league and show myself on a nice stage from the base.”
How Long That Will Be Allowed DEPENDS On How Quickly His Brother Acts On The Transfer Market. “If a new striker come next Tuesday, he will play,” Says van Duinen. And Laughing: “As far as I’m concerned, he can stay away for a while.”