Fans Timmermans!
June 1, 2015
European Commission First Vice-President Frans Timmermans fired up his favourite football team with a stirring speech that inspired them to an unlikely and thrilling victory.
Roda JC came back from two goals down against NAC Breda to triumph in extra time during their two-leg promotion play-off.
That condemned Breda to relegation, while handing Roda promotion back to the Dutch first division – much to Frans’ delight.
The fightback was all the more impressive as it was away from home, and came hot on the heels of a 1-0 defeat to Breda in the first leg.
It was after that first match that FAN-s Timmermans gave his rousing team talk.
Such was its impact that Roda Captain Ard Van Peppen mentioned it in a post-match interview.
“The speech was great,” he said, “it helped us realise we had to do it as a team.”
Video footage showed the pumped-up veep bear-hugging the players on the pitch, before getting himself a traditional match-day pint.
Frans, named 2015 Roda supporter of the year, also took a selfie (above) with celebrating fans and posted it on his Facebook page. Many members of the public praised him as a true aficionado of the beautiful game.
Except one churlish fellow, who opined he should have used a selfie stick to get a better picture. Honestly, there’s no pleasing some people.
Perhaps Frans could parley his man of the people image into a public relations coup for the Commission?
Maybe by doing something to sort out the massive mess at Fifa?
Selfie photo courtesy of Frans Timmermans/Facebook. Frans with fans courtesy of Henk Kuijpers/Facebook.
Author : Heard in Europe
Dutch, Languages & Culture, Sport, European Commission , Breda, Eredivisie, European Commission, football, Frans Timmermans, Netherlands, Roda JC, soccer |