Pasveer at the age of 38 at Orange: ‘Dream only really came true when I play’ | NOW

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With his debut in the Orange selection, 38-year-old Remko Pasveer is almost the record holder, but the Ajax keeper hopes for more. He can become the second oldest Orange debutant ever behind his ‘neighbour’ Sander Boschker and hopes for a place in the World Cup selection. “Sometimes you have to be lucky that everything falls into place.”

In 2006, Pasveer already participated in a final tournament with a Dutch team, but that was the Juniors. He was reserve keeper in a selection including Klaas-Jan Huntelaar, Stijn Schaars, Ron Vlaar and Demy de Zeeuw, who became European champion in Portugal.

Sixteen years later, almost all of them have stopped. “But Kenneth Vermeer also keeps goal,” says Pasveer on the edge of the Orange training field in Zeist. He thinks deeply for a moment. “I think Ismaïl Aissati is still playing.”

In total, 18 of the 22 European champions of 2006 have put an end to their careers. Vermeer (MLS club FC Cincinnati), Aissati (at the second level of Turkey with Denizlispor) and Haris Medunjanin (Heracles Almelo) are still active, but are in the fall of their careers. Pasveer is the exception, with his debut in the Orange selection as a new highlight.

“What does that say about me? That I have progressed every year, even in recent years. It just goes a bit faster with some people than others.”

Remko Pasveer (left) with Collins John around his neck after winning the European Championship 2006 with the Dutch Juniors.


Remko Pasveer (left) with Collins John around his neck after winning the European Championship 2006 with the Dutch Juniors.

Photo: Getty Images

‘As a trainer you take a risk’

At 26 Pasveer was a goalkeeper in the First Division with Go Ahead Eagles. He then had stable years in the Eredivisie at Heracles Almelo, became a reserve keeper at PSV and was again a regular Eredivisie keeper at Vitesse. He then excelled last season at Ajax in the Champions League. At 37, he became the first multi-million dollar goalkeeper ever to save Erling Haaland’s three shots in a match.

Pasveer seems to be a much better goalkeeper than when he was about thirty. “In terms of experience, I am sure,” he says. “But otherwise it is difficult for me to compare. I was on the bench at PSV when I was thirty. I do not know how it would have gone if I had played a lot then. Sometimes you have to be lucky that everything falls into place, and that happened at Ajax.”

At the beginning of this season it was still the question whether Pasveer would remain the first goalkeeper in the Johan Cruijff ArenA. In the battle for the Johan Cruijff Scale, Jay Gorter got the chance. And on the final day of the transfer market, Ajax tried in vain to bring Benfica goalkeeper Odisseas Vlachodimos to Amsterdam.

“I wasn’t worried at that time,” says Pasveer. “I can’t imagine that they get a keeper just before the deadline to use it immediately. Then you have a keeper who did not experience last season, who does not know the boys and who does not know the style of play. That is a big risk for a coach.”

On the other hand, he understands that Ajax is looking further, with a view to the future. “With Maarten Stekelenburg and I, there are two keepers who will not last another five or six years. I look at it from year to year.”

Remko Pasveer at the Orange training in Zeist.


Remko Pasveer at the Orange training in Zeist.


Remko Pasveer at the Orange training in Zeist.

Remko Pasveer at the Orange training in Zeist.

Photo: AP

‘I haven’t spoken to Boschker yet’

At Orange, Pasveer naturally also looks at the short term. The situation resembles that of Sander Boschker in 2010, who at the age of 39 became the oldest Orange debutant ever and then was part of the silver World Cup selection. “I have not spoken to Sander since I know that I am in the Orange selection. That could have been done, he lives about 200 meters from me in Hengelo.”

Pasveer also hopes for his international debut, although Jasper Cillessen will probably start against Poland on Thursday. On Sunday, the Orange squad will play its last international match before the World Cup in the Johan Cruijff ArenA. Belgium is then the opponent.

“As a little boy I dreamed of coming to Orange. I have now succeeded, but the dream has only really come true when I play. I want to have an international match to my name. And then a World Cup? Of course. If you are now in the selection you also want to make the World Cup selection.”

Standings Nations League group 4 (Division A)

  • 1. Netherlands 4-10 (+5)
  • 2. Belgium 4-7 (+3)
  • 3. Poland 4-4 (-5)
  • 4. Wales 4-1 (-3)

The article is in Dutch

Tags: Pasveer age Orange Dream true play

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