Andy van der Meyde
 Van der Meyde in 2008 | |||
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Andy van der Meyde | ||
| Date of birth | 30 September 1979 | ||
| Place of birth | Arnhem, Netherlands | ||
| Height | 5 ft 10 in (1.78 m) | ||
| Playing position | Winger | ||
| Youth career | |||
| Vitesse 1892 | |||
| Ajax | |||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps† | (Gls)† |
| 1997–2003 | Ajax | 90 | (18) |
| 1999–2000 | → Twente (loan) | 32 | (2) |
| 2003–2005 | Internazionale | 32 | (1) |
| 2005–2009 | Everton | 20 | (0) |
| 2010 | PSV | 0 | (0) |
| 2011–2012 | WKE | 6 | (0) |
| Total | 180 | (21) | |
| National team | |||
| 2002–2004 | Netherlands | 17 | (1) |
| * Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 13 May 2012. † Appearances (Goals). | |||
Andy van der Meijde, anglicised to van der Meyde (Dutch pronunciation: [ˈɛndi vɑn dər ˈmɛi̯də]; born 30 September 1979) is a retired Dutch footballer who played as a winger.
After making a name for himself at Ajax, he went on to represent Inter Milan and Everton, his spell at the latter club being cut short due to several problems, both on and off the pitch.[1][2]
A Dutch international in the early 2000s, Van der Meyde appeared for his country at Euro 2004.
Club career
Ajax
Born in Arnhem, Gelderland, Van der Meyde signed for AFC Ajax as a youngster, and made his first team debut aged just 18, helping his side to a 1–0 win against FC Twente on 12 November 1997. In 1999, in order to gain first-team experience, he was loaned to Twente for one season, and was an undisputed starter for a team that finished sixth in the Eredivisie.
It would be in the 2001–02 season that Van der Meyde established himself as first-choice at Ajax. After a turbulent start, Ronald Koeman was instated as head coach, and the player became an integral part in the rebuilding of the team, making the right-winger position his own. The season ended in huge success as the Amsterdam outfit conquered the double, with him scoring five times in the league.
In 2002–03 Van der Meyde – playing alongside the likes of youngsters as Mido, Zlatan Ibrahimović, Rafael van der Vaart, Wesley Sneijder, Steven Pienaar and Cristian Chivu – scored a career-best 11 goals, while also helping Ajax to the quarterfinals in the UEFA Champions League, netting in a crucial 1–1 away draw against A.S. Roma which certified the team's qualification for the knockout stages.
Internazionale
In the 2003 off-season, 24-year-old Van der Meyde was acquired by Italian side F.C. Internazionale Milano for £4 million.[3] However, he managed only 14 Serie A appearances in his first season, and made 18 appearances the following campaign.
Van der Meyde scored a spectacular goal against Arsenal on 17 September 2003, in the Champions League group stage 3–0 away win at Highbury,[4] as the Nerazzurri were eventually ousted in the group stages.
Everton
After leaving Inter, strong speculation suggested Van der Meyde would return to Ajax, with additional reported interest from French club AS Monaco FC and Tottenham Hotspur in England. However, on 31 August 2005, he agreed a contract with another Premier League club, Everton, for £2 million; on 25 March 2006, in his first Merseyside derby against Liverpool, he received a straight red card for his challenge on Liverpool's Xabi Alonso, in a 1–3 away loss.
In the summer of 2006, Van der Meyde proved once again to be the centre of much speculation regarding his future, having failed to properly settle at Everton, making only 10 appearances in his first season thanks to a combination of injuries and rumours of alcoholism. He staunchly denied any such allegations and reaffirmed his commitment to Everton in June 2006, stating
"I want to stay, I am desperate to stay. I love it here. Everything suits my game. I'm happy in England and I want to show everyone that I can really play football. If I get the chance next season, I will do it."[5]
Van der Meyde was admitted to hospital in the early hours of 7 August, with breathing problems. It was claimed that his drink had been spiked whilst in a bar in Liverpool. He was fined by Everton for breach of discipline and, to further add to a miserable week, his house was burgled during Everton's friendly with Athletic Bilbao five days later: his Ferrari, Mini Cooper, and dog were amongst the items stolen. The cars and pet dog were later found, although the Ferrari had its windscreen smashed.[6] In March 2007, the player accused manager David Moyes of telling 'downright lies' in regard to his fitness, but apologised afterwards.
In July 2007 Van der Meyde played a full 90 minutes in Coleraine, Northern Ireland. In arguably his most successful pre-season at the club, he went on to complete several friendly matches in an attempt to gain fitness ahead of the new Premier League campaign. However, he further cast a doubt over his Everton future by failing to turn up for a scheduled training session.
On 17 August 2007 Van der Meyde was suspended following a 'breach of club discipline', because he had failed to appear at training, being fined two weeks' wages, a total of £50,000.[7][8] The player appealed for "understanding from the club and fans" due to the personal situation he was facing, with his five-month-old daughter Dolce not being allowed to leave the hospital since her birth due to illness;[9] following this, he did not make an appearance for the main squad for over a year, being limited to just reserve team football.
On 7 December 2008 Van der Meyde returned to first-team football, playing five minutes for an injury-hit Everton side in a 2–3 home defeat against Aston Villa. The following month, he was brought on as a substitute in the FA Cup fourth round replay against Liverpool, assisting Dan Gosling's winning strike in the 118th minute;[10] he was released by the Toffees in June 2009, after his contract expired.
Later years
Van der Meyde spent six months unattached before agreeing a short-term deal with PSV Eindhoven in March 2010.[11] On 23 April he made his debut for the club in a 3–0 friendly win over VVV-Venlo, but failed to appear officially during his stint.
In late February 2011 Van der Meyde retired from professional football, at the age of 31.[12] However, in December, he returned to action and joined Topklasse amateurs WKE based in Emmen, until the end of the season.[13][14]
International career
On 19 May 2002 Van der Meyde was handed his debut for Dick Advocaat's Dutch national team against the United States, which he marked with a goal in a 2–0 win.
In the summer of 2004 Van der Meyde helped Holland reach the semi-finals of UEFA Euro 2004, featuring in four games – all starts – and assisting Ruud van Nistelrooy in the 1–1 group stage draw against Germany,[15] but being overlooked for the last-four match against Portugal. Since the tournament, following Marco van Basten's appointment as national team manager and the emergence of youngsters as Arjen Robben, Robin van Persie and Rafael van der Vaart, he failed to receive another callup, finishing his international career with 17 caps.
International goals
| # | Date | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | 19 May 2002 | CMGI Field |  United States | 1–0 | 2–0 | Friendly |
Personal life
Van der Meyde was married, a relationship from which he has two daughters.[1][2][16]
In November 2012, following the publication of his biography Geen genade (English: No Mercy),[1] Van der Meyde gave a series of media interviews, including with The Times in England,[17] in which he admitted to a long term series of personal problems:[1][2] after a difficult first year in Milan he spent a long time on the bench in his second year, and began drinking. Offered the chance to join AS Monaco FC at the end of the season his wife, who liked to keep animals, rejected the prospect of living in an apartment, so he joined Everton.[1][2] When he joined the club he was injured, but after regaining fitness he played regularly for a period, before getting injured against Manchester United; in rehabilitation for six months, after his newly born daughter was hospitalised for six months, he again turned to alcohol.[1][2]
In his second year at Everton, Van der Meyde's wife and daughters returned to the Netherlands to enable his youngest child to gain more hospital treatment with family support.[1][2] He then began an affair, which after denying this for a period to his wife, was discovered after she paid a private detective to follow him;[1][2] this resultantly lead to his divorce, and also a break-up with his girlfriend.[1][2]
After having his contract terminated with Everton at the end of the fourth season due to recurring injury, personal problems, and falling out with manager David Moyes, Van der Meyde stayed resident in Liverpool for a year.[1][2] Moving in with a friend he began a downward spiral of drink, excessive gambling and drug taking, including cocaine.[1][2]
Realising his now depressive state, Van der Meyde agreed with his agent to return to Amsterdam, who negotiated a training agreement with former club Ajax.[1][2] This allowed him to turn around his life, and regain contact with his ex-wife and daughters.[1][2][17]
On 24 May 2014, Van der Meyde refereed the Lingerie World Cup, which the Netherlands won on home soil.[18]
Honours
- Ajax
- Eredivisie: 1997–98, 2001–02
- KNVB Cup: 1997–98, 1998–99, 2001–02
- Johan Cruijff Shield: 2002; Runner-up 1998, 1999
- Inter
Statistics
Club
| Club performance | League | Cup | League Cup | Continental | Total | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Club | League | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals |
| Netherlands | League | KNVB Cup | League Cup | Europe | Total | |||||||
| 1997/98 | Ajax | Eredivisie | 4 | 0 | ||||||||
| 1998/99 | 1 | 0 | ||||||||||
| 1999/00 | Twente | Eredivisie | 32 | 2 | ||||||||
| 2000/01 | Ajax | Eredivisie | 27 | 2 | ||||||||
| 2001/02 | 30 | 5 | ||||||||||
| 2002/03 | 28 | 11 | ||||||||||
| Italy | League | Coppa Italia | League Cup | Europe | Total | |||||||
| 2003/04 | Inter Milan | Serie A | 14 | 1 | ||||||||
| 2004/05 | 18 | 0 | ||||||||||
| England | League | FA Cup | League Cup | Europe | Total | |||||||
| 2005/06 | Everton | Premier League | 10 | 0 | ||||||||
| 2006/07 | 8 | 0 | ||||||||||
| 2007/08 | 0 | 0 | ||||||||||
| 2008/09 | 2 | 0 | ||||||||||
| Netherlands | League | KNVB Cup | League Cup | Europe | Total | |||||||
| 2009/10 | PSV | Eredivisie | 0 | 0 | ||||||||
| 2011/12 | WKE | Topklasse | 6 | 0 | ||||||||
| Country | Netherlands | 128 | 20 | |||||||||
| Italy | 32 | 1 | ||||||||||
| England | 20 | 0 | ||||||||||
| Total | 180 | 21 | ||||||||||
International
| Netherlands national team | ||
|---|---|---|
| Year | Apps | Goals |
| 2002 | 3 | 1 |
| 2003 | 5 | 0 |
| 2004 | 9 | 0 |
| Total | 17 | 1 |
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 1.7 1.8 1.9 1.10 1.11 1.12 Thijs Slegers (November 2012). Geen genade (English: No Mercy). Met illustraties. ISBN 9071359646.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 2.6 2.7 2.8 2.9 2.10 2.11 "Former Everton man Andy van der Meyde on drink, drugs and zebras". BBC Sport. 8 January 2012. Retrieved 8 January 2012.
- ↑ Meyde for success; UEFA.com
- ↑ Van der Meyde's birthday wish; UEFA.com, 30 September 2003
- ↑ Van: I want to stay; Everton's official website, 17 June 2006
- ↑ Soccer star's dog and Ferrari stolen; IC Liverpool, 15 August 2006
- ↑ Van der Meyde hit by Everton ban; BBC Sport, 17 August 2007
- ↑ Everton discipline Van der Meyde; UEFA.com, 17 August 2007
- ↑ Everton star Andy van der Meyde suspended; Liverpool Echo, 18 August 2007
- ↑ Jolly, Richard (5 February 2009). "Everton edge Liverpool in Merseyside derby". ESPN Soccernet.
- ↑ "PSV Eindhoven sign former Everton winger Van der Meyde". BBC Sport. 3 March 2010. Archived from the original on 4 March 2010. Retrieved 3 March 2010.
- ↑ "Former Everton midfielder Andy Van der Meyde retires". BBC Sport. 25 February 2011. Retrieved 25 February 2011.
- ↑ "Oud-international Van der Meyde naar WKE" [Former international Van der Meyde joins WKE] (in Dutch). De Telegraaf. 9 December 2011. Retrieved 10 December 2011.
- ↑ Mersey Beat: For Everton fans, promising Van der Meyde will be the player who failed to deliver; Mail Online, 24 February 2012
- ↑ "Germany 1–1 Holland". BBC Sport. 15 June 2004. Retrieved 13 October 2011.
- ↑ David Prentice (2 November 2012). "Sex, booze and pills". Liverpool Echo. Retrieved 8 January 2012.
- ↑ 17.0 17.1 John Drayton (13 December 2012). "I did cocaine after Everton snub! Van der Meyde bares all about his unhappy life on Merseyside". Daily Mail. Retrieved 8 January 2012.
- ↑ Drayton, John (28 May 2014). "Holland defeat Spain, Germany and Brazil to lift lingerie World Cup as former Dutch international Andy van der Meyde referees". Daily Mail. Retrieved 28 May 2014.
- ↑ Andy van der Meyde at National-Football-Teams.com
External links
- Beijen profile (Dutch)
- Stats at Voetbal International (Dutch)
- Andy van der Meyde career statistics at Soccerbase
| ||||||||
