In 1989, plans were made to take the games home. The team would take part in a mini-tournament with three other teams in Paramaribo, Suriname’s capital, and the hope was that some of Dutch football’s biggest names would take part. The previous year’s European Championship-winning squad featured a number of players from a Surinamese background: Aron Winter, Gerald Vanenburg, Frank Rijkaard and of course Ruud Gullit. If some of those Dutch heroes would make the trip, the team’s profile would grow enormously.
But, perhaps predictably, their employers weren’t so keen. Gullit and Rijkaard played for Milan, who weren’t happy for their stars to make an ‘unnecessary’ transatlantic journey at the end of a long season. Similarly Henk Fraser, who had made his international debut earlier that year, joined Winter, Bryan Roy, forward Henny Meijer and goalkeeper Stanley Menzo in being denied permission to travel by Ajax. Menzo and Meijer ignored these instructions and flew out to Suriname separately on 5 June, ostensibly going ‘on holiday’ but with the intention of playing anyway. On 6 June, the rest of the squad gathered at Schipol airport.
The atmosphere among the 17 players, plus coach Nick Stienstra, was celebratory. The stars might not have been there, but plenty of talent was: FC Twente defender Andy Scharmin decided to go rather than play in the Toulon tournament, at least in part so he could take his mother and aunt on the trip home; Steve van Dorpel was about to sign for Roda JC after tearing Ajax apart earlier that season; Andro Knel was a rising star and colourful character who would regularly rollerskate to training.
But, perhaps predictably, their employers weren’t so keen. Gullit and Rijkaard played for Milan, who weren’t happy for their stars to make an ‘unnecessary’ transatlantic journey at the end of a long season. Similarly Henk Fraser, who had made his international debut earlier that year, joined Winter, Bryan Roy, forward Henny Meijer and goalkeeper Stanley Menzo in being denied permission to travel by Ajax. Menzo and Meijer ignored these instructions and flew out to Suriname separately on 5 June, ostensibly going ‘on holiday’ but with the intention of playing anyway. On 6 June, the rest of the squad gathered at Schipol airport.
The atmosphere among the 17 players, plus coach Nick Stienstra, was celebratory. The stars might not have been there, but plenty of talent was: FC Twente defender Andy Scharmin decided to go rather than play in the Toulon tournament, at least in part so he could take his mother and aunt on the trip home; Steve van Dorpel was about to sign for Roda JC after tearing Ajax apart earlier that season; Andro Knel was a rising star and colourful character who would regularly rollerskate to training.
A Day I will never FORGET
