Thomas Bertens from the Netherlands
Hello Black-Yellows, although I'm almost a neighbour, living in the Netherlands, I'd like to contribute to Dortmund Worldwide on your wonderful site about BVB Dortmund. My name is Thomas and I'm 11 years old. My father liked Dortmund since 90's already and because of the UEFA-cup final against Feyenoord Rotterdam.
(April 2007) I'm a fan since my friend Matthew Amoah joined Borussia Dortmund. Until now he wasn't that lucky because of injuries and little time on the field, but I know what he is capable of. He can surely help but needs time to play and to get confidence, also from his teammates.
I started to like Matthew in the late 90's, when he came back to Vitesse Arnhem and Ronald Koeman was the trainer. He scored a lot of goals and in 2004 we visited the Open Day of Vitesse and we where hooked right away. My dad bought me a Vitesse shirt and Matthew signed it. My mom made a flag in yellow and black with his name on it and every time we visited a match I waved the flag in the stadium. In fact, all our holidays where revolving around Arnhem, so we could visit the free trainings of Vitesse, to watch them play, collect autographs, making pictures and wave the flag. Then Matthew decided to leave Vitesse to play for Dortmund. At the last match at home against NAC Breda, Matthew saw his flag again and waved to me. I had to come down on the field to him. He asked me to come to the training on Thursday and then he would have something for me. That Thursday after the training Matthew gave me a signed shirt of Ghana. I was very happy about it. So in 2005 my dad said, that during the holidays around Arnhem, it wouldn't be that far to drive to Dortmund and visit a training of BVB. And so we did and drove to the trainings centre near the Signal Iduna Park and saw Matthew, Koller, Rosicky, Dede and most of the great players.
In 2006 we drove again in October, because in that month Matthew has his birthday. It was a little bit hard to find the new trainings centre at the Brackeler Stra?e but we found it and it looks great. If only they had toilets for supporters, because it's a long way from our home to Brackel (almost 400km), so a visit to a toilet would be welcome. After the training we gave Matthew his birthday presents, a shirt printed with pictures of him playing for Vitesse, Dortmund and the Ghana National team and a photo frame in yellow and black with all the pictures of me and Matthew. After that we drove to the fan shop near the stadium and bought lot's of stuff. Matthew was so happy with the presents that he bought me a Dortmund shirt, with his number 8 on it, and my own name Thomas and sent it to my home. We keep in contact by mobile and by email. I find this very special and I comfort it very much.
This year in May, second or third of May, we're going to drive to the trainings centre in Dortmund-Brackel again and watch the great players at work. We hope the security man Gert will let us go to the toilet there after the long drive. I also think that the players must be more approachable for fans, we don't like these fences and gates. Although it's better now then it was on the old trainings complex. We like to see the new coach Thomas Doll at work and hope he will get the up to the place where Dortmund belongs. Keep the faith!!
Thomas Bertens
Etten-Leur
Netherlands
(February 2008) Perhaps it's nice to add something to it. Because Matthew Amoah, Thomas' big idol is now playing football only 10 kilometres away from us instead of the 430 to Dortmund, NAC Breda is close near to us, it's even the club where I played myself for three years in the youth teams. They meet frequently now and within a few weeks, Matthew Amoah is going to visit us at home. Matthew has just recovered from a muscle-injury at his tummy, forced by playing against his old club Vitesse Arnheim. Because of that the muscle was ripped and it cost Matthew his place in the national team of Ghana, playing the Africa cup. He is now doing very well, scored already 7 times, too bad he didn't do that for Dortmund. Dortmund is a big club, playing against defensive teams and that's not the play for Matthew, who needs space behind the defence. So we'd be proud if you publish the mail, we still follow Dortmund, it wasn't just for Matthew we followed the club.
Rob and Thomas Bertens
jonam, 17.02.2008
