In the 1998/1999 Dutch soccer season I photographed at the then main training pitch of the Dutch football club Feyenoord Rotterdam. At that time, the training pitch was still directly opposite the main entrance of the Feijenoord Stadium, popularly known as ‘de Kuip’. It was known that the training pitch would move to Varkenoord, where the main selections and all other selections of the professional football club still practice and or play competition. I had a sabbatical from my work and decided to document this main training pitch, or rather their supporters. I did that with an analogue Nikon FM camera.
It was a special adventure for several reasons. The conversations with the group of older men from whom I gained the trust and showed me the way. The particularity – certainly retroactively – of the accessibility at the time of the club, the training sessions, the stadium. The meaning of the club Feyenoord for many people. The history of the club too, about whom I learned more thanks to sports historican Jurryt van der Vooren, nowadays author on sportgeschiedenis.nl who sent me his thesis about the club.
It was also a special adventure because something went wrong during the development of the black and white film rolls in the darkroom. In addition, a move to the north of the country was imminent, while at the same time a health was somewhat confused. I didn’t finish the project, but the memories are only good. Stadium ‘De Kuip’ was built in 1937. Not surprisingly, there are plans for new construction or renovation. It is also not surprising that there is so much emotion among some of those involved.
more about Feijenoord stadium ’the Kuip’ (Dutch)
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In remembarance of Rinus Rotgers
In memory of Rinus Rotgers One of the supporters I spoke to at the time and who later kept in touch was Rinus Rotgers (then 89). Rotgers witnessed the construction of the stadium in 1937 and always followed the club. Feyenoord supporter, but above all football fan. I am grateful that I was able to meet him at the time. Rinus Rotgers died in 2010, at the age of 99.