Van der Vaart has his Priorities Straight
In former Hamburg manager Huub Stevens’ new biography, he reveals that his midfield star, Rafael Van der Vaar (now with Real Madrid) purposefully got booked last season in order to induce a suspension so he could attend his wife Sylvie’s 30th birthday party.
His former manager claims that in the 28th league game of the 2007/2008 season, Hamburg lost at home to Duisburg.
Before the match had begun, Stevens said to his assistant: “Van der Vaart will deliberately pick up a fifth yellow card. His wife is celebrating her 30th birthday and he wants to be there.”
Stevens was right. Van der Vaart kicked the ball away after the referee had blown the whistle and duly earnt a yellow card.
Three days later the team played Hertha BSC in Berlin – without superstar Rafael – where they drew 0-0. And there was one happy WAG, Sylvie van der Vaart, who got to celebrate her birthday with her husband.
Normally, a revelation like this would evoke mocking jokes about how Van der Vaart is whipped and that his wife must keep his balls in her purse, etc. But, uh…
Sorry, I got lost in the picture above. What were we talking about again? What time is it? Where are my pants?
[Source: Bild]
Tags: biography, Hamburg, Huub Stevens, Rafael Van der Vaart, Real Madrid, Sylvie Van der Vaart
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