Due to the cruel time, only die-hard fans might have seen the equalizer of Ivory Coast’s Wilfried Bony last night, against Japan. Bony is one of seven players at the World Cup, that once where attracted by our technical director Ted van Leeuwen. He took Bony in 2011 to Vitesse from Sparta Prague for €3,8 millions. In 2013, Bony was sold to Swansea City for €16m, after he became topsocrer of the Dutch League with 31 goals.
Other players signed by our technical director are Ghana’s Christian Atsu (Vitesse, 2013) and Renato Ibarra for Equador, who went to Vitesse in 2011.
There are also four players active in Brasil who he took to AGOVV Apeldoorn (now disappeared in bankrupcy). The most famous is Dutch striker Klaas-Jan Huntelaar, who went to Apeldoorn in 2003. In the same year Dutch international defender Paul Verheagh gave his debut in AGOVV. Verhaegh is now the captain of German team FC Augsburg.
Two Belgium internationals also where discovered in the small club AGOVV. Dries Mertens, now with SSC Napoli, went in 2006 to Apeldoorn. Nacer Chadli, of Tottenham Hotspur, was discovered by Mr Van Leeuwen in 2007, at the age of 17.
From his list, Chelsea’s Marco van Ginkel (injured), Vitesse’s Patrick van Aanholt and Japanese striker Mike Havenaar where at the last moment not selected.
