Peter Leeuwenburgh

The goalkeeper reflects on his three successful seasons in the DStv Premiership with Cape Town City and provides insight into how South Africa changed him.

Peter Leeuwenburgh has left Cape Town City for FC Groningen after three years in the Premier Soccer League. He arrived from his native Netherlands at a crossroads after 10 years as a promising junior at Ajax Amsterdam. Just days away from his departure to the ‘Eredivisie’, he told KICK OFF’s Mark Gleeson of his remarkable tale of adventure and how South African football has put him on the top stage.

KICK OFF: How did the move to South Africa come about?

Peter Leeuwenburgh: My contract at Ajax Amsterdam ran out. There were a few options in Europe, more on the eastern side of Europe, which is not the best part, and also a few options in the Netherlands.

But I wasn’t convinced. I spoke to my agent and said, ‘maybe there is an option in South Africa’. Two years before that

I was here [in Cape Town] on vacation and pleasantly surprised by the city. I thought to myself, ‘if I can play here once that would be amazing’. I had watched a game as well; I think it was Ajax Cape Town against Chippa United in the Cape Town Stadium … I had no idea at that time that another club called Cape Town City existed but that was their first year in the league.

What did you think about the game you watched?

Unbelievable! Quite empty for such a big stadium but the vibe in the stands was amazing; all the people singing, dancing. I remember we were only making videos of the people for the 90 minutes of the game, they were so fascinating.

It’s not something you see at soccer in the Netherlands. It was new to us but very nice. People were so kind, offering drinks to one another. For us it was, ‘wow’. I didn’t really watch much of the game! I was watching the people too much.

What were the mechanics then of your move to South Africa?

I got a number from Guido Seerden, who was a physio and fitness trainer at Cape Town City the year before I arrived and who had then gone to a Dutch club, where I had gone on trial.

I spoke to him about Cape Town and told him how much I had enjoyed it on holiday there. It was him who told me about Cape Town City and so I got a number from him, which I passed onto my agent.

He called John [Comitis], who said they were busy signing a goalkeeper from Belgium, but that it might not work out. He called me two days later with an offer. ‘Yes or no?’. From me, it was a ‘yes’.

That was on a Friday and I flew out on the Monday. There was no guarantee that I would play but they told me they were looking for a number one and there was opportunity for me. I did the contract by e-mail before I arrived.

Did you feel it was the last chance for your career?

Not really a last chance. I did 14 years in the academy of Ajax and so I was convinced it wouldn’t be my last chance, but it needed to be good. I couldn’t afford another bad experience or years without playing.

For me it was about playing. I made sure that I was fit. I was a bit nervous in

“I THINK I WAS LUCKY WITH BENNI [MCCARTHY] AS A COACH AS HE KNEW A BIT ABOUT EUROPEAN FOOTBALL AS WELL.”

the beginning, I had no idea what to expect. I knew about South Africa but not about the way football is played here, nothing.

I think I was lucky with Benni [McCarthy] as a coach as he knew a bit about European football as well, and was very open minded and very respectful to me. We had a good relationship from day one. He gave me a chance, and a lot of confidence.

Did you do a lot of homework about South African football before you arrived?

Yeah, I went onto YouTube straight away. I just put in ‘Cape Town City highlights’ and about 25 games popped up. I watched them all! I thought, ‘OK, this is a good level’. I looked at all their social media stuff too.

I made screenshots of all the

players and on the 11-hour flight from Amsterdam to Jo’burg I tried to study all the names.

Did you get a sense that Cape Town City were excited about you straight away?

Yes! Especially in the beginning, the coaches speak a lot with you and John called me every second day. ‘How are you?’, ‘are you OK’, because I was all alone on the other side of the world [from the Netherlands].

They wanted to make sure that I was settling in well. I arrived in Jo’burg and joined the team to go to Nelspruit for a pre-season friendly against Chiefs. We only had two light sessions before that game, very easy, very chilled, so not really a chance to impress.

Then I was picked to play against Chiefs and Benni said, ‘here’s your chance, go and get it, don’t be nervous, just show what you can do’. I played very well, I felt during the game ‘OK, this is going well’.

I made a good save after three or four minutes already, which is always nice. It gets you in the game. I got a lot of compliments after the game and from that moment I thought, ‘OK, now I need a good week in training and I might actually start in the league’. And so, it happened and I never looked back.

And within weeks of arriving, you had won the MTN8!

It was the best way to start! And in the end the highlight of my whole time in South Africa.

What was your early impression of South African football?

Very serious, but I could see that already in my first week of training. You see it in the small details; the way the coaches speak, the tips they give, the tactical input to the players. In my first weeks, I had a very good impression.

What did you think of Benni McCarthy as a coach and did you realise how much of a superstar he is in the country?

An up-and-coming coach and what he has done now with AmaZulu has been unbelievable … really unbelievable. I think he learnt a few lessons at Cape Town City but he is definitely the best people manager I’ve ever come across.

A lot of talent as a coach, a young coach but he knows so much about football. I had no idea how big he was in South Africa until you get to every airport and he spends all his time posing for pictures!

He got fired because of a bad run but that happens in the game.

Then Jan Olde Reikerink came to replace him. It must have been nice for you to have a Hollander in charge?

Yes. I knew of him when he was the head of the academy at Ajax but I’d never worked him. I was only 14-16 when he was at Ajax. It was nice to speak the same language, we have the same ideas but it could have been like any other coach for me.

OK, there was an upside that he was a Dutch coach but it wasn’t that

I was depending on him and that he was depending on me. We had a good relationship but his departure didn’t involve me in anyway. We go on … that’s how it goes.

When you get to a new place what do you need to do to settle in?

Strength of mind. The first three or four weeks were not that bad for me because I had all the time I needed to focus on football. You have to be open minded and respect the way things are done.

I did not go to Cape Town City to try and change the whole club to the Dutch way. It doesn’t work like that. I tried to study the various cultures in South Africa and to adjust to them.

What aspects of the new cultures you were encountering impressed you?

A lot of respect for each other, praying all together, things like that. What really surprised me was the positive mood of the players on the bench, always very supportive.

In the Netherlands, if you win, then the players on the bench are usually a bit moody because the team won and they know they’ll be back on the bench again for the next game. There is a lot more respect at Cape Town City than in the Netherlands. Teammates are a lot more open, they ask a lot of questions, they tell you about themselves

“THERE IS A LOT MORE RESPECT AT CAPE TOWN CITY THAN IN THE NETHERLANDS.”

and their lives and they want to know about you too.

I felt very respected from day one and then it’s very easy to respect others. You don’t all have to be good friends within a team but as long as you respect each other and behave properly towards each other, you can achieve a lot together.

What South African stamp is there on your goalkeeping now that you are at Groningen?

The volley …

The Khune volley?

Yes. There’s certainly not a single goalkeeper in the Netherlands who plays a volley on the ground like that to a midfielder or a striker. It just doesn’t happen.

In the Netherlands, when the goalkeeper gets the ball, and he cannot throw it quickly, then he waits to see: Can we play it to defenders? Can we build up? If not, then first we push up and we kick a high ball and go for the second ball.

But I’ve been working on the volley and I’ve done it a few times now. It’s something I learnt and it’s a weapon …

Where did you see it first? On TV?

No, in that first friendly I played for City against Chiefs in Nelspruit. I didn’t know who Khune was then and afterwards I asked what was that? The other guys said, ‘that’s Khune for you’.

Sage Stephens and I used to practice that a lot in training, and my confidence with it has grown and I do it in the games sometimes, but only when it’s really on.

I don’t take risks, but if it’s really an opportunity to have a good counter-attack, I’ll do it.

And how do you feel you’ve grown from the South African experience?

Rhythm … that comes from match experience. What I have felt over the last years here, is that I’ve got a lot more confidence. I’m not very nervous anymore when I get to games but there are always those healthy nerves that you have … more excitement.

I know what I can do, I know that I save balls, intercept balls and that I can play as well. I know now more what I’m capable of in games. The rhythm of playing regularly helps you recognise moments in the game, and gains you confidence.

What do you reckon you’ll miss most about the game in South Africa?

The harmony in the team. I was as never much into sing ging because usually we as goalkeepers are out on the pitch already for the e warm-up before the sing ging starts but I will rea lly miss the jokes and the camaraderie.

“SOUTH AFRICA MADE ME REALISE I AM GOOD ENOUGH TO PLAY IN THE DUTCH PREMIER LEAGUE.”

You won’t miss all the flying?

There are no domestic flights in the Netherlands!

You have said previously you were not surprised you got an offer to go back to Holland …

There was some contact from clubs in the Netherlands last year already, but nothing serious came of it. But I knew clubs were following me. I heard about Groningen’s interest at the end of January.

They then started following my performances and with time it became more serious. At the end of March, it suddenly picked up quickly when they decided to come to Cape Town to watch me first hand. And then I was offered a contract.

What is your ambition now?

South Africa made me realise I am good enough to play in the Dutch premier league. II’mm convinceconvinced about that.

It did sos much for me to see the other sidde of the world, I grew up so fast – both as a player and as a person. My ambition now is to simply play at GroningenG and then we’ll see what happpens next.