Hanna Nobels Secretary at the CBSG ‘I’ll be watching in our garden with forty or fifty people: family, friends and children. For every European or World Cup since 2000 we have built a stand in the garden, with chairs, roof and a big screen, three by four metres, plus a mobile keg and orange squash for the kids. If you are not dressed in orange you can’t come in. Yes, I am afraid I am a real Orange fan. I am not interested in club football at all. We always sing along with the national anthem. I am always really proud of good sportsmen from our little country. I will certainly go to work dressed in orange one day too. Only we don’t decorate the house anymore – we got too many comments about that. Who’s going to win? The best team. I’m going for Holland.’
Maciek Spuś
PhD student at Food Microbiology (WU)
‘Even though I really prefer basketball, I will watch the Poland matches, since I come from there. I might even hang out the Polish flag. I’ll watch the Holland matches too; after all I am living here. After the group phase I happen to be going to Poland to visit family and go to a festival. Then I’ll end up on a square somewhere with friends, watching on a screen. The fact that the European Cup is being held in Poland makes it feel as though Poland is becoming more accepted as a Western European country, with a well-run European Cup as a kind of exam. I expect Holland will be champion. For Poland the championship can be considered a success if they get to the quarter finals.’
Ida Terluin
Researcher at the LEI
‘I don’t run away but it doesn’t do anything for me either. During the lunch hour here it’s nothing but football talk. Whereas I don’t see the attraction of it. Anyway, being active yourself is much nicer that watching sport on TV. But a championship of that kind has its advantages. I live in The Hague. It is always busy everywhere, except when everyone is watching football. Then you can cycle in the middle of the road and go through all the red lights, and it is lovely and quiet at the beach. So when it starts I will just close the door behind me and go for a nice peaceful walk along the beach. On my way back I can tell who won from the atmosphere on the street.’
Pim Mostert
Student Animal Sciences (WU)
‘I am going with a friend to the Ukraine for ten days. First to Kiev to see Holland versus Denmark on a big screen, and then to the stadium in Charkov to see Holland versus Germany and Portugal. Four years ago I went to a major championship for the first time. In Bern I watched the matches in the square with thousands of other Dutch people. The atmosphere was so fantastic, there was such a sense of togetherness. Very different to Ajax matches, which I have a season ticket for. I’ll be taking lots of orange stuff along: socks, shirts, face paint, shoes, trumpets and a Dutch flag. Of course I hope Holland will win but to be honest I think there is more chance of Germany or Spain being the champion.’
Inga Wolframm
Lecture of Equine, Leisure and Sports (VHL Wageningen) ‘The last time I watched football must have been in 2006, when the World Cup was held in my country, Germany. My Dutch husband is looking forward to the Holland-Germany match. But I think I will take my horses to a jumping competition that evening. I don’t join in the football pool here either. For me the sports event of the year is the Olympic Games. I am going to London to see the horse events. If Germany wins, no matter what sport it is, I do feel some national pride.’
Arnold Herf
Facilities manager at IMARES
‘I am looking forward to the European Cup. At Imares I am running the football pool this year and the flags are already hanging out at my house. I will watch at home with my wife, three sons and a few friends and acquaintances. Dressed in orange: shirts, caps and other orange regalia we have been collecting. There is always a fight for my Dutch team shirt. We have orange snacks and drinks while we watch. Paprika crisps or an orange coloured cream cake, for example. The women often drink fresh orange juice. Who will win? Holland of course.’
Rianne van Toor
Student Animal Management (VHL Leeuwarden)
‘My favourite colour may be orange but I am not the slightest bit interested in the Dutch team. Perhaps all the fuss rubs me up the wrong way: screaming people who grumble for a week if their team loses. And I don’t see the fun of watching a ball going from left to right with different coloured dolls running after it. Ironically enough, I will be in Poland for an internship during the European Cup. Fortunately I will be far from civilization and TVs. I am going to go for lovely walks in the forest and just ignore the football. Hating football runs in the family. Two years ago my uncle Nels was fired after he sawed a colleague’s vuvuzela in half. I am still proud of him.’ (VH)
Leo van der Heijden
Buyer for Facilities and Services
‘The problem is that people use professional football to escape reality. They reduce their lives to a series of matches on which their happiness depends. I would rather see people getting worked up about things that really matter. I hope there will be something nice on TV apart from the football. Otherwise I will just surf the internet or go for a walk.’