Steven Pienaar, March 2005
The Ajax press department were once again kind enough
to set up a quick player interview for Ajax USA
during our 5th Annual Rendezvous in Amsterdam, March
2005. While the rest of the group was enjoying lunch
at the SoccerWorld pub, Ajax USA's Jim McGough sat down with
Ajax's South-African midfielder, Steven
Pienaar, in the press room...
If you
watch Steven Pienaar play, you'll notice quickness and
toughness, and a boldness that might lead you to believe this
is one brash and confident kid. Talking to Steven is
another matter: soft-spoken and extremely humble, Steven
gives the credit for his sucess to God, to (some of) his
coaches, and to his mother. Now, he faces more challenges:
a former first team star, Steven has recently overcome a
series of tough injuries and must now scrap his way
back into the starting line-up. His confidence was
no-doubt boosted by his recent game-winning goal for South
Africa in World Cup Qualifying against Uganda on 26
March.
* * *
* *
You played for Ajax Cape Town before joining Ajax.
How did you originally become involved with Ajax Cape Town?
"It's a long story, but let me just keep it short...
I came to Amsterdam on trial with another player from South
Africa, but they couldn't keep me because they had so many
players that played central midfield: Rafaël van der
Vaart, Youssouf Hersi and Wesley Sneijder. They can only give a
contract to the people they can keep the busiest. So they sent
me to Ajax Cape Town. I went back and studied with the
national team of South Africa, and Ajax Cape Town came and
watched, and after that they asked me if I could join."
How old were you then?
"When I signed with the team I was 17 years old. The coach was
Leo van Veen, a Dutchman. I trained with them for about one
year, one year with Ajax Cape Town. Then I came and played in a
youth tournament in Holland. That's where Ajax saw me again,
and they were impressed. That's how I came to Ajax Amsterdam.
There were scouts from all the major clubs at the tournament,
and I had a couple of offers to go to other clubs in Holland,
but Ajax comes first."
Pienaar in action against his
former club, Ajax
Cape Town, on
12 January, 2004. [Photo:
Ajax.nl]
And first you were with Young Ajax for some
time?
"Yeah, I was in the second team for six months. I joined them
in January, which is right in the middle of the season. After
that I joined the first team. But I sat on the bench for some
time. That was when Co Adriaanse was still the coach, and I
never played one minute. Then he got fired and Koeman
came, and I started playing."
You didn't play one minute for Co
Adriaanse?
"No, I only sat on the bench, and a couple of times I warmed
up. But I never played."
And then how long after Koeman took over before you
saw first team action?
"Well, I went back to South Africa just a week after he came,
and then I came back in January and I played my
first game against Volendam, and I went to the training
camp and then went back to the second team for a couple of
games, and then began playing in the first team. I had my debut
against NAC Breda. I don't exactly remember when..." [We do:
on February 24, 2002 -
JM].
But you remember the moment, I'm sure...
"Yeah, I came in at half-time, we were leading at
that time."
What are the qualities that allow a player to move
from Young Ajax to the first team?
"It depends on your qualities, and the coach of course. If he
likes the way you play, if he thinks you're good enough to move
to the first team... For me, there were a lot of quality
players in the second team at that time, but with a little bit
of luck and with God's help, I went to the first team."
I read a little bit about an injury you took, a
muscular injury. Can you tell me about that?
"Well, I took a knock in training, just the day after we
played Celta da Vigo in the Champions League. We played a 7
against 7 and I got a hard knock from behind from a knee, and
it was really swollen and I think two days after that, like
now, we were scheduled to play against PSV, but
away. I really wanted to try to get healthy. So I went to
the physio, and he told me to put ice on and when I get home,
to ice it a couple of times. So I did what they asked me to do,
because I am just a player. But unfortunately, the second time
I iced it, after 12 minutes, my foot just went numb. I took the
ice off it, and that was it. Nerve damage. Took me out for four
months. It was sad."
Pienaar in the line-up for his
unofficial Ajax-1 debut, in a frinedly against
Volendam in January 2002. [Photo: Louis van
de Vuurst/ Ajax.nl]
Do you feel that you've recovered from that leg
injury now?
"Yeah, I'm not injured and I'm fully recovered. When
I came back from injury I scored a goal, and since then and I
played all the games, starting. And then a new season, I played
like the first 10 games, 12 games, and then I got injured again
with my knee. That took me out again I think a month or
something, from November to January. And it was difficult
because all the time I come back I felt I was fit with my knee,
and then I feel pain again, and then I felt well again, playing
two games with the second team, and then back into the starting
eleven and I got injured again with my other knee. And now I
just recovered from another injury. Now, my goal is just to
stay fit, to be injury free, that's my goal now."
Steven Pienaar talking to Ajax
USA's Jim McGough. [Photo: Dan Noppert/Ajax USA]
My last question is about your life outside of
soccer. I've read about your involvement with some youth
programs. In Cape Town?
"No, not in Cape Town. I have an organization here in
Holland, it's called Kerk en Actie, 'Church and
Action', to give youth in prison, juveniles, a second chance
when they get out of jail, in Holland. It's working in
Holland, and in South Africa. To give them a second chance so
people can appreciate them and to give them another way
out.
"I also have another program, for abused woman and abused
children, in Johannesburg. A foundation to help them to learn
about their rights, to stand up for their rights, to make
people aware that they are human beings. It's important. I
really appreciate being around women, because I have a mother
and I wouldn't like it if someone beats my mother. And now I
have three sisters. I never had a father, and I was always used
to being around women.
"And also AIDS awareness in South Africa. Everybody knows
this is a really big problem in South Africa. We have campaigns
to give stuff out, like condoms, and doctor resources, and
sometimes companies help out. And so this is to show
people that there is someone who cares."
Ajax USA is grateful to Steven Pienaar for his
time and candor. (JM)
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