Sam Lammers, unlike some teammates, did not earn a professional contract until later in life, but unlike those same players, he scored his first goals as a PSV striker last season. Six young PSV players figure out how Lammers made it to PSV 1.
Photo
With a nervous look in their eyes, Renzo Tytens, Enzo Geerts, Tim van den Heuvel (all PSV O13), Sven Simons, Luc Netten and Chahid El Allachi (all PSV O14), struggle into one of the benches on the terrace on the pro side of De Herdgang. With open mouths, they look at the fields they hope to be walking around on themselves in a few years. A little further on, Derrick Luckassen gives an interview to the magazine of PSV's supporters' association. "Can we take a picture with him later too?", Chahid, the cheekiest of the six, exclaims questioningly. "But with Sam first," he quickly adds. Supervisor Kim van Lokven smiles and promises a photo.
Meanwhile, Lammers settles into a chair at the head of the table. "Shall we do a round of introductions first?" says Van Lokven. Lammers smiles after the boys introduce themselves one by one. "Nice men, who kicks off with the questions?"
Hard work
If anyone can tell PSV talents how to make it to the PSV first team, it is Sam Lammers. He was never really known as the PSV Youth Academy's goalie thief, but through hard work and a golden tip from then youth coach Pascal Jansen, PSV's current head of youth training, he did reach PSV 1. "He made me a striker again, which has meant a lot to me. Before that I played as a midfielder, but the period before that I was also a striker," says Lammers.
This directly answers one of the questions posed by the six. A combination of the right commitment, mentality, quality and occasionally that little bit of luck, which you can force through hard work, is needed to develop into a PSV player. "After all those years in youth, how does it feel to be playing in PSV 1 now?" reflects Tim van den Heuvel. "Very cool of course, you dream about that. You do too, don't you?" The six nods in chorus. "In the beginning it was a bit unreal to stand between guys you really only know from television. But it's one of the best moments of my career so far."
"Your finest?", asks Enzo Geerts. Lammers ponders. "Well," he says. "Last year I won a Bronze Bull as the Jupiler League's period top scorer and the league's greatest talent. That too was very special."
Sam Lammers cheers after a goal for PSV U21 in the Jupiler League
Zidane
One of Lammer's secrets in the road to the top appears to lie behind the TV or computer. "I used to have a lot of movies at home of players, like Zinedine Zidane and Dennis Bergkamp," the striker reveals after a comment from Luc Netten. "Those were my role models. I put their films on before I had to play matches and then tried to imitate them. Also of Ruud van Nistelrooy, under whom I train myself now. That's pretty cool, of course."
Sven Simons: "As a striker, what is important to train on?" "Shooting from all angles, shooting from all positions. That's what a striker has to be good at. Van Nistelrooy also explains to me how to choose position and how to run smartly to distract defenders. That, too, is very important."
"Have you never doubted your qualities?", Renzo Tytens suddenly remarks.
"Good question," says Lammers. "I think everyone has better but also lesser periods in their career. If you don't score as a striker for a while, you're not completely comfortable in your skin. Especially then it is important not to doubt yourself. Things can always go against you one time, but if you just keep faith in your qualities, you will come out on top. That's really very important."
"And if I may give you another tip it's that you should always have a lot of fun that you can play football. I think you, like myself, started playing football because it was and still is your hobby. You should always keep that. Even outside of PSV. Keep playing football at home with your friends on the street."
