The eighteen-year-old Jevon Simons landed at PSV Campus De Herdgang in 2020. After a long period of injury he made his appearance in the Psv U21 squad this season. He leaves little doubt about his goal: to make his debut for the main squad within one year.
At PSV Campus De Herdgang, he learned to live for football. "Last year was really a very difficult year for me. I got injured and went to live on my own in Eindhoven. I only finished my injury a few months ago, while I was fully recovered in September 2022. My father and mother meant a lot to me during that period. They did everything they could, but in my eyes the final step always has to come from yourself."
Culture shock
It was not a foregone conclusion that Xavi's second cousin chose PSV. After years at Rotterdam clubs and one year at NAC Breda, he opted for a longer stay in Brabant. "I could choose between four or five Dutch clubs, but I wanted to go to a club that suited me best and where I could develop best. In my eyes, that was quite quickly PSV."
'A nomination for the greatest talent is not enough, I want to be the best player'
Especially in behavior, Simons noticed differences and had to learn. "Sometimes I sit there too brightly. That was something I had to learn to reduce over the years." In the dressing room, however, he is subdued and prefers to go for the personal touch, says the man with seven KKD goals to his name this season. "It's not in my nature to grab the floor in the locker room and cheer everyone up. I'm someone who prefers to talk to someone one-on-one."
Mentality
The moment the ball starts rolling, the "cheeky Jevon" comes back to life for a moment. "I love the ball tremendously and like to make an action. My preference is a free role on the right side. Every week I have the urge to score, send an assist or turn away from my opponent. I want to be a constant threat."
'If I've been threatening but go home without a goal or an assist, I'm dissatisfied'
"My creativity is an addition to the team. I also bring a lot of movement to the team and have the quality to create and finish off chances. I prefer to score, but I can also enjoy a nice assist," Simons said.
The bar is high
The left winger is extremely strict with himself and does not easily step off the field feeling satisfied. "If I'm not satisfied with my own game, you can clearly see it in me. I was also nominated for Best Talent of the third period in the Keuken Kampioen Divisie, but that is not good enough in my eyes. You have to be the very best player of the entire period. I like to set my bar high. If I've been threatening, but go home without a goal or an assist, then I'm dissatisfied."
