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When did you make your Debut for the Dutch National side and against
whom? I made my debut for the national team in October 1992 against
Poland. I was the youngster in the team and played alongside big stars
like Marco Van Basten, Frank Rijkaard, Ronald Koeman, Hans van Breukelen
and Jan Wouters. We drew 2-2 although we deserved to win but couldn't
score the goals. For me it was disappointing because I was replaced after
25 mins (not because I played badly but we were 2-0 down after 15 mins
and the manager then, Dick Advocaat, had to do something.) At half time
he came to me and explained that it was for tactical reasons, but I was
not happy as you can understand!
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Which
players were your hero's as a youngster? I was always a big fan of
Johan Cruyff.
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Which
team did you support as a boy? AZ Alkmaar in the early eighties. They
had a very good team and won the League as well.
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Which
person in the world would you most like to meet? Nobody in particular!
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If
you weren't a footballer what would you be? I went to school to become
a PH teacher because I liked doing all different kinds of sport. I finished
my study within 3 years and really enjoyed it, so probably I would have
done something with my education. I was also interested in the Exchange
Market in Amsterdam and wanted to do something with stocks and shares,
but the combination with football was not possible! The funny side of
the story is that my younger brother Jeroen is now working as a stockbroker
for a big company.
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Did
you realise how big a club Rangers were before you actually joined, and
if not when did you become aware of it?
I knew about Rangers because of the Old Firm games with the Dutch players
involved, vanHooijdonk, Huistra, and van Vossen, but to realise how big
the club is you have to play for it. I had heard a lot about Rangers before
I came to Scotland, because my room mate during the World Cup in France
was Pierre van Hooijdonk. I asked him a lot about the country and the
club and he was very positive. He told me that I had signed for a great
team and club!
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Which
of the goals you have scored for Rangers do you regard as the best?
As a defender I don't score many goals - so every goal I score for RFC
gives me a lot of satisfaction.
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You
lifted Rangers' 100th domestic trophy in their history when they won the
Scottish Cup against Aberdeen in May 2000. How does this compare with
other highlights in your career? It gave me a fantastic feeling to
lift this special 100th Trophy - especially because I was Captain that
day! But you cant compare it to playing for your country in the biggest
sporting event on earth, the World Cup! I think ever young boy is dreaming
about it.
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Is
there any particular reason why No 5 seems to be your preferred squad
number at club and international level? When I became left full-back
for PSV Eindhoven I got number 5 that belongs to that position. With the
National team I play on the same position and always get number 5 as well!
So I was happy that I got the same number here in Scotland.
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Will
you have any ambitions as regards a coaching/managing position when your
career finally ends? With Rangers or whoever? It is difficult to tell
at this moment, because I have no idea what to do after I stop playing
football, but maybe I'd like to do something with the youth as a coach.
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In
your opinion which is the best Rangers Supporters Club that you know of?
(loaded question, careful now Arthur!!!!!) The easiest question so far!
Of course its the Arthur Numan Loyal RSC!!!!!!!!!!!!
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What
would be your typical pre-match meal? I take some slices of brown
bread with chocolate or jam, some yoghurt with muesli and a banana. I
don't like pasta 2 hours before the kick-off.
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Rangers
are famous for having a huge travelling support at home and in Europe,
what does it do for the players to see such numbers travelling so far
and do they know the commitment these fans make on such trips? It
is fantastic to see so many supporters travelling so far to see their
team playing! I think a good example of this was Monaco where so many
fans turned up that I had a feeling we were playing a home game. The atmosphere
is great and everybody is enjoying it, including the players who are happy
to see so many TRUE BLUES!!!!!!! We don't want to let them down and want
to pay them back with a result.
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If
you had your pick of anyone in the world today of anyone you would want
to play for Rangers who would it be? That's for the Manager and Chairman.
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Have
you ever known any other club to have had so many star players injured
in your time at Rangers, and will Murray Park training complex eventually
help alleviate this in your opinion? The last three years were a disaster
for Rangers with so many players out! Although you try to prevent it there
is sometimes nothing you can do about it - it just happens. Hopefully
our new (fantastic) training complex will help the players.
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Rangers
are known as being a family football club, does it make you feel more
part of the club having an RSC named after you, like Barry and the other
Gers players have? It is something you can be proud of as a player
when a supporters club is named after you! It also means that they appreciate
what you do both ON and OFF the pitch.
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What
is it like to captain the famous Glasgow Rangers? It is always great
when you can captain a big team. I also captained PSV Eindhoven, Twente
Enschede and the under 21 National Team!
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Do
you or any of the other foreign players ever read the Rangers fanzines
like Follow Follow or Aye Ready? To be honest I have never read them
and didn't even know of their existence.
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ARTHUR: I hope
I gave you the RIGHT answers to your questions and hear from you soon.
I also want to thank the fans for their support, it is very important
for the players, because WITHOUT the fans football is a very boring
game.
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