“FRANCIS JEFFERS DIVED, SO I CALLED HIM A GERMAN. WE FOUGHT AND WERE SENT OFF. HOULLIER SAID IT WAS GREAT”
Is it true that Edwin van der Sar had a role in your move to Liverpool?
Yes, Edwin played his part in the transfer. Liverpool had a few goalkeepers in mind to replace David James in 1999, and Edwin was their first choice. They came to Amsterdam to watch him play for Ajax against my team, Vitesse. We beat Ajax 1-0 and I had a good game. Liverpool still enquired about Van der Sar, but he chose Juventus, so Gerard Houllier came to my apartment in Arnhem and asked if I wanted to play for Liverpool. I said yes. I’d already been a fan of Liverpool as a young boy, and signed my contract at the airport in Amsterdam. The next morning, I went with
