Jort van der Sande has offered an insight into life on the paradise island of Bonaire, with the Dundee United new boy revealing that he honed his nascent football skills alongside a future Olympic champion.
Van der Sande, 28, moved to the tiny Caribbean municipality of the Netherlands with his family at the age of three, joining its 24,000 permanent residents.
While the United forward prides himself on a tireless work ethic, Bonaire is characterised by its laid-back inhabitants.
He smiles: “They say “poco poco”, which means “easy easy”. If you are 20 minutes late, that’s no problem. It’s hot every day there, you can’t rush!”
Its crystal waters and white, sandy beaches are manna from heaven for American tourists, with Bonaire’s scuba diving considered world leading. Steps are being taken to preserve the natural beauty of the area.
Some of the best windsurfers in the sport have also trained there, including 2020 Olympic champion Kiran Badloe.
“I used to play football with him (Badloe) in the local neighbourhood,” added van der Sande. “Was he good? Honestly, no! But his father was my coach.”
Love for Bonaire “deep rooted”
Capped three times for Bonaire against Sint Maarten (twice) and Anguilla, he continued: “It is an island that is still deep rooted in my heart. I grew up there and it has always been a part of my life. There is a lot of pride when I play for them.
“Because it’s a part of my childhood, it’s a big thing for me. It’s always a bit difficult for me to explain where I come from, and it’s not that I will brag about it, but it always comes to mind as a talking point for people.
“It’s a beautiful island, with the perfect blue sea; very famous for scuba diving. It’s one of the best spots in the world, along with the Great Barrier Reef in Australia and the Red Sea in Egypt.
“So, we get a lot of American tourists who come for scuba diving and windsurfing.
“My family – parents and brothers – do a lot of scuba diving, and I wanted to get my licence for it, but I’ve not had the chance yet!”
Van der Sande: United was “complete package
While van der Sande’s adventures in Bonaire have been circuitous and exotic, his domestic football career has – until now – been restricted to the second tier in the Netherlands.
He boasts a fine scoring record with the likes of FC Den Bosch, FC Eindhoven and ADO den Haag but always harboured a desire to try his luck abroad. That opportunity came this summer as United made their move.
“For me, it was a great chance to come to Scotland, a nice league and a good level of competition,” continued van der Sande. “It’s a foreign adventure for me and something I always wanted.
“I was keen to pursue this because I played for nine years in the same league. I wouldn’t say that it gets kind of boring, but it is the same again every year. So, for me it was a dream to play in a foreign country with another culture.
“Dundee United was the complete package.”
Van der Sande enjoyed a bright debut in the Tangerines’ 2-2 draw with Luton Town on Friday night, noting: “I had an okay pre-season in the Netherlands, with my last match coming the previous Saturday.
“I had one proper training session between then and the Luton game on Friday. That’s a tough time – the three days doing nothing, then starting with a team you haven’t played with. I don’t even know all the names yet!”
A rookie mistake
However, a lack of familiarity won’t stop van der Sande from pushing hard to ean a starting berth for next Sunday’s Dundee derby at Tannadice.
He is acutely aware of the importance of the showdown thanks to input from his agent, ex-United ace Freddy van der Hoorn, but confesses that he has already made one “rookie mistake” in this rivalry.
“Freddy has told me all about the derby and, also, I made a mistake in one of my interviews and said “Dundee” a couple of times,” laughed van der Sande.
“I knew it straight away, because Freddy told me, “Remember, it’s United, NOT Dundee!”
“It was a rookie mistake.
“I know it is a big game and I know the city has been waiting a few years for it. People at the club have got me hyped for it.”
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