De Kuip
'The tub', one of the oldest grounds in the Netherlands and home to one of their most famous clubs. Personally, I have always found it underwhelming to look at, and the facilities are poor. It had a make over for Euro 200, but the top tier is very poorly served. However,it does generate a good atmosphere, but to be fair, my visits have been Feijenoord v Spurs and Holland v England, Cameroon and Norway so you would expect that.
Access is excellent, there is a station right outside the ground.
Pictures from Holland v Cameroon in 2006
Access is excellent, there is a station right outside the ground.
Pictures from Holland v Cameroon in 2006
Feyenoord 3-1 NAC 31 March 2012; On the Combi; - It's all gone Pete Tong
The 2011-12 season is coming to a close, and to date we have only been subjected to 2 of the dreaded bus combi's. Both Feyenoord and NEC have one thing in common, if you insist on combi tickets and parking in a secure away compound you will never be able to allow fans to travel in cars. In the case of NEC I don't understand why they can't allow car combis to some teams. Both Heerenveen and de Graafschap have small compounds so they allow parking elsewhere. In the case of NEC v NAC, the Nijmegen side could do the same.
Feyenoord is a different matter, so I guess, unless the clubs agree on utilising the secure access to the train station from the away end, we will for ever be subjected to the buses. And the reason? Simple, to get to the away compound you have to drive through the home end. Yes, that's right, the home fans (who have cleared security and turnstiles) have to be cleared to allow a path to drive through!
The decision to go was not an easy one. Miss NAC has a hatred of buses that goes back to a dreadful night travelling to Ajax and on top of that NAC were winless in 43 visits to de Kuip, managing just 7 draws. And even when the bus departure time of 7pm had been and gone, it was still in the balance as to whether we would make it as, despite having our season tickets and travel permits, one of us had no ID. Yes guys, two 40 somethings were looking at being refused entry on the bus as the lady had no ID!
Fortunately, being away regulars, the security people and plain clothes police recognised us so we were off........having left the camera at home.
So, you may ask, what else could go wrong? Try a goal for Feyenoord in the 3rd minute.
I'm not going to change my view on the stadium from the one above. The facilites on the top tier are unacceptable for one of Europe premier stadiums, but, unlike the Arena, it is a football stadium. Atmosphere was so so. Immediately prior to the game there was flag waving and firewaorks linked to the 75th birthday of the stadium. But the early goal, and the modern day disease of larger club fans sitting on their hands meant, with the exception of the 10 min period just before half time, the noise died.
Few camera pics to enjoy
Feyenoord is a different matter, so I guess, unless the clubs agree on utilising the secure access to the train station from the away end, we will for ever be subjected to the buses. And the reason? Simple, to get to the away compound you have to drive through the home end. Yes, that's right, the home fans (who have cleared security and turnstiles) have to be cleared to allow a path to drive through!
The decision to go was not an easy one. Miss NAC has a hatred of buses that goes back to a dreadful night travelling to Ajax and on top of that NAC were winless in 43 visits to de Kuip, managing just 7 draws. And even when the bus departure time of 7pm had been and gone, it was still in the balance as to whether we would make it as, despite having our season tickets and travel permits, one of us had no ID. Yes guys, two 40 somethings were looking at being refused entry on the bus as the lady had no ID!
Fortunately, being away regulars, the security people and plain clothes police recognised us so we were off........having left the camera at home.
So, you may ask, what else could go wrong? Try a goal for Feyenoord in the 3rd minute.
I'm not going to change my view on the stadium from the one above. The facilites on the top tier are unacceptable for one of Europe premier stadiums, but, unlike the Arena, it is a football stadium. Atmosphere was so so. Immediately prior to the game there was flag waving and firewaorks linked to the 75th birthday of the stadium. But the early goal, and the modern day disease of larger club fans sitting on their hands meant, with the exception of the 10 min period just before half time, the noise died.
Few camera pics to enjoy
Holland 2-0 Slovakia 30 May 2012
Few pics from the pre Euro 2012 game. Shows the temporary stands that provides the bottom tiers along the sides.