A Dutch footballer is searching for a new club after he was sacked for attending Ajax’s Champions League semi-final win over Spurs.
According to reports, Jordie van der Laan told officials at Dutch second division team Telstar that he was sick before heading off to London to attend last week’s game.
The 25-year-old was subsequently caught in the crowd by TV cameras during Ajax’s 1-0 win at Tottenham’s new stadium, though he claims he already informed the club of his trip before he was spotted.
With his current deal already due to expire at the end of the season, it was decided by both parties that Van der Laan’s contract would be terminated early.
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He told Dutch publication IJmuider Courant: “Of course I realise that it has been a very awkward situation.
“I had a conversation with Piet (Buter, technical director) last Thursday about the situation and in good harmony it was decided to separate.”
Van der Laan explained that he only called in sick because of the fact Telstar’s season was already essentially over and he felt there was little chance he would figure in their final game of the season.
“I called in sick because I was convinced that I would not be freed from the training,” he explained.
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“With this decision I took into account that with Telstar we were no longer playing for anything and I, given the number of playing minutes I have had in the recent period, had only a small chance of figuring against Jong PSV.
“In any case, I definitely would not have gone to London.
“However, I still stated before the Champions League match that I was not sick and was in London.
“So it wasn't that people from the club were surprised to see me on TV. At that moment they were already informed.
“It is still odd that I was seen on the pictures three times with my big head!”
Van der Laan now plans to attend Wednesday night’s second leg in Amsterdam after a journalist reached out to offer him a ticket following a social media post in which the former Telstar player informed his followers that he would be “free after all” for the game.
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