Former Feyenoord and Ajax goalkeeper helps out amateur side | OneFootball

Kenneth Vermeer is making a foray into amateur football. The 39-year-old goalkeeper is a free agent after his contract with PEC Zwolle expired, and has gone to help GVVV out just before the start of the Tweede Divisie season.

The club, which finished seventh in the Dutch third tier last season, has reported on its website that Vermeer has come in to cover an injury to goalkeeper Ruben van Kouwen. “Kenneth will help us out for a few weeks. You can immediately see that he’s still fit and a true enthusiast,” said technical manager Rob de Boer.

Van Kouwen was GVVV’s reserve goalkeeper last season and made seven appearances in the Tweede Divisie. Elber Evora, another keeper at the Veenendaal-based club, graduated from the Feyenoord youth academy and has been a close friend of Vermeer’s for years. GVVV expects Vermeer to be available for the matchday squad this weekend as the club open their season against BVV Barendrecht.

This will be quite the step down for Vermeer. The goalkeeper initially started his career at Ajax and played for the Amsterdam club in the Champions League against the likes of Real Madrid, Manchester City, and Borussia Dortmund. Vermeer also turned out for Feyenoord for many years, as well as Club Brugge, Los Angeles FC, FC Cincinnati, and finally PEC Zwolle.

He made a total of 218 Eredivisie appearances and also played five times for Jong Ajax in the Eerste Divisie. This season will see him make his debut in the Tweede Divisie.

GBeNeFN | Max Bradfield