Business as usual for Ernie Stewart means tying Dutch
league defenders in knots.
Fans of FC Zwolle, a modest club in the Dutch Second Division, could not understand why Ernie Stewart would weather the blistering cold to watch their team play.
“What are you doing here?” they asked him. After all, why would a First Division star go to a match that only 2,000 hard-core fans deemed worthy of attending?
“It was very, very cold,” said Stewart, the Willem II striker who has represented the U.S. 30 times. “I told the fans I was here for Gregg. Then they said, ‘That’s right, you’re American.'”
Gregg is Gregg Berhalter, the 22-year-old New Jerseyan in his second season with Zwolle. Stewart, 26, is in his sixth season with Willem II. Last summer, Berhalter and Stewart were teammates with the U.S. squad that finished fourth at the Copa America.
Dutch fans sometimes forget Stewart is a star on a national team across the Atlantic.
“They showed all the Copa America games on Eurosport,” Stewart said. “The Dutch are aware of our success.”
But unlike most of his U.S. teammates who play abroad, Stewart established himself with his club before he excelled with the national team. Americans know Stewart because he has spent the past four summers with the U.S. national team. The Dutch know him as one of their league’s fastest players, an outstanding right winger who is helping Willem II chase the dream of playing in Europe. That is, finishing high enough for a UEFA Cup spot.
“Ernie is a well-respected First Division player,” said Berhalter. “He gives defenders a lot of trouble, even though they know he’s coming down the right wing, because he’s so fast. In Holland, everything is a one-on-one matchup and when Willem II gets through the midfield, they look to Ernie. He runs at players all day and hits a lot of crosses.”
After helping Willem II to four straight wins at the start of season, Stewart broke a toe when he kicked a teammate’s heel during a game of soccer tennis, forcing him to miss four games. After 15 games, Willem II is in third place.
Last year, the team also had a promising start, but then floundered. The addition of defender Jaap Stam — a hard man, albeit skillful — and Henry Van der Vegt — a playmaker acquired from Zwolle — is a strengthening that could help Willem II avoid a repeat of the 1994-95 season.
The club also has a more stable coaching situation with Theo de Jong in charge. Last season, Jan Reeker turned himself into a lame duck by announcing his pending departure in midseason before being shoved out in March.
Stewart’s personal success in the Dutch league owes much to the fact that he, son of a U.S. father and Dutch mother, was raised in the Netherlands. That has benefited the U.S. national team, for which he has shown tremendous versatility. Though a winger with Willem II, he has, for the U.S., played as a single striker and as a wide midfielder. Playing on the flank at the Copa America meant he spent much time serving as an outside back.
“I had to defend quite a bit at the Copa America,” Stewart said. “It was no problem. I didn’t mind.”
Berhalter, who sees weekly highlights of Willem II and frequently watches entire games, said, “His role in Holland isn’t even close to what he played for the U.S.”
Stewart says the key to his versatility is the Dutch system of developing young players.
“The Dutch believe children should learn all positions,” Stewart said. “Each week, you play a different position for your team. They make sure that as a child you play everywhere. Only when you hit 16-17-18 do you start specializing.”
Olympic candidate
Even though Willem II has a UEFA Cup within its grasp, it may not be able to hold on to Stewart, whose contract runs out at the end of the season. Then he’ll require a $600,000 transfer fee. While still under contract, Stewart has, he says, a $900,000 price tag.
Either price is probably out of MLS range. Besides, Stewart is in his prime. With time on his side, he could pursue glory in Europe before coming to the United States.
“I think some decisions might be made in January,” Stewart says.
He hopes to play in the Gold Cup, and is certainly a candidate as an wild-card player for the 1996 Olympic team, the U-23 squad that is allowed three over-age players.
“Ernie would be perfect,” said Berhalter, a starter with the U-23 team before Bruce Arena took over for Timo Liekoski. “Ernie is the nicest guy. He’s so cool and he’s the type of player who works hard and doesn’t act better than you because he’s older and has more experience.”
Then there’s the fact that Stewart is an effective attacking weapon. Remember, he scored the winner in the biggest U.S. World Cup win: the 2-1 win over Colombia in 1994.
by Soccer America correspondent Mike Woitalla
Dutch First Division
Nov. 25 in Doetinchem
De Graafschap 1, Willem II 2. Goals: Van de Brink (81); Van Gastel (10), Van de Berg (50).
De Graafschap — Olyslager, Wilnis, Redeker, Hendriks, Lindenbergh, Van de Brink, Oosterhuis, Godee (Paauwe, 69), Fuchs, Meijer, Breetveld.
Willem II — Van Fessem, Latupeirissa, Stam, Smits, Bogers, Van Gastel (Van Zundert, 90), Van der Vegt, Van de Berg, Stewart, De Gier, Rombouts (Lammers, 46).
Att.: 6,500.