A light-hearted look back at Swansea City's pre-season tour to Holland in July 2010
Footballers often get used to living life out of a suitcase as their career takes them on a footballing merry-go-round between clubs until it's time to hang up those trusty old boots.
Some are lucky enough, and good enough, to continue their love affair with the beautiful game in a coaching role, or even that sought-after position as club manager.
New Swans boss Brendan Rodgers found himself packing his trusty suitcase and making the trip from his Reading home along the M4 to Swansea in the summer to take over at the Liberty Stadium helm.
But no sooner had he got through his first change of clothes, the suitcase was zipped up again and sent packing through Cardiff Airport customs for the club's pre-season tour of Holland.
The club has had something of a love-affair with the Netherlands in recent years. This summer's trip was the fifth time the Swans had based themselves in the beautiful city of The Hague, a stones throw from the new ADO Den Haag stadium.
Those recent trips have helped the two clubs form a close relationship, both on and off the field - a relationship strengthened by the recent arrival at the Liberty Stadium of former Den Haag stars Ferrie Bodde, Dorus de Vries and Cedric van der Gun. And, of course, Swansea City's own Dutch director and long-standing Den Haag fan, John van Zweden, who helped organise this latest tour at short notice.
As usual, there were plenty of talking points - on and off the field.
The team coach hadn't even left Swansea when the panic button was pushed for the first time after new signing Neil Taylor realised he had forgotten his passport.
Luckily for him, the club's media team were able to delay their own departure before whisking him up the M4 to team up with the rest of the squad waiting at Cardiff for their flight to Amsterdam.
Having made the departure time, the squad survived the hour-long flight and bumpy landing to arrive at the team hotel at 8pm; ironically the same hotel the Swans used under former boss Roberto Martinez three years ago. It was the year they won the League One title. An omen perhaps?
But no sooner had the squad settled down for supper, their peace and tranquillity was interrupted by the arrival of Ferrie Bodde and Dutch trialist Kemy Agustien.
And the Dutch maestro certainly looked in good shape following his knee operation as he cycled into the car park on a posh pushbike. But it was that same pushbike and Bodde's lack of road sense that nearly put him back in hospital later that night as he narrowly missed an oncoming motorbike.
Trialist Kemy Agustien also attracted plenty of attention after the former Dutch Under-21 international impressed in training and the first two friendlies against VV Haaglandia and VCS.
It prompted chairman Huw Jenkins to start negotiations with the former Birmingham City midfielder about a permanent contract.
Talks did stall at one stage, however, but it was nothing to do with money! As the chairman stood near the hotel restaurant entrance deep in thought, four Dutch residents promptly interrupted his trail by asking if they could have a table for dinner!
"I don't work here,'' came his reply as he ushered the confused diners to a nearby waitress.
While discussions eventually resumed, Kemy was to suffer a setback in his final game at Den Haag as he was carried off midway through the second-half with a knee injury.
He wasn't the only one to see his luck desert him though after striker Craig Beattie picked up a calf injury during the first training session which ruled him out of any tour action.
And, to make matters worst, the hotel crutches had gone walkabouts on their own, leaving Beattie being given a piggy-bank across the lengthy hotel lobby to dinner by big Shefki Kuqi
"See the things I have to do for this club,'' declared Kuqi.
The Flying Finn had got Beattie off his back before the Swans kicked off their tour with a 4-1 win over VV Haaglandia though.
Due to the fact that the game was played on the new 3G astro-turf, the Swans boss had opted to give his entire squad 45 minutes each to ease the risk of further injuries on a poor surface.
And Brendan breathed a huge sigh of relief when they emerged unscathed and victorious courtesy of goals from Nathan Dyer, David Cotterill and Gorka Pintado (2).
Garry Monk did leave with a bruised ego, however, after he was named on the teamsheet as Gary Donk!
Having trained all week on astro-turf as well, it came as more relief when their next game against local non-league side VCS was on grass.
It also relieved the pressure on Dutchmen Dorus de Vries and Cedric van der Gun who had come under constant grief as to whether there was actually any grass in Holland. Or had they smoked it all!
The VCS game was a bit of a stroll in the park as goals from Pintado (2), Albert Serran, Scott Donnelly, Darren Pratley (2), Dyer, Kuqi and Agustien chalked up a 9-1 victory.
Even the travelling Swans fans got in on the act during the half-time interval as they enjoyed a mass kickabout on the pitch.
The Swans coaching staff reckoned the landslide victory was down to the music the Dutch bus driver played on the way to the ground.
His choice of tunes got the big thumbs up from manager Brendan Rodgers, his coaching team and the female physios on board.
The hand jives were in full swing as 80s classics such as Footloose, Celebration, You're the One That I Want and the Power of Love blasted out.
The younger members of the playing squad didn't look too happy though as they sat there with their posh ipods, iphones and headphones listening to the latest sounds.
It eventually proved too much for Ashley Williams though who was dispatched from the back of the bus to tell the driver to turn it down!
The mood was a bit more somber after the final tour game, however, as the Swans lost to ADO Den Haag 1-0 in their new Kyocera Stadium.
With the large band of travelling Jacks mixed in happily with the home fans, the Swans failed to get out of first gear in the first-half before turning in an excellent performance after the break.
The players reckoned the defeat was all David Cornell's fault though after their pre-match preparations in the team hotel were disrupted by a fire alarm.
The young 'keeper was struggling to iron his shirt for the post-match banquet so he decided to turn the shower on in his room to generate a bit of steam. In fact, so much steam that it triggered the fire alarms and sent the local fire brigade racing to the hotel.
But despite the odd mishap, Brendan Rodgers was still smiling as he declared the tour and his first few weeks in charge a relative success.
"It's been a really difficult period for the players," he said. "But that has come to an end now because the last couple of weeks have been fantastic.''
The next pre-season tour seems so far away!
