Wigan defender turns 52 on Saturday, though he may not be enjoying his day with cake, confetti and cake – and rather ‘fast cars and guns’.
De Zeeuw spent most of his footballing career in the English top-flight, with the likes of Barnsley and Portsmouth, but now spends his time working for the Dutch police force.Speaking to his former Latics team-mate Emmerson Boyce on the latter’s podcast in 2020, De Zeeuw revealed that he is now living the ‘boys’ dream’.
He explained: “I still work with the Dutch police force, believe it not as an inspector, or detective as you call it. I realised that I loved playing football so much that I didn't not want to play it and be on the side of the pitch all the time."I realised I didn't want to be on the football pitch not playing football, so I thought no, I'm not going to do all the badges and go into management, I'm just going to get completely out of football altogether.
Having a medical degree, my first idea was to become a doctor, but at the time the Dutch police were looking for people with higher education to do a fast-track course into the police force."It sounded a little bit like a boys' dream - being in fast cars and having a gun and all that stuff and I realised it was still going to take me a long time to become a doctor, whereas it was a much quicker route into the police force.”De Zeeuw retired in 2009 at ADO ’20 having made just 12 appearances for the club.
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