In the past six months, the Dayton Dutch Lions of the USL-Pro league and Toronto F.C. of MLS have become well-acquianted with one another. In fact, it could be said that Toronto F.C. may be enamored with the Dutch style.. And even that this fascination started with meeting the Dutch Lion owners, Dutch Lion Head Coach Sonny Silooy, and watching the Dutch Lions in July and culminated in signing a Head Coach/Technical Director in Aron Winter today who is not much different at all from Dutch Lions former Head Coach Sonny Silooy.
In the footie book The Rough Guide to Cult Football there contains different sections on the pecularities and legendary figures of the world's game. Well, one player that actually played against the Dayton Dutch Lions was included in this new book underneath The Legends section. That was German goalkeeper Lutz Pfannenstiel. Last April, The 37 year old Pfannenstiel took time off from his new Nambian club- Ramblers FC (yes, I said Nambian club) to play against the Dayton Dutch Lions.
That's according to MLS-Rumors, as they first stated on Friday that Toronto F.C. was not only interested in Ent but the Dutch Lions whole right side from the 2010 season; both Ent and overlapping Dutch Lions right back Evan Schwartz.
The Dayton Dutch Lions already have one sister club in Dutch champions F.C. Twente. The Dutch Lions might be going for the partnership treble this offseason... Yesterday the Dutch Lions announced a partnership with a very successful PDL club- the Baton Rouge Capitals. The Baton Rouge Capitals were founded in 2007, and have a strong English influence- with nearly all of their international spots taken up by English players similiar to how the Dutch Lions keep most of their international spots open for Dutch players.
One of the featured players by Radio Netherlands was Regillio Seedorf, newphew of famous Dutch, A.C. Milan player Clarence Seedorf. The 21 year old Regillio hasn't had as remarkable of a career as his cousin yet, with only stops in the Second Division of Belgium and the Netherlands. But, with a nice goal strike at the end of this video, who knows his career might take off stateside starting with the Dayton Dutch Lions
Dutch Lions celebrate their first goal by Julius Wille in the first half. The goal was Wille's second of the season as he leads the team with two goals (Picture by Jacq Roos).
“We’re making progress. That’s the most positive thing. We needed the three points. We are the famous Dutch Lions and the pressure is on us.”
“It was better than last week. We had a lot of pressure in the first half. We could have scored five.” Bas Ent: “Some things went well but I think we can play so much better. It will be better when we play more and develop as a team.”
Quotes from Dayton Dutch Lions Head Coach Sonny Silooy in video below.
Here's a video I took from practice tonight with quotes from Dayton Dutch Lions Head Coach Sonny Silooy, and Dayton Dutch Lion midfielders Alex VanderSluijs and Bas Ent:
I wanted to get a podcast up tonight but my car almost blew up when I tried to start it after practice (not joking) so I've been having a real bad night and got sidetracked. Next week, I'll have one up for sure, as long as my life gets back to normal here.
“(Co-owner Erik Tammer) and I were talking, and we have more than 2,500 people in Dayton coming to the game, great guys on the team and a good product,” Mossel said. “This is very much what we want.”
“I wasn’t sure what the level would be like, but this is really good soccer,” said spectator Matt Horace, 34, who said he has been a soccer fan for most of his life. “These guys are really good.”
“Every day there has been progression,” Silooy said. “This was an exhibition, so we were playing at probably 80 percent. When we go 100 percent, it will be much better.”
