Jan set to face former team-mate Babel for the first time
Craven Cottage reunion - almost 12 years after Ajax
Sat 19 January 2019, 14:15|
Tottenham Hotspur
There will be a familiar face for Jan Vertonghen amongst the Fulham squad this weekend - former team-mate Ryan Babel.
Jan came through the ranks at Ajax with the Dutch international and both represented the first team in the 2006/07 season.
At the end of that season, however, their careers took different paths as while Jan remained in Amsterdam for five more years, Babel opted to move at the end of the campaign to join Liverpool.
Remarkably, the pair have yet to meet on the pitch since that breakthrough season but now, nearly 12 years on, that could all change on Sunday after Babel signed for the Cottagers via spells in Germany, back at Ajax, Turkey, Abu Dhabi, Spain and Turkey again.
“I’ve played with Ryan a bit. I know him quite well,” Jan explained. “We played in youth teams together, now he is a big, massive talent so it will be good to see him again.
“I missed the last occasion that we could have faced each other as I was injured when Belgium played Holland, but it will be good to see him back (on Sunday).
“He’s another option for Fulham up front. He’s a fit guy, with goals and experience in him. I don’t know if he will play on Sunday, but he certainly is a good addition for them.”
The encounter at Craven Cottage will be our first game since last weekend’s 1-0 defeat to Manchester United. That match was our 15th fixture in just 51 days – a very fruitful period for us, despite that loss at Wembley on Sunday.
This week, it has been unusually quiet for our first team as they have not had a midweek game, something which has not happened since November.
Belgian international Jan admits, however, that the break in play has actually been quite frustrating for the squad, as they are eager to get back to winning ways as soon as possible.
“I think as players, we want to be playing as many games as we can and it’s good to be involved in all the matches,” he continued.
“I think the squad wished there had been a midweek game after the defeat at the weekend, but yes, it has been a tough period where we have done quite well, so we want to go on another run now."
