Exiled Bull on Richard Sneekes off-field talents:
On page 64 in each Albion News this season sits the Hereford United page. Oh it’s not billed as such, rather it’s the Richard Sneekes column but the contents are pure Bulls (no, not like that).
His first column explained how the move came about (being on the same coaching course as Ben Smith was a key factor) with a wistful plea that he’d like to see more Hawthorns regulars at Edgar Street.
His second effort featured the trip to Villa and the frank admission that Fourth Division players have to be told repeatedly to do something before it sinks in. He maintains that he’s really enjoying his new job.
So much old flannel you might think but not necessarily so. Richard marches to the sound of a different drum. He does his own thing and says what he means, rarely dipping into the footballers’ dictionary of clichés. It’s all the more remarkable when you consider English is not his first language.
The more mature of my two readers will recall the Sports Argus, a Birmingham-based Saturday “pink”, which could be bought in Hereford if you knew where to look. In the mid to late 1990’s, it was selling 60,000 copies and was a major opinion-shaper across Birmingham and the Black Country.
The editors were willing to push the envelope occasionally. Even I had my own column for several seasons. Someone identified that a certain long-haired Dutch midfielder was highly articulate and asked him to contribute. Unusually, Richard penned his own words, with no ghost writer involved. Richard just went for it with brutal, heartfelt honesty. Hard to remember all the details now after such a long time but one familiar theme was that he was homesick for his native Holland. His younger children were English born and believed themselves to be English and so didn’t want to go.
Overall, Sneekes’ observations made for brilliant copy but soon “party A” felt slighted while “Party B” was dismayed that his peccadilloes were now in the public domain.
Chastened, “King Dick” toned down his copy and then quickly wearying of such bland dross, bailed out. Another player took over and the column subsided into ghost written generalities once more.
A certain programme editor never forgot those slices of insight and around four years ago, Richard was asked if he would write for the Albion News. Since then, he’s been sharing his personal non-ghost written thoughts on international football (the Ajax way is generally the best way according to him), the progress of the host club and how youth football in the UK needs to be revamped. In fairness, he’s practised what he preaches for the latter, investing much time in building up his kids coaching activities all over the Black Country. The continued advert in the programme underlines that the business is still very active.
This season, noting his increased workload, his contribution has shrunk from two pages to one but, as noted earlier, its pure United. Frankly I’m a bit jealous. I can’t get away with such comprehensive detail on an outside club without endless moaning that “he’s off again.” Believe me, I’ve tried.