11 October 2024
World Design Embassies
- Design
- Regio Deal Brainport Eindhoven
In this series, we speak to PSV fans from across the Brainport Region.
Joep (18) is behind the bar of tapperij de Zwaan in Heeze when we meet him. He has lived near here all his life and used to collect plastic cups. He loves football and is in a club himself. But there, the third half is still the most important. He remembers his first real match very well. He was a 5-year-old 'little man' and watched FC Groningen against PSV.
Hi Joep, what do you think makes a real fan?
A good fan who does get nervous before a match. That used to be the case with me. My aunt used to take away the coke because my hands were shaking. I didn't always dare go to matches because I had a superstition that I would have a bad influence on the game. I still think that a bit. So when we watch with my group of friends together, we are all nervous too.
Are you also proud of Heeze?
Heeze is just my village, I was born and raised here. I have family, all my friends and there is just everything here. I really think I want to live here all my life. Even if I were to go somewhere else temporarily for my studies or work, I would always want to return to my village. I am proud of the Brabant Day, which is organised in Heeze every year. I also join the 'Blood, sweat and tears' group of friends. We then hear that song all summer when we are building our wagon. So I don't need to hear that for a while afterwards.
PSV's shirt says 'Brainport Eindhoven', what do you think of when you read that?
I don't know much about that but Jumbo and ASML are part of that, aren't they? In Brainport, 21 municipalities work together on special technology. Heeze is one of them.
What do you think makes the region special?
People help each other here with all kinds of things, you can just knock on people's doors for help. Big companies, for example, also join forces to work together here. And we are nicer, I think, than in Amsterdam and Rotterdam.
If you were to say something to the nearly 800,000 inhabitants of the region, what would it be?
Be nice to each other, have a beer and help each other.
Thanks Joep. We will definitely come and order that beer sometime at the Zwaan.