Dutch professional footballers can be found in all corners of the world, from the spotlights of the major European leagues to the more adventurous employments on other continents. In the Over de Grens section, Voetbalzone speaks weekly with a player who is active outside the national borders. This time focusing on Justin Hubner, who signed his first professional contract with Wolverhampton Wanderers last week.

By Thijs Verhaar

“Haha no, the working language is just English during training, although at least half of the players speak Portuguese”, Hubner says with a relaxed smile on his face. He knows that a lot of people at Wolverhampton Wanderers think mainly of the Portuguese influences. “In the first team we have ten Portuguese players in addition to the coach and the technical staff, and many talents also come from that region in the youth. I am the only Dutchman myself, but I feel very much at home in this group ”, said the just seventeen-year-old center-back, who made the switch from FC Den Bosch to the Premier League club last January.

That transfer to the Wolves he calls a dream come true, but for a long time it seemed that Dutch talent would spread its wings to Bologna in Italy. “I even did an internship there and played test matches. Just as I was about to take the plunge, however, there were a lot of other offers coming in and a switch to the best league in the world I simply couldn’t pass up, even if it’s by no means a guarantee that I will the first team is going to kick ”, says the self-assured Hubner, who assumes the best. “I realize very well that this is a unique opportunity and I give everything for it.”

Of course he knows about the long list of players who tried their luck abroad at a young age and failed. “It can go like this, yes. But they did have a good football education for years, which they benefited from later. You will never be less of that. I also notice a big difference here with Den Bosch. The facilities are incredibly good and a clear development plan is ready for every youth player. ” Hubner basically plays his matches with the Under-18s this season, but also regularly trains with the Under-23, the club’s highest youth team. “And I have even been able to participate with the first team a number of times”, he reveals with a proud undertone.

Shortly before the outbreak of the corona virus, Hubner was on the field with stars such as Raúl Jiménez, Leander Dendoncker, João Moutinho and Adama Traoré with a strongly increased heart rate. The latter in particular made a big impression on the Dutch youth international, which has never before played against such a power person as the Spaniard. “He is so fast and strong. That is really not normal. It is quite different to have to defend such players. ” A laugh follows. “I can’t say I was the boss, but I think it went pretty well. Only the first time I was really nervous and the times after that it didn’t feel so strange anymore. It is not that I have been chatting very extensively with those guests, but I did thank them nicely and made a small chat. The rest will come when I can really join the first. “

Justin Hubner: ‘Adama Traoré is so fast and strong. That is really not normal. A top top player. ‘

His ambition is to make his Premier League debut before the age of 18, so Hubner is counting on getting the chance from head coach Nuno Espírito Santo this season. “They rightly say here that age doesn’t matter and there are a lot of youth players on the bench, who can fill in if the situation lends itself to it.” For example, the only seventeen-year-old Luke Matheson recently made his debut in an EFL Cup and it is in line with expectations that the Englishman will soon also have opportunities in the Premier League, Hubner confirms. “It is therefore possible and I work very hard for it every day. The only thing that matters here is that you continuously show that you are good enough, so I am working very hard on that. ”

The defender describes himself as a strong player who can and dares to build. “The first team plays with three central defenders and the team wants to play football, so that in itself suits me very well. It is important that I become physically stronger and stay focused even better. Now there are moments when I am not completely there for a while ”, it sounds guilty. Hubner knows he is judged on his youth performances and is therefore disappointed that the match against Manchester City Under-18 was recently lost 4-1. “It was a wonderful experience to play against such a huge club, but the result was not what we hoped for. I didn’t play bad myself and neither did the team, but the numbers never lie. We will eventually be judged on that, ”said the left leg.

Hubner now lives with a host family with an English family with Jamaican roots. “Very different from my own parents of course, but they are super nice to me and try to help me with everything.” The youngster honestly admits that he was ‘not a star’ at school and his English was not very good either when he first entered the complex. the Wolves reported. “That was around Christmas and luckily my parents were there. The people understood what I meant, but it was not very easy. I knew right away that I wanted to stay here, because everything is perfectly arranged and the level is top. And my English has also gotten a lot better now that I have to do everything myself ”, says Hubner.

“It was quite tough when my parents flew home and I was left alone, but it’s nice that we can make a lot of phone calls and facetimes. My host parents also help me well and I live here with another boy from the club with whom I get along well. ” In principle, the club arranges airline tickets for his parents every month, but due to the corona virus, it has now been quite a while since the seventeen-year-old saw his father and mother. “That is less natural, but unfortunately it is no different”, Hubner says soberly. “They always said this was my best chance to get far and they let me make my own choice. I have to give something for it, but this remains a unique opportunity to grow into the best competition in the world. ”

Hubner once started at VV TGG, was picked up by Willem II in 2013 and joined FC Den Bosch in 2017.

The virus also ensures that he cannot be called up for the Dutch youth teams, where currently only players from the national competitions are selected. “Maybe I would have had a better chance at this point if I still played at Den Bosch, but in the end I think I make more impression as a Wolves player,” argues Hubner. He is of the opinion that, with a view to an international career, he had to leave the Brabant Kitchen Champion Division club anyway. “It was a very good time there, but I didn’t really have the feeling that the youth scouts of Orange were seriously looking at Den Bosch. I was only allowed to participate in a practice match once and saw mainly players from larger clubs being called up ”, said De Bosschenaar. “At the club they knew about my ambition and luckily everyone was happy for me when I told the news.”

The youngster said he was also in the interest of Ajax at the end of last year, but it had not come to an official offer last season anyway. As a result, Hubner preferred clubs that wanted to welcome him in January. “I first went to see Bologna and when Wolves came forward, I didn’t have to hesitate for long. That is much easier in terms of language and it remains the Premier League ”, he still exclaims a good nine months later. “I can now say that I have absolutely no regrets about my choice. For the time being I play everything in the youth and see how far I get. In the first there are very good defenders, but I feel that I am also getting better ”, the Dutchman with Indonesian background concludes. “My father comes from there, so after my transfer I suddenly got a lot of Indonesian followers on Instagram. It was really crazy to suddenly be in the spotlight like that, but if I keep doing it right, this is only the beginning. ”