Bart Vriends finally got his transfer abroad this summer and he is very happy about it, but the move to Australia has a downside. The defender is on a plane to Oceania during the semi-final between the Netherlands and England.

Vriends himself said this in an interview with ESPNwhere he indicates that he is 'really sick to death' of it. “So I'm on a plane for 24 hours and the Dutch national team is playing the semi-final that night and that is…”

“I still have to organize something”, the departing Sparta player does not give up hope of watching the match. “I hope the wifi on the plane is better these days.”

“I really want to see it, so I'm going to find a way and put an the Dutch shirt in my hand luggage, because we are close to the final,” said Vriends, who said he is prepared to 'pay a lot' to see the the Dutch semi-final.

“I just really want to watch that game and I hope to maybe be on the plane with a few other Dutch people,” concludes the future Australian resident.

The 33-year-old Vriends will play for Adelaide United from this summer, where he has signed a contract for two seasons. The transfer followed a period of eight years at Sparta Rotterdam, in which the man-marker played an impressive 215 matches for the club.

The A-League, Australia's top level and the competition in which Adelaide plays, runs in line with most European competitions and therefore ended in May. The Redsthe nickname of Vriends' new employer, will kick off the season at the end of July with a cup match against Blacktown City.

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