No fan ever wants to feel like their club is not quite ‘big enough’. Certainly not those forever tied to a proud old institution as historic and iconic as Leeds United.
Yet, even during their Champions League-bothering heyday, when they were going head-to-head with the likes of Bayern Munich, Roma, Barcelona and Real Madrid, one of the most coveted young midfielders on the continent still felt he could afford to aim a little higher.
Leeds United already had Olivier Dacourt, Lee Bowyer, David Batty and the rising star that was Seth Johnson at their disposal back in 2001.
Though such a talented array of midfielders did not stop the Yorkshire giants from attempting to test PSV Eindhoven’s resolve regarding a baby-faced Mark van Bommel.
According to reports, Leeds boss David O’Leary had already tracked the £15 million-rated Van Bommel for around 18 months. O’Leary was disappointed to miss out on Ruud van Nistelrooy to bitter rivals Manchester United, and was therefore determined to ensure that history would not repeat itself with another of PSV’s prized assets.
And when Leeds were drawn against the Dutch giants in the knockout stages of that season’s UEFA Cup, meanwhile, a mouth-watering encounter was initially presented as an audition for Van Bommel ahead of his potential switch to Elland Road.
Why Dutch icon Mark van Bommel never ended up at Leeds United
By his own admission, a tough-tackling midfielder who would go on to accumulate more cards than a high-street retailer at Christmas time did indeed see that fourth-round clash with Leeds as an opportunity to catch the eye.
Not of Leeds, however. But of another, what Van Bommel would refer to as ‘bigger’, Premier League outfit.
“Leeds are not big enough for me,” Van Bommel told The Sun in the build-up to an eventual 1-0 aggregate defeat to the Eindhoven outfit. “I want a team who will always be in the Champions League.”
“I know I have to perform well and help Eindhoven knock Leeds out of the UEFA Cup in order to help me get to England.
“I want to play in the Premiership. That is my aim and this is my big chance to prove it. I have to impress if I am going to secure a big contract with a Premier League club.”
In Van Bommel’s defence, he was right about one thing.
Leeds’ thrilling run to the semi-finals of the Champions League that previous season was as good as it got for them in Europe’s elite club competition. In fact, Leeds have not graced the Champions League stage again, over two decades later.
As for Van Bommel, well his dream switch to England would never materialise.
Though six years spent in the colours of Barcelona, Bayern Munich and AC Milan is not exactly a bad consolation prize. The two-time Dutch Footballer of the Year would add a La Liga, Bundesliga and Serie A winners’ medal to his personal collection before captaining the Netherlands to the final of the South African World Cup in 2010.
A tournament which ensured that the abiding image of Van Bommel, in the minds of many across the globe, would become his chest-high stamp on Xabi Alonso before Andres Iniesta set Spain on their way to an era of international domination.
One can only imagine how differently things might have turned out, however, if Van Bommel had been more open to joining a Leeds side who’s fall from grace in the following years would become a cautionary tale for all in football.
Ahead of Leeds’ likely return to the Premier League, it remains to be seen if any of their current crop can go on to emulate the Dacourts and Battys of yesteryear.
Former captain Dominic Matteo cannot speak highly enough of Ao Tanaka, the tireless Japan international brilliant again as an ‘unplayable’ Leeds United thrashed Watford 4-0 at Vicarage Road.
Two decades after Van Bommel told them ‘no’, Tanaka is rapidly blossoming into one of the club’s most complete midfielders in a generation or two.
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