BACK IN AUGUST 2011, Royston Drenthe was in Liverpool ahead of a proposed move loan move to Everton from Real Madrid when, according to Dutch website hpdetijd.nl, he received a call.
It was fellow Dutchman Andy van der Meyde, who had spent four largely unsuccessful years at Goodison Park and got Drenthe’s number from Johnny Heitinga. He had an urgent warning for his compatriot.
“Royston, I hear you’re headed to Everton,” hpdetijd.nl reports van der Meyde as saying.
Do not do it boy, I beg you, do not do it.Liverpool has too many temptations for guys like us. Before you know it you will be dragged into the nightclubs. Beware that your career is not broke … “
He went on: “Their Bacardi flows through the toilet and you can ski on cocaine. And the women, Royston. Oh man, oh man, oh man. That British women with their short skirts.”
Drenthe’s reponse? He joined the Toffees a couple of days later.
After arriving from Inter Milan to much fanfare in 2005, Van der Meyde endured a difficult period on Merseyside and was released in 2009.
He has since talked about his troubles with drugs and alcohol and going by his words to Drenthe, he partly blames the bright lights of Liverpool for his downfall.
(h/t: The Liverpool Echo via WhoAteAllThePies)