Just before the end of the year, the 28 year old goalkeeper Warner Hahn joined RSC Anderlecht. The Dutchman reveals 11 things you didn’t yet know about him.
- This article first appeared in the Matchday Newsletter from Friday January 8th. Subscribe here to be the first to receive updates like this.
- Why Warner became a goalkeeper
At young age Warner played basketball, while all of his friends chose football. “I wanted to join in, but the only place they had left for me was the goal. Since then, I’ve always been a goalkeeper.”
- Positive, yet impatient
To say it in his own words: “My biggest quality is my positivity. On the other hand, I’m a bit impatient.”
- What motivates him
Clean sheets are what drive me: “They are as important to me as scoring is for a striker. To be able to prevent someone from scoring, that truly gives you a mental boost.”
- His favourite players
His favourite goalkeeper is Gianluigi Buffon. “Such a long career on a high level, I can only respect that.” The outfield player he admires the most is his fellow Dutchman Patrick Kluivert.
- Arsenal, Ajax, RSCA ...
When he was 16 years old, big clubs like Arsenal followed him closely. Still, RSC Anderlecht is his first foreign club. “I got the opportunity to go to Ajax back then, and with their academy, there’s no need to go abroad. I’ve spent my young years there, and I really liked it. The experience I gained there also helped me throughout my career.”
“On the other hand, I did also have some bad luck with injuries which prevented me from joining foreign clubs as well. But I am really happy to join Anderlecht now. It’s a big name, with a very good name in Europe. Everything is organized really professionally. And to be able to work with someone like Vincent Kompany is something I’m looking forward to as well.”
- Michel Vlap’s chip
At Anderlecht, Warner Hahn meets his former teammate Michel Vlap again. At Heerenveen, Michel was able to score a beautiful goal against AZ Alkmaar because of a golden tip from Warner Hahn: “I noticed that their goalkeeper always plays far away from his goal. I told Mich, and he gratefully used that by scoring with a beautiful chip against them. I always study the opponent closely, and if that can help us to win games, that’s great.”
- A goalkeeper with good feet
Warner Hahn describes himself as a goalkeeper who with good feet. “Attractive football starts from the back. That’s something I learned and worked on at Ajax.”
- The best moments in his career
The biggest moments in his career were the (lost) cup final in 2015 with PEC Zwolle and the won cup final with Feyenoord. “Even though I did not play in that cup, it is still a good memory. But the most memorable moment in my career was the promotion to the Eredivisie with FC Dordrecht in 2014. A great accomplishment for a small club with a limited budget.”
- Double nationality
Warner Hahn has a double nationality: Dutch and Suriname. While he played for the Dutch national youth teams in the past, he got a call-up for the Suriboys in March. Sadly, the game was called off because of Covid.
- Get to know Belgium
Hahn moved to Belgium, and says he won’t miss Holland at all. “I’m really liking this new adventure. New country, new city. I want to get to know everything Belgium has to offer!”
- Tennis, basketball, yoga and his daughter
Besides football, Warner plays tennis and basketball. “But the biggest love in my life is my daughter, aged 2,5, who I spend a lot of time with. I like yoga as well, thanks to my wife who gives yoga classes. But I don’t see it as a hobby, for me it’s more a way to become better as a player.”
