I made Champions League debut against Real Madrid and scored winner against Barcelona – now I make a living cutting hair
DANNY HOESEN made his name with his ability to cut in and finish.
Now he is proving his worth with a very different cut and finish.
Hoesen, 34, enjoyed the best night of his football career when he scored the winner for Ajax in the Champions League against Barcelona in front of Johan Cruyff – in the stadium named after his legendary compatriot.
He also played against Real Madrid on his Ajax debut, found the net against Borussia Dortmund and won both the Eredivisie and KNVB Dutch Cup.
But after being forced to retire aged just 32 with a hip injury that plagued his career, Hoesen has launched himself into a new job as a barber.
The ex-forward is now working part-time at his brother-in-law’s salon Maesons in Utrecht after going through their very own academy to get trained up in his clipping skills.
Hoesen told SunSport: “I had no cartilage left in my hip. My level and the pain were getting worse and worse. I couldn’t finish one training session and decided to quit football.
“I needed something to do, needed to have goals and was looking to invest. My brother-in-law’s business was a golden opportunity.
“In the beginning as a co-owner, I was just in the office trying to understand and help the business but it was kind of boring.
“I always enjoy watching the barbers when they cut hair because it looks satisfying. I wanted to try it myself.
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“I really enjoyed it. There’s not a lot of football players that started doing this.
“I never really had that big ego or thought I was bigger or better than anybody else. So the transition for me wasn’t that hard.
“I always had respect for people because every job is hard – especially at the club, even the cleaners or the chefs or physios.”
Hoesen played against some of the best footballers of his generation on big European nights with Ajax – including Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi and Neymar.
He named Xabi Alonso as his toughest opponent but reckons a shift at the barbers is even harder work.
But getting out of the football “bubble” has been a breath of fresh air for Hoesen, who was on Fulham’s books from 2009 to 2012 but didn’t make a first-team appearance amid his hip struggles and a revolving door of managers.
He added: “In the beginning, I was thinking it would be quite easy but you notice it’s hard work because you have customers all day.
“If you’re a bit late, then you need to catch up, miss your break and paying customers are waiting. It’s a huge focus.
“I said to my brother-in-law, ‘I feel like I played two games.’ I was just completely tired, which is funny because you’re standing still but you also have to realise that every customer comes and wants to tell their story.
“So not only are you cutting hair but you’re also talking all the time.
“I always say as a footballer, you live in a bubble. You’re only around other football players.
“If I stayed working in football, then I would be in the exact same world again with the exact same things. I wanted to do something completely different.
“It’s really interesting hearing other people’s stories as well. That’s probably what I like the most.
“It doesn’t matter what you do, you always have something in common with other people: work, relationships, kids or whatever.
“I have customers who are lawyers or pilots or in the government. As a football player, you just don’t talk to these people.
“I get very positive reactions because for some people this is the closest they will get to a footballer.
“Apparently people thought I was very arrogant as a player so it’s nice for me to show people that I’m a normal human being and always was.”
Hoesen’s brother-in-law Maeson launched the company and has a long list of footballer clients – plus ex-Prem goalkeeper Michel Vorm as another co-owner – with plans to franchise abroad.
Maeson travels to London to cut Jurrien Timber’s hair every couple of weeks, does a few Tottenham players and looks after the Holland national team squad, even flying out to Brazil to keep their fades fresh throughout the 2014 World Cup.
When “super nice and relaxed” Timber’s Arsenal played at PSV Eindhoven in the Champions League, the Gunners defender got in touch and his barber sorted out the entire squad’s trims for the 7-1 demolition.
Hoesen, though, admits he hasn’t got to the level of being trusted to cut any player’s hair just yet.
And part of the reason is because he understands the intrinsic link between footballers and hair.
‘LOOK GOOD, FEEL GOOD’
He explained: “You’re on TV, a lot of people are watching, so you want to look good. I truly believe in look good, feel good.
“So the days before a game, all the players get treatments and ice baths just to feel as good as possible.
“You don’t leave one bit behind to have a good game.
“Everybody feels better after going for a haircut or a shave. You look in the mirror and you’re happy with what you see and ready.
“I do believe it helps confidence on the field for sure.”
SunSport quizzed Hoesen on some of the best and worst haircuts he has seen in football.
He replied: “It’s funny because like Brazilian Ronaldo at the 2002 World Cup, that was a terrible haircut but it became so iconic. That was cool at the same time.
“So sometimes you see that a haircut can be funny or silly and at first people are like, ‘Nah, this doesn’t look good.’ But now everybody over 15 who sees that haircut knows it’s R9.”
But while he refused to heap praise on any team-mates for their hair, he was quick to point out two Premier League players for their ability.
Hoesen said: “It has always been Mousa Dembele and Christian Eriksen. Those two were pure talent.
“Different type of players, but so good. Even in bad moments, those two always wanted the ball.
“Sometimes the fans sometimes don’t understand Dembele but if you saw that guy day in, day out in training, how he can handle the ball, that’s something you don’t see a lot.”