Brighton and Hove Albion defender Joel Veltman has shared his happiness at the club after joining from Ajax in the summer.
The Dutchman made the surprise move to the South Coast in the summer transfer window, swapping title challenges and the Champions League for a relegation battle with the Seagulls.
He’s proven to be a big hit with Brighton, with 23 appearances in the Premier League to his name so far.
Indeed, he’s been a regular in the side since October, with only a place on the bench and an injury earlier this month keeping him out of action.
It’s something he’s more than happy with, admitting he’s extremely comfortable with life on the seafront.
“In terms of location, Brighton reminds me a bit of Ijmuiden,” he told ELF Voetbal Magazine, relayed by Ajax Showtime.
“A small version of Santa Monica in Los Angeles. There is a roller coaster. We have been in that many times.
“A number of players were surprised that I exchanged Ajax for Brighton, for only £900k. The latter had to do with that appointment with Marc Overmars.
“And yes, you can think: with Ajax, you play Champions League every season and not even European at Brighton.”
While life away from the pitch has been largely the same for Veltman, life on it has seen a drastic change.
Going from a giant like Ajax, who are accustomed to title challenges and European football, to Brighton, who find themselves deep in a relegation battle this season, is drastic enough.
But there’s also been another change Veltman has had to adapt to; a completely different style of football.
“My first matches were a kind of hazing,” he adds.
“It quickly became clear that more is allowed in England than in the Netherlands. I am curious about the intensity in competitions with an audience.
“That is where the charm of English football lies. We can hardly imagine a full stadium anymore.”
