Vicente Besuijen knows – after five months at Aberdeen – there’s still so much to achieve on the pitch and experience off it.
Speaking exclusively to the Press and Journal amid the history, trophies and memorabilia of the Pittodrie boardroom, the Colombian-born Dutch-raised attacker was enthusiastic and open about his time in the north-east, and with the region’s biggest club, so far.
He was happy to chat about the process of adapting his own game to the demands of the Premiership, following his 500,000 euro January move from ADO Den Haag, as well as the Dons’ desperately disappointing campaign.
But Besuijen was also willing to give an engaging insight into his origins, international ambitions, family and life away from football.
Red Army have only seen Besuijen at ‘six out of 10’ as he continues to adapt to Scottish football
It has been a tumultuous season at Aberdeen, with Stephen Glass axed not long after the Red Army-christened “Vinny” arrived and Jim Goodwin brought in to fill the dugout void.
But the months after Goodwin’s arrival saw the Reds continue to struggle, and they ultimately laboured to a 10th-placed finish in the top-flight.
The new boss’ dramatic rebuild will go into high gear now the season is over.
Besuijen – a significant investment with four years left on his deal, and one who has shown glimpses of significant talent in 15-or-so appearances so far – is one player who will still be at Pittodrie next term.
And the still-recent arrival feels, in a personal sense, the groundwork has been laid for him to help power Aberdeen back to where they ‘belong’ after the summer.
Besuijen said: “Outside of football you need to be good and stable, and I think people underestimate that.
“The club has helped me a lot with my apartment. Even when my family wants to come over and visit the game, there aren’t any problems and that feels good for me.
“Football-wise, I scored two goals, I’m in the starting 11, I have the goal of the season. So I think these are good things.
“Of course, we wanted better results, but you can’t change that. And how I look about that is just focus on the next season – be prepared the best that we can to bring everything back to where they belong.”
Besuijen scores Aberdeen’s goal of the season:
Although there was the shockwave of the change in the coaching staff to cope with early in his Dons spell, Besuijen says he quickly struck up a ‘good connection’ with new boss Goodwin – and his performances have continued on an upward trajectory since.
On the differences he’s found between the Dutch and Scottish domestic games, Besuijen – who says fans have only seen him performing (at most) at a ‘six out of 10 so far’ – noted more physicality on these shores, explaining: “I still need to adapt because Scotland, sometimes, they just kick the ball on, and we like to play. Even our team just sometimes (goes over the top).
“It’s different than Dutch football – we always build up in triangles and stuff like that.
“But that’s why I came here. I want to learn a different country, the way how they play, and it can make me better as well. So I’m not done, it’s just half of a season.
“I think I dribble more in Holland because it was more easier. Here the defenders are sometimes five behind (the ball), so you need to make your action in the right moment.
“It’s more for big men football and not little men.”
When he arrived on these shores, Besuijen was labelled as a player who could play wide and as a striker.
Most of his appearances so far have seen him utilised in the former role, and he feels, given the size of Scottish centre-halves he’s now played against, he’d be better in a two if he’s deployed upfront for Aberdeen in the future, saying: “As a winger, I can do my one versus ones, so I like that.
“And if you have a big striker I can go off of him because the defenders are tall and I’m not that tall. (But) I can change direction quick and get my shots on goal.”
Besuijen has been struck by the spotlight on him as an Aberdeen player in the Granite City, in comparison to what he experienced while starring for Den Haag.
The diminutive Dutchman is confident a rebuilt Aberdeen can improve in terms of results next season, but he is also keen to enjoy himself – and bring enjoyment to the passionate fans who often approach him “in restaurants and even in the city, before kick-off”.
He said: “Aberdeen belongs in the top six, so everybody’s disappointed.
“Goals is like enjoyment. I’m a player that likes to enjoy.
“Of course I want to make goals and assists, but I want to make actions, combinations, attitude, tekkers – give them a show.
“That’s what I want and, of course, victory. And if we win every game and we give them a show, I’m happy.”
Bogota-born Besuijen on family, love of north-east and forging bond with Dons team-mates
Besuijen’s journey to this point in his life is an interesting one.
Born in Bogota, Colombia, he was adopted at three months old by his Dutch parents, which is how he ended up growing up across the Atlantic in the Netherlands.
He spent time in the youth academies of Ajax, Volendam and Italian giants Roma before making the breakthrough at Den Haag.
He was a mainstay in the Eredivisie last term during their relegation season and, before his move to Scotland in January, was laying on assists and scoring goals at will in the Dutch second tier.
Besuijen revealed he has recently reconnected with his biological sister back in Colombia – the day of the interview was also her birthday – and family in general is clearly a keystone for him.
The support of his parents, who’ve visited ‘five or six times’ to watch him play in the closing months of the Dons’ campaign, has helped him transition into life in Aberdeen.
While the younger Vicente enjoys Nando’s – he was heading to Union Square with team-mates Dante Polvara and Celtic loanee Adam Montgomery after our chat – the elder Besuijens prefer eateries like the Silver Darling and Amarone when they’re in the city.
The Silver Darling is ideally located for visiting Aberdeen Beach, of course, which both the player and his parents enjoyed.
He said: “Yeah, my parents they like to visit things and go to the beach.
“And, what else? How do you call it… I don’t know the word in English, but it is a big thing at the beach. Not a castle. How do you call it? Is it a fire turn?
“Like, it’s really big. It’s tall. It’s like for the ships, for the boats, beside the Silver Darling…”
Besuijen’s phrase – ‘fire turn’ – proved to be wonderfully literal description of the Girdleness lighthouse nearby.
It’s clear he likes to explore the world around him, and the player added: “I like the nature as well. And I didn’t think that I would like the nature in a different country, but it gives me peace.
“I don’t like to play Playstation. You know, when I was younger, I like to play – but not now.
“Like I said, the nature’s very nice. Like when we go with the bus (to games) and you look outside, it’s nice to see.”
Time spent with his parents and looking around doesn’t mean Besuijen hasn’t struck up a strong bond with his Aberdeen team-mates.
On the contrary, he lives in close proximity to central-midfielders Polvara and Ross McCrorie, and has also been close to Funso Ojo during the last few months, saying: “When we want to do things like go into the city, or Nando’s – which I like – then I can go with them.
“With my team-mates, the connection is good. And, like I said, Aberdeen is going to do big things and let’s see next season what will happen and make it better.”
Dutch squad possibility means uncertain summer – as Colombia circle for Reds attacker
While there’s a determination to help drag Aberdeen back into top-six contention and into the running for silverware when next term starts, close-season plans remain up in the air for Besuijen.
It could be a relaxed few weeks – but it could also see him called up to the Dutch under-21s side.
Although he hasn’t been capped at U21 level yet, Besuijen was named in Erwin van de Looi’s preliminary squad for fixtures in March, having represented the Netherlands at 15s, 16s, 18s and 19s.
However, Besuijen revealed the country of his birth, Colombia, have also been making overtures about switching his allegiance – with the carrot of rewarding the attacker with senior international selection in the months ahead.
Besuijen said: “I’m going to go back to Holland, but maybe I’m with the national team (the under-21s). So yeah, then I don’t have holiday – I need to talk with the club about that.
“But, if I’m not with the Dutch team, I will go to Spain I think, relax and then prepare myself for the next season.
“I haven’t been called up in the real selection, but just in the big selection. But I don’t know – I don’t think I will be in there, because we (Aberdeen) are not doing well.
“Recently, Colombia has called my agent as well, and that was for the first team for next season.
“So I can’t say what I will do, but it is nice to hear Colombia are interested and I will have a talk (with them) soon – so let’s see what they will do.”