‘Lost everything because of one stupid mistake’

Of course people are in prison because of what they have ‘done’ and therefore have to sit on their own. But as long as the cell door is locked at night, you can also help them on their way back to society. Filemon Wesseling was curious and therefore followed such an aid project: an FC Emmen football team.

Was curious Metro just like Philemon, so we have the first of the two episodes of FC Offside viewed for TV section View of the Tube. You can watch the documentary series today and next week on PowNed.

Prison in a world heritage site

Filemon Wesselink was ‘behind bars’ for weeks – for the first time in his life. The football program, made possible by the necessary sponsors, takes place in Veenhuizen in Drenthe. Veenhuizen is a world heritage site when it comes to the time of the ‘Colonies of Benevolence’, but the buildings that belong to it (read a story about it here Metro about that), are now really a prison. Filemon sees how prisoners, but also ex-detainees, work towards a new start or receive a helping hand when they are only ‘outside’.

FC Emmen has committed itself to the project. We are talking about the professional club, but of course not the football players from the Kitchen Champion Division. No, the prison team not only has talent, but everything mixed together: from boys who can kick a nice ball to outright crutches. And none of that matters. What you in FC Offside as a TV viewer, the answer to the question is: how can football help with reintegration?

Filemon meets beautiful Ans

While searching for his answer, Filemon Wesselink meets a beautiful person, Ans. Ans knows all about it, because she is a reintegration worker. Or rather: was. This lady of a respected age was actually allowed to retire, but wants to (for the boys of the football team) it’s best to stay a while. Ans is quite clear. When Filemon refers to the prisoners of Veenhuizen as ‘those people’, she doesn’t like it and immediately intervenes. “You could be behind it tomorrow too, right?” Ans doesn’t care what someone did and was therefore punished. She doesn’t even want to know. “That is not important at all during football training.”

Randy and Harjan already out of jail

As viewers prepare for life outside prison, we see Randy, among other things. His time in prison has just ended, but he still enjoys playing football. Randy struggles with his past, but is very open with Filemon. The ex-convict once went on a pedo hunt (“no regrets”), but abused a man so severely that people feared for his life. He finds it difficult to rebuild his life, but seizes his second chance with both hands.

He gets that chance from ex-fellow prisoner Harjan, also a football player. He immediately picks up the thread again and, like the entrepreneur he already was, immediately starts setting up a company that builds garden furniture and fences. In unadulterated rural: “Have children. That has to be an et’n.” Harjan was in jail for a year and a half and lost his house and his wife. “And that because of one stupid decision,” he admits. Harjan set up a cannabis plantation to pay off a tax debt. His son tells Philemon that he has missed his father, who still has to wear an ankle bracelet. He is mild about his action, but it is still his dad: “He was a bit stupid.”

Glass door not on the prison football team

Every football team has its ‘difficult customers’, including prisons. Take Roelof. Sometimes calm, other times impulsive and the type that is distrustful and has difficulty with rules. When Filemon speaks to him, he is temporarily unable to participate in the prison football team. His left arm is in a cast, because a glass door introduced Roelof’s angry mood.

Nice TV subject, that FC Offside. You can leave that to Filemon Wesselink, although his documentary about Ozempic was rejected on TV this year. As a viewer you are quite curious why these people are all in prison. Filemon is one of those TV makers who asks in a charming way, but at least dares to ask. A bit irritating about the series is that many people he speaks to are confused, but that is understandable. FC Offside has become more than just playing football. Although it is nice to see that Harjan who lost everything is now playing a practice match with the opponent: the team that sponsors the prison football players.

Number of cans from 5: 3

You can watch FC Buitenspel from today (November 18) at 9.25 pm on PowNed on NPO 3. You can watch it again via NPO Start.

Camera follows Erasmus MC 24/7, also woman with a heart attack: ‘Can I take a picture with you?’

We will all have this towering mountain of packages delivered (and so many will be returned)

Comments