Facebook or Instagram have generally become the domain for baby announcements to our wider circles. Families are called and colleagues normally find out in the office, but Pascal Struijk doesn’t do ordinary.
Leeds United’s players and staff, in the main, did not even know Struijk had become a father until the day she arrived, or even months later in some cases. The 23-year-old is a private man disengaged with the usual oversharing much of the population subscribes to in the modern age of social media.
Struijk just doesn’t feel the need to shout about himself in person or online. Even as he’s stood pitchside speaking to the two reporters in Spain after day one’s outdoor session, it takes an offbeat question about his tattoos for his daughter to come up.
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Like the rest of the world, the media generally keeps on top of players’ family developments through their social media profiles, so baby Ayla was a surprise for those of us interviewing Struijk. He said: “Most of the people would put it on Instagram, whereas I am a more private guy.
“A couple [of the players] knew. I was quiet in the training ground, where if it came up in conversation I would tell them. I did send a message in the group.”
Many of you will have seen said tattoos in pictures or in the flesh at Elland Road. Struijk’s left leg is dominated by ink from his thigh to his ankle. There is a lion at the top, map coordinates, a rose, the word determination, and a large eagle too.
Asked if there was a story behind them, he said: “Not every one. I’m a lion, this is where I met my wife (coordinates), my daughter’s second name is Rose, determination because that’s what I need to keep me going, I really like an eagle. It looks good.”
Struijk’s low profile online is at odds with the rise he is seeing on the field. After breaking through under Marcelo Bielsa in 2019/20 with five appearances and two starts, the first two Premier League terms would follow with 22 starts apiece.
The Dutchman’s already on 13 from a possible 14 this season and in no way looking like someone who should be heading to the bench soon. Versatility in shifting to left-back has proven Struijk’s great attribute this season, but he is finding his voice too.
He may not be willing to pin team-mates down at breakfast with chapter and verse on his personal life, but he’s getting a taste for the craic in the dressing room. Does he now consider himself a proper Premier League first-teamer?
“More and more,” he said. “The more I play, the more confidence I get, which helps me put myself in the team and grow as a player vocally-wise as well.
“Before, I would say I’m more quiet, but now I’m starting to speak more. Little jokes sometimes, which you need because if you are too quiet in this world, you’re not going to get it.”
The statistics and Jesse Marsch’s faith in Struijk underline how he has established himself at Leeds in becoming a cornerstone of this side. With Liam Cooper closer to 35 than 25 and Diego Llorente turning 30 next year, the Ajax youth product must see the succession line ahead of him at Elland Road.
Struijk’s contract expires in 2024 and it is no secret the club will look to tie his long-term career to West Yorkshire in the very near future, but his continued progression relies on him pushing himself. There have been some very good days for him against elite wingers this season, but Struijk remains his own biggest critic.
Asked about his performance against Mohamed Salah at Anfield, he said: “Yeah, that was okay. Still sometimes I am very critical to myself.
“I get at people at certain moments, but then there’s also a lot of things I can improve on. I can be happy with the games, especially when we win, but when we lose and I play a good game I’m still not happy because we lost.”
With Junior Firpo recovering from his latest minor injury, Struijk looks well set to continue at left-back through the coming friendlies and into the visit of Manchester City on December 28. Just don’t catch him talking it up online.
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