'Pi-Air' fired up for final fling

As he prepares for UEFA Cup action with Feyenoord, Pierre van Hooijdonk would love to mark his retirement with a celebration in Coolsingel Square.

Final curtain
'Pi-Air' announced this week that he will retire from professional football at the end of the season, bringing the curtain down on an eventful career. Now 36, he will resume his role as Feyenoord supersub when they visit Group E rivals FC Basel 1893 tonight and would love to end his playing days on another high note.

European triumph
The big striker's proudest moment to date came as he scored twice - one a penalty, the other a free-kick - to help Feyenoord win 3-2 against BV Borussia Dortmund in the 2001/02 UEFA Cup final at their De Kuip stadium in Rotterdam. He would relish another reason to celebrate next summer.

Muted celebrations
For Van Hooijdonk, the victory celebrations were marred by the assassination of Dutch politician Pim Fortuyn in the days before the final which prevented the club from revelling with their fans at Rotterdam's Coolsingel Square. "My big wish still is to stand on the Coolsingel," he admitted.

'Absolute highlight'
At the time of that Feyenoord triumph, Van Hooijdonk described the success as "the absolute highlight of my career", adding: "I feel very honoured. This is a reward for all my years of really hard work." Certainly, it was hard work that made a minor legend of the gangly forward.

Hard work
Not blessed with great technical ability, he put in huge effort to work on his weaknesses after starting his career in the Dutch second division with RBC Roosendaal. Practice would eventually pay off, with his heading skills and mastery of dead-ball situations putting him in the spotlight.

Controversial figure
Wherever he has played, Van Hooijdonk has scored goals - at RBC, NAC Breda, Celtic FC, Nottingham Forest FC, BV Vitesse, SL Benfica, Feyenoord and Fenerbahçe SK, where he claimed his only league titles to date in 2003/04 and 2004/05. His personality may have rubbed some clubs up - he left Feyenoord for the first time after a pay dispute, and upset plenty of other employers by speaking his mind - but his quality was never in doubt.

Supersub role
That was almost certainly the reason he was brought back to Feyenoord for a second spell earlier this year. Despite his age, he remains a constant threat and has no problem taking a pinch-hitting role for Erwin Koeman's side. "I have played as a pinch hitter with the Dutch national team, and it suits me," said Van Hooijdonk, who scored 14 goals in 46 games for the Netherlands.

Closing salvo
The Van Hooijdonk who is likely to start on the bench at Basel may not be the same bustling figure who was Feyenoord's Player of the Year in 2001/02 - inspiring the Dutch hit single 'Put Your Hands Up For Pi-Air' - but few would begrudge him the opportunity to hang up his boots in style.