A YouTube clip featuring an 18-month-old Dutch boy skilfully flicking three balls into a small toy box with his right foot has generated worldwide attention. VVV Venlo fans told their
team about the clip, which has attracted more than 180,000 hits on the internet, and the Dutch strugglers decided to bring some attention to the club by arranging a publicity stunt involving toddler Baerke van der Meij.
The club called a joke news conference for the boy from Venlo, the grandson of a member of their media staff, for their own in-house television channel but were stunned at the level of interest it caused.
Several international news outlets picked up the story and Dutch newspapers published a photo of Baerke.
"I have been told the story went all round the world and today I spoke with a Russian station who wanted to use television pictures of the press conference," Venlo spokeswoman Ellen Berden said on Thursday. "It all started as a practical joke but it got a bit out of hand."
Berden originally wanted the toddler to attend the 2-2 home draw with Heerenveen last weekend.
"I contacted the parents with the idea to have Baerke there at last Saturday's match," she explained.
"But the kickoff (1945 CET) was too late for the little man so we organised a press conference on Tuesday, during which he signed a symbolic 10-year deal, just to get some publicity for the club."
Berden said the boy's parents had now called a halt to the stunt.
"Baerke won't be present this Sunday when we host Feyenoord," she added.
Relegation-haunted Venlo are 17th in the 18-team league, three points ahead of Willem II Tilburg with two matches remaining.
The bottom club will go down automatically while the teams finishing second and third from bottom take part in a relegation playoff also involving second division sides.
team about the clip, which has attracted more than 180,000 hits on the internet, and the Dutch strugglers decided to bring some attention to the club by arranging a publicity stunt involving toddler Baerke van der Meij.
The club called a joke news conference for the boy from Venlo, the grandson of a member of their media staff, for their own in-house television channel but were stunned at the level of interest it caused.
Several international news outlets picked up the story and Dutch newspapers published a photo of Baerke.
"I have been told the story went all round the world and today I spoke with a Russian station who wanted to use television pictures of the press conference," Venlo spokeswoman Ellen Berden said on Thursday. "It all started as a practical joke but it got a bit out of hand."
Berden originally wanted the toddler to attend the 2-2 home draw with Heerenveen last weekend.
"I contacted the parents with the idea to have Baerke there at last Saturday's match," she explained.
"But the kickoff (1945 CET) was too late for the little man so we organised a press conference on Tuesday, during which he signed a symbolic 10-year deal, just to get some publicity for the club."
Berden said the boy's parents had now called a halt to the stunt.
"Baerke won't be present this Sunday when we host Feyenoord," she added.
Relegation-haunted Venlo are 17th in the 18-team league, three points ahead of Willem II Tilburg with two matches remaining.
The bottom club will go down automatically while the teams finishing second and third from bottom take part in a relegation playoff also involving second division sides.
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