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Maidstone United midfielder Clovis Kamdjo had an interesting time playing under Dutch great Edgar Davids at Barnet

00:00, 17 June 2019

Maidstone new boy Clovis Kamdjo saw the best - and worst - of Dutch legend Edgar Davids during their time together at Barnet.

Davids won the European Cup with Ajax and also played for Juventus and Barcelona in a glittering career that took a surprise turn when he became player-manager at the Bees in 2012.

As a fellow defensive midfielder, Kamdjo was lucky to work with the former Holland international but his reign unravelled amid some bizarre behaviour, that included taking the No.1 shirt for himself.

Dutch legend Edgar Davids in action for Spurs against Charlton Picture: Matthew Walker
Dutch legend Edgar Davids in action for Spurs against Charlton Picture: Matthew Walker

Kamdjo, who joined Maidstone from St Albans this summer, said: "In terms of his coaching, he was excellent and some of the football we played under him was great.

"The problem was his man-management.

"I don't think everyone agreed with the way he tried to manage players.

"Anyone who worked with him at Barnet will tell you it was all about him.

"He came in and said he was going to be captain and because of that he would need to take the No.1 shirt.

"Our goalkeeper, Graham Stack, who'd had a good career himself and was also the captain, was like, 'what's going on?"

Clovis Kamdjo challenges Gills striker Deon Burton during his Barnet days Picture: Barry Goodwin
Clovis Kamdjo challenges Gills striker Deon Burton during his Barnet days Picture: Barry Goodwin

"On the pitch you should be able to make a point to your team-mates but you couldn't say anything to him because he was the manager.

"If you said something he didn't like, he'd tell the Dutch guy on the touchline to get you off and before you know it, you're off.

"We had to call him 'Mister' too, which was different from what we were used to in England.

"His coaching was really good but the other side of it got in the way.

"If you don't keep players happy, they aren't going to play well on a Saturday.

"It wasn't working with the Barnet fans.

"They wanted him out and the club eventually got rid of him and brought back Martin Allen."

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