Sir Alex Ferguson gave him his debut at Man United but he’s now a postman after football bored him

Add as preferred source on Google

A player who made his debut under Sir Alex Ferguson at Manchester United is now a postman.

Hundreds of big names came and went during Ferguson’s storied 26-year dynasty at Old Trafford, while he also made 105 signings, spending hundreds of millions on hits and misses.

He was known to put his trust in youth and regularly turned to United’s renowned academy, blooding the likes of David Beckham, Ryan Giggs and Paul Scholes and helping them to become world-class talents.

But equally, there were several youngsters who never quite got the chance to shine, and one of them recently took a surprising step down a completely new career path.

Marnick Vermijl quit football despite Man United fame

Defender Marnick Vermijl played for United’s academy alongside Paul Pogba, Ravel Morrison and Jesse Lingard, having caught the eye of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer while at Standard Liege in 2010.

Vermijl was then handed his senior debut by Sir Alex Ferguson, starting in a 2-1 victory against Newcastle United in the League Cup back in September 2012.

He soon dropped off the radar, however, before spending the 2013-14 season on loan with NEC Nijmegen in the Netherlands.

The full-back made just one more appearance for Manchester United, playing in the infamous 4-0 League Cup humiliation at the hands of MK Dons under Louis van Gaal, and departed permanently in 2015.

Vermijl bounced around several clubs in the EFL, turning out for Sheffield Wednesday, Preston North End and Scunthorpe United, and moved to Dutch outfit MVV Maastricht in 2019.

After his contract was not renewed during the pandemic, the now 33-year-old made the decision to drop into the Belgian third tier and joined Thes at a semi-pro level, allowing him to also become a postman.

Marnick Vermijl on his decision to leave football

For some, quitting the glittering riches and fame that come alongside a football career may be difficult, but for Vermijl, it proved to be the easiest decision he had ever made.

Vermijl told Nieuwsblad: “I was fed up with professional football. You are too dependent on the trainer you have. Finding pleasure was also a big factor for me.”

He also relished being able to spend more time with his two children, a daughter and a son.

“As a postman I have to get up at four o’clock, but now I am home around noon and can pick up the children from school every day,” Vermijl added.

“That is a luxury.”