Johnny Wattersontalks to Ireland and Annadale midfielder Iain Lewers on his decision to play as a professional with Dutch club HGC

ALTHOUGH HOCKEY went professional back in the 1980s to prevent the game from descending into what rugby called "shamateurism", few players in the world can truly call themselves full-time professionals.

Even in Holland, where much of the best hockey is played, the national squad that will take part in this year's Olympic Games in Beijing are not full-time professional players, although the Dutch Hockey Federation, the Dutch Olympic Association and employers make it easy for individuals to take time off to represent their country.

Holland are, after all, regular World Cup and Olympic champions. Ireland would like to have such a vibrant scene but sadly this is not the case and Irish players have, in recent years, begun to migrate towards Holland to play on a full-time professional basis.

Ireland and Annadale midfielder, Iain Lewers, is one such player. He has been playing with Dutch club, HGC for the last 12 months.

Now home on the summer break, he must decide whether to return to The Hague over the next three weeks as he has been offered a contract for next season by HGC coach, Paul van Ass.

That gives him a salary, accommodation, a car and access to top class training and playing facilities.

"In March 2007 we played in Holland with the Irish team and the coach from HGC was there," explains Lewers.

"I had put out that I was interested in playing abroad and had let a few clubs in Holland know. I then flew over to Holland and met him about coming to play. Then when Ireland played Germany at the end of May he flew down and we settled."

Lewers is not the only overseas player with HGC. Ireland's John Jermyn spent a season there with him, while English and Canadian international players are also part of the club set-up.

"In Holland we have more squad sessions than the clubs would in Ireland, maybe four times a week, and you have your own personal trainer. But the Dutch lads are not full-time professionals. Some of them have jobs and some are students.

"The Dutch are world known for being good at hockey. I was expecting things to be radically different. But it is not really. It is more to do with their attitude and confidence as well as their own ability.

"They have a considerable amount of self confidence and that can give them an advantage over other nations.

"But the whole environment in Holland is different to Ireland. Hockey is a family sport here and they have a lot of families connected to the clubs. Obviously they have better facilities, better funding and you get lots of people turning up for their matches and then watching the senior team, which is the match of the day. The social side of it I would say is as good if not better than in Ireland."

What is increasingly being demanded of Irish players now is their time. Several players on the Irish team this season pulled out of overseas tournaments because of work commitments. It wasn't that they could not get the time off but the amount of time they needed greatly exceeded their holidays. To play for a year or two professionally gets over that problem, especially in Olympic qualifying or European Championship cycles. But it is not a job that will make any player a millionaire.

"You have to plan for your life. This is not like soccer or rugby," says Lewers. "Initially my thinking was to go and get the experience of playing in another country. Ireland also had a hectic schedule last year and there were too many obstacles there to get a job or get into a post graduate course. I thought, why not take the opportunity if it is there?

"Now the possibility is that I will go and play there next season too.

"I'll get back to them in two or three weeks. It was easy to fit into the life. I knew it was coming and had been playing at quite a high level before I arrived. The language was no difficulty. All the Dutch have outstanding English."

Lewers initially started out at the centre of the back on the HGC side, who this season lost 1-0 in the inaugural European hockey league finals against Germany's Uhlenhorst. He was then moved into centre midfield, where he stayed for the remainder of the season. Not being moved around, especially from the pivotal position, was quite a confidence boost.

"I feel I made a bit of an impact and that was important," he says.

"The Dutch League is about interprovincial level, while the top games would be a bit above that. The speed is different and the decision-making faster. The lifestyle is relaxed and easy-going and there are few demands except the hockey itself."

After school at Wellington College in Belfast, Lewers studied in Jordanstown for a Degree in Sports Science. The decision to go back to Holland is now dependent on whether he decides to do postgraduate studies in Ireland or go back to The Hague.

"I'm lucky with my age and the timing," he says. "I was able to take these opportunities. I came to Holland when I was 23 years old. But a lot of it also comes down to how much you take the sport seriously."