​From Boca to Brandywell… Now Nick wants to shake Aviva Stadium!

The 'Box of Chocolates' - to give the stadium its English translation - has a reputation for shaking with heavy fan activity during Boca or Argentina matches, though writer Christopher Gaffney famously retorted, 'La Bombonera does not shake.... it beats.'

Whether it's shaking or beating is not Nick Twisk's concern. His mind is focused solely on the biggest match of his young career, the Under-20 Intercontinental Cup Final between Twisk's UEFA Youth League winning AZ Alkmaar team and the South American champions, Boca.

"We were the champions of Europe and played in the 'World Cup' final against Boca Juniors in Argentina and their stadium was fully packed," recalls Derry City's Dutch midfielder.

"It was an unreal experience. The stadium is one of the most famous in the world. The Boca fans were going mental. It was unbelievable to experience. Unfortunately we lost on penalties that day so it wasn't a good experience in that way, but I’m hoping I can experience to other side of a big final with Derry City.

"There was about 40,000 people against us that day in Buenos Aires but now we are going to experience 25,000 or more travelling with us to Dublin. That will be an unreal feeling."

Twisk has been one of the real success stories of a season which hinges on Sunday's FAI Cup final against Waterford in the Aviva Stadium. Arriving from Alkmaar in July, the 23-year-old has become a playmaking cornerstone of Mark Connolly's midfield. His possession based passing game is unmistakeably Dutch and has already endeared him to the Candy Stripe faithful who have taken him to their hearts. And for Twisk, that love affair is a two-way street.

"Yes, because I’d heard of the club but I didn't know it that well," he explains when quizzed if he's been surprised by Derry since swapping his home town of Egmond aan Zee in the north of the Netherlands for the north west of Ireland.

"When we visited the city everyone was wearing Derry tops; everyone was supporting Derry in some way. I don't how how but they managed to do it. It's a really big club and this is really big for the city as well. I have really enjoyed it.

"I love the supporters as well, they make you better. I love to play at home because I've never experience this before. I never made the first team at Alkmaar and we didn't have a really good fanbase with the U23s so this is my first time experiencing this. It's unbelievable at Brandywell.

"The fans make you better in a home game. You feel like you’re playing with 12 men so, yeah, I love having that relationship with them.

"My girlfriend and son feel the same (about Derry). They say everyone is very friendly. In this city you really feel at home because it's so easy to go outside and have a little chat. Everyone is saying hello. It is different from the Netherlands because we aren't used to that but it feels like a really warm welcome."

Twisk's early summer visit to Derry to 'scout' his the potential new home wasn't his first visit to Ireland. He'd captained Alkmaar’s youth side in a 1-1 draw with Shamrock Rovers at Tallaght Stadium in October 2022 though he admits he never imagined he would be back playing with an Irish club.

"It didn't take that much to convince me," he adds of his summer move to the Candy Stripes, "I visited the city because I wanted to make sure it was a good environment for my little kid and my girlfriend. My first impression was really good and the people are so friendly, so it wasn't a tough decision to come here.

"And the league is really good. I didn't expect the standard to be that good because I thought it was only playing high balls and lots of physical battles but there is some really good football as well. If you watch our games, we play really good football so, yeah, I was surprised at the standard within the League if Ireland but I'm very happy with it."

And while his journey within the League of Ireland has been brief to this point, Twisk has already seen enough to expect a huge test from an in-form Waterford side this weekend.

"Waterford are a good team. They've had a very good streak. The new manager coming in has really turned the club around. They're a little bit like us in terms of this season but they came from even lower down.

"It'll be a tough game but every final has to be a tough game. You have to be at your best to beat them but I think they have to be at their best to beat us and I don't think they are going to beat us. I'm really confident that we are going to bring it home."

Twisk has upwards of 45 family and friends travelling to Dublin this weekend for the date with Waterford and admits he's been really enjoying the buzz created in the city by Derry's qualification for the cup final.

"I've already talked to the other guys about it, it's crazy. We've been visiting the schools and the support we get from the children, the support we get from the people on the street - everyone stopping us to wish us good luck - it's really big for us to make sure we bring it back to Derry.

"The team is doing well right now. We've changed the whole environment. Everyone is happy right now, everyone is enjoying playing football again and you can see it with the supporters.

"Everyone is coming to the stadium again. When we played in Europe with the Sofia game the atmosphere was unbelievable, so yeah, we want to make sure we keep this going. We want to give those supporters something because it was a tough season for them as well. We want to give them the cup just to thank them for their support through the whole season.

"It is a different feeling because, like I said, I've never experienced it like this. When 25,000 people or more are coming to Dublin with you to support you in a cup final, I don't think that's a feeling loads of people get to experience. I'm really happy I'm getting to experience it with all the people in Derry."

So forget La Bombonera; if Derry City's Dutch master can help mastermind a seventh FAI Cup triumph, it's the Aviva which will be shaking. To its very core!