Background
Van der Schaaf was born in Ten Boer, Groningen.
Van der Schaaf was born in Ten Boer, Groningen.
Club career
After playing youth football for VV Omlandia and TOP Oss, Van der Schaaf began his professional career in 1997 at Vitesse Arnhem, where he spent part of the 1999–2000 season on loan at Fortuna Sittard. Van der Schaaf re-signed for Vitesse in 2005, and in July 2008 he signed a three-year deal with Burnley, turning down a contract from Welsh side Cardiff City in the process. Schaaf signed on loan for Danish Superliga side Brøndby IF in February 2009, where he stayed until the end of the 2008-2009 season. in January 2010, van der Schaaf once again signed on loan for Brøndby IF on a one and a half year contract, thus seeing out his contract with Burnley.
In July 2011 he joined the Danish club Randers Football Club on a 2 year long contract
International career
Van der Schaaf has represented the Dutch under-21 side.