Our heroes: invisible Michael van Praag (left), new leader leader-in-waiting Gijs de Jong (second from right), visionary Johan Lokhorst (right)
Now here is one of those mysteries in football for you. The Preliminary squad. Where did that come from?
Who started this? And when? And why? There is no rule, Fifa or Uefa, obliging federations to publish these… But it suddenly appeared. And when it did, suddenly the media made it headline news. There are press conferences. Press releases. Twitter debates, forum discussions… For what purpose?
It is not so, that once a prelim squad is announced, the coach HAS TO pick the definitive squad from the prelim. We saw in the past that when a player got injured and had to leave the definitive squad, the coach simply picked a player who wasn’t even in the prelim squad. Bypassing other players on that same position who were!
Coach Blind can pick players for the definitive squad from anywhere, as long as they’re Dutch. I have as much chance as being selected as Leroy Fer. Vurnon Anita might be dropped from the prelim and if Strootman gets injured (God help us), Fer could suddenly make his way into the squad.
Danny, on the bench alone….
What nonsense is this? Who is helped with this? The players? The KNVB could easily let them know via the clubs. Why this media humbug?
It just adds to more confusion, once Blind decides to pick Memphis thanks to his glorious performance in the League Cup.
Just another example of KNVB madness. The chair of the board resigned last week. The guy, successful CEO of a gingerbread company, was ridiculed week in week out. When Hiddink was sacked and Blind took over, he held a press conference. The question put to him was: “What need to happen now, what strategic vision do you have to bring Oranje back to the top?”. His answer, after some nervous fiddling and shuffeling on his chair: “Now, we need to do everything we can to win every game we play!”. Great vision. Great strategy. Great leadership.
De Vrij is back!
He allowed Van Oostveen to mess things up, he allowed the board to appoint the number 2 at KNVB to be promoted as general manager, without any accountable due process in the selection. The clubs, the media, everyone has a gut full. The full board is expected to clear out. And the clubs have vetoed the appointment of Gijs de Jong as the new general manager.
Gijs de Jong
The Ship of Fools is without a skipper. Unless you think Hans van Breukelen is able to steer the boat?
No management and no board means Blind cannot appoint new assistant coaches. With Marco van Basten on collision course with the KNVB about his exit, it seems San Marco will be asked to clear out asap and Blind will have to go the next games alone. What a mess!
Daryl Janmaat is two weeks out with a shoulder injury. The Watford wingback played the full 90 minutes against Sweden, but on October 7, vs Russia and October 10 vs France (for real!), Danny Blind will most likely use either Kenny Tete (sub at Ajax) or Rick Karsdorp on the right full back spot.
Janmaat tackled by Martial’s head
Some positive news then: 90 year old Kees Rijvers, the legendary forward of NAC, Feyenoord, St Etienne and Oranje fame released his book “Prof” (English: “Pro”) this week. This must be a good read. The little wizard coached FC Twente and PSV to success in the 1970s and was Oranje’s coach in the famous 2-3 win in Ireland, when one Marco van Basten and one Ruud Gullit came on at half time to turn the 2-0 scoreline into a 2-3 win.
For the youngsters under us: here is a highlights clip of that game: