Month: August 2017

Les Bleus will turn Orange in Paris

After more than 10 years blogging about Oranje and its exploits, you do run out of cute titles for posts.

A crucial week for the Dutch. We were absent in France at the 2016 Euros. It was a disgrace. A debacle. If we’d miss the World Cup as well in Russia next year, we might best just call it a day with football.

But the moral is high in the Oranje camp. The new coaches – Advocaat and Gullit – do instill some confidence of course. Both coaches are confident Holland will qualify. The ever defiant Sneijder will don the band, and Arjen Robben will give everything in this match, as he always does. Be it for 45 minutes, for 60 minutes or for the full match. And the Big Three are reunited now Bruno Martins Indi Robin van Persie has joined them, after a two year absence.

Lets look at the state of the union in the Oranje camp. And let’s explore the scenarios as well.

dick ruud pre fr

The Dutch internationals are back together in Hotel Noordwijk, as per usual. Some new faces, some faces missing. Nathan Ake had to cancel his trip, as he hurt his ankle with Bournemouth. Bruno Martins Indi was called up as a replacement.And Tim Fosu-Mensah was called up when Kenny Tete had to send this thanks as well. Donny van de Beek has his first call up.   “I was very pleased to read those positive words of the coach about me. It’s all going quick but the team can count on me.” Van de Beek was about to go in and introduce himself to the internationals. “No doubt, they’ll be on hand to guide me. I have been hearing great things about this group and can’t wait to be part of it.” The young Ajax midfielder will have said “Sir” to eminence grise Robin van Persie. Back where he belongs. But whether we’ll see him play is uncertain, as the Fener forward came to Holland with a shoulder injury. The medical staff will try and work their magic.

Dick Advocaat, Van Persie’s coach at Fener last season: “Robin is one of the best forwards we have. Or ever have had. I know his fitness was an issue for a while but if we use him in the right way, I am sure he can be of tremendous value. It’s clear he is delighted to be back. It will inject something into the group as well.”

dick robin

Advocaat on Van de Beek: “We can see some great talents coming up and Van de Beek is one of the more consistent ones. He has made his mark at Ajax in a tough role. He can tackle, run, give the final pass and score. He’s a complete midfielder and I think he has a huge future.”

Ryan Babel and Eljero Elia were not called up, despite their good form in Turkey. “I know both players well of course and they’re really close but I decided for these matches not to bring too many new players in. For the forward positions we do have Memphis and Promes and Janssen. I would have to drop one or two of them if I wanted to bring Elia and Babel and Van Persie. I didn’t want to break up the team that’s been working for a while together. And besides, Memphis plays well for Lyon, Promes is probably the best player in Russia and Janssen would be a starter for any Dutch club. His lack of rhythm has never stopped him from playing well for Oranje.”

Asked about Ajax’ and PSV’s recent disappointments in Europe and Oranje’s dramatic fall in the FIFA ranking. “We need to face the facts. We are a small football nation. We have great reputation and history, but we are to be compared with Portugal and Belgium and Denmark. Not with Spain or Germany or France. And even France had a long spell where they lacked success, in the 1970s and 1990s. Denmark had their peak, Belgium as well and is now back with a great generation. We need to accept that we cannot be among the top of the world all the time. Whether it’s our clubs or our national team. It’s not a shame. We should be proud of all we did achieve.”

pre france oranje

Asked about Oranje’s potential victory over France. “Why not? Why wouldn’t we be able to beat them? Sweden did. Rosenborg beat Ajax. FC Utrecht almost beat Zenit. You have to be positive, there are always opportunities, and we do not have a quality problem. I do not agree. We have players like Robben, Memphis, Strootman, Wijnaldum, all playing for top clubs. De Vrij and Hoedt play every week against top forwards, our goalie trains with Messi and Iniesta and Daley Blind is at Man United. We still have more than enough quality to trouble France. And I also can’t see Sweden win all their games just like that. We have chances.”

Willem van Hanegem is cynical. The former top player and coach still believes better options are available. “I see Rekik and Ake making mistakes. Childish mistakes, and why not? They’re still starting out. Why not get Erik Pieters? He’s been playing well for years in the EPL and holding his own physically. We’re not playing Belarus or Finland. We’ve got to play Giroud, Lacazete, Griezmann, Matuidi. We need men, not kids. I’d love to see Leroy Fer as well. Key player for Swansea in the EPL. I think Van de Beek is a top talent. But a talent. Fer is an established entity. And with Elia or Babel, we’d have the unexpected. That might become so important, that one opportunity up front. Don’t get me wrong, I want Oranje to win, but I wouldn’t place a euro on our win. The French lost vs Sweden in their last game. They will not underestimate Holland.”

Arjen Robben is ready to rumble. “I don’t participate in all the talk of how good France is. I’m not interested. I want to know how good we are. I want to talk about what we can do. We should believe in ourselves, or simply cancel the game. If we go, we go for a win. Believe in ourselves and rise to the occasion. I’m personally not 100% match fit. But I will give all I have. Whether it’s good enough for 60 minutes or 80 minutes, we’ll see. But I’ll leave everything on the pitch. I was subbed by Ancelotti in our last match, but not because I couldn’t give more. I could have gone on. Match fitness, rhythm, it doesn’t play a role once the ref blows the whistle.”

The Bayern star welcomed his former strike partner Robin van Persie in Noordwijk. “It’s so good to see him again. I’m happy for him. It must have been wonderful to get back to Hotel Noordwijk and be part of it. He’s a born leader, charismatic and full of class. It’s good to have him back.”

wijnaldum klopp

Robben was on the bench, when France beat Van Gaal’s Oranje in 2014, which led to the 5-3-2 system Van Gaal used at the Brazil World Cup. “That match clearly demonstrated we weren’t good enough. So Van Gaal made changes. I can see that work against France again, but don’t forget: Louis had weeks to gel the system into the team. That situation is different now.”

Let’s look at the scenarios for Oranje: France and Sweden lead with 13 points, with Holland third with 10 point. The leader will go straight to the WC, the best #2s will go as well. Sweden plays Bulgaria, number 4 with 9 points. After these up coming match ups, there are 3 more games to play. With the first of the lot being played on Sunday.

Holland needs to finish in the top two, but out of the nine groups only 8 number 2s will join the winners. The worst #2 stays at home. Obviously, Holland is best served if they win vs France and Sweden drops points vs Bulgaria.

Rest of the program after Thursday:

Sunday 3 september
18.00 uur: HOLLAND – Bulgaria
18.00 uur: Belarus – Sweden
20.45 uur: France – Luxemburg

Zaterdag 7 oktober
18.00 uur: Sweden – Luxemburg
20.45 uur: Belarus – HOLLAND
20.45 uur: Bulgaria – France

Dinsdag 10 oktober
20.45 uur: HOLLAND – Sweden
20.45 uur: France – Belarus
20.45 uur: Luxemburg – Bulgaria

 

Defeat vs France would be a drama

Won’t surprise anyone: a loss against France would be bad. We then can only hope that Sweden loses too. We will drop to spot 4 in the group but with only two points behind Bulgaria and three points to Sweden. We play them both at home still. But a loss in Paris while Sweden draws or winst would be disastrous.

Loss Oranje, win Sweden
France 7-16
Sweden 7-16
Holland 7-10
Bulgaria 7-9
Loss Oranje, draw Sweden
France 7-16
Sweden 7-14
Holland 7-10
Bulgaria 7-9
Loss Oranje, loss Sweden
France 7-16
Sweden 7-13
Bulgaria 7-12
Holland 7-10

 

A draw still gives hope 

With a surprising draw in Paris, there will be a glimmer of more hope for Oranje. But merely a glimmer. Again, Sweden should lose vs Bulgaria.

Draw Oranje, win Sweden
Sweden 7-16
France 7-14
Holland 7-11
Bulgaria 7-9
Draw Oranje, draw Sweden
France 7-14
Sweden 7-14
Holland 7-11
Bulgaria 7-10
Draw Oranje, loss Sweden
France 7-14
Sweden 7-13
Bulgaria 7-12
Holland 7-11

 

A win is very welcome

And then the scenario where Holland takes all points from Paris. And if Sweden would lose vs Bulgaria, France, Sweden and Holland will all have 3 points, with Bulgaria fourth with 12 points. It would bring more excitement and pressure for all, as Bulgaria will have a chance suddenly too. The pressure will be on for all teams, but also on the home games vs Sweden and Bulgaria. The #2 of this group might even end up as the worst of the lot, and therefore miss the World Cup still.

Win Oranje, win Sweden
Sweden 7-16
France 7-13
Holland 7-13
Bulgaria 7-9
Win Oranje, draw Sweden
Sweden 7-14
France 7-13
Holland 7-13
Bulgaria 7-10
Win Oranje, loss Sweden
Holland 7-13
France 7-13
Sweden 7-13
Bulgaria 7-12

 

Bookmark and Share

Awful August and Oranje

I said it before and having your own blog means you can say it again (and again). For me the competition really starts when the transfer period is closed. And for obvious reasons. For starters, players with their heads elsewhere don’t play, or refuse to play or aren’t allowed to play. This is falsification of the competition. Secondly, teams are not yet “formed”. If Ajax buys three new lads end of August, their team will have to be rejigged in September onwards, clubs that can’t or won’t strike the iron early (like Feyenoord did) will have a slow start. And lots of clubs are forced to wait.

While at the same time, for smaller competitions, the CL and EL qualifications have already started. Typically for Ajax these days, they struggle in August. But so has every Dutch club having to play for CL qualifications.

Finally in England, people start to wake up and demand that the competition can’t start unless the window is closed. Of course! That shouldn’t even be a topic of discussion!

haps just

Haps and St Juste, two young future Oranje players

As I said, Feyenoord did well. And all or mostly homegrown players. With Feyenoord’s cash going to AZ, Heerenveen and FC Utrecht these clubs can now pay it forward by picking players with talent from the level beneath them. The money stays in Dutch football. Feyenoord was in a good position and it only got better when Ajax – sadly – didn’t qualify for the CL. The full Dutch moneybag will go to Feyenoord and this allowed them to sign Samba Sam Larsson of Heerenveen.

The balance in the Feyenoord team is such, that Feyenoord could merely shop in Holland. With experience in the team (Jorgensen, Toornstra, El Ahmadi, Van der Heijden and Jones, Feyenoord could sign young prospects to be slowly guided into the team. Ajax for instance, will need more than a young center back from Heerenveen.

Although Sam Larsson, for me, was overlooked by both PSV and Ajax. He’d fit the bill in Amsterdam 100%. And PSV? They don’t even have one left winger. How they didn’t pick up Larsson, I don’t know…

sport-preview-propper-brighton1

Davy Propper. He doesn’t even try to look happy

PSV is hurting financially and had to sell Propper. The only player left on the radar of international competition scouts. Willems left for a disappointing sum and Luuk de Jong’s value evaporated. Jeroen Zoet might still leave but that will happen late in the month. Propper now has to take out a special medical insurance for his neckpain as a result of all these high long balls going over his head.

Ajax’ policy I will not get. The only thing you can say in their defence, it is very hard to find a player in the category they are looking for, without immediately arousing interest from bigger clubs. Ajax buys one left back in two years. Man City buys 7 left backs in one season, of all different age groups. When Ajax calls up a talent in, say, Brazil, the manager will immediately inform the network “Ajax is after this talent”. And Wolfsburg, Sporting Lisbon, Inter Milan, Sevilla and Watford are on the case. The clubs mentioned can afford more, the competitions are more interesting and the money for the player will be five-fold what Ajax can pay! Oh and on top of that: Ajax doesn’t play CL football this season (and maybe no EL football either).

Ayoub Oranje

Yassine Ayoub before he picked Morocco as his national team

Ajax lost Sanchez, and got 44 mio euros (a new record). But will they be able to find a solid central defender like him again? Having the cash and finding the right player to target and win the deal in this crazy market are different things… But they need a left full back, a central defender, an attacking midfielder and a left winger, in my book. I would definitely get Ayoub from FC Utrecht and Haps and Larsson would have been perfect for Ajax. Siem de Jong is close to returning to Ajax, but Jaap Stam’s Reading is also in the mix.

hoedt south

Wesley Hoedt, liberating Virgil van Dijk?

Wesley Hoedt to Southampton is an interesting move. I hope De Vrij will find a new club too. A step up. Hoedt to Southampton will potentially mean that Van Dijk will be released. Certainly, Liverpool needs him.

And so does Oranje. But this will be too late for now. We’ll play France and Bulgaria without him. The De Vrij – Hoedt tandem seems a sure choice. Van Persie is back in the prelim squad and he might well become a squad member. I can imagine a 5-3-2 system, with Van Aanholt as left wing back and Tete as right wing back. Daley Blind in the role of his dad, libero with the aim to push up to central midfield with Sneijder on 10 and runners beside him. The two strikers: Robben and Memphis. Speed and guile. Intelligence in the axis with Sneijder and Blind. And Strootman and Wijnaldum doing the work in the engine room. Cillesen on goal of course and Van Persie as super sub.

Let’s beat the Frogs 0-3!

Bookmark and Share

The 2017/18 Season is upon us: predictions!

Well people, the waiting is over. It’s all going to go ahead again.

Let’s look in the crystal ball and see what will happen.

Oranje

We will suffer the least from the summer break vs France. Les Blues have talent to spare but they are rusty in their home game vs Holland. We will hit them on the attack. 1-3. We score first (Depay on a break) and when France is fighting to get back into the game, we score a second (Wijnaldum). They get back to 1-2 but in the final stages a risk-taking France concedes a penalty, converted by Janssen. Oranje is flying high and we won’t lose any qualification game after that. We’ll go to the WC2018. We’re not going to win it but we’ll get some swagger back.

memphis

Eredivisie

Ajax is vulnerable. A young squad, an inexperienced coach and when Sanchez and Ziyech are sold, there is not enough leadership and experience to have the time fight for the title. Like with JC’s first season as coach, this will be a “development season”. The fans won’t like it but I do believe Ajax has gold with De Ligt, Kluivert, Van de Beek, De Jong and will grow to a peak performance in the coming seasons. They’ll finish 2nd.

cocu shock

PSV has lost their spirit. The new hierarchy in the dressing room takes time. Willems is not properly replaced and something seems missing in Eindhoven. They’ll have an abysmal season. They’ll finish 4th.

Feyenoord is in the winning mood. They won’t be making waves in the Champions League but the new kids gel into the squad with ease and Feyenoord wins the title again. Quite rare for that to happen. Boetius has a super season, Jorgensen wins the golden boot again and Labayad is the coming man in Feyenoord’s midfield. Feyenoord wins the title.

dirk robin

The surprise #3 in the Eredivisie will be Vitesse. With good, neat pass and move, they upset most opponents and get to rub shoulders with the Top 3. AZ and FC Utrecht are just behind, with PEC Zwolle again impressing. VVV will drop back immediately.

It will be Kluivert’s real break through year, like Hendrix will snatch a starting birth at PSV.

EPL

Man City will win the title. Man United will again disappoint. Liverpool will do well in the CL as cupfighters. Newcastle will finish mid-table. The lads in England will have a mixed season. Janssen and Klaassen will struggle to get time. Blind, Wijnaldum and Fer will do very well. As will Nathan Ake. Van Dijk will move to Liverpool and will become their rock for seasons to come. Crystal Palace under De Boer will also impress with Riedewald and Van Aanholt on the wishlist of the bigger clubs.

wijnal fer

Elsewhere

Cillesen will get the #1 spot for Barcelona. Lens will impress in Turkey, like Promes will do in Moscow, if he doesn’t get a transfer before September 1. Karsdorp, Strootman, De Roon, De Vrij, Hoedt will keep on delivering the goods in Italy, while Robben will have one of his best seasons. Sneijder takes Nice by the horns but will finish fourth, behind PSG and Monaco. Lyon will finish third.

Dutch football will make the comeback we all hope for. We’ll have most players at mid-level European top clubs. No more Juve, Barca, Real or Chelsea but the mid-range players will form a solid team when they wear the Orange and the squad will only grow in quality with players like Van de Beek and De Jong of Ajax joining in.

Sneijder and Robben will lead the pack and young talents like Karsdorp, Memphis, Vilhena, Promes and even Kluivert will add to the recipe. It will be all good, my friends. I’m just still sad that Appie Nouri will never wear the Orange jersey….

1110ajax-molde_vdbeek_youne

Bookmark and Share

Attractive Ajax on a tightrope

When Peter Bosz left Ajax to go to Borussia Dortmund, the fans hoped they’d get a new coach with similar ideas. Well, Marcel Keizer does seem to have a similar start as Bosz. Last season, Rostov was Ajax’ henchman blocking their ascent into the Champions League. Bosz’ risquee tactics blew up in his face, but… the Europa League did end up being a more appropriate platform for the Sons of Gods. They reached the finals, and on another day, could have won it.

Still, CL football is what Ajax needs, craves… Sadly, this season they will have to miss out again and again it seems it was the risky approach to the game which cost Keizer and Ajax.

This season start was a weird one of course. Marcel Keizer’s appointment was remarkable but it was Appie Nouri’s terrible ordeal which really put a wet blanket over the whole club and everyone with an Ajax heart. The players were still visibly rattled, even weeks after the event. And the Nice game, at home, was used for the fans to pay tribute to the little playmaker. This video was produced, it played on the big screen before the match and Donny van de Beek – Appie’s football soul mate – had to swallow his tears.


 

The fans chanted Nouri’s name for minutes and the Nouri family was Ajax’ guests in the VIP stands.

But, the show must go on and Ajax wouldn’t be Ajax if they didn’t try and use these setbacks and emotional backdrops to try and rise up and use the difficulties in their favour.

Marcel Keizer is the next coach in a long long line of fine football experts to try and find that balance. To control matches, with a stable and compact organisation but with threatening and fast attacking spells. Co Adriaanse, Martin Jol, Henk ten Cate, Ronald Koeman, Frank de Boer… they all seem to have failed, according to the Ajax afficionados to reach the ultimate level: results with breathtaking football.

And Marcel Keizer hasn’t found the recipe either. Early days of course, but sadly, CL qualifications are early in the season and the home game resulted in 2-2. The away goal rule sank the proud club.

Nice players Jean-Michaël Seri and Alassane Plea sprint forward with exuberance. Just like in the first 25 minutes of the match, Ajax takes big risks in the turnover of possession to loss of possession. Both left back Viergever and holding mid Schone step out to encounter right midfielder Melou. It’s Melou who just intercepted a failed square pass of Kluivert. The result: a one v one for Sanchez and Matthijs de Ligt, in acres of space. But, Davinson Sanchez is on time and takes the ball back, which results in Ajax being the winner in this particular 2 v 2 situation.

Sanchez intercepts

And the cause for this gamble is clear when Joel Veltman passes the ball swiftly into playmaker Hakim Ziyech. The former Heerenveen prospect has basically initiated dangerous counter-attacks by Nice, with his risky and failing through balls. But this time, Ziyech gets the kudos for his vision. His pass is inch-perfect. Donny van de Beek Bergkampesque first touch allows him to turn and score: 1-1.

The 2-1 is the result of five Ajax players putting forward pressure on Nice at the byline.

Before Ajax’ second goal, the Amsterdam press is more extreme. The corner kick is defended by Nice, but five Ajax players smell a slip. Veltman and Younes work as a team and Kluivert takes the ball and passes to the well positioned Ziyech. Again, he demonstrates why his team mates forgive him his failed attempts. He finds Viergever stampeding into the box, who heads the ball into the feet of the other defender: Davinson Sanchez, who scores the 2-1. The result of modern Total Football?

Ajax hunts in packs

This is exactly the playing style with which Peter Bosz got the Ajax fans on their feet. Ajax creates an impressive number of opportunities vs Schalke 04 and Olympique Lyon but they also allow their opponents massive chances. Quite the difference to Frank de Boer’s Ajax. In his seasons 14/15 and 15/16 the defensive strength was evident, but the many critical fans regularly boo-ed the team for being boring.

Every Ajax coach faces the dilemma of offering a spectacle but without conceding too many goals. With Keizer, Ajax has another extreme thinking coach, just like Bosz before him. No matter who the opponent and no matter what’s at stake: Ajax picks the attacking and risky options.

In the 25 minutes before the masterclass leading to the Ajax equaliser, the disadvantages of these options come to light.

In Keizer’s 4-3-3, the mid midfielder is playing deep, with usually five players – at least – in front of the ball. Sometimes, the wingbacks go on the overlap even. Which means that with loss of possession, the so-called rest-defence is lacking. Which has consequences for Lasse Schone, who is a fine player on the ball, but vulnerable in bigger spaces.

5 players out Ajax

This illustrates the vulnerability of Ajax: five offensive players are immediately out of play when the ball is given up.

Ajax tries to deal with this, by pushing up Sanchez and De Ligt. They are sometimes pressing up all the way onto the opponent’s half. Backs Veltman and Viergever usually follow their man. Which means there is hardly any protection for the two centre backs, in this case vs striker Plea. Whenever Plea pulls away to the wing, the central axes is wide open.

Take a look at the opening goal of Nice. De Ligt pushes up, and Sanchez is lured away by Plea. A top team like Nice has the wherewithal to take advantage of this situation. In a way, Ajax was lucky that the French team – new employers of Wesley Sneijder – didn’t take the opportunity to decide the game early.

Ajax wide open Nice first goal

The Ajax centre is wide open for the Nice opener

But then there is the stage where Ajax rises up. Under difficult circumstances, they stick to their game plan. And this works for Ajax, when Justin Kluivert runs circles around his opponent, at times. Nice starts to drop back more and more and Ajax wins the ball back in midfield more often. With the support of the fans, this leads to a period in which Ajax dominates and creates opportunities. These are the two faces of Keizer’s Ajax: gallery play and kamikaze play go hand in hand….

Like a gambler putting all his chips on red at the roulette table. Fantastic, if it works out. But disastrous if it fails. And when the results come in, it pays off to be brave. But if the results won’t come, the moniker will change to naive.

This false start against Nice will give Keizer something to think about in his honeymoon period with Ajax. Do I stick to my guns, and believe in my vision, even if results are bad and our defence is constantly under pressure?

At Young Ajax, Keizer stuck to his game plan and vision, but will he be able to do the same if his work is under a magnifying glass. And this question will also come in the heads of the young and inexperienced players. Will the defenders keep on pushing up when the goals rain into the Ajax net? Or will they start to have doubts?

1v1 late in the game

Situation in the run up to the decider, Nice scores 2-2. Ajax applies man to man marking all over the pitch.

The solutions are quite simple for Keizer: say farewell to the pair-approach. In international football, zonal defending is the norm. But Ajax selected a version of man-marking. With only eleven minutes to go, a goal kick results in a one v one all over the pitch. Ajax loses the header for the ball and immediately they have a numerical disadvantage around their own box. And while Ajax is in front. Qualified for the next round. And with Keizer announcing before the match he would play for a result. But no one on the pitch seems to be able to read the game and instruct players to drop back to select some more security.

This is typical for the thin tightrope Ajax is currently balancing on. This current squad oozes quality and entertainment but is also quite vulnerable. If Keizer is unable to address this and improve on it, Ajax will keep on having desastrous and unnecessary deceptions.

When Keizer was announced, it was said that he would build on the foundation laid by Peter Bosz. Not sure whether the Ajax coach is still so convinced of this now.

 

Bookmark and Share

Sneijder, Robben and Van Dijk symbols of Oranje

While part of the attention in football land is going towards all the new signings, the Neymar transfer, Man United’s ambitions, Bayern’s poor performances and other irrelevant matters, the Dutch fans are following the non-news around a number of important players for Oranje. Sneijder, Van Persie, Janssen, Cillesen, Wijnaldum, Van Dijk…

Robin van Persie is very welcome in Rotterdam. Feyenoord would love to bring the gifted left footer back, in Dirk Kuyt style. Van Persie wouldn’t mind the role of mentor, in a Feyenoord that lost a lot of experience. Sure, they signed some exciting young talents, but with Elia, Kuyt, Karsdorp and Kongolo gone, quite some know-how left. Van Persie would be the ideal new leader of the team, in which only El Ahmadi and Brad Jones can be considered seniors. Feyenoord lost quite some goals too, with Kuyt and Elia and the low-scoring Feyenoord in the pre-season could do with some guile in the box. But Fener is keen to keep Van Persie in Turkey, and the former left winger does not have a “Kuyt-clause” enabling him to return.

Vpersie fener

Wesley Sneijder has another challenge. He is a free agent, but wants to play for LA United. Their season only starts in 2018 so Wes is looking for a good “in-between” club at level, to keep his Oranje spot secure. FC Utrecht, the team from his hometown rejected the courtship. Erik ten Hag is not keen to have a player for only half a season, let alone the wages pressure which come with Sneijder. For similar reasons, Ajax has stated it won’t need Sneijder’s services, what with the many midfield talents around. Nice might be the only club with some level that is keen to sign him on a one year deal. Sneijder is currently training privately.

With Ter Stege in Barcelona still on prolonged holidays, Cillesen has been impressing in the pre-season games for the Catalans, but when the German returns, Cillesen will most likely be relegated to the bench. Benfica is courting him to allow him playing time in the World Cup season ahead, but it’s unlikely Barca will let him go.

cillesen barca

In the meantime, Ruud Gullit is reminiscing about his career. He is not very active as yet as assistant coach. Apart from sharing his concerns re: the Oranje key players, he’s currently doing the rounds as a public speaker. The former Oranje captain, the only one to raise a trophy in the jersey, is comfortable in the spotlights. Former figure head, people magnet and eternal optimist. “I used to be known as the Black Tulip,” he quips. “Nowadays, I’m more like the Black ATM….” Referring to the alimony checks he’s paying monthly (four ex-wives). Ruud has been downsizing ever since his private issues, and even lives in a modest flat in Amsterdam. “I used to be on the top of the mountain, now I’m wandering below. And I like it. This life is better. I used to travel everywhere, but never saw a thing. I used to meet 1000s of people but never knew anyone. Now, every day I meet people, lovely, friendly, warm and interesting people and I can make a connection. I always get inspired meeting interesting people.” He’s the most iconic player we have, except for Cruyff and Van Hanegem. He was a living symbol of the 1980s. Reggae artist, anti-apartheid activist, a figure-head across the globe, the idol of a generation.

ruud 88

Van Basten loathed his fame and adoration, Gullit revels in it. In his home, he has quite some memorabilia. A small version of the European Cup, a picture with Nelson Mandela. He is all life, and loves telling anecdotes. “Did I tell you that story of Barry Hughes, at Sparta? Louis van Gaal was his captain and Van Gaal was already a semi-trainer. When they played NAC, they were behind at half time. Van Gaal was furious at half time and said to Hughes: “Coach! It’s a mess out there. You need to do something now!” And Hughes said: “You’re right son. You see it well. I’m subbing you!” And he smiles that big smile. He was always relaxed. Never a moment of stress. His team mate and room mate Carlo Ancelotti couldn’t sleep before a big match. Ruud would go to bed straight after dinner and snore the night away. “I’d say to him, Carlo! What the hell man, why stress out. We are going to play a football match tomorrow! There’s nothing better man!”

Despite the dreads, the reggae career, the friendship with Mandela and his anti apartheid stance, Ruud never felt black. He never felt to be from Suriname. “I’m from Amsterdam. I feel like someone from Amsterdam, not Suriname!” Ruud’s mum is white as can be. “I never experienced racism. I was a good player, that will have helped, yes, but even though I know racism exists, I never personally experienced it.”

Mandela+Gullit

Ruud’s open personality was not always his friend. He met many people who were out to “get” him. Or to take advantage of him. “I think I did deal with people who were out to screw me. But you know what? If I wasn’t who I was, I would never have met all the good people I met. I value that more than the loss I experienced by these bad people.”

Ruud has ongoing issues privately. His former Italian wife Cristina Pensa has recently put a claim in for all Ruud’s future earnings at the KNVB. Another chapter in a private life full of court cases and alimony obligations. Ruud is not happy with all that, as he wants to avoid “negative emotions”. “I was always most happy in tough times. It’s always a learning process, how do you deal with it. I am quite spiritual. I believe in fate. Not in coincidence. Complaining won’t help. I have a great life. I’m proud.”

It’s another 28 days until the key match vs France and Advocaat and Gullit still don’t know what their ideal squad will look like. Next Tuesday, the pair formally starts after summer reces, but Dick and Ruudje will have been working hard already trying to assess who will be part of that chapter. They have enjoyed watching all the pre-season games, from tournaments from the US to Hong Kong. “The clubs make it harder now. They don’t want to release their players. We will get our players on Monday before the match. Tuesday is the first real training day. Wednesday, we travel to France to play on Thursday. And on Sunday, we have Bulgaria. It’s not ideal. I know all nations suffer from this, we’re not alone, but it’s not ideal,” says Dick Advocaat.

dick hesje

Still, the team manager is not unhappy with some of his players. He saw Cillesen playing excellent against Real Madrid, while Stekelenburg at Everton also impressed. Wijnaldum picked up where he left off with Liverpool and Janssen seems sharp in the pre-season for Spurs. In Italy, De Vrij, Hoedt and Strootman play their games while Promes already found the net for Spartak. The move of Klaassen, Karsdorp and Kongolo will also please Big Dick. Kongolo started well in the Super Cup game against Paris St Germain but Rick Karsdorp is recovering from a knee operation. In Dick’s plans, a compact Oranje needs a playmaker Sneijder to release world class Arjen Robben. But Sneijder’s future is not sure, he’s not first choice at OGC Nice at the moment. And even Robben, our only star, is not fit yet and hasn’t really played a competitive game. And Robben seems key in the game plan vs France. Advocaat and Gullit saw the B-team of France play England of the pitch, recently. Coach Deschamp can field three equally strong teams with ample quality. What Holland can do against France, basically consists of the intelligence of Sneijder, the class of Robben and otherwise our mental strength and fighting mentality. Virgil van Dijk will be key in the latter aspects. But the tall defender, despite being coveted by all major EPL clubs, hasn’t played for six months now and trains individually, waiting for a transfer that might not even happen. So Sneijder, Robben and Van Dijk – key vs France – form the symbol of Oranje these days. Will they or won’t they show up?

Sneij Rob

 

 

 

Bookmark and Share