Clarence Seedorf, King of the Champions League

blog
by Jan

While Europe is preparing for a German CL and Arjen Robben is trying to talk some bravado into himself (he really really wants it) and even the most optimistic Oranje supporter can find some reason to see a Dutch feint stripe of glory in Borussia Dortmund ( Bert van Marwijk had something to do with the Dortmund’s current success as he turned the club around in the mid naughties when the Borussen were out of money and Bert had to rely on the youth system to survive) and while we will look at the result tomorrow, it is fun – I thought – to focus on the most successful player Holland ever had.

Clarence Seedorf. Master midfielder. CL record holder. Serial trophy winner. Entrepreneur. Humanitarian. Sports ambassador. Cosmopolitan. Penalty choker. Global Brand. Wise guy.

When he visited Brazil some time back with (now) King WA and Maxima, one camera team followed the royal couple, while the rest followed the King of Panna.

I have never been a huge fan of Seedorf. But secretly I wanted to be him.

When he was 13 years old, his name went was whispered in the streets of Amsterdam. The supporters visiting De Toekomst on a daily basis, knew it. “There is another one coming…” Since the days of Jopie Cruyff, that little sentence holds so much promise…

“There is another one coming…”…. Louis van Gaal, Dennis Bergkamp, Martin van Geel, Rob Reinders, Marco van Basten, Gerald Vanenburg, Dick van Burik, John van ‘t Schip, Cedric van der Gun, Tarik Oulida, Frank Rijkaard… Sometimes they’d make it, sometimes they didn’t….

Clarence Seedorf was lucky that no one compared him to Cruyff (as was done with players like Van ‘t Schip). A comparison no one can carry, really. But if comparison was needed, I believe Brazilian legend Pele would be more relevant.

Physically strong, with a truly positive outlook on life and attitude, extremely skilled (although Pele could head the ball and I don’t think I ever saw Clarence do this) and very smart (not sure about Pele on this one…).

But comparisons fall short.

With 37 years on the clock and another title in the backpack (Botafogo in Brazil), Clarence is now looking at the next step in his career. Winning another CL is probably not happening for him, although Ancelotti might try and sign him for one more season at Real Madrid? Who knows…

Seedorf’s name, however, is being linked to AC Milan again. This time, not as a player, but as Allegri’s successor. Seedorf, who was just offered a sped-up training course with the KNVB, would take the reigns with Paulo Maldini, the rumour goes….

He looks back with a big smile on his year in Brazil. “What is not to like? The city of Rio is amazing! I had this appartment overlooking the Ipanema and the Copacabana. I’d drive to practice in the morning and felt like a tourist every day. What a city!”.

Seedorf used to be a late comer. Sleeping in, practice late in the day, late dinner in Milan and then some more hours spent with the family and good wine…

In Brazil, it works the other way around. To escape the tropical humidity, the Botafogo players train early in the morning and go to bed early at night.

“It took some adapting, haha, but I got used to it and it works well. Practice early in the morning was never my thing, but now I do have more time to do other things at the club.”

Huh?

Yes. Apart from being their star midfielder, Seedorf is also management consultant. He trains from 9 to 11 am. Then it’s lunch with the players and while they go off to do their thing, Seedorf works at all other levels of the club. He walks around and goes from manager office to fitness center, from admin department to the website team…

“As you will know, I can’t sit still. I have too much energy for that. I have worked at top level in football for 20 years. At Ajax, Samp, Real Madrid, Inter and AC Milan I always had my eyes open. I asked questions. I’m inquisitive. I need to know things. And as such, I developed my own vision and Botafogo asked me to come and help them. So I do.”

Seedorf’s biggest interest lies in the physical body. Physiology. And the medical head at Botafogo is his biggest friend and fan. Altamiro Bottino: “Clarence has taught me a lot. His body is like a work of art. And he was a regular in the Milan Labs. I do graphs and stats for 20 years, but when Clarence came I had to redo the scales of the graphs. He was way ahead of all the others here. I received his stats from his ten years (!) at Milan and his physical condition now is as good as it was when he was 26 years old…. Amazing. And take into account that conditions are tougher here, with the humidity. So actually, he is fitter than when he was 26 years old….”

There many an experienced player who decided to have some fun in Brazilian football and most of them never produced. When Seedorf decided to go to the land of Samba, some were skeptical. But Seedorf delivered.

“Seedorf is a tsunami. When he came here, he changed everything,” says Bottino. “Before Seedorf, players left the practice when the coach blew the final whistle. Now, thanks to Seedorf, they hang around, they practice set-pieces, they do individual work, etc….. And you know what, I think Clarence has 3 more years of top football in him. It’s his mind that will determine when he stops, not his body.”

Seedorf’s decision to move to Brazil was quite a surprise for many. Not for the ones who know him. Tottenham Hotspur, Hiddink’s Anzhi, Fenerbahce and LA Galaxy were vying for his signature. He even spent a week with Galaxy and his buddy David Beckham but decided for Botafogo. “I never went to LA to check Galaxy out. I was there to keep myself fit for that period and to spend some time with Becks. But their management offered me a deal and I politely listened. But Brazil was always my priority. I love the Brazilian competition, I spent a lot of holidays in Rio already and love the city and Brazil is doing well as a country too. It has a buzz, I love it. And Botafogo allowed me a bigger role than just player.”

What has Clarence changed at the club, for instance?

“A couple of quick wins to start off with. After a game, the players would leave to go home. And the next morning, they’d go to do treatments of knocks and the likes and plan for the next game. Wrong! You need to do this immediately after a game. Once the game ends, the prep for the next one starts. Treatment is needed immediately, to improve fitness. Another example is the warming up. It was amateur hour. The players needed 5 to 10 minutes in the game to find their focus and rhythm. This is how you are constantly behind the 8-ball. Another little thing….when we walked into the dressing room, our jerseys were all lying about on a table. I needed those to be hanging on coathangers on the spots of the players. That gives a player a kick when he walks into the dressing room. It looks great. It gives confidence. Little things, maybe, but important….”

He goes on… “I also worked with a sports psychologist. We’d plan training camps and little workshops. We’d talk about tactics, about what we needed to improve, about each others strengths and weaknesses…. Simply trying to become more professional.”

Coach de Oliveira (52 years old) considers Seedorf to be one of his guides. “He is like a mentor to many here. I am his coach, yes. I am the man in charge of football, but Clarence is like a walking football seer, I would be stupid not to listen. My door is always open for him.”

Seedorf likes his coach, a lot. “He is super intelligent, warm and open for outside influences. Not all coaches have that. Some would see me as a threat. Carlo Ancelotti is another man with whom I have that. He was a strong player himself, and he doesn’t mind players speaking their minds. Unlike other people I worked with…”

Despite his habit of winning trophies, it’s not winning that Seedorf is focusing on. “Winning? Is not what you focus on. Winning is simply the result of what you focus on. I focus on getting better every day. And if you do well, you’ll be better than the rest. If you work hard enough and are lucky.”

But, Botafogo won the title. For the first time since 2005. Back in the days, when Garrincha was Botafogo’s top player in the 1960s, Botafogo was a force to be reckoned with. The club desperately wants to get back to that stage and break the hegemony of Flamengo and Fluminese.

The Dutch National Team will be playing their football in June 2014 in Brazil. What will the climate impact be for that?

“Not too big. June is perfect. Probably 25 degrees all around. It’s winter in Brazil then. But still humid. But with the right nutrition, and rest periods, it should be fine.”

The KNVB and Louis van Gaal have expressed their wish to use Seedorf as an ambassador for Oranje in Brazil. That must be nice for the ex-international. “Funny that! I read that too. But Van Gaal was here, apparently, 3 months ago but never contacted me. As I’ve never heard anything from the KNVB either. But they have my phone number for 25 years or so. And Louis knows me. He knows I like direct communications. But I won’t go into it via the media myself. Next topic?”

Oranje and Seedorf….

A topic that deserves a book of its own maybe? A player who would easily fall in the same list of names as Cruyff, Van Hanegem, Bergkamp, Rijkaard, Koeman, Van Basten… Why was his Oranje career such a disappointment?

The World Cup 2010 would have been the last tournament where he could have played for Oranje. Although according to this physiology, Brazil2014 is still an option….

“I believe the Van Basten period could have been a good one, potentially. I looked forward to the Euro2008 with him. But he was never convinced of me it seems. He didn’t see a pivotal role for me. I was one of the players…. Marco was too headstrong I think. Didn’t open up to other people’s opinions. I think this is why he clashed with Van Bommel and Van Nistelrooy too. Marco is too Dutch. I felt he never believed in me and I couldn’t pump myself up for a role on the sideline anymore. I am an all-or-nothing kinda guy.”

Bert van Marwijk never even called the midfielder up for a session. “He said in the media I was too good to be a benchwarmer…. Well…that said it all….”

Seedorf is clearly disappointed in Van Basten, more so than Van Marwijk. “Bert reached the finals with his squad in 2010. You can say that he did well. With Marco, I share the same football vision. I believe that with Mark and Ruud in the squad – and myself – he could have had an experienced ax in the team. Marco has the right attitude in terms of football tactics and technics, but he is too Dutch, too soft in his mentality. You need to be a killer and as a coach you need to be ego-less. I believe he was too….too Dutch… Weird, as he was at Milan where it’s all about the performance…but hey…. He was young and inexperienced, I’m sure he’ll look back at this and realise it could have been different.”

Seedorf believes Koeman is better equipped for National Team Manager. “You want to win silverware with Holland, you have to be realistic. Koeman was the last coach to bring Ajax far in the CL? And he was criticised for being too realistic in his tactics… Well…. what is it you want, right? I think Koeman mixes the Dutch style with South European shrewdness. He’d be a good team manager.”

Seedorf is really happy with the way Ajax is developing, with lots of his ex-mates now in the key roles. “That is just awesome. And you know what, apart from some little surprises, it was all predictable. These guys developed themselves apart from being a player and they are all where they are for a reason. Overmars was already active in business and with investing when he was a player. He belongs in the board room. Frank de Boer was a coach already when he played. Edwin van der Sar was a bigger surprise, but Edwin is the most pure, honest and loyal bloke you can find. If Ajax wants those values to reign, they picked the right guy. Dennis was a bit of a surprise. I have the highest respect for him. It was Dennis who took me under his wing at Ajax, when I was a youngster. Him and Aron Winter. Dennis is super intelligent, did you know that? I expected him to do something totally different outside of football. But as an assistant coach, I’m sure he is worth his weight in gold. Jaap Stam, haha, I never expected him to become a coach. I expected Jaap to sit on the sofa all day with his family and his huge dog, hahahaha. Don’t tell him I said this!”

Seedorf compares the Ajax direction with the way CL finalist Bayern Munich has been working for quite some time now. Is there a position within Ajax for Seedorf, maybe?

“You never know…. I have lots of energy still, so that won’t stop me….”

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0 comments

  1. Great article..would be a dream if wrecked was named in the squad for Brazil..at the moment a classier n more on form midfielder than Wes the team captain

    1. The game play from Maher between 0:41 and 0:45 = football. The way he makes that very hard ball from BMI soft and then that nonchalant outside curving ball to de Jong is stuff that makes my football heart beat faster.

  3. I would play something like this for the Euro in Israel:

    http://i.imgur.com/iaqqPPi.png

    Van Ginkel has been striker at a younger age and has scored quite some goals this season. He has speed and is a good header. Luuk de Jong is a static semi statue making us more predictable. Locadia somewhat the same. Plus the dynamic between Maher the passer and van Ginkel the runner is something develop further. Could become a very string couple for the future.

    In this set up we also have the metal that Strootman brings and the handling speed and creativity of Clasie.

    It does not get much stronger. I am just not a big fan of the Huntelaar, Luuk de Jong, Bas Dost and Locadia kind of strikers. So much end station game play without any interesting field play involvement. I rather trade them for an (attacking) midfielder with a nose for the goal like van Ginkel.

    Other player that I exclude is Ola John. Bad end of the season and is such a soft egg. Also does not track back properly. With a player like Depay we have both more mental strength and defensive work rate in the team, as he does track back often.

    Cheers

    2. I also think about this team.

      However I don’t agree with you about John tracking back, I think he improved a lot, I remember just few months ago the game against Italy, did it very bad, but when I watched against Porto and his few minutes against Chelsea, he was always tracking back and did it well. I even read some Benfica supporters saying that he had to stay on the field against Porto as he was holding all the left side.

      + Van Ginkel (or Luuk) have good header, and John got definitly better crosses than Depay. But yes, about energy, speed, winner spirit, Depay is above.

      1. Interesting bit there Laurent, thanks. I have seen the Porto game but was amazed about by the boy vs men vibe I got from seeing Ola vs the Porto players. They made it hard for him to play his game.

        The only thing I would still bring forward is that I want a bigger sample size of games to verify his new tracking back behavior. The games you bring forward to signal a new development with a player are pretty much the 2 most high profile games of the season for Benfica. The league title decider against an arch rival and the UEFA CL final. Robben also tracked back in the Barca game as if his life depended on it, while I would not put any money in a bet about him doing that in every game from now on for Oranje.

        We now know that Ola is at least capable of tracking back properly. If it has become an intrinsically motivated thing is yet to be seen Imo. Actually this Euro is an excellent opportunity to see if this personal progress has become a real new thing about the player.

        Cheers

  4. @DRB300: I like your team. It has speed, energy and technique.
    I have high hopes for our Under21 team this June..anything other than champion will be a disappointment to me.

    1. I think Netherlands is not going to win anything. Not as a result of lack of quality on the field, but because we have Cor Pot as U21 coach. Only thing that could save us is van Gaal actually coming over, once the U21 side gets into then half final. Before that we still have to get passed the group phase with very strong country’s in it and I am just waiting for Pot to scr*w this on up again.

      Dutch U21 side also did not go to the Olympics thanks to Pot, not to mention the WC and Euro 2011. After a game against Austria IIRC he simply stated that he did not know what went wrong in the game after a journalist asking a question about it. This is a man payed to be able to read a game as it happens and being able to influence it at least a bit with instructions and subs.

      Second half in this friendly against Australia, the Netherlands completely lost the plot again. I understand that subs play a big role in that, but Pot is responsible for such fall in quality compared to the first half as well.

      I celebrate the day that leaves and he can thank van Gaal for all the top talent made available to him to finish his job at U21 in style. After that, he can link up with Advocaat again in a new foreign job to further stack his bank account.

  6. Another thing to mention, I think for the first time, we can consider having the best defense in the 90/94 generation. Bruma would definitly be in the german or italian squad. Well, France got a better one but is missing the tournament.

  7. Great article…
    Missed clanrence especially in 2006WC,not much in 2008 Ec and WC10..wow we could have had a superb team vs Portugal
    ————–RVN————–
    Robben——–Clarence—–RVP—
    ——-Cocu——Bommel———–
    Giovani——————–Heitinga—–
    ———Joris—Ooiger————–
    ————-VDS————————-
    Wow…..i was sure with seadorf and RVN we would have burried Portugal..

    1. ‘wow we could have had a superb team vs Portugal
      ————–JESUS————–
      JESUS——–JESUS—–JESUS—
      ——-JESUS——JESUS———–
      JESUS——————–JESUS—–
      ———JESUS—JESUS————–
      ————-JESUS————————-‘

      Agreed.

        1. ‘useless retard’? did your ‘JESUS’ teach you those big words? Or do you usually mock disability when your playschool ‘mom’ jokes aren’t quite embarrassing enough?
          Haha 🙂
          Tell us more!

      3. @Panjeev the dimub ass…..what kind of jokes u like??Jokes about you the fatherless child like you.you are more than a bastard.u retard Devil?You will be beaten in head,You will get humiliated.

  14. Oh yes and Jan wonderful piece about a truly wonderful ambassador of the game.

    Clarence really has his head on straight – and someday he will manage a big club. Will he get one more shot at Oranje – don’t know but if he did – he would make it work.

    OJF

  15. Tnx God.
    it is Robbeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeen.
    1 Super Goal
    1 Assist

    Tnx God.
    He is the man.
    he cry, i really happy for him, i never see him happy as tonight, he raelly cry and get party for his super goal.
    he was woderfull

  18. Did anyone else cry when Robben scored the winner?

    I am so happy for him. I teared up, he has been through so much, so much injuries and pain, everything.

    Fucking beautiful!

  21. Thank you Jan. I am not a fan of Seedorf. On the other hand, I think Robben is ready to win the WC for Netherlands after today CL final performance.

    1. Hein …true that nroben is ready to give Wc for NT.But Robben need another members to help him,nothing is doen by one man show..Bayern had a superb defence,holding mid and forward line…Does he has that in NT?????
      have a look in to this…
      Persie Vs Gomez/Manduzic
      Robben Vs Robben
      Lenz Vs Ribery
      Wesly Vs Muller
      Strootman Vs Shweani
      Clasie Vs Martinz
      Blind Vs Alaba
      BMI Vs Dante
      Devrij Vs Boetang
      Janmaat Vs Lahm
      krul/vorm Vs Neuer/Feller….
      Bayren ozzes quality in defnec and holding mid they are so solid that gives a platform for better attack.
      van persie doesnt score like Gomez /Manuzic when it comes to knock out stage matches/or tough marking Eg Real Vs Manu.Totenham Vs Manu.
      Robben is cancelled by Robben
      Lenz is not that faraway from ribery when it comes to scoring so,that doesnt make much differnce though Ribery has the edge
      Wesly was better than muller 2 year ago not any more Muller workrate is almost double of wesly and always looks for team mate and muller doesnt shoot over the bar often,he only shoot when he is confident.look at how is made way for Robbe’s goal vs Barca in semi by kocking Alba brilliantly..salute to him…
      Stroot is inexperienced than Shweani
      Clasie is physicaly weaker than martinz,but heis not mucgh less than Martinz..
      Alaba is Dany blind+speed thats says everything
      Dante is experiened than BMI
      Boetang is tougher than devrij in defnese
      Lahm is very superior to janmaat
      Neuyer is so superior to vorm and krul
      then tell me how Roben will win Wc for us??????

    1. Yes laurent as always he stands with the weak,Robben was weak,Very unfairly treated by many bayern fans and kaiser..JESUS came for the Lost ones…

  25. congratulations to robben,he deserved it,but no one else from bayern,especially not ribery who should have been redcarded (like dante with a second yellow). in his place right now i would go to another club.

  32. I teared up too… I’m so happy for him. Arjen Robben just cemented his status as one of the best to ever touch a ball. Too bad his German cocksucker employers will never appreciate him.

    To be honest, Ribery should have been red carded as he did before his 2010 final. They all chocked and it took two moments of magic from AJ10.

    He is THE NEW DUTCH MASTER.

  33. They can go to hell! They will remember that this team won the champions league by a goal from a dutchie! We saw how their sissies muller lahm and schweini were looking for robben always to pass him the ball! Honestly if I were robben, I would ask them to sell me, many top teams would love to have him in England and Italy!! Because u know what now he proved them wrong and he won the champions league so he shut all of them up, now he can say good bye arrogant Germans!!! Because honestly I am worried if he stays next season, the first time he might have a bad game they will start their disgusting symphony all over especially that they will have Kroos and goetze also in the team, and as we their disgusting arrogance will lead them to have those players start ahead of him! So it is a perfect time to say farewell to that team!!

  34. Even Bayern great Franz Beckenbauer, the club’s honorary president, said on TV during halftime that “evidently in the big games he just can’t score.” Well Franz you bozo, wait until the final whistle before making your analysis. He missed 2 good chances in the first half, but making up by a great assist than scoring the winning goal himself. Easily man of the match.

    1. Franz “Klootzak” Beckenbauer once said that Robben is soft, like all Dutchmen.

      So glad he stuck his neck out during halftime.

      Robben gave it a kick. 🙂

  35. One of my happiest days ever 🙂 . So Happy for Robben .

    As Paul said , he has been through so much but he was finally able to make his own luck 🙂 .

    Hopefully Robben will win another final in Brazil , very soon 😉 .

  36. WOW so many conceited, embarrassing, ridiculous, and frankly pitiful Dutch fans here. I mean good for Robben for making amends for last year, but seriously a team won it tonight and face it – a German team. Not some Dutch team in the third rate Eredivise.

    It seems the Dutch will NEVER get that. Everybody for themselves! Good luck getting to a final when you can’t even get out of the group stages of anything.

    1. Count with me. Netherlands got out of the group stages in:

      – 1988
      – 1990
      – 1992
      – 1994
      – 1996
      – 1998
      – 2000
      – 2004
      – 2006
      – 2008
      – 2010

      Over this quarter century only Germany from the UEFA confederation can rival Netherlands in this regard. They failed to progress from the group stages in 2000 and 2004 though and the last time even in a direct confrontation with the Netherlands being in the same group. Netherlands did advance and Germany went packing early. As for all other European country’s, they can’t hold a candle to the Dutch group advancement record since Michels revitalized Dutch football again in the mid eighties. Why don’t you try to make a snide comment next time that does not boomerang back to you?

      Oh and by the way, Alex Ferguson has something to tell you about Robben’s performance last night:

      http://i.imgur.com/c2yeBgx.jpg

      That’s right. My boy was Man of the Match and IMO Bayern would have lost against Dortmund without him. That however is speculation. Him getting the Man of the Match award is not. Now go flock with the rest of the Robben hating football community. It’s the popular, unoriginal thing to do these days. It fits you looking at your comment.

      By

      1. Thanks for that, DRB…

        AD and the other trolls (or, more likely, his other sock puppets) want to start flame wars here, but gezelligheid rules at Jan’s place.

        Wankers gonna wank. 🙂

    4. @AD you are right about some arrogantb pityful fans like panjeev,rango,Dogg and other trolls…but there are nice fans too and there are fans who konws th reality too.they dont deserve it.I am happy for Roben coz he has got a chance to kick his arrogant pittyful,(who think they are genius are they are right) enemies.i know what Roben feeling in His heart.i have tasted it on EC12…
      by……

  37. Not sure what to think about the people claiming he redeemed himself. Robben was the best player in the CL 2009-2010 final. Best in the final last season looking at field play. Best player in this final. Best player over 180 minutes against the legendary Barca team that got a spanking from Bayern under Robben’s wings. This guy is a big game player. failing to score here and there and blaming him for losing finals, raises the obvious question: who else was stepping up to get into deciding positions to score and change the outcome of the game? Nobody. Robben’s relentless efforts to impact the finals he played have been taken for granted and he has been attacked for trying, while others went missing dearly or were never able to do something clucth in the first place. Or the mistakes from others have been forgotten about and he has been used as a scapegoat to hate on to drive the attention away from players people feel loyal to and want to protect.

    The way I see it, it is the Bayern fans first and foremost quickly followed by the hate arousing German media that get a final opportunity to redeem themselves. This is their final chance to prove that they are not crazy. They have created this alternative truth that Robben is the villian. The attack on Robben in German quality paper der Spiegel was for me the final drop in terms of media and the hateful sounds in the Bayern-Netherlands friendly towards Robben was the final drop concerning the Bayern fans. If things don’t change now, I don’t even want any Dutch players to play for that club ever again. I have nothing with Bayern anymore by the way. Totally careless about their future.

    Robben has written history and was clutch like has been so many times in the past. The Bayern players by the way do know who is the new King of Europe:

    http://i.imgur.com/hQQVdM2.jpg

    Also good thing he is wearing the Dutch flag around his middle. Nice touch.

    Cheers

    1. Great post.

      Nothing to add really, spot on in every sense.

      After following his ups and downs and injuries, the way he was scapegoated, this is sweet day for us as well, his loyal fans.

  39. his goal cements as one of the all time greats.

    i broke down what he has won before, everything, every club competition, so many leagues.

    His stats will never reflect the influence he has on the game, dragging defenders, making space, the link up play, the crosses in making havoc.

    But we will always know.

  40. People remember this prick action from last season German Cup game:

    http://tinyurl.com/qynd3n7

    So classy from Robben to not do the same to him after he scored the winning goal in the final minutes on his watch. What a gentleman and example of sportsmanship. Did also not dive once in this final.

    Ribery and Reus are different story’s though.

      2. he’s a prick, even to his team mate. remember Ribery was recently got soaked with beer after they won the league. Ribery got so angry he even said he “won’t ever talk to Boateng again”.

        confused? Ribery is a Muslim. 🙂

        1. There’s a funny/ironic twist to this story too – the beer turned out to be non-alcoholic, because the sponsoring provider wanted to use the cheap stuff knowing that it just gets thrown over people at the end of the game. So Ribery ended up getting angry for nothing.

  41. @DRB300: spot on!!! Love your comment I feel the same way.

    “This guy (robben) is a big game player. failing to score here and there and blaming him for losing finals, raises the obvious question: who else was stepping up to get into deciding positions to score and change the outcome of the game? Nobody. Robben’s relentless efforts to impact the finals he played have been taken for granted and he has been attacked for trying, while others went missing dearly or were never able to do something clucth in the first place. Or the mistakes from others have been forgotten about and he has been used as a scapegoat to hate on to drive the attention away from players people feel loyal to and want to protect”.

  42. I was thinking at times injury helps to WIn a trophy..Roben got to starting berth after kroos injury…i dont think kroos would have had impact like Roben against 3 top class teams ,i mean Barca,Juve and dortmund..may be bayern would have lost against BVB with out him…long tme ago..2007U21 it was bakal who played star role instead of Afellay.and we got a better hardworking teamplatyer in bakal and we won.trophies counts,…i know its a bad thing to wish injury for a player,but to WIN WC orange requires injury to some over hyped players…

    1. Bakkal is the dutch Muller. Poor technical, no speed, but clever in his teamworking and positionning. He is though completly failing in Russia, never plays.

      1. Yes laurent…he is 27 now and lots of external psyshological factors need to stay on top.apart from high level physical state.Muller,bakal are not great talents but simply effective when it matters and stays humble in pitch,works for the team and finish chances when they get..

        1. yak yak yak
          Oh just fuck off.
          No-one cares what you think.

          Amazing that a simple sports website can demonstrate two extremes – two human opposites – in such a way.
          On the one hand we have DRB, who calmly posts ‘facts’ with intelligence, knowledge, wisdom, authority, evidence and experience.
          On the other hand we have this angry deluded Tiju clown who has absolutely zero football knowledge, but yet spends his life here insulting people and posting ridiculous bullshit baseless theories as if they were facts.
          It’s fucking embarrassing.

          Hey Tiju, do you see anyone arguing with DRB?
          Do you see him bullshitting to support a point?
          Do you see DRB preaching about imaginary gods?
          Do you see people disagreeing with his evidence and analysis?

          Question yourself: why is this the case?

          You will never be like DRB, so please stop trying to be.
          Go and support some other team, please. I am sick of you insulting my dutch players and fellow dutch fans.
          You are an ignorant little troll. I am disgusted that you claim you are unfairly treated by others here, but yet it is ALWAYS YOU who insults people, it is you who is wrong, it is you who cannot listen, it is you how cannot take criticism, it is you who knows absolutely nothing about the beautiful game.

          It is a shame that Jan cannot just ban you completely.
          This place was a million percent better without you.
          You and you attitude are not wanted here. When are you going to realise this?

          You do not Bleed Oranje.
          If you have nothing positive to say, why are you here at all?

          1. @Bobbyfart…i know u r troll who comes in different names like Jesus,Dogg,Rango etc what ur problem..u r just a piece of coward shit who comes under different names to insult others not me.i have my own identity and i dont mimic others,i have got some unique skills so far my predictions were so right than other football pundits…its is not a coincidence or pure luck,its psyschlogy.by sitting here i understand that how big prick u are and how much intensily u laugh at me and my comments.i can read u booby fart,I have my identity and have name Tiju.i dont have to take DRB300 ID.DRB is DRb and Tiju is Tiju.i didnt put hypothesis or any thing i said was fact.i have created some enemies by saying cut and right approach that i cannot help it.I value u like my groin hair,still its my hair and i take it like that.there are some highly inteligent fans are here like laurent and co…not u and other opportunistic fans.it would be very wise u stop this nonsence first,otherwise it is goin to cost the Nt than you.For dutch national teams sake,dont drag my name and dont Insult my LORD JESUS..Be very very careful man…FYI,,Jesus always won against devil and HE hit him in his head.and he was never soft to devil..If u think Jesus is soft then its ur misunderstanding…

          2. @Bobby

            I have loved watching my beloved Oranje over many decades and I agree that Tiju knows nothing about football but do not bring religion or God into it – they are separate matters……

            @Tiju

            You betray your belief if you think that mocking others, speaking hatred and swearing is a true reflection of the god you claim you believe in……

          3. Bobby, why u talk when u can be shut up?i’m with ED too, being shut up Ed is the best way u can choose

  44. So happy for Robben!!! Thoroughly deserves this and what a fitting way to scored the winner. He is the barometer of of Bayern of he plays well in the big games they win. Robben you are a superstar and we are proud to call this guy a Dutchman

    A little interview with Arjen after the match in English

    http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=Bn_f0HuKBKU

  45. Atta boy robben!

    Also just wanna say that muller has got to stop giving that disgusted look to his teammates when they miss an opportunity. He is a good player and all but not a very supportive teammate. At times Even I feel like choking him. He needs to stop that!

  46. Like everyone else here I’m overjoyed for Robben. He’s the poster child of the guy who pays his dues (and then some) before achieving success.

    With that out of the way, I’m completely with Alaa, Hein and others that it’s time for Robben to move on and leave those ungrateful back-stabbers at his club behind. I have to single out Beckenbauer as being particularly unsupportive and arrogant throughout Robben’s tenure. Even after the game all he could do was criticize Robben’s first half performance, but he apparently hasn’t a word of praise for the guy who just brought them home the CL cup. Yes, Weidenfeller made two quick interventions to block Robben in the 1st half — great goalkeeping. Who else created good opportunities for Bayern yesterday? That aside, there were 26 shots on goal and you know what – the only two that went in from open play were Robben’s and the one that Robben put on a plate for Mandzukic. Maybe the Kaiser can heap praise on Muller, who when Robben was wide open on the left made a terribly overhit pass and destroyed a goalscoring opportunity. But since that was only a pass, not a shot, it goes unnoticed by his biased eyes.

    Robben, please move on to somewhere that appreciates you. I can’t cheer for Bayern anymore, but I do quite like BvB and Klopp and hope they put die Roten in their place next year.

    1. It would be hilarious if Robben would move to Dortmund and of course win with them. I actually think that Guardiola has a very ungrateful task and won`t be able to win anything in his first year with Bayern. Robben would be better of leaving now than after a year of disappointments. I could see him going to either Juve or PSG and win a domestic title in yet another country.

      1. it’s great video, but I was hoping for more dramatic ending. they should change the ending music that’s all.

        not to mention that there’s no Chelsea/Madrid part.

  49. Just tweeted:

    Mohamed Moallim ‏@jouracule:
    Douglas (Twente), free transfer, agrees to a 4-year contract with Kuban Krasnodar. Previously linked w/ LFC, Spurs, Juve + Inter. [rtv oost]

    1. I’ve just read it. Kuban isn’t a bad club, they just got their ticket for the Europa league, they have an interesting project for coming years, can become a good russian team. But they probably offered him a high salary if he is really going there.

  51. So he was available for free transfer, and no other bigger club manage to secure him? must be overated player like LVG never rated him high?

  52. Thank you guys reading your comment’s about Robben makes me very happy.

    I think I hadn’t seen anyone so criticized in my life so unfairly!.

    He gave everyone a lesson and I am not talking just about a football lesson: never never never give up. Even when people say you are shit and that you can’t be successful just keep going and life will be fair to you. 🙂

    Beckenbauer and many more people will have to swallow their words because they know ARJEN ROBBEN has gone to the history books as a WINNER!!!.

  53. It is shocking for me to hear and read all the criticism Robben has received over the years.

    They’ve called him crystal man, loser, diver, selfish but finally he has won the battle and shut some mouths.

    It was funny to hear people saying that Robben had lost too many finals because as far as I remember Lahm, Schwensteiger, Neuer, Gomez, Ribery, etc. they all have lost a lot of finals because they’ve lost with Bayern but also with their national teams so those comments were either made by fools, stubborn or stupid people who didn’t think before saying stupidities!!!

    And what is even more concerning is that it seems like the whole world has something against Dutch players.

    1) Sneijder in 2010 should’ve won the best player of the world award.
    2) RVP won the league this year and was the best goalscorer but Bale was named as the best player of the EPL!.
    3) Will Robben be named as the best player of the world this year? I think he deserves it but I doubt he will get that award because he is Dutch and Dutch players seem to be hated….Who else? Ronaldo? zero titles, Messi? didn’t have a great year, Bale? you’d have to be fu**g kidding me, maybe they’ll give it to Neymar haha(the new media product).

    1. “””Neymar haha(the new media product).”””‘
      exactly,only thing i like him is not much arrogant,but still spends time for hair dressing..

  54. @DRB300..i would like know about ur opinion on Dejong…We all know Nijel was intgral part of Dutch Nt and Mancity.this season Mancity missed him like anything.and in orange no one gives the security like Dejong..Question is will he able to perform as he used to??after long injury??

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