Ferenc: "What the Hungarians think…."

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by Jan

Bad news: No Tim Krul against Hungary tomorrow night.

But the good news is, we do have Ferenc Komlodi.

Ferenc is one of the die-hards on this blog. A old-time Oranje and Barca fan. He has seen all the greats play and is extremely passionate about good football. And he happens to be a great guy :-).

I asked him to write a guest post for us, as he is in Budapest and is in the thick of things over there….

So, here is Ferenc:

“Expectations in Hungary before the Oranje game

Oranje and Hungary met three times in the last two years and the statistics don’t predict any good for Tuesday game’s home team – during 270 minutes the Dutch scored 15 goals (6-0, 4-0, and 5-3). Circumstances are different now, but the difference remains. It seems Hungarian players, coaches and newspapers all are aware of this.
One day after their first qualification game against Andorra (5-0) and three days before playing Oranje, in a Nike store in Budapest three Hungarian players answered to the questions of two dozen football fans.
For Dzsudzsák Balázs (Dinamo Moscow, ex PSV) playing against the Netherlands is always important and very special. “I feel extra motivation because I spent three and a half years there, and some of my former club mates will be in their starting eleven. On paper, they’re favorite, it’s not a shame to say this, but in our team everyone is in good form. I expect a much closer game than two years ago (when Hungary was beaten 6-1) or one year ago in Budapest (4-0 for Oranje).”
Szalai Ádám (FSV Mainz, Germany): “I hope we can accomplish a small miracle. On the other hand our main rivals are not the Netherlands. No problem if we won’t be successful against them. We obviously want to win, but I’m not living in illusions.”
Juhász Roland (Anderlecht): “The Netherlands are the absolute favorite of the group. We don’t plan to fail against them, but if we cannot get a good result, we won’t lose anything. It seems Oranje are not in their best form, and Friday we played well. But we must not forget that Tuesday we’ll meet a totally different team than Friday evening.”


Dszudszak scored against Holland…

László Csaba (ex manager of Ferencváros, Ugandan national team, Heart of Midlothian, current coach of Lithuania) said in a Sunday interview: “My heart says we can win, but avoiding defeat is the most important.” He’s one of the most popular and controversial football pundits in Hungary.
Egervári Sándor, the coach of the national team is convinced that despite the European Championship the Dutch remain one of the best teams in the world with top class players like Robin van Persie, Wesley Sneijder and Arjen Robben. “Even for a draw we should play very good football”, he told to journalists.
The Hungarian sport press is also realistic. The most important daily sports newspaper, Nemzeti Sport expects zero point against Oranje, especially “if they score first, we’re screwed.” But on a good day and if Oranje play like in the first half against Turkey, Hungary can get a result, probably a draw. The question is that on Tuesday evening the Hungarians will be able to demonstrate that they are good enough for playing a balanced game against the Dutch team. Every football fan in Hungary is convinced that Oranje want to regain prestige and do everything for it. The prestige they built up over many years and destroyed over a period of a few summer days…
The press thinks Oranje will win the qualification group with at least three-points advantage, but Sneijder & Co. won’t be able to repeat the 100 percent 2008-2009 qualification campaign however at the end the Netherlands will have 24 points or more. Summarizing, expectations are not high sky in Budapest, but the press is more optimistic than before the last qualification campaign.
Personally, I think the Hungarian team is stronger than the one Oranje beat 6-1 before the 2010 World Cup. Don’t forget, the 2010 game was a meaningless friendly for Hungary; the players were almost on holiday, while the Netherlands were in the last phase in their preparation for South-Africa. This time the circumstances will be different.
I expect a comfortable Oranje win; let’s say 2-0 or 3-1. Oranje are far better in every aspects of the game: they are faster, more physical, technically and tactically superior, bar Dzsudzsák Balázs and captain Gera Zoltán (West Bromwich Albion) none of them would be in the current Oranje squad. The defense is even more error-prone than Heitinga and his colleagues, most of the players are in German, Dutch, English and Russian clubs, but at least half of them are benchwarmers. The midfield and the strikers are more talented than the defenders; this talent might be enough to beat Turkey and especially the current Romanian team in Budapest, but certainly not the Dutch. Nevertheless the Netherlands have to take seriously this game – after so many years Hungary (37th on the September FIFA Ranking) really wants to qualify for the World Cup and a surprise victory on Tuesday evening would boost the team morale. If Oranje won’t take it easy they will easily win.
By the way, the last time when Hungary qualified for the World Cup (Mexico, 1986), they were in the same group with the Netherlands. They surprisingly beat them 2-1 in Rotterdam, and it was the first time when I saw Ruud Gullit, Frank Rijkaard and Marco van Basten. In Budapest Oranje won 1-0 (substitute Rob de Wit scored a beauty), but already qualified, this last game wasn’t really important for Hungary.”

In the EC qualifications 1987:

At home:

And because it’s such a beaut: Rob de Wit, in 1985….

And to make sure we’re on the same page:

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53 comments

  4. This is a great piece! Well done, ferenc 🙂

    Totally agree that although on the paper Hungary are not so good team, if they’re a bit serious, they can give us problem. Last time is a 5-3! Conceding 3 goals are bad.

  8. Did anyone watched the under-21 game on Friday? They did well. Van Ginkel is a real talent. Am keeping my eyes on him.

    Zoet is real talent too. He looks to have the potential to make it big.

  10. I hate the great stats such as the record against Hungary recently as they are made to be broken. I hope not this time. I would be content with any winning scoreline.

  11. Ferenc,

    thanks for the effort writing the article. I am very worried about the game. I am worried that our players will not be worried, perhaps complacency after a successful but lucky result.

    IMO, being worried pays dividends 🙂

  12. thx for everybody.
    unfortunately or not i’m going to watch the game on my television because i really don’t like the atmosphere of the hungarian football events… last time when i went to see a game in a stadium here in hungary was in the late 1970s with my dad….

  13. Ferenc, thanks for the article. Regarding the atmosphere at football matches in Hungary, I heard recently that there was clear neo-nazi and antisemitic chants in the stadium when Hungary played Israel. Is that so?

  15. I disagree with some of you about Clasie.

    Some of you said that he can´t be DM and should play as creative midfield, but I don´t see it at all.

    I think LVG wants to do a “little revolution” in the NT, as FdB did in Ajax. After Martin Jol leaves Ajax´s, FdB began the most interesting project in Eredivisie right now. He went to the Ajax´s roots and began to play 4-3-3, with open wingers, and with a dynamic midfield. The inflection point and the most important FdB strategic choice were replacing Enoh by Anita. Enoh is better player in destructive skills, but Anita is better in the build up.

    So when Anita tooks Ajax´s midfield control, the team began to play much better. Anita brings the balance, the correct switch from the defence to attack, the possession, the ball distribution, but also, he recovery a lot the ball.

    Ajax´s played with a DM or number 6 (Anita) one mix midfield or box to box midfield number 8 (Jannsen) and one creative midfield or number 10 (Eriksen).

    But Feyenoord did the same last season: Clasie played DM, Amhadi as 8, and Bakkal as 10. And AZ with Maher as 8, Falkembur/Mertens as 10 and Elm as 6.

    Some like this:

    TEAM–DM or 6–BtB or 8-CM or 10
    Ajax—Anita—Jannsen—Eriksen
    Feye—Clasie—Amahadi—Bakkal
    AZ—Elm—Maher—Falkemburg/Mertens
    Twente—Brama—Fer—Jannsen

    And precisely that´s what LVG wants to do in the NT. Like FdB replace Enoh by Anita, LVG wants to replace a destructive DM (NDJ) by a fresh, faster and creative DM like Clasie, who brings ball possession and build up skills.

    So, on my book, Orange needs two number 6, and 8 (box to box) and a 10. And there are the candidates:

    DM or 6: Clasie, Anita, Strootman, De Jong
    BtB or 8: Strootman, Fer, Maher, De Guzman
    CM or 10: Sneijder, VdV, Affelay, Wijnaldum, Maher?

    Conclusions:

    1. Clasie has been playing DM like 2 years in feyenoord. Why he can´t do it in NT?
    2. I prefer (as I think FdB and LVG) a DM with very good build up skills. That´s why I think Clasie, Anita are better options than NDJ.
    3. If we have Sneijder, who is one of the best CM or 10 in the world, why replace him by Clasie?
    4. We can´t judge Clasie or jump into conclusions only after one game. Everyone have good and bad games, especially if is your debut. Give him time!
    5. 2 CM can´t play togethers on this formation. That´s why I don´t like to see Sneijder and VdV playing together.
    6. I think LVG should pick 6 midfields on the coming games, 2 for each position. In my book they should be:

    DM or 6: Clasie, Anita
    BtB or 8: Strootman, Fer
    CM or 10: Sneijder, Maher/VdV.

    And choose Affelay as a wing.

    1. Btw, can I ask why former Ajax players such as Anita and Emanuelson don’t get the nod for NT? I know their qualities but is there any specific reasons. I mean one is at Milan and the other at Newcastle, horrible they aren’t

      1. My guest is because they are a lot of competition. Strootman, Fer, Anita, Clasie, etc are better than Emanuelson… and there are only 23 spots…..

        I think Emanuelson will be dropped for the NT soon.

      2. wait, bro… Emanuelson is in the current squad!
        But if you’re asking about “the nod to start”… for Anita, I think it’s because he didn’t proved to be good enough. Well, his position has a lot of candidates. It’s pretty hard to choose.

        Emanuelson? he’s a bit like jack of all trades, master of none. As winger? There’s Robben. Afellay. Van Persie. Elia. Midfield-3? Sneijder. VDV. Strootman. Clasie. Fer.
        He can be there, but only in emergency cases. A utility man.

        And about Clasie… I think what made most people here think that he won’t fit as DM in the NT is his physical presence. Technically he’s always fit for a build-up DM, but unfortunately, his first game for Oranje was against the physical Turkey, exposing his weakness (he admitted that he is still working to be on the same level as Sneijder/Xavi, small stature but strong). Aaaand, most important, it’s his first game.
        So, he is not yet, I repeat, NOT YET, ready to stay on DM spot.
        He will deserve it if he can play like what he has done in Feyenoord, against ANY KIND of team.

        My opinion? He will take the DM position, but not now. Let’s see if it’s really “physical” problem or just “nervy first match” problem on Hungary game… 🙂

      3. I am not sure about Anita. He’s moved recently to Newcastle and LVG is reluctant to use players who just moved. See Vaart, De Jong etc. I think Anita will be a candidate once he settles. Vlaar was used as a sub as we don’t have too many experienced central defenders….

  17. Thank you Ferenc! As long as Oranje do not score own goal or making silly mistakes, Oranje still need to find a way to get past the defense if Hungary decides to park the bus.
    SamNY: from fifa “Netherlands boss Louis van Gaal moved quickly to plug the gap left by Krul’s departure by calling up 21-year-old Jeroen Zoet from RKC Waalwijk”.
    Who will start? I’d expect Stek will get the start.

  18. First, many thanks Ferenc. Nice piece.

    Re: the Turkey match.

    I didn’t think Clasie was so bad; I like the way he keeps the ball moving, and he will stick his nose in there. Narsingh scored, but he has to do more to put pressure on the other side over the course of a game. And f you are no going to have an effective wide player opposite Robben (though I have hope for Elia or John), I think Tiju presents an interesting idea. Something like this:

    Fer (when healthy) Strootman Affellay/Clasi

  19. oops

    meant to say;

    three man mf of Fer, Strootman and Clasie or Affellay; Sneijder (or VDV) in the the No. 10 spot, and RVP and Robben up front. All of the mf’s I’ve mentioned will run all day, and can play the entire file, though, nominally Strootman would play a little further back; and all would play in service of three creative, dangerous offensive players. Sneijder or VDV have the added advantage of playing free, and not having too large a defensive responsibility, Robben has freedon to play wherever he thinks he has space or can exploit a mtachup and RVP gets to play with someone he can run along side of instead of just being a target man.

    Anyway I agree with Gio—lots of good knowledge and discussions these days.

    1. I am with you 100%… excellent points. At the moment we can not build a ball passing machine like Spain for the next 2 World Cups. But we can beat them in a different way (“All of the mf’s I’ve mentioned will run all day”) 🙂

        1. I don’t think it is that easy for 20 somethings to learn … I believe this system should start earlier.

          But my question is why you need fire to fight fire? I don’t find tiki taka that attractive… we can beat it with what we have. We proved that.

    1. well,it’s kluiverték with an apostroph and it means kluivert and the others,kluivert and his mates,etc. – kluivert and his mates arrive to budapest with pets 🙂

  25. @ferenc

    Thanks for your article. Totally agree with your point “The midfield and the strikers (of Hungary) are more talented than the defenders”. Hope to see Hungary in WC or EC in the near future.

  26. Well done Ferenc! How cool is this blog that we can have “experts’ writing from all over the world

    I reckon it wont be an easy game, esp. if we dont get a goal early in the game

    With both teams having more quality in attack and in defense; i expect a pretty open game

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