Bergkamp, Neeskens, Numan, Lodewijks…goosebumps!

Dennis Bergkamp will combine his apprenticeship at Ajax with a job at the KNVB. He will be part of the staff presiding over the new Oranje B, a talent team, that will temporarily take over Young Oranje. Johan Neeskens will be the head coach, Bergkamp one of his assistants.

Young Oranje hasn’t qualified for the EC in 2009. The KNVB felt it needed to create something as an alternative for the huge group of talents in terms of international football. The KNVB sat down with Van Marwijk and decided to form a temporary team, not bound by age-limits.

Bert van Marwijk, Oranje’s team manager: “This is a sort of young Oranje that will be able to play older talents. Players who aren’t part of Oranje yet, but whom we are actively scouting. As I said earlier, I want to work with a fixed and not too big core of players. In this way, the B-group if you will gets it’s place.”

Johan Neeskens and Dennis Bergkamp will be assisted by Patrick Lodewijks as goal keepers’ trainer and Arthur Numan as team coordinator.

This B team is supposed to play 5 or 6 international games. The first is on November 19 against Young Sweden.

The KNVB likes to work with ex-players in specific roles.. Van Marwijk chose Frank de Boer (defender) and Phillip Cocu (midfielder) as his assistants

At Oranje B ex-defender Numan, ex-midfielder Neeskens and ex-striker Bergkamp will form the threesome.

Van Marwijk: ” I fully support this staff and it will be an enormous motivation for the young players to work with someone like Dennis. It’s great that he said yes to us.”

The 39 year old played in Oranje B’s last game in 1989. The current team manager of Young Oranje, Foppe de Haan, will be the supervisor of the so-called talent-team. A definite successor to De Haan will be chosen later.

Neeskens (49) could be that man, but the Nees would prefer to join Rijkaard next year with a new challenge. The two worked together at Barcelona last season and have decided to keep their partnership going for the future.