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Everybody loves Eljero Elia

September 8th, 2009 | By: Jan | 42 Comments »

Elia played four competition games for HSV Hamburg and was elected Man of the Match in two. Against Dortmund he prepared a goal by dribbling past four opponents. And it led to an amusing interview for the cameras. “I was struggling, I wanted to say how the response from the fans gave me goosebumps, but I couldn’t find the right word, haha…”.

Germany loves the 22 year old, who had his break through in Holland only last season. And since Saturday, he’s a Dutch international as well. His debut shirt and his traditional hare will be framed. And the positive words of his coach Van Marwijk will be stored in his memory.

“I was content with my game, although it wasn’t sensational. You have to stay critical. Those two Man of the Match titles were a bit overdone, I think. But in Germany, you don’t see a lot of tricked wingers. Whenever you do, the fans go wild. You saw it with Robben at Bayern, the Germans love it. And you know what’s really weird, seeing yourself on tv with German commentary, hahahaa….”

His role at HSV is different than his role at Twente. More complex. But also challenging. At Twente, he was the left winger who had to learn to defend. “In Germany, I’m the left midfielder, who’s allowed to attack. In Germany, they expect you to own the flank. Sometimes I’m defending in my own box only to try to get a cross in at the other box, seconds later.”

He sees the game differently from midfield. “It sort of opens your vision. Literally. I find myself in new situations and have to think my way out of there. I know I’m growing by the day in Hamburg. And with the skill set I naturally have, I can make a difference.”

In the first weeks, Elia had to flick a switch. It was new. In the preparation he found himself on an Austrian mountain. “It was the first week. We were doing physical training. I was climbing a mountain in Austria on a bike! I didn’t know in what movie I got lost in. I think I stepped off the bike three times. Haha…they even had a search party organized, I came to the top as the last player. All my mates were there, applauding me, hahaha…..”

In the first game, my legs simply refused to do more after 70 minutes. In the second game, I could play for 80 minutes. But the third game: no problem at all. I don’t know how many vitamin injections I’ve received by now.”

Bert van Marwijk is really happy with Elia’s development. He was the one suggesting Elia should look into a jump to a German club. “He told me HSV was ideal for me. Also in relation to my chances in Oranje. Van Marwijk knows the German competition well and thinks highly of it.”

“I’m getting close to the core of Oranje. My debut tells me that. But I don’t count on anything. So you can’t be disappointed. My goal is to stay with Oranje. I was seven when I first saw Oranje play, at the WC1994. The game against Brazil, remember? Winter and Bergkamp scoring and than that goal by Branco. Shit… Funny… we watched it in Suriname and my whole family rooted for Brazil. I didn’t even get it back then, haha…”

Elia is head of the family himself now. Five weeks ago, his girlfriend Sanne delivered their first daughter, Sael. “I think that’s quite something. In the weeks before the delivery, I couldn’t sleep. I didn’t know yet where I’d play and all that. HSV would be the new club and they welcomed in a truly tremendous fashion. Our coach Labbadia was also 22 years old when he moved to HSV and he had just become a dad too…”

“Sanne and I like Hamburg. It’s a bit like Amsterdam. You go to Hamburg to study or to shop.”

Elia is good buddies with his country man Romeo Castelen. “And then there’s Ze Roberto. 35 year old, ex-international of Brazil. A giant. 85 international games, two WCs… And he’s fit as! He takes care of himself. Trains like a beast. Doesn’t drink alcohol. When we played our first game together I asked him to be my mentor. To help make me better. He was really excited about that. Yeah, life is good.”

Tags: Castelen, Elia, Group C, Jol, Oranje, rutten, Twente, Van Marwijk

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Comments

Displaying the most recent 25 comments from a total of 42 comments.

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By Jan | September 8th, 2009 at 9:40 pm

Let me think about the voetbal poule thing, Bruce.

I’m not comfortable with email addresses being shopped around.

Let me talk to the Blog Gods to see if they’re cooking up something…

By Carlos | September 8th, 2009 at 10:22 pm

Big Mark – Likewise I despise Maradona – In my eyes he “would” have been the greatest – Unfortunately he is a cheat in more ways than one and that totally counts him out of any “greatness”. I do however think that Argentina has a good footballing pedigree and sometimes they are really good to watch, especially when we beat them.

Posted from Singapore

By Carlos | September 8th, 2009 at 10:25 pm

sonneveld ??? me in your videos ? hahaha….. but I do like Schaars and his pin point passing and how he and Demy chased that midfield down and gain possession was great last year with AZ. I noticed Demy looks like he has done some weight training and bulked up quite a bit.

Posted from Singapore

By Jeff | September 8th, 2009 at 10:26 pm

Michel-Olivier, yes we should get new kits. Typically national teams get new kits for every major tournaments so this year should be no exception. I hope it is better than the current one.

Posted from United States

By Bruce | September 8th, 2009 at 10:50 pm

@Jeff, you don’t like the current kits? I think they’re great! Although I do miss the white away, with the diagonal blue, white, and red stripes.

By Carlos | September 8th, 2009 at 11:20 pm

What time does the game start tonight ?
I can catch it on TV but sometimes the local publishers of time get it wrong. Anyone reading this in Singapore its available on Ch118. It says starts 3am which means BST time 8pm ? Is that correct ? Holland time 9pm ?

Please let me know dont want to miss the first half hour or more.

Posted from Singapore

By finnster01 | September 8th, 2009 at 11:32 pm

For me, there is always just one Oranje kit, and it is the intimidating one with the big lion in the middle of the chest. Someone bring that back please.

By Tiju | September 8th, 2009 at 11:36 pm

Guys I am back after a break…..i heard some good news through news papers(DENMARK).I would have send some presentation for danish peoples.Hope our frenec and co will continue from there.
Too much posts and comments but i read all comments.
@finn what with orange shirt in cricket stadium???
@Goose,Alex,Rami……whatever happend in between us is not fair.
I know goose you are a man of ethics and principles.at the same time Alex is revelutioner to have to under stand that,i think he is younger to you also.so leave it behind our orange.
@jan i think feilpe answerd your question correctly i think so.By the by castelen is playing much better than afaleey,babel and vaart

Posted from India

By Carlos | September 9th, 2009 at 12:15 am

Welcome back Brother !! Missed Ya ! Watch the game tonight OK ?

Posted from Singapore

By finnster01 | September 9th, 2009 at 12:36 am

@Tiju, welcome back. Never mind the cricket comment, I was just trying to be funny. I know you are not very fond of cricket, that’s all.

Anyway good to have you back.

I also see Castelen is again the next coming of Johan Cruiff and am just waiting for the next post informing us that Dirk Kuyt will be sent to play in the park on Sundays only with his daughter.

By Tiju | September 9th, 2009 at 1:09 am

@carlos bro no hope for tonight’s game,live streaming is the only hope.indian channels are so fucked with cricket.
Finn the witty mannnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn.

Posted from India

By Tiju | September 9th, 2009 at 1:50 am

it is pain full to see gio as left back and ooiger as center back.and kuyt as central striker…hhhhhhhhhmmmmm god will save us.

Posted from India

By Carlos | September 9th, 2009 at 2:21 am

Hey guys a view from the other side on tonights game – Interesting to read.

http://thescotsman.scotsman.com/sport/Tom-English-39It39s-a-mustwin.5629345.jp

Posted from Singapore

By Carlos | September 9th, 2009 at 2:40 am

Team line up according to Telegraaf

Vorm
vdWiel Ooier Mathijssen Gio
de Jong de Zeeuw
vPersie Sneider Robben
Kuyt

Posted from Singapore

By Peter vdL | September 9th, 2009 at 3:05 am

Castelen had a fantastic game against wolfsburg a couple of weeks ago. He’ll be starter on the right hand side soon at HSV, elia on the left. solid.

By Caleb | September 9th, 2009 at 3:47 am

@sonneveld – I think you are confusing me and Carlos (why does everybody do that??), I was the one who gave you the Schaars comment before

Also, I agree with everyone’s sentiments about Elia over Babel – I’ve said many times how crappy Babel looks in Oranje, and I’m glad we have Elia to play the back up winger role now instead. Elia > Babel. Babel, you really need to step it up if you want to fulfill your talent.

By Jan | September 9th, 2009 at 4:14 am

Why would Bert want to play Ooijer??? He’s just back from injury. Loovens knows most of his Scottish opponents. We don’t have anything to lose. Why not test Loovens again??? Silly….

By Jan | September 9th, 2009 at 4:18 am

Fascinating article in the Scotsman. I concur…

By Jeroen | September 9th, 2009 at 5:11 am

Well at least v.d. Wiel is playing. That’s one spot remedied. Next we get rid of Ooijer hopefully. I would say play Loovens against the Scots since he plays against them all the time…

Also, telegraaf has been known to be wrong about these formations. Best to wait and see what bert says. I’ll be dissappointed if Kuyt is up top again instead of right.

Posted from Netherlands

By Tiju | September 9th, 2009 at 5:14 am

@jan dont worry thats is what orange team mangers after Rinus michels.if he drops vlaar for ooiger,Bouma for gio,castelen for afaleey….then he is going to suck in WC.and that is what BVM.

Posted from India

By Tiju | September 9th, 2009 at 5:16 am

@jeron dont worry kuyt is going to fuck BVM in a Knockout round of WC.

Posted from India

By Abhirup | September 9th, 2009 at 9:12 am

Tonight’s result is totally irrelevant though I’d love to see an Oranje victory at hampden park…The atmosphere’s gonna be absolutely electric,and should we successfully strike a 100% record in the qualification rounds,I think get we shall enter the draw as one of the top seeds .
Tiju…
Good to have you back,bro!

By Abhirup | September 9th, 2009 at 9:14 am

Correction:*I think we shall get to enter the draw as one of the top seeds

By Caleb | September 9th, 2009 at 10:42 am

“@jan dont worry thats is what orange team mangers after Rinus michels.if he drops vlaar for ooiger,Bouma for gio,castelen for afaleey….then he is going to suck in WC.and that is what BVM.”

Lol, classic Tiju comment I didn’t even know Vlaar, Bouma and Castelen were part of the group so that it’s possible to drop them…

Posted from Japan

By Gerard | September 9th, 2009 at 12:08 pm

Not too sure about this lineup but I guess I can live with it. I hope Sneijder is really recovered from his injury because he seems like the type who would say he’s fit when he’s not just out of stubbornness and macho attitude. If he is fit he’s definitely our best number 10.

I don’t mind seeing Gio there for now but I am very, very tired of Andre Ooijer. He’s just standing in the way of others like Loovens, Heitinga and soon Vlaar and Boulahrouz. Maybe Bert made a promise to him and Gio to play them during the qualifiers or something.

De Zeeuw deserves his spot after Japan and I hope Elia comes on as well in the 2nd half (as well as my favourite Van de Vaart). (I also hope Huntelaar comes on and scores a goal 3-0 oranje).

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