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Gio dreams of the WC…

June 15th, 2009 | By: Jan | 31 Comments »

Giovanni van Bronckhorst (34) looks back at his best international game of his career, the one against Italy on the last EC. And he looks to the upcoming WC in South Africa: “Of course I dream of playing there, but if there’s a better player on my spot, he should play. It’s not about me, it’s about the team.”

Oranje’s skipper, nicknamed Gio, had the best night of his international career in Bern, in the summer of 2008. He’s got 91 caps in total. “That game still evokes emotion. That night was special for me. I may have played other good games, but I never added so much value than in that game.”

Even when he’s grandpa Gio, he will remember that match. “Sure thing. It’s great to have been part of that. You live like in a dream. The whole nation supported us, those moments linger.”

Back to the here and now. A disastrous year with Feyenoord and a good run with Oranje. What a contrast. Is Oranje good to get the battery running? “It is. With Oranje we have a good series, we played well. And when you come back at the club, you need to adjust to that reality. The contrast was huge, but that’s football. I had tremendous years at Feyenoord, Rangers, Arsenal and Barca and sometimes you need to go through the dumps…”

Physical power is a big factor in football. The WC is in a year. Will the 34 year old still be capable of pulling it off? “I think so, I do get older, but I will fight hard to make sure I can make the cut. That’s the most important thing. With aging, you do lose power, but you also gain experience and vision. I’d love to end my career with another WC.”

It doesn’t happen just like that. “I live for it, totally. I’m not sure if it will be enough, though. We’ll wait and see. I think I can manage for now. But the key thing is to have the best team possible. Whether that’s with me, is the question and that’s not even an age thing. It applies to all of us, young and old. The best team should play. Period.”

Does South Africa have a special meaning for you? “Sure. The Apartheid and Mandela’s release and all that. I followed that closely. I met him twice now, that’s quite special. So much history and significance, that’s something I will never forget.”

The first time Gio met Mandela was in 1996, with Oranje. “We played a friendly against South Africa and won 2-0. I even scored. The second time was with Barca in 2007. We visited him at home. That was special. The man was older, but still young in spirit. He’s a funny guy, I remember that well. That impressed us all.”

Back to the EC2008. Oranje played great but had one bad game and got kicked out. What can you learn from that? “That’s a tough one. The team we had then was experienced and had been through a lot. We have players from the toughest competitions in Europe, but still this happened against Russia. It was hard to turn around during the game. We missed the form. It’s hard to analyse what exactly went wrong…”

What has changed? “We play more in a fixed line up. Van Marwijk wants consistency, so you can fall back on that when the pizzazz is gone. We have developed that well, I think.”

How important is Van Bommel’s comeback? “Very. We have more good controlling midfielders, but Mark brings that cheekiness… He’s tough, he leads, coaches… Engelaar was also a good controlling midfielder, but different. Engelaar is more a playmaker, Van Bommel’s first tasks is gaining the ball, gaining possession. It’s different for the balance in the team. People think we’re more solid now, but I look back and think…hmm, we beat Italy and France, so how were we not solid at the EC?”

Tags: Feyenoord, Group C, Mandela, Oranje, Van Bommel, Van Bronckhorst, Van Marwijk

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By Jeroen | June 15th, 2009 at 6:50 pm

Haha my friend just got back from Paris a few days ago, and while he was there he saw Jaap Stam bike by him to which he just yelled “JAPIEEEEEEE”
at which point Jaap turned to him and smiled. He actually smiled. Those familiar with the man will know that this is a very rare event.
Similarly, two years ago I saw Philip Cocu at Centerparcs (first and last time I’ve been there…was for someone else’s birthday). He was surrounded by family and I think was happy to be left alone, but I almost wanted to walk up to him and yell “what the hell was that against portugal, why did you hit the freaking bar?!” Obviously, it would be a meant as a joke haha. Oh and he looks like he does cocaine in real life as well.

Posted from Netherlands

By Oranje_For_Life | June 15th, 2009 at 7:20 pm

I have alot of respect for Gio. He belongs to the same generation of F.d.Boer, Cocu, Bergkamp, Kluivert ect.. I know that alot of members don’t like to see Gio in the starting 11, but i think a presence of a veteran on the field would be tremendous. He’s the “V.D.Sar” of the team now

Posted from United States

By Mario | June 15th, 2009 at 7:21 pm

I like his team spirit. He is saying that if another player is in better shape and playing better than him that the other guy should play. He knows his age problem and he will try his best to start and he will definetely go to South Africa but with Braafheid playing Champions League and at a club like Bayern I think that Gio will lose his place very soon. Edson is the present and future. Gio now is the present and past. I´d go for Edson.

By OranjeRules | June 15th, 2009 at 7:38 pm

Gio is pure class, always has been!

By finnster01 | June 15th, 2009 at 7:42 pm

Gio has done well, respect for that, but I think it is about time he does an EVDS and calls it a day and open it up for other players.

Especially since he is the captain. Time to pass that armband on to someone who will be there longer. If nothing else, BvM should do a Beckham. Start him on the bench, and if the defense is all over the place he can come on and use his experience at half time to calm things down.

By Carlos | June 15th, 2009 at 7:42 pm

I like Gio but agree his age is catching up however against Italy he was magic. Also you sometimes need to analyze the way he plays. Just count the amount of times in the last 4 WC games that he 1. Dispossessed an opponent 2. Tackled to break down play 3. Made dummy runs down the wing 4.Made full runs down the wing with the ball.5. Put in good crosses. When you add those up you’ll know why Messi picks him in his starting 11 at left back. Noone complained about Arnold Muhren at left midfield at age 37 in ‘88.

Posted from Singapore

By Rob | June 16th, 2009 at 1:32 am

I want Gio there. Big game player and a class guy. People talked about his age before the Euros and he looked the fittest guy on the pitch.

Posted from Japan

By Jan | June 16th, 2009 at 3:18 am

Just read that Sylvie Meis, Rafael’s wife, is diagnosed with breast cancer and will need to go through the whole chemo-sh-bang… Not good. Not funny.

My thoughts are with her and her family…

By Carlos | June 16th, 2009 at 3:33 am

Definitely NOT funny ! Thanks for letting us know – All thoughts to her & family as u said.

Posted from Singapore

By Jan | June 16th, 2009 at 4:20 am

Real received many requests for Sneijder and Robben (don’t know which clubs) but they all offered too low amounts… According to Valdano this is. “But they all want to stay at Real”… Yeah, why not? You first let them sign, move their families, pay them handsomely and then you decide they can go? Think again, Buster!

By finnster01 | June 16th, 2009 at 4:31 am

Why cant Real buy Henk Kesler? They are buying everyone else.

By Alex | June 16th, 2009 at 5:58 am

So funny how Real thought they could buy everyone without anyone interfering, but now about five other clubs, including Barca bidding on Villa and Ribery, and Liverpool is hesitant to sell Alonso
Hope they don’t go to Real, cause with the current players, at least some of the dutchies still have a decent chance to show their class.
BTW Brazil played very poor, they looked exhausted, Kaka was their best man, though not worth 65 million euros, Pato too inexperienced, Elano has 2 good moments in every match, Robinho dribbles a lot but nothing more, Melo still unpolished player, G.Silva too old, and it really shows that Brazil’s defenders, especially fullbacks Alves and Kleber are more attackers than defenders.
And Robben should shave his head clean instead of still having this short fuzzy little hairs, his balding head is still showing now, bit like Zidane. With a clean shave, he might look more like the star Perez wants him to be.

Posted from Netherlands

By Lerkot | June 16th, 2009 at 6:39 am

No, once again you’re some kind of age freak Alex. This is not Football Manager, it’s reality. Why the hell would Gilberto Silva be too old? Brazil haven’t lost for over a year and they’ve played against very tough opposition a couple of times. Gilberto has been one of the best players and been instrumental in keeping Brazil’s defense tight. Some b-tournament game against Egypt doesn’t change that fact.

By sandesh | June 16th, 2009 at 6:46 am

any club with a good manager wud like to have van der vaart in its team and its the same with sneijder. not sure about robben and huntelaar becoz though they have the talent they havent delivered very well. robben misses 2 games after playing one. iguess the stat has been improved a bit but he still is the man of glass so real are not very keen to continue with him and hunter, though looks a fine striker is pretty inexperienced in topmost level. about ruud – thouh he tells he can still score goals, the clubs will think twice b4 they sign him and thats what real are thinkin now. they want a goal machine and ruud- still is a machine but he has started to get injured a bit too frequently. drenthe to me was way way way better 2 years ago than what he is right now so he is the first guy to pray for the real madrid exit. so the situation looks pretty clear , pellegrini would watch hunter, wesley and rafael before he makes any decision on them but the other 3 are certainly on their way out.
as far as i am concerned i hope, really hope all 6 leave madrid and….make REAL the same old club i loved to hate before the arrival of van nistelrooy.

Posted from Nepal

By sonneveld | June 16th, 2009 at 6:46 am

i agree with alex, and i have read that the passing of the holding midfielders lets them down.

second of all brazils record of 7-6-1 is poor chile has more wins and is only a piont back for goodness sakes. if we were there we would be in first for sure.

By Sol | June 16th, 2009 at 1:32 pm

Gio can rest assured that because of his game against Italy, if he retires now, he will not be forgotten and always have his place in the hall of fame of Oranje players (if there were such a thing).

He doesn’t really need to end his career in the WC, nostalgia should not be an issue. Just like he says himself, the best players should be selected. We’ll respect him just as much if he isn’t selected anymore, he’s served Oranje well and I for one will think nothing less of him if vMarwijk chooses other players for the WC over him.

The same counts for Ooijer (especially after his goal against Norway, among other things), job done, no further glory required, others can take over and we’ll remember him fondly, at least I will.

But if vMarwijk thinks they’re the best Holland has now, then they should continue for Oranje until we have better options. We all may think Braafheid and Bouhla(?) can fill their positions more effectively, but I have to see it first. Braafheid was OK the last game, but he wasn’t spectecular, and you can’t judge players anymore on their eredivisie performance, since that’s almost an amateur league.

Posted from Netherlands

By Rob(ben :D) | June 16th, 2009 at 2:19 pm

Lol @ Ton Caanen being a car salesman. I’ll just wait and see what he brings to our league…

By goose | June 16th, 2009 at 2:45 pm

vBronckhorst is too old ; esp. since its so hot in SA.. vMarwijk should bench him and try another player next year… i hope the England game in August will be his last game for Oranje but im pretty sure i wont be..

Posted from Netherlands

By Carlos | June 16th, 2009 at 5:14 pm

Dear Goose
In June it’s winter in South Africa and very cold in the evenings .

Posted from Singapore

By Alex | June 16th, 2009 at 5:20 pm

Well, Lerkot, i’m not obsessed about age, but I saw G.Silva play in several WC Qualifiers as well, and he’s not as good as he used too be, especially like last match, when not completely fit, his engine runs out faster and on more than one occasion, things have gone downhill for Brazil when that happens, as extra pressure is put on defence and Melo to pick up, then they regularly get caught by their opponents through their attacking play, and very attacking fullbacks. Silva is still a good player, as is Gio, and Gattuso, Giggs, V.Nistelrooij, Zambrotta. But in some occasions, their aging bodies tend to work against them in speed, fitness and that can obviously affect their performance quite a bit, depending on the specific position, role, physical state and qualities a player has. I say G.Silva is too old for Brazil, I mean he is too old to perform in this current, very important, leading role on midfield, when not completely fit, or in 120 minute matches. Then he can’t cope physically to lead, direct his fellow midfielder Melo or others, and can’t disrupt attacks or take over possesion normally.
Now Gio and Ooijer do fine for us, but I have yet too see them against faster players and better opponents, Russia played faster football and our defence got torn apart in the extension, not only by some errors from a completely out of focus Heitinga, but also increasing lack of speed and fitness in the back. With the paring De Jong-V.Bommel, the pressure can be taken of defence quite a bit, but we’ll just have too see next year. I’m sure V.Marwijk knows this and will also ponder on whether or not to try Braafheid or Boulahrouz. Though Braafheid did play well in UEFA cup, and excelled in Eredivisie, which is far from amateur compared to leagues as Austria.

Posted from Netherlands

By Miguel Rosado | June 16th, 2009 at 5:31 pm

Carlos, good to know I thought it was summer.

Madrid will host the UCL final this year so they want to do everything in order to keep the cup at home. They’ve already signed Kaka, is Ronaldo there yet? because I haven’t read anymore news about that issue.

By Alex | June 16th, 2009 at 5:35 pm

Ronaldo deal is settled only monor details to work out. But chances of Villa, Ribery, Alonso going to Real are looking increasingly small since the clubs rather not sell and Real face stiff competition.

Posted from Netherlands

By Carlos | June 16th, 2009 at 10:26 pm

With Bommel and DJ also Schaars, some people treat them as pure defensive midfielders, however these guys can score, are often found in/near the penalty box of the opposition and just create more option for Oranje as well as a stronger defence.
Optimally you also have 2 extra wingers in the full backs (esp Gio/vdWiel/etc) which really leaves only 2 real defenders the centrebacks. Of course if one of the centrebacks is Danny Blind/Rijkaard you have 9 attacking players which gets closer and closer to Total Football.
Last night had dinner with an Italian Wine Director. “Holland plays beautiful football – Italy plays ugly football he said – especially Euro 2008″ then with a smirk he said – but we have 4 world cups !! End of argument !

Posted from Singapore

By Carlos | June 16th, 2009 at 10:29 pm

Miguel – How Ironic – “Keep the cup at home” meaning for Barca .

Posted from Singapore

By finnster01 | June 16th, 2009 at 11:09 pm

Also, I think I remember reading that Jo’burg and and a couple of the other stadia are well above 1200-1300 meters above sea level.

So it may not be very hot in the evening because of winter down there, but you are going to have some height issues as well. That will hurt some teams at the end of the second half.

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