Top 10 moments of 2008

We can have our own Top 10 moments of 2008 of course… I’m sure many goals we’ve seen score by our lads at the EC would make that list.

Voetbal International made their own list of Top Moments in Dutch football. Here’s their take on it.

Willem van Hanegem is sick
Isn’t De Kromme the man who is always honest? Who always gives his opinion? Doesn’t lie, likes everyone, hero of the people, etc? But the FC Utrecht coach loses some of his credibility when he agrees to lay off four assistants in October. The stress gets to him and he reports in ill. The flu. But it seems to be more than that and his doctor forbids him to go to work for a week.
Willem returns to work a week later, but it won’t come good anymore. Van Hanegem announces to quit after this season and lashes out in his column: “They used me as a shield, now they blame me for everything.” He calls club owner Van Seumeren a submarine and is told to pack his bags pronto. He shouldn’t have said that about the dictatorial owner. But than again, Willem always tells the truth…

Hans Westerhof and open mike night
Sunday November 16. Vitesse just drew against AZ (1-1) and after the press conference Westerhof confides to his mate Van Gaal that his center backs (Sansoni and Sprockel) aren’t good enough for the Eredivisie. Hans didn’t notice that the mikes were still on. The coach may be right, but still it’s a massive blunder of the experienced coach (Groningen, Ajax, Mexico, PSV) who isn’t performing to well anyway with his team. The players are angry and insulted and the bad vibes get stronger. The painful confession doesn’t help get Vitesse more points, but it may help Westerhof getting fired.

Guus Hiddink: traitor number 1.
“I hope I will be the biggest traitor of the nation tomorrow,” Hiddink quipped one day before Russia would humiliate Oranje at the EC. A day later, he jumps into the arms of assistant Igor Korneev and gets chased by his Russian players.
Hiddink did it again. He reached the semis with Holland and South Korea at WC’s and impressed with Australia at the 2006 WC. Now he leads Russia to the semis at the Euro 2008. By crushing faves Oranje. “Technically, we were good. Tactically, we outclassed Holland.” Still, Russia gets defeated in the semis and Hiddink doesn’t win a prize. Again.

Gomes: “Reker goes or I go…”
Suddenly the schmooch fest in Eindhoven stops. Gomes puts the fourth title cup in the prize-cupboard and says: “Reker’s lies aren’t helping PSV. It’s simple: he goes or I go. I can’t work with him.”
And it is simple. It’s mayhem in Eindhoven and the popular goalie knows he’ll leave for the EPL, leaving the club with which he celebrated four titles on the trot through the back door.
Gomes made the difference in the exciting champs race of 2007/08. But O Grande Goleador, who once sang a song on friendship, can’t feel this sentiment anymore…

Cruyff is back at Ajax…oops…Cruyff is gone again…
Big news on February 20. He is back! The camera’s are on, the media has ran out to Amsterdam. It’s Cruyff! He’s back! At Ajax! Look there he is. On March 7 however, He has left. No cameras, no press and mainly: no JC. Marco van Basten says: “he wanted too much too soon…” Ajax needs to be saved without the help of El Salvador…

Marc Overmars back on the pitch
On a boring Sunday in August, one little man comes with a huge surprise. Marc Overmars will wear his boots again. The 35 year old director of Go Ahead Eagles wants to talk the talk and walk the walk! It all started when he was invited for Jaap Stam’s farewell game and he sort of humiliated Ajax’ back Ogararu. “I couldn’t have guessed I was still this good!”. Four years ago, the most expensive Dutch signing ever quit, because of knee injuries. In August, he played 30 minutes against Sittard. He likes to talk down expectations though: “For all I know, I can’t get passed the full back of Haarlem anymore…”

Drenthe, that one big chance…
And finally, Royston receives the ball, in the 87th minute of Holland-Argentina. The energetic blabbermouth, Foppe’s fave, needs one precise shot to shoot Oranje to the semis of the Olympics. But he shoots too wild, the ball goes way over the cross bar. Over and out. Argentina goes through. No Olympic gold for Holland. Drenthe receives a nightmare for his troubles. Foppe crushes his player verbally. “He lost it. He doesn’t know what the real world is like.” Drenthe doesn’t comment, but laments his missed opp: “If only… I needed to do this simple and I blew it. I had Olympic Gold on my shoe and I blew it…”

Boulah and the EC2008
Was Russia that good or did Oranje suffer the post-effects of Boulahrouz’ family drama? Oranje is pre-occupied with the well-being of the center back. Marco van Basten is in doubt and let’s experienced players like Van Nistelrooy and Van der Sar convince him. Khalid stays and will start against Russia.
Was it the right decision? We’ll never know… Without the injured Robben, Oranje loses against Russia in the extra time. The convincing machine Oranje was against France and Italy is transformed into a colorless pedestrian collection of good players. The form lacked. Coincidence?

Blue Applause for FC Twente
Real football fans still exist! The Schalke fans proved so. Their club was just beaten by FC Twente and virtually out of the UEFA Cup. Their new coach Fred Rutten, signed from Twente, is under severe pressure after the 2-1 defeat in Enschede.
And what do the Schalke fans do when the Twente players soak up the kudos after the game. The blue/white Schalke fans rise as one and give the Tukkers a minutes-long applause. Even the Twente players don’t believe what they see, but thoroughly enjoy this German gesture of appreciation.

Oranje whips Italy’s arse
Despite all the skepticism before the EC, the title is closer than initially thought. Oranje suprises with big wins over Italy and France. “This is stuff you dream of,” said team manager Van Basten. His master, Johan Cruyff, said: “Ah, so we can win against Italy!”.
Euro 2008 is one big fiesta. Most fans are convinced Oranje will storm through to the finals. The 4-1 win over France confirms the euphoria. Van der Sar is in top form and Sneijder, Robben, Van Persie, Kuyt and Van der Vaart play their best football for Oranje. A new title seems to be in reach…