Van Basten is wrong!

This Hugo Borst’s column in the AD. Borst is/was (?) a personal friend of Marco van Basten. Borst is - in my view - a passionate football fan and a good writer but definitely not a good football analyst. I feel he doesn’t “see” the game well (as one can tell from his tv-analyses and is much too emotional and too sneaky in his personal attacks on people, but his columns are always very readable…

Hugo Borst: “After Albania - Oranje I received many emails. This one is from Bram, a guy I don’t even know. “Get a sharp knife and skin Van Basten. His analysis after the match shows he is a raving lunatic. He needs to be put away before it’s too late!!!”. 15 Minutes after the match, Van Basten came and did his thing on RTL4. And even if the always friendly Humberto Tan was a bit more awake, the team manager would have stayed with his conclusions. And let’s face it: we did see him party along the pitch, which he never does and never did before. He was not himself. And Van Basten then sprayed the following words on national tv: good, professional, dominant, logical, deserved victory.

In the tv studio Willem van Hanegem concluded that Van Basten watched the game sitting with his back to the field. Youri Mulder was embarrassed with the atch. Johan Derksen crushed the team manager with a roaring chainsaw. Jan Mulder offered the high point of sarcasm with a truly cynical monologue on telly.

The next day, the news papers hit the stands. And all of them were convinced: Albania was better, had more chances, a better mentality and deserved to win. Oranje escaped thanks to Van Nistelrooy. The press that had traveled with the Oranje group lacked the cynism of their colleagues at home. They, obviously, felt part of the journey and had respect for the fact that Oranje again grabbed the 3 points.

Not their fault, really. On the trip you’re part of the Oranje family, embedded journalism. Kees Jansma, Oranje’s spin doctor, knows exactly to get you and keep you on board.

And where did I stand? Somewhere in between. Until Van Basten and his players told us on tv that it was a good match and the victory was deserved, that was the moment I fell back in my chair… Only Van Nistelrooy was honest. And the pedantic Mathijsen who said: the people will have something to complain about, I guess, but we played well and deserved to win.”

Now, who is right and who is wrong? Ex-players like van Hanegemn, Derksen and Mulder? Or Van Basten? One thing is clear: what Van Basten said is not true. Or, his views are distorted or he is just naughty and playing the protagonist. Or all three. I’d expected Kees Jansma to put some spin on Van Basten. To explain him that a bit of self reflection and criticism is ok and it doesn’t mean you lose face if you admit every now and then that it was terrible. But, Jansma is also drunk of this result and maybe we should just let him enjoy his honorary job.

And that’s how it goes. Oranje qualifies. Van Basten will keep on working like he does. Players do not have the balls to talk back to their coach. We will not become the new European Champs although our classy midfielder and strikers will get us far into the tournament. But in the quarter finals we will be beaten by a better opponent. In that situation, one needs a well-oiled system and one needs an experienced coach.

Maybe it’s time the KNVB asks three independent coaches to advice them. Would Rinus Michels and Ernst Happel (number 1 and 2 on the list of best coaches ever) also opt for 4-3-3 with these players? Most Dutch coaches - off the record - would play 4-4-2 with this group.

Four years ago, the popularity polls showed that the fans didn’t like Oranje anymore. Kesler decided to do something about it (Dick Advocaat). Now, Kesler seems to think it’s all well and good… Apparently, the results are most important…. And the results are fine….