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Van der Vaart: Real needs creativity!

September 1st, 2009 | By: Jan | 38 Comments »

Rafael van der Vaart is a happy man with his new status in Madrid. In particular because his wife Sylvie is undergoing chemo therapy in Madrid at the moment.

Real wants you out, and now they asked you to stay… Weird times we live in…

Rafael: “Well, it’s been two days now and I’ve trained with the group, so the amazement is gone already, but my first thought was also: huh? What’s happening now? Last Thursday, coach Pellegrini asked me to come for a chat. I must say, he always treated me with respect and has always been open. I like him. He said, with Wesley and Arjen gone, we lack specific skills that you have. He wanted me to come and watch the Depor game and stay for a meeting after the game. I’ve spoken for an hour with Pellegrini, Jorge Valdano and general manager Sanchez and they basically asked me to stay. They gave me my jersey number 23 back and told me I’m a full blown member of the group. I’m really happy with this. My preference was to stay anyway. And I’m glad because of the situation with Sylvie.”

How did she react?

“Also happy. She was ready to follow me anywhere, but I’ve always said: Sylvie is number one. Football is just that…football. Sylvie is my partner, my buddy. She’s six weeks into this chemo therapy and she needs to be doing this till mid October in Madrid, weekly. After October, it’ll be once a month. These treatments are tough and they take up three hours a day. Moving places and all that would have been a major disruption and not one I was happy with. But she’s great, she feels strong and she’s still working. But it’s tough. If I had to leave Spain, I would have gone alone, and she would have stayed in Madrid with our son Damian, but now we can at least postpone these decisions till the winter break.”

But you do run a risk of being happy with a dead cat, so to speak…

“I know the risk. I’ve said no to two good offers from England. One was Tottenham, the current leader in England. I wouldn’t have minded to play there, honestly, but the challenge here is bigger and Spain is still my country a bit. Second to Holland, of course…haha… And I’m a realist. I realize I won’t be starting. Not yet, at least. But it’s good to know they didn’t want me out for my lack of quality. It was a quantity problem. The selection needed to be trimmed back to 25 men. That’s the maximum number of players Real can register. In Holland, they all wrote that the Dutchies needed to leave, but that’s not true. Half the group was told they could go if there was a good offer. I don’t think they questioned my abilities. They’ve let two creative players go (Sneijder and Robben) and now they feel they need to keep me on board.”

What does Pellegrini mean when he says Real needs your specific skills?

“Well, looking at our group, we have a number of attackers. Our defense is pretty well covered. And there’s a number of holding midfielders with Lass, Gago, Xabi Alonso and Diarra. But there’s not a lot of playmakers, if you know what I mean. Creative midfielders… Number 10s. Kaka is the only creative midfielder that can play in that role. And there’s Guti of course. I know it’s tough to get playing time and it’s going to be hard work, but I can see myself play.”

Did you discuss this decision with Bert van Marwijk?

“I haven’t spoken with him since Thursday. But we did talk a lot earlier in the summer. His motto is: in order to be part of Oranje, you need to play regularly. That’s why I’ve given myself till the winter break. If I see chances, cool…I’ll stay. If not, I can make a shift in the winter and still have six months to gain rhythm.”

Tags: Group C, Pellegrini, Robben, Ruud Van Nistelrooy, Sneijder, Vaart, Van Marwijk

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Comments

Displaying the most recent 25 comments from a total of 38 comments.

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By Alex | September 1st, 2009 at 12:24 pm

I bet Ronaldo wouldn’t go anywhere near Boulahrouz anymore, lol.

Posted from Netherlands

By OranjeRules | September 1st, 2009 at 1:38 pm

Guys – Working on my fantasy liga team and I am building my U-22 squad (1986 and later births). What would you guys consider our strongest U-22 Oranje squad? I have my opinions but would welcome more feedback!

By sonneveld | September 1st, 2009 at 2:12 pm

—–elia-babel-wijnaldum

—–fer-de guzman-afellay

-drenthe-????-marcellis-van der wiel

———-velthuizen

team looks incredibly fast, but there is a lack of size all over the place. This is a team that would need Vlaar and Loovens to be covered on set peices. midfield looks lightweight aswell. afellay is 23 but he was born is 1986

strongest part of the team are the full backs i think.

i think this team could qualify for a world cup if i could switch marcellis and ??? for vlaar and loovens!

By Michel-Olivier | September 1st, 2009 at 2:29 pm

@oranje
wijnaldum, vanderwiel, siem de jong, elia, biseswar, lens, drenthe, marcellis, velthuizen, babel, fer, pieters, anita, zeegelaar, beerens, krul…

Posted from United States

By Carlos | September 1st, 2009 at 3:51 pm

I am happy for Heitinga, my favourite Aussie player is there Tim cahill and I believe Moyes is one of the best.What he instills in a team of “unknowns” is incredible.

Posted from Singapore

By ferenc | September 1st, 2009 at 4:20 pm

i don’t understand heitinga. atletico madrid is far better than everton,la liga is more exciting than the pl…

Posted from Hungary

By sonneveld | September 1st, 2009 at 4:34 pm

ferenc he is a defender , i like cause i can watch him play.

more playing time, besides everton is a good team

By Jan | September 1st, 2009 at 4:53 pm

I don’t think Heitinga was happy with this. He didn’t want to go. But apparently Atletico desperately needed the cash. Heitinga is sold for 8 mio but was signed by Atletico a year before for 10…

By Jan | September 1st, 2009 at 4:54 pm

Cool Sonneveld…

I’ll watch them later today

By bobotoh | September 1st, 2009 at 5:04 pm

Isn’t he the first choice at Atl Madrid? I don’t understand why he leaves his previous club. Because of salary? His situation is different I think. There’re no big names coming to Atl Madrid.

Atl Madrid play in the CL. Why moves to Everton?

Posted from Canada

By Igor | September 1st, 2009 at 5:34 pm

from what i’ve heard heitinga was hesitant to leave Atletico, for a number of reasons, one he will now miss out on CL football and two i understand that he had to take a pay cut as well. i guess atletico needed the cash and may have told him he wasn’t going to be in the starting XI as an incentive to get him to leave, but i’m just guessing here.

and yeah, football wise vdv’s situation is not ideal, but i can understand why he is satisified with staying, because it allows him to be there for his wife…so much respect to him for getting his priorities straight.

Posted from Canada

By Michel-Olivier | September 1st, 2009 at 5:46 pm

atl madrid was after vdw and eboue

Posted from United States

By Jeff | September 1st, 2009 at 6:09 pm

Really puzzling about Heitinga. I think they did not want him otherwise they would have kept him (goes without saying). If he can play center back then it will be a fabulous move. We desperately need him at center back for oranje.
U22 team:
Krul
VD Wiel, Marcellis, Vergever (Sparta), Drenthe
Anita, Fer, de Guzman
Elia, Van Volskwinkel, Biseswar
Others: Kuipers, Amrabat, Affelay (of course), de Jong, Donald, Wijnaldum, Holla, Pieters, Lens, Beerens, Luijks, VD Heijden, George

Posted from United States

By finnster01 | September 1st, 2009 at 6:14 pm

@Ferenc: My friend, I think this is the only thing we’ll never agree on. EPL is miles ahead of La Liga. We are all entititled to an opinion my friend, and this is mine.

By sonneveld | September 1st, 2009 at 6:38 pm

agree finnster01

barcelona is great and madrid can be but england has 4 top top clubs and man city

By Carlos | September 1st, 2009 at 7:44 pm

and Everton is not so bad either. Whats great for Oranje if you look at it objectively is that Heitinga will now face rampaging forwards wingers and playmakers running at him all day. Stam was good when he went ManU. He was GREAT when he left them. Whats the difference between Good and Great ? JC reckons its half a second. Same as good and great F1 drivers.

Posted from Singapore

By Carlos | September 2nd, 2009 at 12:47 am

For those of you who have been wanting some good news about our goal keeping problems. Sar has just confirmed with Bert that he has NOT totally closed the door on a return to Oranje for WC2010!

Posted from Singapore

By Jan | September 2nd, 2009 at 3:15 am

The Heitinga back ground is commented on earlier in the posts, lads. Check the comments before you ask questions . Tsss, what is this world coming to!?

Heitinga didn’t want to leave. Atletico was in need of cash (and Heitinga was an easy target).

Just found out that my fave player at Feyenoord – El Ahmadi – has chosen to play for Morocco. I thought he’d be an interesting option for Bert, but no…

Carlos: where did you get that information?? Cool…

By Alex | September 2nd, 2009 at 3:47 am

Elia—-V.Wolfswinkel-Beerens
Lens——Babel——-Barazite
——-Donald-Fer
——Wijnaldum-Anita
Drenthe-Pieters-Marcellis-V.d.Wiel
Kuiper-V.Eijden-Bruma-Janmaat
———-Krul
———Padt(Ajax)

Back-ups;
Amrabat
Zeegelaar
Biseswar
Vejinovic
Sarpong
S.De Jong
V.Aanholt
Daley Blind
Ter Horst
V.d.Heijden
Emnes

Posted from Netherlands

By Alex | September 2nd, 2009 at 3:51 am

oops, slight mistakes, correction:
Elia—-V.Wolfswinkel-Beerens
Biseswar——Babel——Barazite
—Wijnaldum-Donald-Fer
-D.Blind-Anita-S.De Jong
Drenthe-Pieters-Marcellis-V.d.Wiel
Kuiper-V.Eijden-Bruma-Janmaat
—————-Krul
————–Padt(Ajax)

Back-ups;
Lens
Amrabat
Zeegelaar
Vejinovic
Sarpong
V.Aanholt
Ter Horst
V.d.Heijden
Emnes

Posted from Netherlands

By Alex | September 2nd, 2009 at 3:54 am

BTW Johan Derksen said he thinks Fer might make oranje this year and the WC.
PS you can add De Guzman, Viergever to my back up list and I totally forgot about Strootman from Sparta, he’s a good talent, next time I should think a bit longer when i post these things i guess.

Posted from Netherlands

By Jan | September 2nd, 2009 at 4:03 am

Pfff….just watched Sonneveld’s Rafael clip.

My God… Let’s never doubt the guy’s brilliance here ok? I mean Sonneveld’s….

Well, and Raf’s .

Unbelievable Sir Alex, Arsene, Raffa, Jose, Leonardo, Louis and all those other guys didn’t camp out in Madrid to snatch Raf’s signature.

By Firezen | September 2nd, 2009 at 5:46 am

@Jan

Well there’s not really any point to camp out in Madrid when Vdv doesn’t even want to leave at all.

And it’s too bad I can’t access youtube, cause I live in China right now. For some reason I keep showing up as Australian on the server though.

Posted from Australia

By Carlos | September 2nd, 2009 at 5:55 am

Jan – Front Page Telegraaf – Telesport !!

Posted from Singapore

By Jan | September 2nd, 2009 at 6:35 am

Hi Firenzen, Raf was told he could stay some days ago. If Man United or Arsenal would have made an offer a month back he would have been gone to the EPL. I think some clubs left it too late, hoping to sign a transfer free Van der Vaart ( they’re all cash broke, these big clubs).

But if I were Raffa Benitez I’d be plucking hair of my head. Oh hang on…he did that already. Well, I’d be plucking it from wherever I still had hair.

If there’s one club where Raf would have fitted, it would be either Liverpool or Man United. Me thinks.

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