Van der Vaart: Sylvie’s health is my priority!

They could have just as easily won. That’s football. It was the 90 something minute.. You go on your anti-McClaren crusade all you like. I don’t think McClaren is brilliant, but he didn’t at all made Twente worse after Rutten. Just a shame Perez had a bad game.. Had they scored 2-0.. Well

I don’t carry the England stuff with me.

Posted from  Netherlands

btw, Eredivisie has been bad for many years. So for Twente to come so far, it actually brings me hope. They, with limited funds, can get quite far. Further than the old main 3 huh? I like it better now. And again, they might as well have made it. Where would your umbrella talk be then?

Posted from  Netherlands

The one thing that can unquestionably be said about Umbrella man, is that he DOES NOT WIN when it really counts. Never has, never will.

He may be an OK coach in the Eredivisie for an upper to mid table team with little to no ambition. He is Mr mid table and the odd good cup run. If hat is all you want, he is your man.

And I think it is fair to say that although Eredivisie has been bad for years, it has been in a declining slope and I think now it is perhaps at the lowest point ever. Just my opinion. I think it is terrible and the worst it has ever been.

I like Twente, I just cant stand the man. It was criminal what he did to that England team given the resources he had at his disposal. People go to jail for a lot less.

First of all, talking about the subject:

I do hope Raf finds another club. In form, no doubt he’s one of the men in Bert’s team. And I do hope (even more) that Sylvie can recover.

Now, about the tragedy on Grolsch Veste:

Guys, I’m really worried. Is Netherlands the “almost-made-it” footballing nation? Always have and always will? I mean, of course maybe there were some mistakes, but a team who’s winning must know how to deal with the pressure. Mainly on final moments.

AZ didn’t managed it on Uefa Cup 2004/05 (Sporting again. Kenneth Perez said that was a “dejavu”). PSV didn’t managed it on UCL 2004/05. Ajax didn’t managed it against Marseille on Uefa Cup last season. Let alone Oranje cases (WC 1994, WC 1998, EC 2000). Almost done… and then the fail time comes.

I must confess it almost makes me giving up on Oranje chances next year. I’ll just hold on because there’s something called hope.

@Felipe are dutch clubs are week so are gonna be elimanated eventually ,spain was “a almost nation”, plus look at ajax vs fiorentina, nac in uefa, psv vs tottenham two years ago.

i think the fact that ajax and psv are in the uefa is good cause one of them can go far

What position does Drenthe play? I am still looking for the news about the Holland trio: Sneijder, VdV, and Huntelaar. Where will they move?

Posted from  Indonesia

bobotoh – He is being used as an attacking left back. Think they want to revive the Robert Carlos Type. Here is a typical example how coaches can make or break an individual. Drenthe of all Dutchies there would have been the FIRST choice to leave them, if all of us had a say…but guess what ? He’s getting more playing time than Robben !!

Posted from  Singapore

Madrid is buying and buying but they don´t have a real team. All Dutch players should leave and that includes Sneijder who will be in the bench if he stays. All of them have to leave!

@Sonneveld: I must say I disagree. Just see how the results you mentioned were achieved:

Ajax-Fiorentina: Godenzonen almost let Fiorentina take it to the Extra Time. Gilardino scored first, and Leonardo just equalized at ‘87.

PSV-Tottenham: just on PK’s.

And I forgot to mention Twente-Marseille, on last Uefa Cup. The Tukkers won at France… and let OM win in Grolsch Veste. On normal time and in PK’s.

OK, NAC is doing pretty good. But we still need to see where Maaskant boys can reach.

And I agree with you: Dutch football is pretty bad. At least on club level.

Liverpool NEED another striker…Mr Huntelaar, I’m looking at you and with Alonso now at Real Madrid Mr van der Vaart is a more than capable to fill the void in the Liverpool midfield. Problem solved…I’m ringing Rafa Benitez now!!

Leon – good move, may even support Pool a bit more this season if that happens. I dont have Rafa’s number… . (only his wife’s mobile .

Posted from  Singapore

As a life long ‘pool man, not sure if I would want the Hunter there. Liverpool plays mostly with one single striker, or if they play with two the other one is a holding one like Kuyt.

So if you have Torres and Hunter in the same team, Hunter will play a few games due to Rafa’s insane rotation scheme but that will be just about it. Torres will be the starter 75% of the time and Hunter will not play the holding role at any team. I rather have him at Spurs or somewhere he is the “Man” and starts every game.

Now, I agree that Van der Vaart going the other way would be a very good move for all parties nvolved.

huntelaar shouldn’t go to pool,they have one of the 3 best strikers of the world: fernando torres torres (eto’o and ibra are the two other,and they play 4231. he should go to milan,there is room for him there.

Mario: you’re right that madrid is buying and buying but at least this year i see reason in their buyings. they needed a world class playmaker – they bought kaka. they needed a world class winger – they bought c. ronaldo. they needed a world class pirlo-like midfielder – they bought xabi alonso (and granero for backing up xabi). they needed a world class striker – they tried david villa,they bought benzema (who’s talented and only 21). they needed good defenders – they bought albiol and arbeloa. they spent lots of money,but at least i can see a logical plan in these buyings. but after xabi alonso’s arrival sneijder should obviously leave. this is the logic of the market – you don’t spend 35 millions for someone to bench him. robben should be cautious as well because if they buy ribery at the end of august he won’t have his place inthe starting eleven. but i don’t think that this year they can get ribery. (the only one player i would like to see at barca as well…) they starting eleven might be something like this: casillas – s.ramos,pepe,albiol,arbeloa-lassana diarra,x.alonso – c.ronaldo,kaka,robben – benzema (or higuain). on the other hand ,drenthe should stay because he might fit to the new system. and i don’t want to see sneijder as kaka’s first choice back-up…

The main reason to move is to get more playing time. I think going to a club like Aston Villa is a good one, for example. Of course, it is much better to go to a “bigger” club like AC Milan. It is better to play, than sitting on the bench at Madrid or Liverpool. So, Villa or Liverpool? IMO, Villa is better.

Posted from  Indonesia

Here’s an interesting question – In EC2008, who was more electric, more exciting and more spectecular. Ribery? Ronaldo? Benzema ? or Robben !!

Which one would you choose in your team ?

Posted from  Singapore

@Carlos: In 2008 Robben only had 1 good game against France, he was injured all time … I think Ronaldo played better in that tournament but I won’t choose that diver for my team.
VDV said that he won’t go to Bayern because Bayern’s Hamburg’s rival.

Posted from  Australia

Yes lads I agree(and realise) Hunter not suitable at Liverpool. That’s just the Oranje in me trying to marry players to one of my favourite clubs. And if he did move to England I’d hate to see him at either Villa or Tottenham. Got too many mates who go for both those teams!!

@ ferenc

casillas
ramos-pepe-albiol-arbeloa
x.alonso
ronaldo-kaka-robben
benzema-raul

Posted from  United States

Carlos – at euro 2008 robben was more electric than the others. but if i should choose one of them for my club (fc barcelona) i’d say without any hesitation: ribery. because he’s better and more consistent than the others. i wouldn’t like an always injured player in my team. robben has the potential,but he had it 5 years ago, too. btw – i don’t understand why the most important dutch players (robben,van persie,sneijder etc.) are so injury-prone?

@Ferenc: You are bringing up my favourite pet peeve. I don’t understand why either. The only thing that can explain it in my opinion is lack of proper strength coaching, warming up properly, stretching etc. Basic stuff that us mere mortals were taught as children playing for little local teams in our respective countries.

Van M has eluded to bad fitness, fitness was an issue in the olympics with U-21.

On top, Kesler “the man from hell” decides against hiring the physio everybody wanted from before the injuries started to happen for political reasons. Isn’t that something? Yet the WC2010 happens to be in Africa, several games will take place in elevations about 1100 meters so fitness should be the no 1 priority.

Sometimes I wonder if Oranje’s biggest enemy are themselves…

injury-prone dutch players have to eat surinamese food(more protein)

Posted from  United States

personally i think we have 5 top class player, sneijder vdv robben van persie and huntelaar.

if one is injured we put the next 4 in our attack, if two are injured kuyt comes in.

so if robben in injured

huntelaar

sneijder vdv v.p

or if huntelaar is hurt

v.p

robben vdv sneijder

@sonneveld, so, if all the players are fit, who will be your choice?

Posted from  Indonesia

———–Casillas———–

–Ramos–Pepe–Albiol–Arbeloa-

——-Diarra–Alonso———

–Ronaldo—–Kaká————

——–Raúl–Benzema—–

*This is how I think they’ll start but Robben will show who is the man and will force Pellegrini to give him back his place.
Raul is a legend but he should be dropped. Ruud, Benzema, Huntelaar and Higuain are better.