We want Dirk Kuyt: Hugo Borst…

Hugo Borst’s column in AD:

How many kilometers did Dirk run last Tuesday? He looked like one of those Rotterdam dockworkers. From the early 1900s. When there were no unions. Ten hours of harbour work. Spit in your hand, bare chested… Working, without complaining. And everybody could see it. His own manager Benitez and Arsenal coach Wenger praised him after the CL quarter finals.

Liverpool Icon Ian Rush earlier on complimented Kuyt. Remember Rush? The goal scoring machine who left ‘Pool to play for Juve? It went wrong in Italy. Why, asked the tabloids. His Cruyffian answer was: “It’s like a different country up here”.

Dirk adjusted to greener pastures without a problem. After three matches, the Reds’ fans knew it for sure. Whenever Kuyt started running, clay clutter would jump up from the soil. A hard shot or a flying tackle would follow. Dirk was one of them. A foreigner without any prima donna trickery. He didn’t come to get rich. No bull, but action. No words, but acts. You know all the cliches.

This season was a bit of a disappointment. Kuyt hardly scored. He lost his position to Fernando Torres. Not a disgrace, really. The Spaniard is a phenomenon. He outclasses Kuyt up front. But, in Oranje Kuyt lost his status as well. Van Basten didn’t even need Kuyt to warm the bench. Dirk was allowed to stay at home.

But Kuyt never gave up. In the docks, they call it “johnny grab the post!”. And that is it. The side line is the post for Dirk. Since a week or six, he plays wide. Liverpool plays like Oranje now. Three offensive midfielder behind the lone striker: Babel, Gerrard, Kuyt. Ian Rush said that the resurrection of Liverpool is not just Gerrard and Torres. His credits go to Dirk. His running, working, slugging is important for Liverpool’s success.

Some players can work like a horse, but play like a donkey. Not our Dirk. And who saw Arsenal - Liverpool must have seen that too. He didn’t do it on force alone. He played with his brains. And the combination wits and power can’t be stopped.

Marco van Basten saw the match live. I asked him if he was impressed by Dirk.

Van Basten: “I was highly impressed and very content with Kuyt.”

Kuyt is out of the picture for the strikers’ position, behinf Ruud, Hunter and Vennegoor. Could you maybe select Dirk as one of the midfielders?

Van Basten: “That would be logical, yeah.”

With our tongues in cheek we could say that Sneijder, Vaart, Seedorf, Van Persie and Afellay are sunny-weather player. Three of them will play behind Van Nistelrooy. It certainly isn’t unlogical to add some spice to the mix, if necessary.

Van Basten: “Hugo your’re right, will you write a positive story of Dirk?”

And I will. This is turning into a very positive column. And he deserves it. Dirk is back. And he fits into this day and age. The kid oozes Oranje pride, a blond haired Dutchie, blue eyes and muscly calves.

And he is a nice chap. Peter Crouch, the imposing tall striker is a sub at Liverpool. In one of the first lines in his biography he said he feared Kuyt’s signing. But now he knows better. Dirk is not a rival, Dirk is one of his best friends.

Referee Pieter Vink is also Dirk’s friend. He didn’t see Dirk’s foul on Hleb and forgot to give a penalty to Arsenal.

I’m not going to claim that everybody loves Dirk. I know players, analists, reporters who get all itchy from all that positivism and sincerity of Kuyt. But, I need to keep this positive - order of our team manager - and I won’t go into that. Not now. Maybe during the EC. If Van Basten selects the power house from Liverpool, of course.