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Where are they now: “Harry” Kruzen

August 17th, 2009 | By: Jan | 37 Comments »

Standing left to right: Joop Hiele, John van ‘t Schip, Frank Rijkaard, John Bosman, Wim Koevermans (?), Ruud Gullit
Seated left to right: Marco van Basten, Wilbert Suvrijn, Hendrie Kruzen, Jan Wouters, Adrie van Tiggelen

Hendrie Kruzen played five internationals for the Dutch team. The ex Heracles, Den Bosch and PSV player is currently Gertjan Verbeek’s assistant coach at Heracles Almelo.

The 44 year old tells us how he’s been in the “Where are they now” series. “My EC 1988 highlight was warming up for ten minutes.”

PAST

“I had a good run as a playmaker for Heracles and later Den Bosch. I was seen as one of Holland’s biggest midfield-talents. I was part of the 1988 group who won the EC but my only real effort was a ten minute warm up during the England game. And suddenly one Marco van Basten decided to score a couple and Michels said to me: “Well, Harry. It seems like you can sit down again…” Hahaa…he always called me Harry. But you know, it was such a tremendous experience. I loved wearing the orange and it made a huge impression on me. My international career was relatively short. Five games in two years. I was part of the Dutch national youth team system since I was 16 years old and I even went to Italy with Rinus Michels in a youth team. Oranje was always an elite group. Gullit, Van Basten, Rijkaard, Koeman… The big boys. And suddenly, in December 1987, I was called up for the EC qualification game against Greece. My benefit was that I was a leftie. We didn’t have a lot of those in those days. I can’t remember much of that game. I know the pitch was tough and Joop Lankhaar of ADO made his debut too. Hans Gillhaus scored twice, I do remember that. Playing for Oranje was like a dream, but I never really thought about it. I had just moved from Heracles to FC Den Bosch and wanted to focus on my club. But I adjusted well. Despite I was a lad from the east, I was readily accepted and felt great amongst the others.”

NOW

“I’ve been through the same thing as the Real Madrid lads. In a lighter form. I made my way to PSV from Den Bosch, but they also signed Soren Lerby. Not the worst player. I didn’t play a lot and got benched. I did leave PSV, to keep my spot in Oranje, and when I made it to Kortrijk (Belgium) and played regularly I was called up again. My advice to them is thus: leave. Find a nice club where you can play. It’s the last year before the WC. Van Marwijk told Timmer clearly: you’re not invited because you don’t play. My last years I played for AGOVV, the amateurs but Verbeek got me back into Heracles, with the demand: play here but get your trainers’ ticket. I’m here now for six seasons and I have all my diplomas bar the Oefenmeester 1. But I don’t want to become the head coach anyway, so… I’ve got a great job as it is. I’m the one guarding the Heracles Culture, so to speak. Which doesn’t take an effort, Heracles is my first love.”

FUTURE

“I follow everything Oranje does. I’m on the edge of my seat when they play. Make me team manager and Rafael van der Vaart would be my first name on the paper. And he’d have my position too, the playmaker behind the strikers. I like him a lot. A real lefty. People always want to see Sneijder on that position, but I prefer Rafael. He’s smart, he can find his way inbetween the lines, he’s lightfooted, he can score and he can give the throughpass. Wesley and Raf would play together in my team, sure. Why not? Xavi and Iniesta do it too. Wes would play on the right in my team. How the team will do in South Africa depends on how they can adjust to the height and climate. This group has so much quality and experience too. I think it’s time for some silverware now….”

Tags: Gilhaus, Group C, Gullit, Hiele, Kruzen, Lerby, Michels, Oranje, Schip, Van Basten

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Comments

Displaying the most recent 25 comments from a total of 37 comments.

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By fares | August 17th, 2009 at 1:25 pm

no abosolutely no. vaart is the greatest!

By Michel-Olivier | August 17th, 2009 at 2:01 pm

juve 0 milan 0
hunter is playing

Posted from United States

By Mohamed | August 17th, 2009 at 2:24 pm

@fares, i totally agree with you that vdv is the most talented dutch player now , but i have to say that sneijder is also awesome , vaart is more talented , but sneijder works harder and always tries to develop his abilities , he is better than vaart in free kicks , more powerful , stronger shots (vdv may be more accurate ) , better defensive skills . But vdv is more skillful , better dribbler , more creative , has a leadership character , so he can be the captain of the team , can read the game better than sneijder . Anyway , both of the should start all games of holland .
btw fares , i am a vdv fan too , he is my favorite dutch player now (davids was my best player in the 98 dutch team )

By jjstam | August 17th, 2009 at 2:41 pm

http://www.atdhe.net/8552/watch-ac-milan-vs-juventus hunter has had chances

Posted from Canada

By Jeff | August 17th, 2009 at 3:33 pm

Thanks for the link. How did KJH play?

Posted from United States

By Lights | August 17th, 2009 at 4:40 pm

Well,i think we can’ t really measure between vdVaart n Sneijder.Both of them r really excellent player.The thing is at present vdVaart seems to be more confident than Sneijder.To me,the mentality of Sneijder is stronger n about the skill,both have different kind of quality.oh yes,we may say Sneijder set-piece is greater but come to long deep ball,i think vdVaart is shaper.

Oranje has many young n talented players n is a very powerful team which might take the world cup in 2010.But n but,only if they can have the mentality of the germans n the hunger of Brazilian n also the aggression of Argentina.

Let’s hope our oranje players will be in top form with full of confident n without too many injuries in the World cup next year.

My heart is always with u,Oranje,the almight team !!!

Hup-Hup Holland forever !!!

Posted from Netherlands

By OranjeRules | August 17th, 2009 at 6:36 pm

Gotta throw my support behind Goose on the VDV – Wes debate! And I don’t think its even close. For the reasons Goose gave, Wes is much better than Raf!

By Jan | August 17th, 2009 at 6:43 pm

This debate will go on and on and on …

“Better” as in more skilled? Or “Better” as in more effective for the team?

It’s a team sport. You need the different qualities. Robben is the Best Dribbler. Van Persie probably has the most natural skills. Van der Vaart is close behind Van Persie in my book, but as Goose said physically vulnerable.

Sneijder has that winners’ mentality that makes good players great. He has the skills of Zidane and the mentality of Bryan Robson. But he might also have the ego of C Ronaldo… So, in the mix, he might not be the most effective.

And then there’s the question of “team”. Van Persie thrives under Wenger, but could be shit under Ancelotti.

Van der Vaart is not even in Madrid’s squad, but could be the man at Arsenal. Etc etc…

It’s an interesting debate, but not a really relevant one

By Ruud | August 17th, 2009 at 7:09 pm

Sneijder is much better than VDV. He is the best in Oranje.

Posted from Canada

By Carlos | August 17th, 2009 at 7:23 pm

It’s very much like Good Wine – It becomes a personal issue as to what and why you like a player,some people love it some people do not like it. No one’s right, no one’s wrong. The only person who has to be objective and puts his head on the chopping block is the manager. He lives and dies by his decision as to who he buys and who plays. I would play VdV as a No 10, staying mainly in the 3rd and fourth quarter of the field. I would give Wes the freedom to roam where he can do most damage and defend as well (like his game against France 08).

Posted from Singapore

By fares | August 17th, 2009 at 8:33 pm

i watched the game between milan and juve and huntelaar was quite poor , was substitued by borriello at the 55 min i think .. as i said before huntelaar is useless in such games against strong opponents ; he is actually a bad striker. yes he will score against teams like bari or so but it is not important because u will never win a wc against these teams..
in three games -inter ; juve and juve – he scored ZERO goals and now i understand why van basten didn’t select him for the wc06 despite scoring so many goals in the eredivisie…
i would definitely play dirk or robin as central striker. ( you see both play in the premierleague and are strong physically )
i insist so much in physical strength and you completely understand that it is very important : two examples russia holland (ec) england holland 2-2
* i don’ t agree that both wes and rafa should play because that was exactly the problem of van basten replacing wes as holding midfielder that is wrong . the better should play as a playmaker the other benched and should keep holding position for poeple who are made for that
*about the defence of orange i still think that heitinga was excellent ( marwijk also said that particularly in the first half); mathijsen excellent ; ooijer not so bad ; braafheid excellent (but will not play for bayern so..) we could replace oijer by vlaar that all (but two left!players -that play with left foot- isn’t possible so marcellis is a serious option)
*finally i want to say to those who think boulahrouz could be the solution he is now injured and will warm the bench for stuttgart as they have tasci (young german defender is excellent and saw him many times) back from a lengthy layoff (injured at the end of last season and that is why boula played the last part of the season)
…
@++

By fares | August 17th, 2009 at 8:43 pm

i wanted to say -and that will probably surprise most of you – that the best young talent in holland is for me undoubtedly jeffrey sarpong what a talent ; watched him in the wc -17 2005 stunning player a shame that he will not continue with ajax ( he was a starting at times under van basten )
i wish him all the best and hope he will not be stolen by ghana as they want to for their worldcup
truly excellent player -the best of his crop along with biseswar- the two were the stars in 2005 for the -17
if i was the national manager and if he plays for a good team he would be my star and physical player in midfield
very very good player even better than afellay if he got his chance…
@++

By fares | August 17th, 2009 at 8:54 pm

van der vaart is wanted by koln!!

By Michel-Olivier | August 17th, 2009 at 10:23 pm

sarpong is rubbish, just another owusu/mustapha. the best young talent in netherlands is wijnaldum.

Posted from United States

By Jeff | August 17th, 2009 at 10:23 pm

I agree with you about Sarpong. He was a huge talent but i cannot believe that both VB and Jol would have missed that. I simply think he has not really progressed as he should have. Even at the u21 level, he really has not shown what he showed at the u17 WC. Not sure what to say but it is not so uncommon for great youth players not to become star players at the senior levels. If you look back at the last 10 u17 WC or so, you will see how few of the players who were on the roster (Holland or not, but only good teams such as France, Italy, Spain, Portugal, Argentina, etc) actually made it later on as true talented professionals. We are talking less than 20%. Unfortunately, Sarpong could be one. Too bad because I agree that he was great. Emnes and Marcellis were also on that team by the way.

Posted from United States

By Carlos | August 17th, 2009 at 10:34 pm

Nacer Barazite asked to be loaned out from Arsenal – anywhere even Eredivisie.

Posted from Singapore

By Ruud | August 17th, 2009 at 11:33 pm

I agree Sarpong is a good talent I don’t know why he is not playing with senior Ajax anymore. But there is a new talent in Ajax who is playing in his position and doing very well, Marvin Zeegelaar (19 yo).

Posted from Canada

By Marc | August 18th, 2009 at 12:20 am

On the VdV-wes debate i agree with jan it is useless to discuss this. They are different players and both are very effective at what they do. Vdv is Zidane like and Sneijder is a general more like Iniesta or Xavi, he works up and down a classic box to box midfielder while VdV will stay right behind the forward free to move around in the attacking 3rd. So end the arguments we know they are both top class, but different.

Posted from United States

By Miguel Rosado | August 18th, 2009 at 1:59 am

I’ve seen Sneijder play better than Rapha when it comes to big games with the Netherlands so I’ll pick him. They are not miles behind the best they simply haven’t had the right players around them in order to shine as they should’ve had.

Kaká in Milan next to Seedorf, Pirlo, Gattuso, Ambrosini.
Xavi and Iniesta next to Yaya Toure/Keita and a great defense.
Lampard next to Ballack, Essien and Obi Mikel.

VdV and Sneijder: surrounded by bad players like Gago, Guti!. Diarra is OK.

By Jan | August 18th, 2009 at 2:40 am

It might be mentioned here already, but Ancelotti want Seedorf to come to Chelsea and Ajax wants Alfonso Alves…

By bobotoh | August 18th, 2009 at 6:46 am

Guys, look at Henry case. When he was at Juve, he was useless. Look at when he was at Arsenal. I don’t understand what went wrong when he was at Juve.

Posted from Indonesia

By Jan | August 18th, 2009 at 7:35 am

I actually don’t get why Man United and Liverpool aren’t interested in either Robben, Sneijder or Van der Vaart…. They have some moolah and they need to replace some players. Raf at Man United. Sneijder at Liverpool.

By stephen | August 18th, 2009 at 8:10 am

Maybe they are not as good as we think.

Posted from United States

By finnster01 | August 18th, 2009 at 11:11 am

@Jan: Liverpool has no moohlah anymore. RBS and Wachovia have put the foot down on their debt, and although they refinanced this summer there are some big payments to be made as early as coming January. So unless the American owners sell some of their assets in the US, Benitez will have not much to play with. They also need the new stadium, but can’t afford it so it’s on hold although the execs say in the papers it’s not.

Bloody annoying, if you ask me. As a ‘pool supporter, I am hurting right now. Wish the Arabs would show up with their wallet…

By Michel-Olivier | August 18th, 2009 at 11:35 am

@ Jan
the epl is too physical for glass players like robben and wes.

Posted from United States

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