World

Europe

Netherlands

Where are they now? Stanley Menzo

September 14th, 2009 | By: Jan | 23 Comments »

Stanley Menzo (45) was the ideal goalie for Ajax. Fast, courageous and with good feet-skills. The former Ajax, PSV and Lierse player did have the bad luck to be born in the Van Breukelen era, and when Menzo finally got a chance on a break, one Edwin van der Sar came knockin’ on the door. Menzo played six internationals for Oranje. We’ll look at his past, present and future. “It’s time Maarten Stekelenburg steps up to the plate!”.

PAST

“I didn’t play a lot of internationals for Oranje. Only six times I put on the jersey for Oranje. I had Hans van Breukelen in front of me and he was the big kahuna. You know how field players, even if they’re number 14 or 15, get to replace a player for a couple of minutes and can build up quite an impressive career doing so. For goalies, that’s different. When Hans retired, I should have grabbed my chance and I simply failed to do so. Don’t know why. Nerves is what some people said, but it wasn’t that. I guess I just didn’t have that luck that you need sometimes.”

“But, I’m proud on my six games and the fact that I was part of Oranje for a while. When you play for Ajax, you always feel Oranje is close. And it’s the highest you can get. I witnessed the WC in Italy and the Sweden EC from the bench. Unbelievable experience. I made my debut in 1989 in Amsterdam, I replaced Joop Hiele – not a bad goalie I’d say – against Denmark. I can’t remember much of that game, although I do remember the final score: 2-2. My first official game as the number 1 was in 1992, against Yugoslavia, we won 2-0 in De Meer. My home…. That felt good.”

PRESENT

“I always had the ambition to become a coach. And not a keeper trainer, but the head coach. I love the diversity and the complexity. I went back to school to get my diploma’s and here I am. It’s pretty rare, a goalie as the head coach. What makes a good coach? Is it winning or losing? Nah, too simple. It’s hard for me to say if I’m a good coach. I’d like others to pass judgement. I do what I do. I promoted to the Eredivisie with Volendam and had a good time at Cambuur, where I still work. I learned a lot from Michels, Beenhakker and Advocaat, but I try to be myself. I’m direct. When I see something I act. I like to be proactive and tell my players to seize the opportunity and have fun with what they do.”

FUTURE

“I follow Oranje closely, of course. This is a great generation and it’s time we won something. I think it’s all possible, but I can’t say where we’ll end up in 2010. Everything needs to be 100% in place to win the World Cup, I’ve experienced that from close up. When we went to the 1990 WC the expectations were huge. We’d won the EC in 1988 and we had the best players. But we imploded. We didn’t win a single game in Italy. You gotta peak at the right time and we weren’t able to do so.”

“Dutch keepers…hmm…it seems our potential is limited now. I think pro clubs tend to pick cheaper foreign goalies. The development of keepers is stagnating. There’s still a lot of talent, but the development lacks. I hope we all see this now and that this is a transformation phase. I hope all clubs will look at their own youth groups and pick a Dutch goalie. Stekelenburg is one of the few top goalies in Holland. The rest isn’t there yet. I think Maarten is in potential a great goalie, but it’s time he stepped up to the plate. He’s got it all, but he doesn’t seem to be able to demonstrate it yet. He remains a talent. What I don’t get is that continious pleading to Van der Sar to come back. It’s nice for Edwin of course, but Oranje isn’t helped with it. Edwin is 39 years old now. He retired. Let’s move on. I’m sure Edwin could play a great WC, but so could Stekelenburg. You don’t want to block Maarten’s development even more, now….?”.

Tags: Ajax, Group C, Hiele, Menzo, Oranje, Sar, Stekelenburg, Van Breukelen

Netherlands World Cup RSS Feed

del.icio.us:Where are they now? Stanley Menzo

newsvine:Where are they now? Stanley Menzo

reddit:Where are they now? Stanley Menzo

stumbleupon:Where are they now? Stanley Menzo

Comments

By 3ric | September 14th, 2009 at 11:48 am

To be honest, Stanley Menzo never challenged the no.1 spot in Oranje. He was a solid back up for Van Breukelen in Euro 1992, but when World Cup 1994 came along, Ed De Goey was the top pick (he was top of his game with the back-then resurging Chelsea). By the time Euro 2006 came, Edwin Van der Sar was an unanimous choice. Sadly, Menzo will go down the history as one of those who “completes” the squad number. I heard he is a good GK coach, though.

Posted from United States

By Mario | September 14th, 2009 at 3:09 pm

I think that if van der Sar decides to return, Steks will be in the bench. But I have faith in Stekelenburg´s skills although I´d pick van der Sar to start if he decides to go to the WC.

By Jason | September 14th, 2009 at 3:37 pm

Van der Sar at the WC is a mistake. Menzo is spot on with regards to Steks.

Posted from Canada

By Jeff | September 14th, 2009 at 4:52 pm

I totally agree with Menzo and Jason. Time for Stenk to leave the nest. He needs the support of the fans and be confident in his ability. VDS has done his job really well but now is the time for somebody else. After all we did not win anything with VDS so perhaps with Stenk we will be more successful…

Posted from United States

By Carlos | September 14th, 2009 at 5:07 pm

I love VDS but tend to agree with everyone here. Steks & Vorm are THE men we should nurture.

Posted from Singapore

By Jan | September 14th, 2009 at 5:09 pm

Good point Jeff. Menzo is actually head coach, not GK coach.

By Jan | September 14th, 2009 at 5:12 pm

Raf isn’t part of the CL selection either…

By Jan | September 14th, 2009 at 7:39 pm

Our baseball team started well at the World Cup. Two wins now…

By Jan | September 14th, 2009 at 7:42 pm

It doesn’t get better than this: a Man City supported has pressed charges against Robin van Persie. The latter yelled obscenities to the crowd and one supporter took offense.

Tomorrow’s headlines:

Referees sues 15.000 fans yelling Hijo de Puta

Liverpool selection sues 60.000 Man United fans for booing them

Robin van Persie sues Adabayor for his kick, Adidas because they made the shoes, the ref because he didn’t see it and his team mates for not stopping the play.

Wenger sues Van Persie for spending too much time in court.

Lawyers sue other players for not sueing more fans.

Lawyers sueing lawyers for sueing fans that yelled at players that sue fans…

By Tiju | September 14th, 2009 at 11:14 pm

No wonder or surprise in raf’s case……….
@jason,Jeff everybody spot on……..Steke has charisma and real courage VDS till lacks it even though he has sublime skills and experience for a goal keeper.but orange need a courgeous Gladiator in th back unfrotunatly we dont have that,so stekel has to take that role…thats what we need for orange.

Posted from India

By Tiju | September 15th, 2009 at 12:15 am

I dont know why senior player’s are saying like this”After demolishing the dutch worlcup dreams i will retire”.Why retirement after world cup.??they could have done that before the WC.they should see the unselfish mantality of the great dennis bergkamp.he could have played in WC2002 qualifications and Perhaps we would have qulified if he played.at present Gio and ooiger are not important like Dennis.but still they are hanging in to the team with their old tooth.Brapheid,Emmanuelson,Drenthe,eric peiters are performing well and bouma may come back soon.so we have(Brapheid and Bauma)so why gio???we are going to pay the penalty for this, in this worldcup.Gio is highly vulnerable now…
Ditto with ooiger..Loovens,Vlaar,Maduro are much better diffender than him.Especially Loovens and Vlaar are leaders in the back unlike ooiger and like Lorane blanc of france 1998.We need a leader in our back.
Seriously we need to look in to diffence,and at present
De guzman may not be better than znijder now but
Deguzman>current vaart>Afaleey>Babel….so he should get the call.
and leroy fer is pretty close to holding four.May be he could repalce De saaw.

Posted from India

By Mario | September 15th, 2009 at 1:44 am

Tiju, I like your style man. And I agree with your analysis.

By Carlos | September 15th, 2009 at 4:12 am

Jeffrey Bruma (17) has been called into Chelsea senior squad for CL this week.

Posted from Singapore

By Jeroen | September 15th, 2009 at 5:13 am

Even if Bergkamp had played in the 2002 qualifications, he wouldn’t have come along for the cup, because of his fear of flying. That’s the reason he quit Oranje after 2000.

Gio has made it very clear in interviews that he knows he is getting old, and that he will understand if he gets replaced by someone younger and faster. But till that point, he wants to do the best he can for Oranje.

A 17 year old in the Chelsea selection, I’m assuming he’s only a substitute right?

Posted from Netherlands

By Tiju | September 15th, 2009 at 5:16 am

@jeron but he played in US1994

Posted from India

By Jan | September 15th, 2009 at 5:24 am

True Tiju, that’s where he got his fear of flying. Some idiot newspaper dude from Holland was allowed to fly with Oranje and the moron told the stewardess “as a joke” that he had a bomb. The plane was delayed, the players had to wait for hours in a stinking hot plane and the journo (Lex Muller was the name of this frickin’ idiot) was incarcerated.

That’s where Dennis got the bug and he hasn’t flown since. What a story…

I read that interview with Gio as well. He said: “If there’s another player better suited for my spot, I will be the first to tell the coach if he hasn’t seen it himself. It’s about the team, not about me.”

By Carlos | September 15th, 2009 at 6:19 am

Jeroen he is only in the squad – but whatever it gives the guy enormous confidence. Some bloggers have seen him play (think Goose & Alex) and say he’s the real deal. Let’s see 2014 !! (he’ll only be 21/22)

Posted from Singapore

By Tiju | September 15th, 2009 at 6:23 am

Carlos…..bro…..you have to be aware of injuries i think players like luirink,Vlaar,Castelen perfomed well but all them got injured for almost two years.Still they are struglling to get back their orginal form.No matter what ur age whether it may be 37 or 17,how you perfomes thats important.

Posted from India

By Tiju | September 15th, 2009 at 6:29 am

Is it real words from gio’s heart??i hope so…anyways brapheid already overtook him…so who is next?????.Still remember gio’s performance in Ec2004.he was the top tackler for orange,he played superbly…if he plays like that he should get the no1 spot,but at present he is nowhere near his old performance and brapheid.

Posted from India

By Tiju | September 15th, 2009 at 6:30 am

if drenthe stayed in Feynoord,he would have grabbed the no-2 LB spot from gio…after brapheid..

Posted from India

By Tiju | September 15th, 2009 at 6:34 am

B/w
Dutch womens team(Water ball)..the olympic champions(dutch)i think so..held spain with 20 seconds to spare.score(15-15).thumps ups for courageous dutch ladies……….

Posted from India

By goose | September 15th, 2009 at 10:08 am

Never liked Menzo (as a goalie that is), always ready to do something outrageous (part of it was Cruijffs fault)

one funny story about Menzo:

when Ajax played HSV in Hamburg the speaker was giving Ajax’ line-up and said: ” in goal for Ajax, Stanly Menzo.. and believe it or not people, hes a real dutchman!!” hahaha…funny krauts

Posted from Netherlands

By Gerard | September 15th, 2009 at 3:01 pm

Lars Boom won Vuelta a Espana stage yesterday (cycling). Robert Gesink (only 23 years old) in second place overall.

Posted from Canada

Comments are closed