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Willy van de Kerkhof: Schaars new vacuum cleaner

March 1st, 2009 | By: Jan | 26 Comments »

Willy van de Kerkhof was an amazing midfielder. Lungs like a horse(no Finn, lungs not hung), vision, tough in the challenge and always motivated, always in the zone.
As a player, he was intelligent on the pitch but came across as shallow off the pitch. The accent, the farmers’ head… Who would have known that Willy “the vacuum cleaner” would build a business empire. Gifts, great wines, a golf resort, real estate, marketing consultancy, you name it, Willy does it. And good. And in Germany too (taking D-Marks and now euros from Germans is always good!).

He owns VIP Box number 1 in the PSV Stadium. Or: the Willy van de Kerkhof Groep does. As big as a restaurant, stylishly furnished, a loaded bar and a yummie buffet for the guests.

Willy is seated in the pluche chair at the front and watches the game. Or rather: Stijn Schaars.

The 63-year old’s heart is for PSV. But the fan follows Schaars. Van de Kerkhof was the only player with Ruud Krol to play all the minutes at the 1978 WC. One of the most valuable midfielders ever. The Vaccuum Cleaner.

In 2004, it was Pele who heralded Willy into the gallery of Best Football Players alive, the 125 best players on the planet. That Willy predicts that Stijn Schaars will play his role at the 2010 WC.

“His contribution to the team is enormous and vital,” Willy says at midnight. “There have been great holding midfielders in Oranje. But a few were playmaker and holding midfielder. Wim Jansen, Jan Wouters, myself… And now, there’s Stijn Schaars. The AZ skipper is the top in Holland and deserves a spot in Oranje. He is at such a level, that no one can get him.”

AZ has a couple of jewels for the real aficionados on many positions. Van de Kerkhof doesn’t get why Van Gaal keeps saying PSV has more individual quality.

And after PSV-AZ, Van Gaal repeats it: “PSV has incredible players. Dzsudzsak and Amrabat are tremendous wingers and Mendez and Simons are fantastic midfielders. Afellay, we all know of course…”

Van de Kerkhof shakes his head. “Louis should talk his players down. They’re the best in the country. Schaars, goalie Romero, Dembele and El Hamdaoui are the top. Martens and De Zeeuw are great too.

Patrick Kluivert agrees. He’s sitting on the press stand. He used to be part of the PSV family and is now assistant coach under Van Gaal at AZ. When you compare the teams, AZ is better than PSV.

And one row lower, the top scouts of The Spurs, Man United, Arsenal and Liverpool are huddled together. PSV-AZ is a fixture they happily book a plane for.

One of the four, he doesn’t want his name to be mentioned here, wants to give his vision. “AZ has surpassed PSV in terms of quality and talent. Look at the goalies for instance. Afellay is the only real cracker at PSV but he is too much in love with the ball and has trouble with Mendes Da Silva. Afellay should pass the ball quicker. Maarten Martens is the brains of AZ. Demy de Zeeuw is fantastic and Dembele is very strong, but lacks vision.”

Willy van der Kuylen, PSV icon, laughs when we ask him about Van Gaal’s comparison. “That’s Louis. He wants to be the underdog. He desperately wants to win the title but doesn’t want the pressure that comes with it. When he has won the title in a couple of months, he’ll sing a different song, mark my words.”

Van der Kuylen is critical too. “Really, I’d buy a ticket just for El Hamdaoui, but Van Gaal doesn’t allow his AZ to play too adventurous anymore. And he positions Dembele as right winger. If I were the opponent’s coach, I’d be happy with that.”

Willy van de Kerkhof has the last word. “Schaars will be recognized by the general public soon. He’s still a player for the experts, like Cocu was in his younger years, but slowly but surely, the public will see his value. In AZ, there’s so many forward thinking players, you need someone like Schaars to keep the balance and correct what the artists do wrong. Stijn is the best in that. Like Wim Jansen. And he sees it. He’s got the feeling. It’s something you have or you don’t, you know. Just look at last season, what happened with AZ… Schaars was injured that year. Says enough.”

Tags: AZ, De Zeeuw, Dembele, Group C, Jansen, Neeskens, Schaars, Van de Kerkhof

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Comments

Displaying the most recent 25 comments from a total of 26 comments.

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By ClockworkOrange | March 1st, 2009 at 10:00 pm

Maybe Monsieur Wenger should try to snap up Schaars to fill Arsenal’s gaping hole in the centre midfield position? If Schaars can pass and defend, then he would fit in perfectly in the Arsenal system and be an ideal partner for Cesc.

Haven’t been following the Eredivisie very closely (more of an EPL guy), so any thoughts on whether this would be possible? How much would AZ ask for him?

Posted from United States

By sonneveld | March 1st, 2009 at 10:25 pm

still, I don’t think he can take de jongs or van bommel’s in the starting lineup, he has to prove himself at a bigger club and a bigger stage. Maybe im just part of the general public that still haven’t quite jumped on the band wagon

By Carlos | March 1st, 2009 at 10:42 pm

Clockwork – I advised Monsieur Wenger of Schaars availability on a goal.com blog back in December for the January window …hahaha

Posted from Singapore

By Carlos | March 1st, 2009 at 11:04 pm

Off topic – watched WBA v Everton and feel really sorry for WBA and our 2 young defenders. Both played very well, Zuiverloon in all the build ups from the right and Donk as a stopper did well.
But WBA were very unlucky as they played a lot of good football, one touch passing and could have been ahead on a few occasions. But the first goal was weird as no one seemed to mark Cahill on a set piece (how stupid is that ?).
Does anyone agree with my views on the 2 defenders ?

Posted from Singapore

By tiju | March 1st, 2009 at 11:14 pm

@carlos dont worry about donk and zuiverloon ,their time will come,
at present schaars is waybetterthan bommel,only the problem is he is sun in law of bert otherwise he wouldhave replaced him by now.

Posted from India

By finnster01 | March 1st, 2009 at 11:19 pm

@Carlos: Didn’t see that game, but watched the previous game of Fulham vs WBA. Although Donk didn’t play, Zuiverloon did and was excellent going fwd. Problem WBA has is noone is backtracking to cover, and no one is marking properly either. Fulham killed them and it sounds like Everton executed well. I mean, why leave Cahill unmarked on a set piece? Hello…

By Jan | March 1st, 2009 at 11:23 pm

I’d say Wenger has him on the short list allright. He is particularly strong mentally and in terms of focus. He reads the game well, is super fit and understands one-touch football. I know Van Gaal will accept a good offer not to stop Schaars in his career. He will end up somewhere with the big clubs. CL material. He’s got the right age too. Louis will have tipped Pep in Barcelona as well.

De Zeeuw is equally good with his feet but not as strong mentally.

By tiju | March 1st, 2009 at 11:23 pm

my 23
stekel-vermeer-velthuizen
Vander weil- Ron vlaar-mathijenson-bouma
zuiverloon-luirink-marcelis-brafeid
schaars-dejong
vanbommel-mendes da silva
Roban-vanpersie-wijnaldum
vaart?-znijder?-castelen
hunter
ruud
Reserves
babel
afaleey
kuyt
demy de
bulahruz

Posted from India

By Jan | March 1st, 2009 at 11:25 pm

Agree with Tiju. Zuiverloon will be recognized already. The next step will be Everton, Spurs or Portsmouth or something. If Gianni keeps his head together, he can build a nice career in the EPL. Not sure of Donk. Bit of a dreamer sometimes….

By tiju | March 1st, 2009 at 11:26 pm

my strating eleven

vander weil-Ronvlaar-mathijenson-Bouma
dejong-schaars
Roban-vanpersie-Wijnaldum
Hunter
subs
RUUD
brafeid
then depend on stamina of RVP and roban

Posted from India

By finnster01 | March 2nd, 2009 at 12:28 am

@tiju: Are you feeling well my friend? You actually included Kuyt on your reserves list…

By tiju | March 2nd, 2009 at 12:57 am

@finni i like his brilliance and heart definitly he will never play as central striker role in my imaginary team,
i remmber,luirink,vlaar,castelen,schaars and hunte together won ec 21 for us in 2006,the same can be repeated in WC2010 if luirink and vlaar and castelen is fit.

Posted from India

By Caleb | March 2nd, 2009 at 12:22 pm

Kluivert is assistant coach to Van Gaal now?

Posted from Canada

By finnster01 | March 2nd, 2009 at 1:01 pm

Just noticed who FIFA has appointed as referee for the Scotland game. Doesn’t make me feel very good to be honest…Is it not possible to appeal to get another one assigned? I’m sure Scotland aren’t too happy about it either. Having a ref calling an absolutely crucial WC qualifier that is currently on vacation and only are allowed to ref lower league play in France doesn’t make any sense whatsoever.

From the BBC: “It is Laurent Duhamel officiating against Holland – despite him being banned from top-flight matches in France. Duhamel has been told to take a break from football by his own association before returning at lower league level after failing to send off two Paris St Germain players, who will now be punished retrospectively”

By goose | March 2nd, 2009 at 2:57 pm

@tiju ; major break through on Kuijt my friend!! haha

@caleb: no his not (as far as i know) i reckon hes doing some KNVB manager training and his at AZ as an internship (is that correct english)

i really dislike the fact that all these ex footballers nowadays want to be managers (at the age of 35), almost all ex pro’s are crap managers, it shows everywhere; from vBasten to Koeman, Paul Ince, Tony Adams etc. etc.

Co was so very right when he said (about the vBasten appointment as Bondscoach)

” a good horse doenst mean a good rider nescessarily ” , very true words!

Posted from Netherlands

By Jeroen | March 2nd, 2009 at 4:32 pm

I thought van Basten did a pretty damn good job! Despite all the criticism, he continued his original intentions to bring new talent into the team, and get rid of the oldies. The result of what happens when you don’t do this was France in EC 08. Frankly, I thought he was much better than Advocaat or van Gaal. Michels and Hiddink are another story .

Posted from Netherlands

By goose | March 2nd, 2009 at 5:04 pm

@jeroen ; sorry; dont agree…true; we played 2 great games at the EC (though the France game was somewhat lucky) but the WC was terrible, the qualifications had terrible football and dont get me started on his social skills

his original intention was (as stated in his first press conference) was to play dominating, attacking football …he didnt succeed

Posted from Netherlands

By finnster01 | March 2nd, 2009 at 5:13 pm

Van Basten in my book lived up to the classic mantra of Oranje unfortunately: “They are a great team. They only lose when it really counts”

By Miguel Rosado | March 2nd, 2009 at 5:15 pm

Holland can do much better and we should not be happy by the past results. Getting eliminated in the quarter finals is a complete failure so in that basis Marco failed!!!.

Posted from Mexico

By Caleb | March 3rd, 2009 at 11:37 am

@Goose – yes, internship is the right word. Ok, that makes sense then. I agree with you about all these ex-footballers wanting to become coaches at 35. I don’t, however, have a problem with them being assistants to an experienced head coach because I think they can be very helpful with training and skills coaching and all that. I think that is their ideal role, at least for a number of years before they even think to try becoming head coaches right away.

Posted from Canada

By goose | March 3rd, 2009 at 12:28 pm

@Caleb ; sure, they need to have the change to learn… but the problem with all these (great) old pro’s is that they seem to start at the highest level (Rijkaard is prob. the best example)

im sure they know a thing or 2 about being a pro but thats ALL they know… vBasten was a great striker but he has never made any of his strikers better as a manager

the whole ‘education ‘part is forgotten… its no coincidence that the 2 greatest dutch managers ( vGaal en Michels) were both formal teachers!!

Posted from Netherlands

By finnster01 | March 3rd, 2009 at 1:40 pm

@Goose: Very good point about the teacher part. However, besides the general and vGaal I think you have to include Guus Hiddink when you talk about greatest Dutch managers. I have no idea what his former job was, but to me he looks like he is a retired cop from NYPD

By Andrew | March 3rd, 2009 at 2:27 pm

Jan, Hats off on this article. Really enjoyed it…and with your comment re: his “lungs” and your aside to Finn, you prove once again that your depth of knowledge of Dutch football is unsurpassed.

Posted from United States

By goose | March 3rd, 2009 at 3:12 pm

@finn ; surprise, surprise ; Hiddink also has a teacher degree (as a gym teacher) but he actually never did that as a proffession

but Hiddink is a very different manager than vGaal or Michels…the latter actually trained players to become better footballers….Hiddink is a master in building a team and to be honest ; i reckon Hiddinks legend is by now so huge that it automaticly makes his team more confident and thus stronger

in Holland we call Hiddink (sometimes) ” Guus geluk ” geluk mean lucky and “guus geluk” is the dutch name for that anoying cousin of Donald Duck who is always lucky (had serieus issues with this character as a child!! haha)

Michels made football professional
vGaal is the one best at making young players better footballer
Hiddink is master human management

Posted from Netherlands

By finnster01 | March 3rd, 2009 at 5:04 pm

And Guus wins another one for Chelsea…There is no way in hell Abramovich will let him go back to Russia after the end of the season.

Hiddink can write his own check at this point.

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