Eric Viscaal (40) played five times for Oranje. The striker was developed at PSV, where he had to compete with Wim Kieft, Romario and Hans Gillhaus. He played for De Graafschap and a long stint in Belgium at Mechelen and AA Gent. Today, he’s youth coach at Germinal Beerschot in Antwerp. He talks about past, present and future in this episode of: Where are they now?

“Anyone naming the selection of Oranje for the EC1992 in Sweden will most probably forget my name. But I was among Van Basten, Gullit, Bergkamp and coaches Michels and Advocaat. I only played ten minutes against GOS, but that EC was my best party ever. My five international games are my high point. Do you, I lost my hare (the silly thing debutants in Oranje get)… Do you know if I can buy one somewhere?”

Viscaal was a mercury-like striker/winger. Perfect for 4-4-2. Egotistical, brilliant but also inconsistent. And not always popular in the squad. A lad you’d expect to find in the selections of Ajax or Feyenoord. Naughty, but nice. Leather jacket, brilcream hair and a look in his eyes that say: what do you want?

TODAY

“I’m still a Dutchman and a fan of the Dutch School, but I live and work for more than 20 years in Belgium. I played for big clubs in Belgium, like AA Gent and KV Mechelen and worked as playing coach at Dilbeek Sport. A tough job, but I was happy.”

“I’m the under 16 coach at Beerschot and I coach the strikers all through the club. We try to play the Dutch style, dominant, on the side of the opponent.”

“We used to have a partnership with Ajax and that’s still in the genes here. We play the Ajax style of football and that suits me well. I’m ambitious enough to move up, who knows… But I can’t see myself working in Holland anymore. Or…maybe I can, I don’t know…”

LATER

“I’ll always follow Oranje, but at a distance. The friendlies and the qualification games are all broadcast by the commercial stations, so I can’t see those games. But when the actual EC and WC is on, I watch every minute. My heart is with Oranje and I adore players like Van Persie and Sneijder. The Belgium team…I can’t make heads nor tails of it. In Holland, football is structured. Belgium players aren’t that disciplined. Although, now we do have some players in the bigger competitions and I can see improvements. If Oranje qualifies, I do think they’ll be an outsider for the title. Since the title in 1988, Oranje has always been very close. Close or a total failure… This time around, I can see them make it. Or at least finish among the last four.”

He started as a winger, in the Ajax youth, but when he came close to the Ajax 1 team, it became clear that he wasn’t good enough. Louis van Gaal told him, frankly. And also told him to go to another club on loan, to train to become a defender… Many players would scoff at that suggestion and have… Michael Reiziger took Van Gaal’s advice. He left for FC Groningen and came back a strong and fast full back. Instead of playing as a winger for a mid-tier club in Holland, Reiziger became a world class defender with a tremendous resume.

Michael Reiziger, 35 years old, played 72 international games and was present at four big tournaments. The defender played for Ajax, AC Milan, Barcelona among other clubs. This summer, he started the trainer coach course in Zeist.

PAST

“Listen, I won the Champions League with Ajax, reached the finals with Barca and I played for many top clubs in Europe… I won six national titles…it was all great and tremendous and one big dream, but… The biggest thing is playing for Oranje. There’s a big tournament every two years. That’s what you work for. You know the whole worlds soaks it up and you play against the best. I have worn the Oranje jersey 72 times and I am proud as can be, man…”

“My first international game was against Norway. It was a 1-1 draw,. I remember that the media talked about me being selected and I was so nervous. We were on a day out with the players and my coach Van Gaal got the call. I have only played three competition games for Ajax and one CL game. Amazing. I had just arrived and got to play for Oranje. From 1995 till 2004 I played almost all international games. Qualifications, friendlies, one WC in 1998 and three EC’s (1996, 2000 and 2004). The best game ever was the quarter finals against Argentina in France. That game had it all. Passion, good football and that dramatic end. We sent the Argentines home with 2-1. That late Bergkamp goal…goosebumps.”

“That WC was the high point in my career, without a doubt. A truly memorable tournament. We played well, the vibe was awesome, good weather and that hotel in Monaco was sweet. It’s just sad we missed the finals. Our last game ended 1-1 against Brazil but we should have had a late penalty. But, that’s all history now.”

PRESENT

“I retired in 2007 at PSV. I took some time off. Traveled a bit. Did nothing, basically. Not every player makes a good coach, it’s a totally different thing, but as a player you do have some advantages. It started itching after some time. I’d love to coach a team. I may not be a person that likes the attention, and as a coach, you will always have to face the press and all… But not liking it doesn’t mean I can’t do it. I’ve always been quiet but having played in Barcelona and England, I do know what it takes and I can handle it.”

They don’t make ‘m like this anymore… Stam and Reiziger

FUTURE

“We have a strong national team now. We’ve got so many talents. Van Persie and Sneijder can’t be called talents anymore. They’re the big boys at big clubs. They will still get better. I do regret Van Nistelrooy’s decision to retire. I think he’s still the best striker in the world. Huntelaar is terrific too, but Van Nistelrooy has so much experience. I read he may come back on his decision, that would be tremendous. How far we’ll come in South Africa…pff…hard to predict. The qualification is a cruise and I do think we’ll survive any group stage. We always have good teams and we are part of the world top… And people always say we don’t have the winners’ mentality, but I don’t agree. More than half of our internationals play abroad, at big clubs. You can’t do that if you lack the mentality. And some play under Van Gaal. I can tell you, you need some spirit to cope with that too hahahaa…”

“Another thing people say, is we don’t have the top class defense. That’s nonsense. When you play offensive football, your defense is always more exposed. It’s really much easier defending playing for, say, Italy. We want to play away from our goal, meaning that we’ll have lots of space to cover when we need to track back. That is very hard to do. So, look at the statistics, and take what I just said into account and maybe you’ll have to conclude that we actually have a very good defense.”

“My ambitions are modest. I want to get my license firist. That I’d love to work in Spain. I live in Spain, speak the language and love the culture. I don’t have any idea where and at what level I’d start. No idea. But whatever happens, I would never start at a big club. The manager’s role at those clubs is very complicated. I actually enjoy the study-phase I’m in now. We recently traveled to Zenit St Petersburg. Fascinating. I study with Ernest Faber and John Karelse and we highly enjoyed our time with Dick Advocaat. It’s hard to say what type of coach I’d be. I think I’m very flexible and I can use different styles. I can be tough and disciplined but I’m not authoritarian. I worked with many great ones. Louis van Gaal, Guus Hiddink and Steve McClaren. I wouldn’t copy any of them, but I’ve learned from all of these coaches. I will take these experiences with me in my future work.”

Willem van Hanegem (former AZ player and coach) in the AD:

“This championship of AZ is mainly a championship of patience. I personally feel they deserve it. There’s only one team in the Eredivisie which can claim the title and since the third match day, AZ led the standings. The first two games, against NAC and ADO, you could see the old, adventurous and playful AZ. Games in which AZ only looked to attack and create things. But they lost both matches.

I don’t think they panicked, but I do think Van Gaal decided to change his tactics. It didn’t work in the third match against PSV, because they won that game with sheer luck. But, the game did mean the turnaround for them.

AZ would become the best and most consistent team of them all. The opponents didn’t know how to handle Van Gaal’s team in the first season’s half.

AZ pulled back when they lost possession and allowed the opponent to come and create space. When they turned around possession, they’d build up via Demy De Zeeuw on the right flank, with a lot of power and agression. Opponents thought they were happily playing along, but AZ waited for the mistake and was ruthless in the counter attack.. El Hamdaoui, Dembélé and Pelle and Ari took advantage of the space allowed and finished the job.

In the second competition half, it was harder for AZ. The opposition understood their new tactics and the defensive tactics of the opponent would take the gravy out of the game. First, AZ canceled the entertainment value and then the opponents started to do the same.

This champion didn’t make our competition more attractive, but they do deserve this title. Louis van Gaal said in an interview recently, that he’d love to play more adventurous but the results needed a more realistic approach. Let’s hope it’s temporary.

Two yeats ago, they had to win the title, but the pressure was too much. Last year, Schaars was out and they had a dramatic season. They needed to change things. Van Gaal surrendered to realisme and I understand that totally.

What I didn’t understand is that no one was allowed to use the word “champion” in a radius of 1000 meters around the DSB stadium. I didn’t get that. Ridiculous. They won everything, and I’d say…chest out, chin up and tell the world you want to set things straight. I think it’s that mentality that made them lose against Vitesse.

There was stress. We didn’t see the new champs playing, last Saturday. That was sad, because AZ deserved to win the title at home.

And now they had to wait a day to see Ajax stumble. But, that all fitted in the scenario of AZ’s season… They had to be patient. Let the opponent make the mistake. And that’s what happened.

We discuss the big names of Dutch football here regularly, but we’ve seen many bit-players wearing the orange jersey. Some only once… In our series, this time it’s former Roda JC and Feyenoord winger Rene Hofman.

It’s December 19, 1982. Oranje plays and EC qualification game against Malta. It’s an away game. But Malta would like to see a full house and decides to play the home game in…Aachen. Only 5 kilometers from the Dutch border. Never before were there 17.000 fans at a Malta home game. For Rene Hofman, it’s really a home game. His home is only five minutes away from the Aachen stadium.

Highpoint
This would be the highpoint in Hofman’s career, which mainly plays out in Limburg. The right winger plays ten seasons for Roda JC and two seasons for Fortuna Sittard. In between, he’d play three seasons for Feyenoord. He can’t remember a lot of that particular match. “I do remember it was horribly cold. We had a friendly against France earlier on. I was selected for that game too, but didn’t get any minutes. I loved to, they had big name players, like Michel Platini. Two years later they’d win the EC in France. I started against Malta. I was surprised by that. I wasn’t that good you know. I’d become a better player with aging, like wine, haha… It’s weird that I was called up then, and never when I was more experienced.”

During his stay with Oranje, he was timid and humble. “I was a dominant lad at Roda. I would always pick my socks as the first player. Call it superstition, but that was the pecking order. At Oranje, I would wait till the rest did their thing, and then I would pick my socks. Little things. My type of playing resembles Robben’s. I wasn’t that good, haha, but I was selfcentered and always looking out for a solo or dribble. In Oranje, I was a bit too timid, I think. Like Robben, I wasn’t tall and a tad lean, so it was easy for defenders to get me off balance. I was fast and light, so I’d be on the ground a lot of the time.”

Crosses
He wasn’t too satisfied with his game in Oranje. “We won, 6-0. My task was to service striker Kees van Kooten, well…I didn’t have one assist that game. I was distraught when I won 2-0 and I wasn’t involved with the goals, so you can imagine how I felt after this game.” After 66 minutes, team manager Kees Rijvers would replace Hofman by a very young Ruud Gullit. “That was pretty special, looking back. I never ever played another international game and Ruud would become this world class superstar…”

“I’m happy with my career, although I think I could have made more out of it. But in those days, it wasn’t as easy as now. With internet and all that tv coverage, players like Drenthe and Bruma are being signed by big clubs. I think I played a couple of seasons in Roda’s first team, scoring prolifically, before some foreign clubs came to inform. Not that I was keen to move. I loved playing in my home region. Feyenoord was a big step for me already, but it was great. Not an easy time, but I was a tad older and more in balance. When things go well in Rotterdam, it’s a players’ paradise. When it’s not, it’s hell. The fans are loyal, but also very critical. If you work hard, they’ll accept you. And although I was a technical and speedy winger, I also had a good work rate.”

Today, Hofman works as sports instructor with mentally disabled people. He still has his match shirt in the cupboard somewhere. “I didn’t frame it. Nah…I’m not sentimental like that. I have a shirt of all the clubs I played for, and also a Dutch Team jersey.”

Statistics:

19 december 1982

Malta – Nederland 0-6 (0-4).

Score: 21. Ophof (pen.) 0-1, 24. Van Kooten 0-2, 34. Hovenkamp 0-3, 39. Schoenaker 0-4, 50. Schoenaker 0-5, 71. Van Kooten 0-6.

Referee: Dieter Pauly.

Holland: Piet Schrijvers; Michel van de Korput, Bennie Wijnstekers, Hugo Hovenkamp, Edo Ophof; Peter Boeve, Dick Schoenaker, Gerald Vanenburg (66. Jurrie Koolhof); René Hofman (66. Ruud Gullit), Kees van Kooten, Pierre Vermeulen.

You’re only as good as your last game, record, movie, book, joke…whatever. It applies to all trades. Teachers, stock-brokers, investors, wine-experts and football federations.

When Louis van Gaal, The Louis van Gaal (the best of the world one, the golden boy from Ajax and Barca) failed to qualify for the WC2002, the KNVB was in shambles.

They gambled their reputation, finances and future on a big mouthed, arrogant, non-compromising dominant “success coach” who not only had the intention to make Oranje World Champs but in the meantime set out to change the way the whole nation coached and trained.

We all know how that ended. Louis was a joke! As much as I admire him as a club coach and as much as I like the man personally ( I met him, you know, and he’s a good egg….).

Louis was a joke, because 1) he had a tremendous group of players, 2) he had the qualification in the pocket, leading against Portugal away 0-2 and 3) he gave it away by attempting to crush the Portuguese and bring two extra strikers with 10 minutes to go… We all know what happened: we forgot to defend and after 90 minutes our friends came back to 2-2. Game over!

And then I’m not even mentioning his brilliant move to put Reiziger in as left back against Portugal at home…

Tactical blunders by the biggest tactical brain we had in that job for a long time… His press conferences were even better. It went from: “I have changed. I won’t be insulting journalists anymore. I understand exactly what the KNVB needs and I can do it.”…

To: “SO YOU’RE ALL HAPPY I HOPE? WE DID”T QUALIFY??? SO YOU CAN WRITE WHAT A DUMBASS I AM? IT IS ALL YOUR FAULT!!!!!”

The KNVB was in shock. What to do? We tried it with a dominant “winner” (after never having had the cojones to appoint JC) and now what? We can’t ask Co Adriaanse. He is as dominant, non-compromising and confronting as Louis…. We don’t think Willem van Hanegem will play the game with us either…. One of the young blokes? Koeman….Gullit… To big a risk… Martin Jol? Nah…too fat…

Well, there’s always good ol’ Dick. Advocaat. He did it before. He won’t win titles for us, but at least he’ll go middle of the road. He won’t rock the boat. He won’t stir things up at the office in Zeist. People will feel save with him. The Jan Peter Balkenende of Dutch Football…

When Dick was appointed, fans, media, experts and even players frowned their heads. Him? Didn’t he take us into the last 16 in the WC1994 and tried to tell us all that that was a great result?

Isn’t he the guy who’d rather bring an extra defender? Isn’t he the one who’d rather not lose instead of rather win?

The KNVB reacted immediately. They decided to win the hearts back of the nation by selecting a people’s hero as Dick’s assistant team manager: Willem van Hanegem. De Kromme looks back on his decision to say “yes” as a mistake. He now realizes he was used to silence the crowds. In the beginning, Dickie told everyone that “Willem and I will do this jointly”… Not much later, in the run up of the actual EC, Willem was banned from doing press and found himself relegated to carrying the balls onto the training pitch. He recalls: “I was ready to call it a day, but I didn’t want to let the group down. I had the chance to work with the best of the best and spending time with Van Nistelrooy, Cocu and Seedorf on the training pitch was a joy. I decided to make the best of it.”

Advocaat was getting himself in several pickles. He’d promised Seedorf a starting position. During the preparation however, Clarence realized he was being played. Willem van Hanegem: “I spent quite some time talking to Seedorf. I could empathize with him. I told him he shouldn’t demand a spot with his words. He’d have to show Advocaat on the trainings.”

Advocaat also took some youngsters along, the likes of Van der Vaart and Robben. The latter, no big surprises here, was injured going into the preparation. Still, it became clear that Dickie hedged his bets on the experienced players. Even Patrick Kluivert was part of the group.

The fans and most of the expert analists saw the problems coming. The choices Advocaat made were predictable. Willem’s role was unclear. And Dick Advocaat’s press-conferences brought back memories of Louis van Gaal. Everytime a critical question was asked, Advocaat would hide behind the backs of others. On one occasion, Oranje conceded a goal from a corner kick. When questioned about it after the game, this is what went down…

Interviewer: “Dick, we conceded a goal from a corner. And yet we knew they were dangerous from set-pieces.”

Dick: “Hey, I know. I told the group many times before the game that they were dangerous from corner kicks, so you can’t blame me!’

Interviewer: “I am not blaming you nor anyone else… I’m just saying…”

Oranje played Germany in the first group match. And we played well. But didn’t win. 1-1 was the endresult and the Czech Republic was the second opponent. Advocaat needed Robben. And used Robben. And the rest is history.

Holland – Czech Republic would go down in history as one of the finest matches played on any EC.
The Dutch played good football, and so did the Czech Republic, led by Pavel Nedved.

Thanks to Arjen Robben, Oranje led 2-0 to lose 2-3 when Dick Advocaat decided to sub our best man, Robben, for defensive midfielder Paul Bosvelt. Bosvelt, a capable consistent player, but also in the autumn of his career, was also tasked with marking Nedved.

Advocaat’s decision baffled everyone. The fans. The media. The analists. And even the players. And assistant coach Willem van Hanegem and not in the least: Robben himself.

Holland needed a win against Lithuania and needed to hope for a good result of the Czech against Germany.

Oranje would beat Lithuania (3-0, twice Van Gol and Makaay) and a second-rate Czech team beat Germany.

Holland was through and would write history against Sweden! For the first time in decades, Oranje won the penalty-series against the tough Swedes. Arjen Robben scored the winner.

Oranje and Advocaat were through to the semis and Dickie thought the fans would forgive him his Robben replacement. They didn’t.

Holland went mad. Led by the media and some expert analysts it appeared some mob would want to lynch the team manager when Oranje returned to Holland. There were even questions asked about it in the house and the Dutch prime minister had to intervene to calm everyone down …

Willem van Hanegem later admitted that he was shocked when Dickie ordered Robben’s jersey number to come off. “I made a mistake there. The minute I saw what he was doing I should have knocked him unconscious…”.

Advocaat stepped down right after the EC, totally distraught with the unfair manner in which he was manhandled by the media and supporters.

“Jose Mourinho understood my replacement of Robben,” Dick Advocaat whines, four years after the infamous tactical move of the Dutch team manager in the EC2004.

“I still support that replacement, although in hindsight it didn’t pan out too good. But, some coaches – among others Mourinho – understood this chance perfectly. But, everybody has it’s own opinion.

That’s football. We were kicked out of the tournament later and everybody criticized me for that Robben exchange. The whole nation was upset. I took Robben off simply because he hadn’t played for three months.”

Advocaat also explains about his relationship with Willem van Hanegem, who was Advocaat’s assistant a the EC. “The working relationship with Willem could have been better. I admit. And that was also my fault. But, you know, you can’t win against Willem. The whole nation loves him. I think we were a very good combination, but he felt he was only picked for the job to entertain the masses. I think if our cooperation would have gone well, we’d still be in charge. Actually, Willem and myself would be ideal as team managers. But, it wasn’t to be.”

The rest is history of course. Top dog Van Gaal had failed, old-school old-hand Dick Advocaat screwed up…what to do? Rijkaard wasn’t available, so the KNVB quickly smooched with Johan Cruyff who pushed his apprentices Bassie and Schippie. And the rest is history.

In 2006 we won the world title, with a Seedorf on fire and in 2008 we even won the EC, pushed forward by Mark van Bommel.

I wanted to post this many moons ago, already… But I didn’t… Didn’t want to rub it in too much (others are lurking here, you know). And I didn’t want to blow my own trumpet too much…

But…

Fair is Fair…

The Netherlands Blog rules for months already.

I get sent the statistics of all the national team blogs and the Offside club blogs and I have to say man…our blog is leading the way. We have by far the best statistics, in terms of pageviews, visits and comments. Not only is Oranje the best on the pitch, Oranje is also the best in talking .

It’s a known fact that Dutch people always have something to debate about. As JC famously said: when you tell Spanish players the gameplan, they say: Si mister. In Holland they go: yes, but… .

That makes for difficult to manage players, but it also makes the best internet blogs!

So, thanks guys, for making this place full of awesomeness…

However, we should not rest on our laurels. Argentina is in hot pursuit, while France, Italy and the USA also have their eyes on us. So keep it coming…

As for the Offside stats… The Netherlands/Oranje/Eredivisie/individual clubs could use some help. We are nowhere near a decent position there. It’s the EPL, Italy, Bundesliga, Barca and AC Milan kicking up dust for us minions…

Feels out of balance. So, please support my mates of the Ajax, PSV, Feyenoord, Heerenveen, Twente and Eredivisie blogs there from time to time ok?

By the way: there are no prizes to be won, there’s only honor .

It’s easy in our memories to jump from the WC1974 (Rinus Michels, Total football, Johan Cruyff, Clockwork Orange, etc) to jump to the WC1978 (Ernst Happel, Arie Haan, Rob Rensenbrink) but we shouldn’t forget the EC1976 in between. Holland would go and snatch the Cup and get even with West Germany. We all know how that ended (don’t we?). Panenka’s penalty and red cards for Johan and Willem.

The Dutch nation was disappointed. Appalled even. How was this possible. Our superstars turned into thugs.

In the run up to the WC1978, most people thought Oranje would never ever be able to reprise their Germany 74 performance. When it became clear that JC wouldn’t go, the odds became even worse.

And why exactly didn’t JC come? Some thought he was injured and didn’t want to fail. Others said Danny didn’t want him to go due to that swimming pool incident in 1974. Who knows?

Much later, the real reason was finally published. For those who don’t know: sometime before the WC, some Dutch idiot traveled to Barcelona and broke into the Cruyff house, with Danny Cruyff at gunpoint. Any Dutch person traveling to Barcelona only had to ask where JC lived and any taxi driver would take him there. This bloke pretended to be a journalist and when Danny answered the door, he drew a gun (not loaded, it appeared later) and gagged her. Johan was told to go to the bank to get some cash. I can’t remember what actually happened… Either the neighbours spotted the arse or Danny freed herself, but someone called the police. When they appeared, the guy broke down and surrendered. He was disturbed and a sad case and all that. I’m not sure if he went to jail or not, but since that moment – close before the WC – Danny was scared to remain at home alone and JC promised her not to go to the WC in Argentina. There you have it.

Haan trying his best from close up this time

Ernst Happel, the maverick mastermind who coached Feyenoord and HSV Hamburg to the EC1 cup, was selected to coach Oranje to the world title.

Willem van Hanegem wasn’t in his best form. Injured and somewhat disenchanted with Feyenoord. Happel couldn’t promise his former protege a starting position and decided with Willem, that De Kromme shouldn’t come. A bit like Seedorf and Oranje: Seedorf is too good (and too dominant) to bench. Same with Willem. If he can’t play, you shouldn’t take him.

So, Johan didn’t come, Willem didn’t come… The Dutch fans were in shock. Without them, what could we achieve…?

On top of that, a number of Dutch media people and entertainers, followed by leftish politicians thought Oranje shouldn’t even go at all. The Argentina junta wasn’t too serious about human rights and stories about the atrocities committed in Argentina found their way to the Dutch media.

A whole media-circus was started, Holland needed to boycott the tournament.

The Dutch fans seemed to lose interest. We wouldn’t be able to get results anyway. It was a long way from home. The political situation… How on Earth could we expect to do as well as in Germany four years before?

Ernst Happel took the following players to Argentina (still not a bad group):
Jan Poortvliet * Ruud Krol * Wim Jansen * Jan Jongbloed * Arie Haan * René van de Kerkhof * Willy van de Kerkhof * Rob Rensenbrink * Johan Neeskens * Johnny Rep * Ernie Brandts * Piet Schrijvers * Dick Schoenaker * Adri van Kraaij * Piet Wildschut * Wim Suurbier * Dick Nanninga * Jan Boskamp * Hugo Hovenkamp * Wim Rijsbergen * Pim Doesburg * Harrie Lubse

Lots of PSV players. Youngsters like Poortvliet, Brandts, van Kraaij, Wildschut and Lubse weren’t your regular football heroes, but Happel saw their potential for the WC. Part of the Dutch games had to be played a high altitude and good lungs were essential. Happel had a good eye for these sort of things.

What I remember from the first round is the late time the games were boradcast.
Holland didn’t start well at this WC. We beat Iran 3-0 in the first game, with three goals by Rensenbrink (two penalties). The match against Peru ended in 0-0. Peru would win the group by the way. The last group match was against the Scots, with one Kenny Dalglish and Archie Gemmill. Rensenbrink scored the 1-0 (again a penalty) but the Scots came back into the game thanks to the aforementioned players. John Rep scored the essential goal, allowing Oranje to go through. It was a tight one. And the fans back home really didn’t believe in any good things anymore.

In the second round, Oranje drew Italy, Germany and Austria. Not an easy task. The first game was against Austria. Coach Ernst Happel, from Austria, had mixed the Oranje team up severely. The youngsters were given a chance and Happel picked Piet Wildschut and Ernie Brandts. And Piet Schrijvers replaced goalie Jan Jongbloed. The Austria of 1978 was a tough oppnent, with Prohaska and Hans Krankl in their midst. Ernie Brandts, however, made an end of the Austrian hopes after six minutes. At half time, Oranje led 3-0, with another Rensenbrink penalty goal. We won 5-1 and Oranje fever started again, back in Holland.

Holland – Germany was the next match, and a sort of revenge opportunity for the lost finals in 1974. Sepp Maier was still their goalie and Cruyff’s marker Berti Vogts was still one of the defenders. The inventor of the schwalbe, Bernd Holzenbein, was also present. Beckenbauer was replaced by young Kalle Rummenigge and Gerd Muller was replaced by one Dieter Muller. No relation. Germany took the lead twice, and Holland equalized twice. The rocket of Arie Haan will still be remembered by Sepp whenever he ate fish that’s a bit off. The 2-2 meant Germany could forget the finals. If Holland and Italy would draw, Germany would have a chance, but our Eastern neighbors forgot to win against Austria. Hans Krankl scored two to send the Germans back to the Heimat. The winner of Holland – Italy would move on to the finals, to meet Brazil. Or so it seemed…

In 1978, not conceding goals was as important for the Italians as it is today. Dino Zoff was synonymous to keeping a clean sheet. Roberto Bettega impressed with his hairdo and the young Paolo Rossi was too light and young to make a difference. Rossi’s time would come, although he did score twice in the first round. Italy took the lead, thanks to an Ernie Brandts own goal. A sliding/back pass while Schrivers had left his goal to block the ball. Not only did Brandts score, he also injured his goalie. Schrijvers wasn’t able to play the finals. On the second half, the same Ernie Brandts took revenge, by copying Haan’s goal against Germany: a thundering shot from outside the box, passed Zoff. Arie Haan couldn’t accept this stealing of thunder and decided to give Brandts, and Zoff, their comeuppance by hitting the ball even harder from 30 meters. The 2-1 was enough to reach the finals, and Haan’s two goals would make him world famous.

Argentina would do the impossible in the other group: beating the strong Peru by 6-0, there with ousting Brazil from the finals. Holland had to face the host nation, again.

I remember the stadium being filled with an enormous amount of paper snippets and the hurricane like sound coming from the stands. It was clear that the organizers and fans wanted Argentina to win. With that support, they already were half a goal up. It was clear in the second round that Argentina got some help. They needed to beat Peru with a lot of goals, which seemed impossible with Peru’s form and quality in those days. The 6-0 win meant Brazil went home (arch-nemesis Brazil was definitely not supposed to play for the title in Argentina) and it also meant someone or some team received a nice Christmas bonus that year… The psychological warfare started at the toss. Rene van der Kerkhof had broken his hand and was playing with a manchette. The ref in the game against Italy was fine with it, but Daniel Passarella, the Argentine skipper, objected to the plaster hand of the quick right winger and the ref was cajoled into forcing the Dutchman to take the plaster off. Ernst Happel had seen worse storms in his life and knew how to play the game. Without help from grandmaster Johan C. (who was with Danny in Spain) the stoic Austrian told all Dutch players to grab their stuff and leave the pitch. Happel knew he was playing with fire, but the ref didn’t have the cojones to allow this happen and decided to allow Rene van der K. to play with his plaster. A psychological win for Ernst “Kein Geloel” Happel.

But there was more. After every match, the players needed to pee in some cup for doping control. Only the urine of the Argentine players was taken to a remote lab via a helicopter. Some time after the match, it became clear that one of the Argentines was actually pregnant… Yeah right….

Anyway, the game… Argentina scored the first goal – Mario Kempes scoring – in the first half. In the second half, Holland never looked like scoring and Happel did something that most fans couldn’t understand. Golden Goose John Rep, the guy with luck in his shoes and scoring many an important goal for Oranje, was taken off for Dick Nanninga, the 1978 version of Vennegoor of Hesselink.
In the 82nd minute, Happel was proven right.

René van de Kerkhof crossed the ball in to the penalty spot, where Dick Nanninga came gliding in for a typical Nanninga header: 1-1. A couple of minutes later, Oranje deserved a penalty when Johan Neeskens was clearly fouled in the box. A couple of 100 million viewers in the world saw this, except for the referee. But in the dying seconds, Ruud Krol gets to take a free kick. The ball is sent to Rob Rensenbrink who seems out of balance, but is capable of caressing the ball past goalie Fillol. The ball rolls tauntingly slow towards the goal but hits the bar. No goal. No victory for Oranje. No World Cup.

The extra time (2 x 15 minutes) was too much for Oranje. Kempes scored his second and Bertoni even scored the 3-1. Holland lost again to a WC host.

Thanks to Lucas Bezembinder

Feyenoord celebrates it’s 100rd birthday this year. The AD newspaper publishes regularly on the club and this wonderful blog steals the best articles . This time: Willem van Hanegem, the man who could do it all…

Nowadays, we know De Kromme as the barking, not biting, elusive football analist or disappointingly performing football coach.

But whenever he enters De Kuip – like last week when Feyenoord played his team FC Utrecht – he is being cheered and applauded passionately. Willem van Hanegem (68 years old) is the hero of the man of the street.

Willem made his mark at Feyenoord in the 1960s and 1970s. In those days, Holland had two football phenomenons… Jopie from Amsterdam (Cruyff) and Willem from Rotterdam (born in Zeeland). Willem was tall, slow, well-built and had those remarkable crooked legs. An anti-hero, it seemed. But he would become the football here of many a generation, in Rotterdam and in Amsterdam.

Willem van Hanegem led Feyenoord to two European cups. The EC1 against Celtic in 1970 with the likes of Ove Kindvall, Rinus Israel and Franz Hasil. And the EC3 in 1974 against Tottenham Hotspur. A firm header in 1970 against AC Milan in the semis and the Beckham-banana free-kick on White Hart Lane. A London newspaper tagged Willem “the Mastermind”.

“Willem van Hanegem demonstrates that magic exists…”

The player Van Hanegem played 298 games for Feyenoord and 42 times for Oranje. That number should have been higher, but in 1978 his former coach Ernst Happel told De Kromme he wouldn’t be a starter in his Oranje at the WC1978. Willem decided to pull out of the tournament, not capable of taking a seat on the bench. The whole nation watched an interview with Willem and Kees Jansma (current Oranje press-chef) in which Willem burst out in tears…

Willem played 41 European games for Feyenoord and scored 18 times. Pretty prolific for a midfielder.

Amsterdam born film maker and fan De Putter: “They say some players have the ball tied to their feet with a leash? Well, Willem’s leash was the longest. When he played, you felt he always had the ball. He was everywhere. And if he didn’t have the ball, it was him who had just set up the attack or he would be the one repossessing the ball. He seemed slow and maybe he was, but he thought fast and knew where the ball would come. So by thinking quicker than others, he could compensate his lack of speed.”

“Nowadays, players have specialities. Van Nistelrooy is the finisher. Van Persie has the free kick. Robben can take on players. Van Bommel guards the balance and repossesses. Vennegoor is the header-specialist. Willem was able to do all this and more. A pass over 40 meters, right on the collar. Scoring goals. Making the play. Sliding-tackles. You name it. The number of goals he made as a midfielder is out of this world.”

The whole nation is filled with 40+ers who name Willem as their idol, more so than JC. And his results as coach (of Feyenoord) were not too shabby either: winning the title and a couple of national cups. And his moods and aloofness is admired more so than merely accepted.

De Putter: “He is charismatic and genuine. He never had media coaching, like all contemporary coaches and players. Willem is the real deal. His only problem is, his heart is too big.”

He never hit a ball. Didn’t wear a football shirt. But still, he was one of Holland’s most influential people in football. Cor Coster died recently. Ome Cor (Uncle Cor) as he was called by most.

Holland’s most famous father-in-law and the first players’ manager.

Recently, Cor Coster drove his Mini Cooper through Amsterdam, which he used as a grocery-car. Some big Mercedes driver cut in fron of him. The passionate Ome Cor got out, abused the guy and the two got in a fight. He kicked a dent in the Merc’s door and crushed the mirror.

Before the judge, he claimed the stress of living in the big city got too much for the old man. He was sorry and would never do this again. The judge felt for him and told him to settle the damages with the “victim”. Cor Coster said he would. The damages were significant, but in the hallway, the Amsterdam born put a 100 guilders note in the hands of the bamboozled opponent and told him in a soft voice, that if the guy would make a scene he’d rip his head off his shoulders…

Cor Coster was a colorful man. Life made him streetwise. His dad had left his mum when Cor was young. He’d organize a motorbike and travel to Switzerland, where he’d buy expensive watches and smuggle them into Holland in his fuel tan. He would then sell the watches with a huge profit in the red light district and to the market vendors on the Waterloo-square. His nickname in Amsterdam would soon be Horloge Cor (Watch Cor). He would become a diamant trader and a real estate tycoon. It didn’t matter to him what he traded, as long as it made money.

Cor Coster acquired wealth and lived on the most expensive locations in Amsterdam. He did very well. He even told his partners that he never wanted to be called at home later than 8 pm unless that call would profit him a minimum of 100.000 guilders (approx 50.000 euros). His reputation was the subject of debates many time, but most people who dealt with him adored him.

Whenever a glass of whiskey was present, Ome Cor started to talk. With humor and self mockery, he’d analyze life. Cor was a great mate, but if you’d cross his path, he could be ruthless and aggressive. He love to tell how he spoiled his children, how his daughter Danny wasn’t able to buy dresses in Amsterdam anymore when she was 14 years old… She had to go to Paris to find stuff she liked.

This daughter, Diana Margaretha Coster (Danny) was a guest on Piet Keizer’s wedding and bumped into young sensation Johan Cruyff. The two started dating. A kid from the poorer quarters going out with a rich kid from the Gold coast. Cor Coster was an average football fan. He did visit the home games of Ajax, but had no ties to the club. He did like the friendly football player.

When the two appeared to be very serious about their relationship, Ome Cor wanted to know how much money Jopie had saved. Cruyff told him he didn’t even have a savings account. And when JC later showed him a copy of his contract, Coster understood why. Coster was astonished. Ajax stadium De Meer was sold out every two weeks, with fans wanting to see the new phenomenon, but Cruyffie got payed a mere 15.000 guilders per season.

As off that day, Cor Coster became the first players’ manager in the history of Dutch pro football. JC married his daughter in 1968 and he didn’t lose a daughter, he gained a son-in-law and a new customer. Chairman Jaap van Praag and financial manager Henk Timman (tax inspector in real life) both despised Coster. When Ajax organized a friendly in the off-season, JC told them that he’d come and play for 10% of the takings. Most people would come to see him play, was his (Coster’s) position.

Football players in those days were basically slaves. They had no rights whatsoever. The Oranje internationals in those times weren’t even insured! The power was with the clubs. The first success of Coster was getting a renewed contract for the number 14: from 15.000 to 50.000 guilders a year. Two years later, JC would sign a seven-season deal, earning him 100.000 guilders a year, while sponsor De Koninklijke Bijenkorf guaranteed a lifetime income until JC’s 65th birthday of 60.000 guilders.

Coster saw that he found a new niche and former Inter Football with Piet Keizer and Maarten de Vos. The leftish media and the players’ union said this was a disgrace. They called him a parasite who wanted to make money over the players’ backs.

Cor Coster – who soon left Inter Football to go it alone – attracted many great players. Most Ajax players from the golden years (Gerrie Muhren, John Rep, Ruud Krol, Johan Neeskens) would end up with Coster, and in 1974 the whole Dutch team was his client. Later, players like Ruud Gullit, Frank Rijkaard and Wim Kieft would become his customers as well.

Cruyff and Coster had a bit of a fall out (or so the story goes) when JC played in Spain and decided to invest all him money in enterprises of one Michel Basilevitsj. That shrewd business man squandered all JC’s money (a pig farm!) and the star player went broke. Coster stepped in to save him and he made Johan a multi-millionaire for the second time. Cruyff was already in his 30s then. When JC played for Feyenoord for instance, Coster used Feyenoord’s average takings per game of the preceeding season and negotiated a % of the extra takings when JC played.

Note: Many people think the “JC went broke” story was a fluke. It was a trick to con the tax-department. People who know JC well would state that Holland’s best player ever would be much too smart to lose his money the way he did…

Johan left for Feyenoord because Ajax chair Ton Harmsen exploded during the firm negotiations with Coster and yelled: Johan Cruyff is over! A has-been! That afternoon Coster called Feyenoord and a day later a deal was struck. JC would make a lot of money in Rotterdam and in the same time would win the double with Feyenoord.

Cor Coster was the first in Holland to claim that football players were paid too low wages. They were slaves of the clubs, who made lots of money on ticket-sales and tv-broadcasts, while the stars of the show were given a semi-pro contract. Thanks to his efforts, Dutch players started to earn serious money in the 1970s. The KNVB had to cop it too. Before 1974, internationals would get 200 guilders (100 euros) per game. The KNVB claimed that players should play for the honor and for the people. Coster thought it was ridiculous that players had to invest three days per international game for that money, and run the risk of losing their career due to injuries. Before 1974, players weren’t even properly insured if they played for Oranje.

In the last years, Coster stayed in the background. He did have a couple of youngster on the payroll taking care of business, but his main focus were his grand-children. He single handedly professionalized Dutch football, and mainly because his beloved daughter married one Johan Cruyff.

Three weeks ago he died. Cor Coster was 88 years old.

Oranje at 17 Bovember 2004. Arjen Robben, Ruud van Nistelrooy, Edwin van der Sar, Philip Cocu, Dirk Kuijt and André Ooijer, Giovanni van Bronckhorst, Danny Landzaat, Wesley Sneijder, Mario Melchiot and Barry van Galen.

In 1996, Berry van Galen is selected for an Oranje game for the first time. Oranje plays world champs Brazil, but Guus Hiddink keeps Van Galen on the bench the whole game.

Eight years later, the current AZ scout is in top form. The brilliant left footer steers AZ to top performances. The club plays in the top of the Eredivisie and is almost finalist for the UEFA cup under Co Adriaanse. Marco van Basten rewards the Haarlem-born player with a selection for the WC qualification match against Andorra. Van Galen is surprised. “I was 34 years then. You don’t really expect an invite anymore.”

Van Galen enjoys his second selection more than the first. “No one really knew me then. There I was, sharing the pitch with Dennis Bergkamp. In 2004 it was different, I guess I was someone by then.”

The training sessions and the tactical talks are a blur. “This was what I dreamt off. I didn’t realize I’d start even. I checked the benchsitters and I wasn’t on the list, so I figured I was on the stands. Mathijsen gave me a knock and said: hey oldie, you’re starting… I played with number 10 and was the man who kicked off. How cool was that?”

It was his only international and Van Galen isn’t satisfied. “Andorra did everything to stop us from scoring. They played like a handball team. There was no way through. I didn’t play too good. I wasn’t nervous or something, I just played horrible. Still, it’s the best game of my career.”

In the 21st minute, Cocu scores. “But it didn’t change the game. They kicked at everything that moved. A bunch of thugs. I remember Cocu having a really bad time with these guys.”

Ten minutes later, Arjen Robben scores a wonderful goal and the victory is there. Sneijder would score the 3-0 in the second half, but Van Galen is off the pitch by then. Pierre van Hooijdonk was put on as supersub to work on the score.

Van Galen was 34 years and 277 days old. The oldest debutant in Oranje. But Van Galen doesn’t feel special. “The record Van der Sar holds, that is special. That is something to be proud of. My record is more fun than anything else. Who knows, maybe in 30 years my name comes up at some random quiz show.”

Van Galen ended his career at AZ. The midfielder had numerous chances to move abroad to France and England, but it never felt right. He wouldn’t be able to settle abroad, he felt.