Bert uses this dog to train his defenders…
Today, Oranje and Bert van Marwijk will start their preparation for the qualification games against Scotland and Macedonia. An interview…
Can it still go wrong in our group?
Bert: “We’re not there yet. So anything can happen, theoretically. But let’s be straight: if we don’t make it now, with our [...]

Graeme Rutjes (48) played 13 matches for Oranje. The former Excelsior, KV Mechelen and Anderlecht defender is now the general manager of a golf resort in Zeeland. Rutjes tells us about his past, present and future.
“I have no idea how many internationals I played. It could be ten or fifteen… I never counted them. I [...]

Bert van Marwijk used his experience as club trainer Monday night, when he told the press he’d allow his players rest in the warm up for the Sweden game. The players did a 45 minute warm-up and were told to take a shower after that.
Van Marwijk decided to heed the warnings and requests of the [...]

Ruud auditions for the sequel to the Hulk: “No Sar?? Don’t make me hungry, you won’t like me when I’m hungryyyyYYYYY!!!!!!”
While the Dutch behemoth Feyenoord keeps plodding along in the domestic competition (see http://eredivisie.theoffside.com for breaking news!!) and Van Gol successor Huntelaar found the net twice, it’s our boys abroad who keep the fire going [...]

A poll!
Why not?
We have exactly 20 minutes between the last competition match and the next CL game, right?
If Oranje could copy the playing style of one of the big kahuna’s in European football, which style should Oranje adopt? Which system would suit our players and what team would you want Bert to study in order [...]

As we discussed earlier on the blog, the second best thing about Oranje being so many points up towards the WC is the fact that Bert van Marwijk can use the time till March to experiment with his group (the best thing being that Oranje is…well…so many points up…).
I personally feel the team is still [...]

When I watched the Norway – Holland game I realized we could lose and I also realized it may even be a good thing to lose. In the first place, we’d get some excitement back in this group and secondly, I always feel Oranje needs pressure to deliver. When all’s going our way, we tend [...]

…as a tourist, he added …
Van der Sar expressed his joy after the Norway game.
“At least I can say I retired with a victory! That was important to me to, you know? I realized at the EC that if we would be beaten – as we were by Russia – I’d have to look [...]

Mark hoped to score his second here…
I’d like to start with the conclusions this time around (having seen the game, yeah!!).
1. If you play like this and you win, you’ve done well. You take the three points, Oranje leads the group and the future is bright. Well done Bert!
2. If you play like this and [...]

Kaboom! That’s the sound of a shot of Afellay’s right foot, hitting the ball into the net at training. Like a canonball the leather is fired away.
If something is remarkable about the Afellay this season compared to last season it is his hunger for goals. Every shot he fires has venom, as if he hits [...]