Dirk Kuyt: “I am Oranje material!”

Dirk supports the Dutch flag

Years and years of doubt and criticism worked as fuel for his strong engine. Push Dirk in a corner and he’ll fight himself out of it. Mental strength anyone? It gave him a lot already is his career and Dirk is still hungry. At FC Utrecht, they thought he was a dumb runner, at Feyenoord some said it was a level too high. When at ‘Pool people thought he’d missed the real quality for the European top. Some months ago, Kuyt seemed to have lost his ticket to the EC, now there’s talk about a starting position. Meaning a player like Van der Vaart or Robben will have to be benched.

And this time, true, he needed some help. In the first months of this year, the Liverpool fans even doubted the Katwijker’s effectiveness. Liverpool was out of form, he didn’t score and the specialists in Holland were convinced: maybe Dirkie needed to return to Feyenoord.
afbeelding vergroten Dirk Kuyt. FOTO PIM RAS

But, Raf Benitez, his manager at Liverpool chucked the hard worker a lifesaver. A new position, right on midfield. From a fish and chip shop, Kuyt transformed in to a refined tapas Michelin star restaurant, gaining praise from every one in the football world.

“Sometimes, things suddenly gel together. When we started this experiment, I thought it was just that. An experiment. But it went pretty good.”

“Benitez gives me freedom. I am not a classic right winger like John van ‘t Schip. I can play inbetween the lines, go back in midfield, come in to the center position and of course I need to help out in defense. Every one knows I can run and I like to use it as a weapon. This spot brings out my qualities.”

Funnily enough, the striker loves his defensive work the most. “Everyone talks about my CL-goals but I really love to be able to compete with world class full backs like Ashley Cole, Evra and Clichy. I knew I could score goals, that is not new to me, but being able to face these players, that was a hoot!”

His return in Oranje was a no brainer. He played against Ukraine as if he was never out of the squad.

“Listen, in football everything is relative. People judge you immediately. If you don’t play well, people will say: Kuyt is on his way out.”

“Whenever I see an option, I’ll give it my 200%. I never doubted my ticket to the EC. I knew if I could impress at Liverpool I’d be in.”

“I realized Van Basten needs to make choices and all that, but I always felt I was Oranje material. I was part of Oranje for three years and being dumped is tough. I was angry, for sure. But not personally at Marco. I realized also I wasn’t too impressive in these days, but it wasn’t like I lost my form totally, or something.”

Kuyt did what he usually does when things go against him: work harder. “The team manager explained the situation and I knew that I had to go on. I’m not a guy for long talks. I want clarity and I got it. I am not the type to give up so, I put in the work and this is the result.”

Kuyt is back in Oranje, but will he be a starter. He doesn’t feel like he has to prove himself again, but he wants to profile himself as good as possible. “I am a team player. If it’s better for Holland that I won’t play from the start, fine. If we win the title, all 23 players deserve the credit anyway. It’s not about Kuyt, it’s about Oranje. Van Basten showed us what you can do starting on the bench in 1988 and Robin van Persie was hardly ever a starter before the WC2006. “I can be important for the team with my qualities and that’s what I want to show the technical staff. If I do that, it’s up to them. Whatever comes, I will be at peace with it. If they give me a chance, I will old on to it and never let go.”