Frank de Boer: I could have played this EC!

How do you feel, being an assistant coach after all those years as an active player?

I definitely feel I’m a coach now. I’ve said goodbye to my identity as a player. It did take some time, but that’s how I feel. Also because I made a step up at Ajax (coaching A1 in the new season) and because I’ll be assisting the team manager at Oranje. When I started coaching, I was more an ex-player.

Are you sad about leaving your playing days behind you?

Nah, I’m not sentimental like that. It’s part of life, isn’t it. Somethings come to an end. I could have played on but decided against it.

Played on?

Yeah, I feel I could still have played in the Dutch Eredivisie. Sure.

But, you are 38 years old?

So? I left Qatar due to health issues of my wife. I wanted to return to Ajax, but their offer was such, that I don’t think they really wanted me back. I started the trainers-course in Zeist and thought, Oh well.. But I’m sure I could have cut it at Ajax.

So, you still think like a player?

Sure, I still play ball with the Ajax players at the training and I can still cut it. Not on match level because I haven’t really played for two years now, but in the core I still see the game, my timing is fine, everything still works.

Does this say anything about the level of the current players or about you?

I hope the latter…

What do you miss at Ajax at the moment?

The confidence is less at the moment. I point out that players at Barca or Arsenal can pass the ball into a mate who is surrounded by three opponents, but still they can handle the ball using their smarts, their body… If the pass is right of course. At those clubs, players aren’t afraid to give the pass nor to receive it. At Ajax nowadays, when a player is put under pressure, they opt for the long ball. And that’s not the way we play football. Some players tend to hide a bit when the going gets tough. It’s all about confidence. Sometimes you see in the Spanish team that Xavi is passed the ball, but when he’s under pressure he plays it straight back in one go. That’s confidence. If you do that for a while, the opponent will stop putting pressure on you because they can’t retrieve the ball and then the game opens up.

Maybe our players today lack the quality?

No, it’s not that. They have great skills. I was a good defender but definitely not the best. I wasn’t a killer. But my positioning was top notch. Nowadays, most center backs - look at Germany for instance - can only stop their opponent. That’s all they focus on. I think we should make a difference there. It struck me that whenever I coached, the movement up front was lacking. Huntelaar would be dormant, almost. When I played the second half as center back, suddenly players up front started making runs. I talked to them and Klaas Jan said: when you play, I know that ball will come. If you don’t, why bother? They won’t be able to reach me, so why would I even try and waste energy?

Is that the difference between good and world class?

Well, football is not just being able to pass a ball. You have to see it. I always had a great relationship with players like Overmars, Kluivert, Litmanen… Whenever I had the ball, they’d make a move and I could pass the ball to them always. Whatever the opponent did. At Barca, Iniesta and Xavi are always available. I don’t see that at Ajax. I do see it at FC Twente, though!

Will you go all the way as coach? First the youth, then Ajax and who knows…the Dutch team?

I’m not sure. We’ll have to see where my top is, really. I am not ambitious, like I won’t say upfront: this is what I want. I will have to like it, I will have to be good at it. Maybe I am the ideal youth coach, who knows?

Ronald said recently you have the makings of a top coach

Well, people say things. But I have to see whether that’s true, you know…

What would you miss?

I don’t know… It’s not about football alone. It’s creating this group dynamic, managing a team… All those ego’s (laughs)… I am doing well with the young kids, but that’s a different ball game.

You’re not a talker

I don’t mind talking or addressing groups… It’s just that I am still learning. There’s so much I may not see or pick up. Some coaches I worked with are tremendous psychologists. Van Gaal, Hiddink, Rijkaard… Currently, I am listening a lot. Learning and trying to take it all in. As a player, you focus on your own performance and you work with your mates. As a coach, there is so much more…

So, you won’t say that you’ll be the next coach of Ajax 1?

God no! I think I have my skills and abilities, but time will tell if I can do it all. I’d be proud if it happened, of course.

Will you be assisting Van Basten and Van ‘t Schip?

I had a talk with John and he said they wanted to use me for additional stuff for the Ajax 1 team. I’ve said yes to that. We’ll see what happens.

What do you think of them as new coaches at Ajax?

I think it’s great. It’s John, Marco, Danny Blind… Good bunch.

Are they ready for it?

I think so, yes. I’ve seen how John and Marco work together and John keeps Marco sharp.

At your first training as a player at Ajax 1, you nutmegged Van Basten. They called you “nutmeg” after that. Do you still talk about that?

No, I even think Marco doesn’t remember that. It was not a good move and I lost the ball after that. I was too slow. The only option I had was to do that nutmeg. With what I’ve learned since, I would have handled that differently. Sometimes players, like Emanuelson, make stupid mistakes through lack of experience. And sometimes those mistakes are costly. But at the same time, players leave younger and younger. Sneijder, Van der Vaart, De Jong and now Heitinga. What can you do? Ajax can’t play eleven 18 year olds sp you need to sign players from other clubs to allow the youngsters to get ready for the job.

Does this mean Marco van Basten has a mission impossible?

Not really. I hope Marco’s name and reputation will help us sign players who can make a difference and I hope that the good work we do at the youth level will help attracting the talents. 25 years ago, a Dutch talent would go to Ajax. Period. Some went to Feyenoord because they were Feyenoord fans and they do have a good youth system there, but any other talent would come to Amsterdam. In the beginning of the 1990s, that changed. Makaay, Cocu, Van Bommel, Robben… these players could all have played for Ajax but decided against it for some reason or other.

Can your ego handle being the assistant?

No problems. I don’t have a big ego in that sense. I know my place. I am very inexperienced in this and I can learn heaps from Van Marwijk. I love it. I can do the field work with Cocu and Van Marwijk will have his helicopter view, like Wenger, Ferguson… I look forward to it.

What do you think of Bert van Marwijk?

He is a very likeable man. Has experience, is balanced. He radiates confidence and harmony. I like him.

How do you handle criticism? Because Oranje will always cop criticism…

As a player, you get used to it. I always had criticism coming my way. When at Ajax, at Barca… In Spain they called me Son of Louis . And whenever the opponents scored, it was always: and where was Frank de Boer…

What do you think of Seedorf not going to this EC?

I can understand him. He wants to be important for the team. That’s how he is. If he can’t or if he isn’t used, he won’t be at his best. He knows that. Self knowledge is good.

What would yoou have done?

As a player? I’d go. I mean, an EC is a wonderful event. I think I would support the vision of the coach and I’d try to be there if he’d need me.

You worked with Turkish team manager Terim when you played for Galatasaray…

Yeah, that was quite a year. Istanbul is a wonderful city. But there was no discipline in that team whatsoever. I was faced with 7 opponents coming at me in several games. with a 18 year old center back next to me. Terim, I don’t think he is that good. He was very arrogant when I was there, a macho really. He never wore the same clothes. He was very involved in how he looked. A vain man.

And you weren’t impressed with Leo Beenhakker either?

He is a tremendous coach for two seasons, max. He is great at gelling a team together, in making a group, you know. But it wears off a bit. After two years, you’ve seen all his tricks.

And Louis van Gaal?

He is the best I’ve ever worked with. He is the benchmark in coaching. On every level. The only mistake he made as a team manager for Oranje was that he approached it as if he was a club coach. He demanded so much for qualification matches, while a team manager should focus on creating a team. Nothing more. All physical stuff is done at club level and in terms of team tactics, there is no time. You can do it once you’ve qualified for a big tournament. You can work for three weeks with your players, like Marco did at this EC. That was the only spot on his resume,
I suppose. At AZ last year, the balance was off. Too many new and/or young players. You need at least 5 experienced chaps in the squad. I think Van Gaal underestimated the value of Tim de Cler there.

What will Ronald do?

I think he’ll start a coaching career as well and I do believe he is the top coach of us both. He sees the game so well. The only negative of Ronald is that he is too lazy sometimes. He doesn’t have the tenacity I have.

Do you feel you got the recognition you deserve?

Oh yeah… I think maybe in the last stages of our careers people started to complain, but that was age I guess. I have received admiration everywhere I played. And recently people started talking about the “type Frank de Boer”. I was honoured! It was always the type-Neeskens or type-Wouters and now it’s me… I told them: at the time people didn’t realize it, but Holland was spoiled with a central duo Stam – De Boer, hahaha… I wasn’t a killer, I didn’t need tough challenges, but I was a good defender because I could think two steps ahead. My best game defensively was the Holland – Brazil game on the WC1998, that 2-2. I played against Ronaldo. But, recently they picked Dennis’ goal as the best ever for Oranje and when they show that you always here the commentator mentioning my name as the man with the long pass. So, as long as people watch that goal, I will be mentioned as well…

Do we need a type-De Boer in Oranje?

It would be handy, yes. I don’t see anyone demanding the ball at the back. And if you don’t have the players, maybe you should find a creative solution for it, but defending begins at the forwards and build-up begins in defense. I am convinced of that. It’s the mentality of wanting the ball, of wanting to win more than the other guys. I think mentally, Oranje has a lot to learn still. Been hakker was good at one-liners. He always said: mentality should always be in your sports-bag. It’s true. I had it too. After 1998, when I played for Barcelona, I didn’t have that sharpness anymore. I enjoyed life, Barcelona was great, the climate…you see it as some sort of big holiday. And you miss those last two percentage-points to be really top notch. I don’t wanna think about it too much now, because you’ll only give yourself headaches, but still…

Is football everything?

When I’m on the pitch, playing or coaching: yes. But there’s much more. Family, health.. When I can’t cut it as coach, fine. I’ll probably stay youth coach or something.

Or play?

No, Ronald said it recently. You can only fail if you play at this age. Why would you? To satisfy your ego even more? Everyone talks about our glory days in the mid 90s. Let’s keep it that way.
But, I do think I could still get along in Ajax 1, hahahahaaaaa…..