Let’s discuss one of our biggest stars… Marco!

Most posts here and articles in the media are about the boys who are actually doing it all. Or the girl actually flaunting it…

Kuyt’s working ethics, Van der Sar out-of-this-world form, Ruud’s resurrection as forward playmaker, Wesley grown from boy to man, Robben/Robin’s exceptional skills, Boulah’s focus, Engelaar’s emergence etc etc.

True. All good. Great players. Wonderful skills.

But if there’s one man who copped most criticism over the last years, it’s the man who’s come out of all this - for now - as the most exciting team manager of Europe today! Roberto Donadoni!

Just kiddin’!!!

SAN MARCO of course!

And…I’ve got to admit… I was one of the critical people myself. Not overly. I didn’t want him to leave or anything, but I did question his skills and experience.

Let’s take a look down memory lane and see what we can spot in terms of progression…

In 2004, the fans were sick and tired of the old school coaches. Louis van Gaal failed to qualify with one of Holland’s best selections in 2002. In 2004, old hand for hire Dick Advocaat was drawn back in. The fans didn’t like it, so the KNVB quickly appointed fan-fave Willem van Hanegem as assistant. It wouldn’t work. And not just because of the Robben-Bosvelt exchange. The KNVB didn’t know where to go. So, they talked to JC, who said: trust me, you want Marco.

The KNVB wanted to do something rash and did go for Marco. With his best buddy, former FC Twente head coach John van ‘t Schip, he would take control of Oranje only two years after he came back into football as assistant coach to the same Van ‘t Schip at Ajax 2. What??? Yes, that’s how it was.

Co Adriaanse, success coach of AZ, Ajax, FC Porto and Willem2, was gobsmacked and repeated his “a good race horse doesn’t necessarily make a good jockey” statement.

Marco told the fans what they wanted to hear when he was inaugurated: I stand for dominant and attractive football. I will want results, but also attractive play. Furthermore, I go for 4-3-3 and if I can’t find the right players at the top level of Dutch football, I’ll go for second-tier players. The system is sacred.

Marco went on to select his first group, with a couple of remarkable names. Players of Heerenveen, Willem2 and other mid-tier Eredivisie clubs were invited. Clarence Seedorf was neglected (”I don’t need Seedorf when I have Nicky Hofs”). The fans liked his style. A new, fresh wind blew through Oranje.

And he got the results. And flashes of good football.

Marco had also said that in his plans, the WC2006 was not the main objective. The EC2008 was. That was when his new team should peak. The WC, if Oranje qualified, would be a great stage for his group to gain experience.

And qualifying Marco did! Mark van Bommel already had his clashed with his team manager before Oranje went to the WC and when the draw had put Oranje in the Group of Death, most fans realized that a spectacular result would be wishful thinking.

We all know the story of the WC, I guess. First match was won (by a counter-goal!). Second match was won, but would become a pretty close call. All good though. Holland and Argentina were through. Oranje-fever was building up. The Argentina game didn’t matter and Oranje would face Portugal in the knock out phase. And knocking out both teams surely did!

Things went horribly wrong before the game. Mates Van Basten and Van Nistelrooy had a huge fall out and Ruud was benched against Portugal. The vibe in the team was not good and it showed on the pitch.

After the WC, Van Bommel and Van Nistelrooy decided to hang their Oranje jerseys in the willows (Dutch expression). The positive vibe around Oranje changed into a negative one.

The Portugal debacle, the alienation of big name players (add Davids and Seedorf to the list) and the decreasing quality of the play in the EC2008 qualifications turned the tables against Van Basten.

The low point being the away game against Albania, where Oranje couldn’t find a gap in the Albanian defense and scored a very late goal to snatch the win. The quality was horrible. After the match, Van Basten was happy, proud of his team and complimented them on playing good.

The nation’s jaw would have dropped an inch, if it had one!

The media vultures came in, suspecting a nice meal. Even though San Marco and Van Gol had patched things up and Seedorf was brought back in, the performances remained lacklustre and uninspired.

When Van Basten announced his move to Ajax after the EC2008, turning his back on JC in the process, the temperature around Oranje dived below zero.

Seedorf complained about lack of warmth, Robben - injured - asked publically why the team manager never contacted him… Things seemed to get worse and worse.

A couple of players, early 2008, took the step to talk to their coach: we want a different system. Most players (Sneijder, Van Gol, Sar, Kuyt, Van Persie, Robben) played in a different system at their clubs: 4-2-3-1 and pleaded with Van Basten to give it a go. After two games playing 4-4-2 Van Basten switched to 4-2-3-1 and the players delivered.

When right before the EC Seedorf decided to take a holiday instead of moving as player number 22 to the EC, Van Basten was ready to form his favorite squad.

And after four years of trying, succeeding, failing, making public jokes about players and being his aloof, confident self, the man delivers on his promise made four years earlier.

In a new system pushed by the players with a line-up forced by injuries (Van Persie, Robben) and with the notorious prima donnas (Van Bommel, Seedorf, Davids, Kromkamp) safe at home in front of the tv, Marco van Basten and Oranje make good, playing dominant, attractive and attacking football and getting results. (for now that is…).

Is it Marco’s Midas Touch? Is it pure, dumb luck? Or is it brilliance?