Orlando Engelaar in Oranje?

Orlando Engelaar: “FC Twente was never this close to playing Champions League football”. The strong Twente midfielder celebrated their massive win over NAC Breda, 5-1.

In the play off finals, Twente will without a doubt play Ajax, that will have to defend a 2-1 lead today against Heerenveen. Ajax is warned. FC Twente is on a roll. Twente lost it somewhere down the line mid-competition but is back now, playing their best football. And the dip Twente had coincided with the injury of midfielder Orlando Engelaar. The powerfull, tall midfielder is in the prime of his career, a beacon of peace and quiet on the pitch.

Engelaar dominated, controlled and directed in the NAC match and is significantly applying for a spot in Van Basten EC’s selection. “Who ever claims Orlando belongs in Oranje is right,” said veteran goalie Boschker. “He is strong, he brings control to the team and he is in incredible form. He deserves it. And his strongest asset, he sees depth in the game. He wins matches for us just on that basis.”

Boschker: “It would be good for FC Twente, good for Orlando but most importantly: good for Oranje!”

Engelaar stays modest and humble and doesn’t want to discuss the EC. “I’m just enjoying my time here. This group has enormous potential and wants to go to the CL. The new stadium is coming and if we as a group can develop ourselves we are in for a great future.”

A great future is what Engelaar had when he made his way through the Feyenoord youth system. But, not unlike players like Van Persie, Bouhatar, Leonardo, Glenn Loovens and Sno, it appeared hard for Orlando to move through to the A-team. “It’s hard. You’re sort of a star in the Feyenoord youth and there’s relatively not a lot of resistance when you play other youth teams. At the top, it’s different. The step from Young Feyenoord to the big team is a big one. And sometimes managers or coaches are more confident in signing an experienced player because they don’t have time to help you settle at that level. It’s about results today. I was hugely disappointed when I had to leave Feyenoord, but somehow my longer journey helped me to where I am now.”

Engelaar left Feyenoord and moved to NAC Breda. It took some time for the 1.96 m tall player to find his bearings there. Engelaar: “Due to my length and pace, most managers want me to play up front. Funnily enough, my biggest asset is my football vision and the through-pass.”

His stint at Genk in Belgium made the football world look up. The promise he held when at the Feyenoord youth shone through. FC Twente was quick to sign him and in the last months, both Ajax and Oranje courted the midfielder. An inconvenient injury halted that progress a tad but with Engelaar back in good form makes for an interesting future for the Rotterdam-born midfielder.