Bert van Marwijk goes easy on Oranje players

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 diverse club coaches, to avoid unnecessary pressure on the players in these busy months. The medical staffs of the different suppliers of Oranje players have busy weeks and a friendly against Sweden shouldn’t be top priority.

Henk Timmer was the only international missing in Katwijk. The Feyenoord goalie injured his finger against Twente and went to the hospital for scans. They showed that the experienced keeper can play against Sweden.

Still, he might be rested as well. FC Utrecht goalie Michel Vorm is the other Oranje keeper and might get the nod. “Do I play against Sweden?” the goalie repeated the journalist’s question. “I don’t know. We need to wait and see. I think Dave van den Bergh was the last Utrecht player to wear the orange jersey.”

Van Marwijk is probably more occupied with the central striker position. Klaas Jan Huntelaar is Van Nistelrooy’s successor in Oranje, but the Ajax striker tore his ankle ligament and is out till January.

Dirk Kuyt is one of the most obvious candidates for the role. The Liverpool striker is in form and was selected player of the month by the fans. He scored this season more competition goals than in the whole of last season (5).

“Benitez has a lot of confidence in me. I play nine out of ten games and that feels great. The trainer uses me as central striker or on the right flank, just like Van Marwijk. I think I can be of value as central striker, but so could Robin (van Persie).”

Wesley Sneijder and Rafael van der Vaart escape the madness in Madrid with this friendly. The Spanish champs only won one of the last four games. Ibrahim Afellay hopes to regain some confidence, being away from PSV. “I’m not too worried,” he says after losing against Ajax 4-1. “It’ll come good, I’m sure. We need a good win, hopefully Saturday against Heracles. I don’t want to talk about PSV and the number of strikers we need to play. We have a coach in Eindhoven who decides that and he doesn’t need me or anyone else to discuss that in public.”

Afellay had to bit his tongue when his own position was raised. “Do I need to play in the center of the pitch… Hmmm…. The coach decides that. Of course, I get more scoring opportunities when I play centrally, but I need to add value wherever I play. I do my utmost. That’s all I can do.”