Huntelaar: silences criticasters with goals…

And yet again, Klaas-Jan Huntelaar silences his criticasters the only way he can: by scoring goals, this time in the Real Madrid jersey. And even for Oranje, some people think he’s not good enough. “Ah well, I don’t want to focus on the negative…”, the Hunter says.

And what a sight it must have been. Huntelaar and Van Nistelrooy together on the sofa, watching television. Liverpool – Real Madrid. Feet on the coffee table, chips within distance.

“That was not a fun night,” Huntelaar looks back. Hunter wasn’t picked for the squad will Van Gol is recovering from injury. So, they find solace in each other’s company. Whining, complaining and cursing in a nice house in La Moraleja, a suburb outside Madrid.

Their career has many similarities. They both fought themselves up from the attic of pro football in Holland. Step by step. It took Ruud five years from Den Bosch to Man United. It took KJH the same time to move from AGOVV to Bernabeu.

“We talk about that stuff,” says Hunter. “Not very deeply or philosophical, but you know…talking about ambitions, about goals… Taking a new step every time. Ruud and myself are similar like that.”

The Hunter is not a lad of complicated, quasi romantic insights. Klaas Jan talks like he scores: without any frills. Wham bam thank you ma’m. But every now and then the PSV developed striker looks back at his first games at AGOVV, probably the least exciting pro club in Holland.

“Whenever I scan the weekend results, I always linger at AGOVV. That’s logical I suppose. I do have warm spot for that club. That season in Apeldoorn was important for my career. And it’s fun to compare it to Bernabeu. This is probably the most beautiful stadium in the world. Even when it’s only half filled, you know, you come onto the pitch and look up and then you realize how high it is…”

That view is more and more normal for the striker who came as a failed signing by Schuster and who transformed into a phenomenon. Eight goals in six games. “Well, I did ask the new coach what his intentions were, you know? I wanted to know what my perspective was… The first weeks were a bit confusing…”

Both the chairman and the coach who signed him had left (Calderon and Schuster), before Hunter could shake their hands. Huntelaar was benched and Real decided to use that other winter-signing for the CL. And then there was that AS article, claiming that Huntelaar wanted to leave Madrid. “That was weird. And totally untrue. I didn’t make the move to Madrid to leave within weeks!”

The striker never had any doubts. “I never really cared about it. I mean, how do these things happen? I don’t know and I don’t care, simply because there’s nothing you can do about it. I focus on football. That’s what I do. I train hard and work hard.”

The former Ajax skipper compares it to missing a chance. “You mustn’t linger too long. If I missed a sitter, I don’t mourn, I try to forget it immediately. It’s wasted energy. Negativity will bog you down.”

The turn around came six weeks back. With Oarnje, in Tunisia. Hunter came on as a sub an scored. “Scoring a goal is always great, but that one was extra good. Coach Ramos did tell me before Tunisia that I would get my chance as a starter, but that goal definitely helped.”

And yet again, Huntelaar can smile at his criticasters. Just as with Van Nistelrooy, there’s always people saying: can he handle the level at his new club. Can he score in the Eredivisie? Can he do it at Ajax? Can he do it in Oranje?

“And to me, the change isn’t that big. Did you know that the box in Spain is similar to the ones used in Holland? Honestly… I play tough defenders in Spain, but I did in Hollland as well. You’ve got to take the game to them, but I did that in Holland too. And of course, they tested me in Spain. An elbow, when the ball is somewhere else. But, I just follow my own instincts. The main thing for me always is sensing where the ball will come.”

Louis van Gaal recently said Huntelaar is the best “in-the-box” striker in the world. “Hmm…nice of him. That’s a great coach. And I’m happy with that, since most goals are made in the box. That’s where the action is.”

Van Nistelrooy also has the name to score mostly from up close. “It has a lot to do with your movement. The positioning. I talk about that with Ruud, a lot. He’s like me, focused on details. Obsessed almost. And again, it’s not like we’re philosophizing every day, but when we watch a game together we always zoom in on the details.”

The buddies could well end up as competitors in Madrid. Huntelaar is convinced Ruud van Gol will come back to the absolute top. “Ruud is so strong, mentally. He’ll be back.” So, who needs to play in the white jersey. Huntelaar: “There’s four options, really. It’s either one of us, or it’s neither of us… Or it’s both of us… We’ll see…”