World

Europe

Netherlands

Klaas Jan Huntelaar: his opponents talk!

July 2nd, 2008 | By: Jan | 20 Comments »

He is quite something… Sent away from PSV by none other than Guus Hiddink. Played for AGOVV in the cellar of professional football. Made a switch to Heerenveen and not much later the switch back to Dutch top football at Ajax. Klaas Jan… Or the Hunter. Doesn’t look like a top athlete. Doesn’t look like a football player, even. He is the Dutch top scorer for two seasons now and scored against every Eredivisie club in his career. And all the big clubs like to sign him: Juventus, Real Madrid, Manchester United. Not bad…

And everyone has an opinion. Hiddink thought he was too slow for top football. Referees (in Holland) think he uses his body too much. Dentists see a huge cash cow in him and most punters think the Hunter will be Oranje’s striker in the WC2010.

What do his Eredivisie opponents say?

AZ Alkmaar’s Barry Opdam: I like playing Klaas Jan. He doesn’t have that individual trickery but he is the master in picking his position. He can easily move in between defense and our midfield, leaving most of us confused. He is smart. He can predict what his team mates do and what we will do in response. He also uses his body smartly. At the right time, before the cross or pass comes in, he’ll nudge you. That gives him those extra seconds or that extra half a yard. He has grown enormously, in particular physically.

Excelsior’s Jos van Nieuwstad: Klaas Jan’s only goal in life is scoring. He is so eager! Sometimes, it’s as if he is sleeping or daydreaming and then suddenly: boom! He has that Ruud Geels’ quality, the nose for the right spot, and he uses his body whenever he can.

Feyenoord’s Kevin Hofland: I saw him at PSV, when he was still a tiny, thin and timid junior. I never expected him to make it this big, to be honest. He didn’t look like an athlete at all. His strength in my view, is his willingness to work very hard to compensate his weaknesses. He is so ambitious and always took extra training time to better himself. That dedication to invest in yourself is something you seldom see these days and he should be an example for many other youngsters. It’s very hard to stop him. At least, for one defender. If you can stop the services and passes from midfield to him, you have a chance. If not, he’ll always get his chance and he has a remarkable hit-ratio.

De Graafschap’s Stephan Keller: How to stop Huntelaar? Pfff…no idea. The thing is, everything he does, every move is thought about. He sees the game so well and he has the ability to sense when you’re just not paying attention and then he’s gone. He is the best I’ve ever seen. He will definitely make it big in Europe somewhere.

Heerenveen’s Michael Dingsdag: The thing with Huntelaar is, that he will do everything to score. He will go for the rebound everytime some of his mates take a shot at goal. If you can keep him and Ajax away from your goal, you have a chance, if not, he’ll always find one moment to beat you. He is a real killer.

NAC’s Patrick Zwaanswijk: He’s not the best I ever played against, but definitely the most efficient. He can score from every angle. Simple goals, headers, bycicle kicks, you name it. It must be wonderful to play with him. He is always concentrated, and never does stupid things. He used to be very distant and closed off on the pitch, but lately you can even talk to him. He loosened up a bit.

PSV’s Dirk Marcellis: You can only stop Huntelaar if you stop the whole team from playing football. He is a smart chap, using his body in a good way. He may not look it, but he is very strong. Never mean, though. Just smart. Little nudges, a quick pull on the jersey, those kind of things. He sometimes looks distracted, but that’s just his thing. He uses that to lull you to sleep.

FC Twente’s Rob Wielaert: He reminds me of Roy Makaay. He can make himself invisible. Suddenly he’s gone, you know? He seems to be totally alien to the Ajax pass and move game, but suddenly he can decide the game for them.

FC Utrecht’s Sander Keller: He is sooo smart. And he is tough too. He has to recieve a lot of knocks, but he never complaints. He can hand them out too, by the way. When you can keep him out of the box, you have a chance, but he can turn so quickly and he always knows exactly where the goal is. Some players need to look up and that split second is enough for me. Huntelaar pulls the trigger whenever he can.

Vitesse’s Ciward Sprockel: I know him so well, by now. I know exactly what he does, and still he is able to score against me. Frustrating, really. He keeps on improving too. I wonder where is top is.

Willem 2’s Arjan Swinkels: His most dangerous thing is what I call the pre-action. Before the ball gets to him, he’ll do something to put you offguard. Sometimes, he yells at a team mate or he fakes that he needs to redo his laces or he’ll walk in one direction to suddenly make a turn. You can’t stop him, because as a defender you have to keep an eye on the ball and on him. So, there’s always that one second that you don’t know what he does and then…flash..he’s gone. That one yard and that one second is enough for him. And you have egg on your face.

Tags: Ajax, Background stories, Dutch Eredivisie, Hiddink, Hofland, Huntelaar, Makaay, Oranje, Van Basten

Netherlands World Cup RSS Feed

del.icio.us:Klaas Jan Huntelaar: his opponents talk!

digg:Klaas Jan Huntelaar: his opponents talk!

newsvine:Klaas Jan Huntelaar: his opponents talk!

reddit:Klaas Jan Huntelaar: his opponents talk!

fark:Klaas Jan Huntelaar: his opponents talk!

Y!:Klaas Jan Huntelaar: his opponents talk!

stumbleupon:Klaas Jan Huntelaar: his opponents talk!

Comments

By finnster01 | July 2nd, 2008 at 10:46 pm

I must admit I have a lot of time for the Hunter. He certainly isn’t your average cup of tea, whether you hate him or like him.

It will be interesting to follow him leading up to 2010.

On a separate note, has the final Olympic squad been nailed yet? And who are the old age pensioners getting the exemptions? Anyone knows?

Posted from United States

By Van Basten | July 3rd, 2008 at 12:12 am

I was reading http://www.goal.com/en-US/Articolo.aspx?ContenutoId=760834
and it was reported that Huntelaar’s move to Italy was “unlikely”. The reason according to his agent Morabito “Considering that Juventus, Milan, and Inter have already bought new striker or are following others, means it’s very difficult that Huntelaar will come to Italy.”
Italy is a very serious monetary crisis. Galliani himself has said that Italian clubs can no longer compete,in buying great internaional players, against English and Spanish clubs.
He added that A.S Roma, although interested, could not meet the minimum 25 millions Euros asking bid of Ajax.However,”It’s more likely he will go to Spain or England.”, where both Manchester United and Real Madrid are interested. Huntelaar has always expressed his desire to join Real, and play alongside Ruud Van, Robben and Sneijder.
I hope he stays at Ajax,so that he can learn from Van Basten and Bergkamp.
But I will also understand if he leaves since he is 24, and wants to follow in the footspteps of other great players.
By the way, why would he ever hire an Italian agent named Vincenzo Morabito befuddles me. After all Huntelaar is Dutch, and not Italian.

Posted from United States

By Mario Rosado (Dutch admirer) | July 3rd, 2008 at 12:18 am

He will be the man Holland needs for the future but now he has to fight his place with Ruud but certainly we have a great striker with him

By Jan | July 3rd, 2008 at 12:21 am

@Van Basten: don’t know about that Italian agent… Good question.

@Finn: the pensioners are Gerald Sibon (ex PSV, ex Ajax, current Heerenveen player), Roy Makaay (ex Deportivo, Bayern, currently Feyenoord) and…can’t remember the defender…Kew Jaliens of AZ?

There was a post in June about the preliminary selection.

By Van Basten | July 3rd, 2008 at 12:44 am

Jan…I asked Google about “Who is Vincenzo Morabito?” and here is the article that I get as a result: http://bleacherreport.com/articles/32723-arsenal-who-is-vincenzo-morabito.
I guess Vincenzo Morabito is a “fool”, a “super-agent” who seems to represent all top footballers in the transfer market, and makes “wild” predictions which can turn out to be lies.
Then why would these credible news websites like goal.com ever use this guy as a source.

Posted from United States

By Jan | July 3rd, 2008 at 4:18 am

Just read that the negotiations between Ajax and Huntelaar are broken off. Blind confirmed that there is no more space to explore between Ajax’ offer and Hunter’s demands. Ajax now seems to want to sign Roman Pavlioetsjenko, the Russian striker who got Oranje into trouble. Several times…

By finnster01 | July 3rd, 2008 at 5:56 am

@Jan, thanks for the pensioners update. I read the preliminary squad piece, but that was 30 people (and only 2 Ajax players…youth program in shambles). Just wondered if VW has trimmed it down, since it is listed as “preliminary”. How big squads are they allowed for the Olympics anyway?

Posted from United States

By Jan | July 3rd, 2008 at 6:35 am

I suppose 23 players like at the big tourneys. Who is VW by the way?

By finnster01 | July 3rd, 2008 at 7:01 am

@jan,
OK, thx. Any idea when the deadline is? I meant VM, but perhaps my thoughts drifted towards me and the Oranje Angel all alone in a very small Volkswagen…

Posted from United States

By Jan | July 3rd, 2008 at 8:58 am

Don’t know when the deadline is, sorry. Is VM Van Marwijk? Coz I don’t believe he has any say in the Olympic selection. I think Foppe wants to determine that himself

You have a football overdose, Finn. Go out and grab a beer…

By goose | July 3rd, 2008 at 2:39 pm

Training has started for the U21 team july 1, Foppe still has a team of 30players left, im not sure when the deadline is. Here are the 30 players

Goal: Piet Velthuizen (Vitesse), Kenneth Vermeer (Willem II).

Defense: Edson Braafheid (FC Twente, 8-4-1983), Ryan Donk (AZ, 30-3-1986), Jeroen Drost (NEC, 21-1-1987), Tom Hiariej (FC Groningen, 25-7-1988), Calvin Jong-A-Pin (Heerenveen, 18-7-1986), Milano Koenders (AZ, 31-7-1986), Christiaan Kum (ADO Den Haag, 13-9-1985), Dirk Marcellis (PSV, 13-4-1988), Erik Pieters (FC Utrecht, 7-8-1988), Rob Wielaert (FC Twente, 29-12-1978), Gianni Zuiverloon (Heerenveen, 30-12-1986).

Midfield: Ismaïl Aissati (PSV, 16-8-1988), Otman Bakkal (PSV, 27-2-1985), Wout Brama (FC Twente, 21-8-1986), Luigi Bruins (Feyenoord, 9-3-1987), Lorenzo Davids (NEC, 4-9-1986), Jonathan De Guzman (Feyenoord, 13-9-1987), Siem De Jong (Ajax, 28-1-1989), Willem Janssen (Roda JC, 4-7-1986), Kees Luijckx (Excelsior, 11-2-1986), Geert-Arend Roorda (Heerenveen, 2-3-1988), Robbert Schilder (Heracles Almelo, 18-4-1986), Ruud Vormer (AZ, 11-5-1988).

Attack: Nordin Amrabat (VVV-Venlo, 31-3-1987), Istvan Bakx (KV Kortrijk, 20-1-1986), Roy Beerens (Heerenveen, 22-12-1987), Royston Drenthe (Real Madrid) Marvin Emnes (Sparta Rotterdam, 27-5-1988), Leroy George (FC Utrecht, 21-4-1987), Roy Makaay (Feyenoord, 9-3-1975), Stefan Nijland (FC Groningen, 10-8-1988), Gerald Sibon (Heerenveen, 19-4-1974), Evander Sno (Celtic, 9-4-1987).

this is the group:

this is the group;

Groep B

* 7 augustus 17.00 uur in Tianjin: Japan - Verenigde Staten
* 7 augustus 19.45 uur in Tianjin: NEDERLAND - Nigeria
* 10 augustus 17.00 uur in Tianjin: Nigeria - Japan
* 10 augustus 19.45 uur in Tianjin: Verenigde Staten - NEDERLAND
* 13 augustus 17.00 uur in Shenyang: NEDERLAND - Japan
* 13 augustus 17.00 uur in Beijing: Nigeria - Verenigde Staten

well, enough copy-paste for the day;

grtz

Posted from Netherlands

By Michel-Olivier | July 3rd, 2008 at 5:32 pm

@ goose
the deadline is july 23

Posted from United States

By finnster01 | July 3rd, 2008 at 6:45 pm

@Jan; Clearly had been out too long in the sun, didn’t know what I was thinking. Of course I meant Foppe. Van Marwijk? I must have lost it.I like his name by the way. Does it mean anything in Dutch? It sounds like a real cool nickname you would call one of the kids playing soccer in the park/street in Norway. One of the best ones, that is. You wouldn’t call the guy that get picked next to last anything like that…So now I have had a beer, and look what good that did to me, I am back on the board…

@Michel; Thanks for the date.

In other news, just picked up that West Bromwich has bought Gianni Zuiverloon from Heerenveen for 3.2 million GBP. I wonder if that will actually have any impact on final squad selection for Beijing. They won’t be happy him missing 2 weeks of the season. By the way both Mascherano (argentina) and Lucas Leiva (Brazil) of Liverpool have been called up. That means I am getting real worried about ‘pool’s holding midfielder position for two weeks. Leiva has been Mascherano’s plan B, and now both are out…

In any event, I am a little surprised Gianni didn’t go to a bigger club, but since the Baggies won the Championship and got promoted, at least he gets a shot to start regularly in the English Prem. I like this guy, he is a very talented defender.

Posted from United States

By Michel-Olivier | July 3rd, 2008 at 7:07 pm

out of 30 players only 1 ajax player, now i want eu to allow 6+5 rule to pass. emanuelson?

@ finnster01
gianni will use brom as a stepping stone.

Posted from United States

By Jan | July 3rd, 2008 at 9:04 pm

We forgive you Finn! Which name do you think is cool? Foppe? or Van Marwijk? I think Van Marwijk is derived from a village name. He is from Marwijk, so to speak. Foppe is a typical Friese name I think. There’s a Dutch verb ‘foppen” which means to trick some one. I don’t think Foppe was good at “fopping” on the pitch though. Don’t think he was a great player. De Haan is Dutch for “the rooster” by the way and we call really macho blokes “haantjes” (little roosters). I once knew a guy called Geurt Bitter which literally means Smells Foul! True. He wasn’t a football player, so who cares.

I actually expected and hoped for Zuiverloon to return to Feyenoord with Heerenveen coach Verbeek. Would be a good move for all!

By finnster01 | July 3rd, 2008 at 9:28 pm

It was Foppe I was referring to. That sounds like someone who would actually do exactly that, a little bit of trickery. Don’t think there is a Norwegian equivalent “foppen” word, but we tend to give people nicknames a lot, and just make those up. They don’t mean anything, but sounds real good, and comes out of the box with a bit of respect.

Speaking of names, I went to University in the UK and shared a flat with another Norwegian studying at the same place. He was a pretty good looking chap and did very well with getting a conversation going with the ladies. Not a bad roommate to have in other words. However, all of a sudden everything would turn on him, and this would happen consistently. One day he came back after dancing with this girl that took off again, and he asked me very depressed, what am I doing wrong here? This has never happened to me before. So I asked him is there anything that you can think of that all these situations have in common? He thought about it, and then said, actually there is. It actually happens everytime when I formally inroduce myself, but I still don’t get it.

His real name was Odd Johnny…

Posted from United States

By finnster01 | July 4th, 2008 at 7:41 am

Another Olympic player just signed for the Prem. Middlesboro just announced they have signed Marvin Emnes from Sparta for 3.2 million GBP.

That is two players in two days going to the English Prem for 3.2 million GBP. Who needs an academy to develop top talent when all they have to do is pick up the phone and call Holland and cough up 3.2 milliion pounds?

Posted from United States

By Jan | July 4th, 2008 at 7:48 am

True. Emnes is the most valuable player ever for Sparta. John Schuurhuizen was formerly the most expensive, when he was sold to Ajax years back. Poor old Schuurhuizen was such an amazingly skilled player…. Unbelievable! Never made it though.

By Jan | July 4th, 2008 at 7:57 am

Feyenoord’s right winger Andy Slory - former International - will probably also leave for England. The fast Slory couldn’t get a starting position last season due to injuries. When he got fit, Feyenoord started to play well and he was benched. With Jon Dahl Tomasson it seems Feyenoord will go for 4-4-2, leaving not a lot of options for Slory. Feyenoord doesn’t want the player to leave so much, but if there’s an interesting offer from the EPL, Feyenoord will count their beans, I suppose.

It seems Feyenoord will play:

———-Timmer—————–
Lucius Bahia/Vlaar Hofland De Cler
De Guzman Landzaat Gio Bruins
———–Tomasson——————
———–Makaay——————

Interesting…

Sergio Greene (ex-Ajax) and Nicky Hofs are also allowed to leave Feyenoord.

By bunchapooha | July 4th, 2008 at 7:35 pm

Noooh, not Slory and Hofs.. Especially Slory. The guy can have flashes of brilliance, he’s amazing. I rated him higher than Babel a year ago, he shouldn’t leave Feyenoord so soon, I think he’d get more playing time overhere than in the uk.

Posted from Netherlands

Comments are closed