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Kluivert: unremarkable farewell for remarkable striker

August 24th, 2008 | By: Jan | 18 Comments »

He had given himself till the end of July to find a new club. But, he really wanted a top club. Patrick Kluivert (31) didn’t want to end his career in the cellar of some competition. It’s August now, and that top club hasn’t found Kluivert’s number. And they probably never will.

Kluivert played in Stam’s benefit game some weeks back. The same game that gave us Mark Overmars back. This game was supposed to be Kluivert’s calling card. But his message appeared to be: don’t sign me, it’s over. Kluivert looked overweight, untrained and played in the pace of a veteran. For a player who claims to add another season to his career, this doesn’t make sense.

Frank de Boer, Phillip Cocu, Dennis Bergkamp, Jaap Stam, Edgar Davids…they were all there. Fit. Fighting fit. Some quit pro football years ago and don’t have the ambition to play on. Quite some contrast.

His performance wasn’t really a surprise. His career was in the dumpster for years already. He played for Valencia, PSV and Lille the last three years but only started once. Which top club wants to sign Patrick Kluivert? Is he fooling himself? Someone close to him should whisper in his ear that he should start getting fit.

Maybe it is logical for such a talented player to fall back on his talent. He never learned to suffer. When Pat scored his famous CL-finals goal against AC Milan, Ruud van Nistelrooy – born on the same day as Kluivert – was playing for Jupiler club FC Den Bosch.

Kluivert oozed talent and was the most versatile striker in the world for some years. Useful in all systems. He could play in the box with his back to the goal, he could direct the play and give assists, he was strong in the air and lethal in the box. He could score with his head, with left, right and he could create his own chances with an individual action.

There was no stopping Kluivert. In 79 international matches he scored 40 goals and is Oranje’s top scorer. His last international game is from June 5 2004, the so-called last friendly before the EC2004. At the EC, Advocaat kept Kluivert next to him on the bench.

Ruud van Nistelrooy was the preferred striker. That should have told the former Ajax star something. How was it possible that this player from the cellar of pro football survived a horrible knee-injury and got the top spot at the cost of Kluivert?

It was a sign for Kluivert, to start fighting back. He was 27 years old then, but the fight had left his body. His best years were supposed to have started, but where Van Nistelrooy was driven by ambition, Kluivert lacked his mentality. The super talent didn’t have the power to claw his way back to the top.

Patrick Kluivert is the living proof that talent only isn’t enough. If he takes this lesson serious, he might be able to use it in his training career.

Tags: AC Milan, Advocaat, Ajax, Background stories, Bergkamp, Cocu, De Boer, Dutch Eredivisie, Group C, Kluivert, Oranje, Stam, van Nistelrooy, World Cup 2010

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Comments

By goose | August 24th, 2008 at 4:46 am

well done Jan; all very true

i have never liked Kluivert, for me he was a spoiled ajax brat…he really had to flee Holland after he killed a women in a car accident and he was charged with rape (he was acquited btw)
later in life a realized that Kluivert was far to sensitive to be a pro footballer, hes the kind of guy who cant say no, who needs lots of friends beside him to keep him confident

in the end; for some it can be a negative thing to have so much talent but players in the past have shown that need not be a problem (vBasten, Bergkamp)

Kluivert just lacked the believe and desire to be among the worlds greatest and thats a shame for all of us

Posted from Netherlands

By Jan | August 24th, 2008 at 5:26 am

Well said Goose… I also think the management/guidance Ajax gave him (or didn’t) lacked… Ajax took pride in their coaching and youth management in the 1980s and 1990s but they weren’t able to “help” Kluivert.

It’s a well known fact that Bergkamp parents kept Dennis at bay… De Boer bros always remained normal guys in their life (visiting ma and pa at the camp site in De Veluwe) while Seedorf seemed to be born with profound wisdom .

Some need to learn the hard way (Van Persie) and some lose the plot (Patrick Kluivert…). It’s shame really. The guy is 31 years old!!!

By Michel-Olivier | August 24th, 2008 at 6:31 am

remember kluivert during his newcastle days, he was awful.

Posted from United States

By Michel-Olivier | August 24th, 2008 at 6:37 am

provisional 20-man squad for friendly against Australia and the World Cup qualifier against FYR Macedonia.

Maarten Stekelenburg (Ajax), Henk Timmer (Feyenoord)
Khalid Boulahrouz (Stuttgart), Tim de Cler (Feyenoord), John Heitinga (Atletico Madrid), Andre Ooijer (Blackburn Rovers), Joris Mathijsen (Hamburg); Ibrahim Afellay, Mark van Bommel (Bayern Munich), Giovanni van Bronckhorst (Feyenoord), Orlando Engelaar (Schalke), Nigel de Jong (Hamburg), Demy de Zeeuw, Rafael van der Vaart (Real Madrid); Klaas Jan Huntelaar (Ajax), Dirk Kuyt (Liverpool), Robin van Persie (Arsenal), Arjen Robben (Real Madrid), Jan Vennegoor of Hesselink (Celtic), Ryan Babel (Liverpool).

Marcellis should be in the squad.

Posted from United States

By goose | August 24th, 2008 at 12:27 pm

@Jan; the funny thing is; Kluiverts family are real nice, normal down to earth people…saw a docu on Kluivert some time ago and they interviewed his brother/sister and father and they were really nice, funny, intelligent people…good point on the guidance

think Seedorf is the black Budha…. Seedorf will end up with his own cult in the jugle of Surinam..haha

Posted from Netherlands

By Ramy | August 24th, 2008 at 2:13 pm

Seedorf is a remarkable business man as well.. very entrepreneurial .. I see him as uefa or fifa president in the future.

By dutch expat | August 24th, 2008 at 2:23 pm

Agree with M.O.: Marcellis ought to be in there, over Mathijsen in my view.

Where are VDS and Ruud??? I know, I know. Hopefully the Ajax duo can be proper replacements, but I have my doubts about both. In any event, that lineup just doesn’t look right…

Posted from United States

By goose | August 24th, 2008 at 3:01 pm

Seedorf was born as a 51 year old man

btw; the goalie thing is gonna hurt us, its so importent for any team to have a confident, experienced goalie; we dont have both for the time beeing

but if they play like the played russia im all happy! we moeten roeien met de riemen die we hebben!

Posted from Netherlands

By dirk v.d.berg | August 24th, 2008 at 7:04 pm

Real Madrid are going to dominate the La Liga this year. After being down 4-2 in aggregate van der Vaart was sent off, before van Nistelrooij got a penalty to bring it to 4-3 on aggregate. Afterwards he was sent off, but madrid still managed to score 3 more goals. Whats happening to our guys, when people like van der Vaart and van Nistelrooij are getting red cards. Thats the 3rd dutchmen sent off this week, as van Bommel was sent off in his match.

Posted from Canada

By Jan | August 24th, 2008 at 7:41 pm

Not sure there. The Mark situation doesn’t surprise me. He always plays on the edge. Raf may have to get used to the strict refs in Spain. Apparently he was a bit harsh with a tackle?

Marcellis will make his debut soon, I’d say. He’s just back from Bejing and I can understand Van Marwijk doesn’t want to put too much on his shoulders. But I expect to see Marcellis in the squad within 12 months, if he keeps on performing for PSV.

By alaa | August 24th, 2008 at 8:17 pm

what a sad end for kluivert. i loved this guy. for me he was the most talented striker of his generation. but why would his careere end up badly like this. for the last 4 years the guy is inexistent. a career that ends when you’re 27, most players peak at 27 years old!!!

By dirk v.d.berg | August 24th, 2008 at 8:18 pm

I think its good to have young guys challenging for a spot in Oranje, it puts pressure on the older guys to perform, cuz lets face it, no one wants to get shown up by a youngster.

Posted from Canada

By dirk v.d.berg | August 24th, 2008 at 8:19 pm

@alaa It must be a Dutch thing, because didn’t van Basten retire when he was 29

Posted from Canada

By bobotoh | August 24th, 2008 at 8:52 pm

I think Basten was forced to retire because of his injury (it was like Overmars). It had nothing to do with his performance. May be Kluivert was peaked too early? He was 19 years old when he scored in the CL final.

Posted from Indonesia

By bobotoh | August 24th, 2008 at 10:55 pm

Well, if he wants to be fit, I think a lot of clubs in Indonesia want to sign him… but I don’t know how they can pay his salary….

Posted from Indonesia

By Nolan | August 25th, 2008 at 12:51 am

Kluivert did peak too early..it’s a shame really, a brilliant striker, but he couldn’t handle the fame. Compare the Kluivert of his first season at Barcelona to his final; they are like different people. Also a good friend of Ronaldinho who seems bound on the same tragic path.

Posted from United States

By Carlos | August 25th, 2008 at 12:52 am

Never been a huge fan of Kluivert, always remember the misses against Brazil
But then if you are top scorer for Holland, who am I to argue or even to know.He didnt have much competition as Hollands striker till Ruud opened his mouth against Advocaat.
Also think Marcellis should get in soon…I saw some pics/videos of young Rinus Israel and I swear it’s Marcellis – or am I kidding myself ?
Zuiverloon in too, Heitinga moves to the middle. I really like Zuiverloons attacking qualities which suits the new system, reminds me of one highly underated right back called Reiziger who kept Roberto Carlos quiet everytime they played each other !

Posted from Singapore

By Jan | August 25th, 2008 at 2:14 am

Indeed Bobo, Marco didn’t retire on his own free will. He got his ankle injury in Holland, when playing with Ajax against FC Groningen. This was in 1986 I guess. JC was Ajax’ coach and had put some pressure on San Marco. He was already flirting with a transfer and JC told him to put his money where his mouth was. Groningen outplayed Ajax in that match (with a fierce John de Wolf in defense) and after Marco lost the ball he went in with a flying tackle on Groningen midfielder Edwin Olde Riekerink and injured himself. That’s where it started and all the knocks he got later in his career on his ankle made it worse until he had to retire at 29 years old…

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