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Oranje Press conference and selection

October 3rd, 2008 | By: Jan | 61 Comments »

The infamous free-kick against Russia…

At Oranje’s traditional pre-match press-conference, Bert van Marwijk put the Sneijder – Van Persie rift to rest. “I spoke with both and it’s just an exaggerated blown-up thing of the media, looking for a juicy story. Wesley has put this whole chapter behind him, but recently some reporters started again. He said some words and they blew it up in the press. Robin responded to that and there we are.”

Van Marwijk said the players had a good chat over the phone and that’s the end of it. “Van Persie reacted strongly, but to be honest, maybe I would have done the same thing… I don’t know. It’s one of those things. I don’t want to say anymore about it. It’s a minor ripple and I don’t want to spend more time on it. If this was our biggest issue, I would be a happy man.”

Van Marwijk probably hinted at his real problems. At the back. Boulah, Stekel and Bouma out, as is Henk Timmer. The good news of course, Edwin van der Sar has agreed to play two more games for Holland. Timmer will be on the bench as his sub.

FC Utrecht goalie Michel Vorm is also invited, so he can get used to Oranje and Dirk Marcellis finally gets his call.

Wesley Sneijder and Orlando Engelaar return from injuries. There was some serious debate whether Sneijder should return. “Well, the biggest advocate not to select him was his coach Bernd Schuster. I had a long chat with him and convinced him that it’s better for Sneijder to train with 22 players than with four at Madrid. Most Real players will be on international duties. I won’t play Sneijder against Iceland, but for Norway I might use him.”

The Iceland game is on October 11 in Rotterdam, four days later Holland plays Norway in Oslo.

Oranje started the qualification with a 2-1 win over Macedonia. Van Persie and Van der Vaart were yellow-carded in that team and if they collect another against Iceland, they will be suspended for Norway.
:
Goalies: Edwin van der Sar (Manchester United), Henk Timmer (Feyenoord), and Michel Vorm (FC Utrecht).
Defenders: Tim de Cler (Feyenoord), John Heitinga (Atlético Madrid), Joris Mathijsen (HSV), André Ooijer (Blackburn Rovers) and Dirk Marcellis (PSV).
Midfielders: Ibrahim Afellay (PSV), Mark van Bommel (Bayern München), Giovanni van Bronckhorst (Feyenoord), Orlando Engelaar (FC Schalke 04), Nigel de Jong (HSV), Wesley Sneijder (Real Madrid), Rafael van der Vaart (Real Madrid) and Demy de Zeeuw (AZ).
Strikers: Ryan Babel (Liverpool), Robin van Persie (Arsenal), Arjen Robben (Real Madrid), Klaas Jan Huntelaar (Ajax), Dirk Kuyt (Liverpool) and Jan Vennegoor of Hesselink (Celtic).

Tags: Bouma, De Boer, Holland, Marcellis, Oranje, Sar, Sneijder, The Netherlands, Timmer, Van Marwijk, van Persie, Vorm, World Cup 2010

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Comments

Displaying the most recent 25 comments from a total of 61 comments.

Read the rest of the comments

By Jan | October 5th, 2008 at 3:53 am

Guys,

I posted some new stuff on AZ and Feyenoord on:

http://www.eredivisie.theoffside.com

CHECK IT OUT

By Jan | October 5th, 2008 at 4:51 am

Edwin van der Sar: “I simply couldn’t resist it. Oranje is still my team. When Bert called that his two first goalies are injured, I can understand that he had to ask me. And I couldn’t refuse him. Simple as that…”

By frank | October 5th, 2008 at 7:28 am

Actually RvP played pretty well yesterday, Goose. It was a tough game in the pouring rain against a Sunderland side who insisted on playing 10 players in defensive roles. Robin had a good goal wrongly disallowed.

Posted from United Kingdom

By ian wilkie | October 5th, 2008 at 12:00 pm

u guys talk alot about marcellis , dont forget about ryan donk and zuiverloon both on wba and have kept back to back clean sheets, they are getting expeirence in a the best league

By goose | October 5th, 2008 at 1:32 pm

@Jan; my friend, my comment has been blocked, can you let it through please (its my Eredivisie comment so it has lots of YT links in it)
thanks

Posted from Netherlands

By finnster01 | October 5th, 2008 at 1:50 pm

@Ian wilkie: You are absolutely right about Donk and Zuiverloon. I watched West Brom against Fulham too and was impressed. Thought Donk had a stormer of a game and also would have scored on a header if it hadn’t hit the bar.

Today Kuyt had a good game for Liverpool as they came from behind to win against city. Kuyt scored the late winner, but should have scored earlier. He ran and ran, just like only he can do. Benitez singled him out and gave him high marks after the game. Torres had the other 2. Babel was on the bench but did not get to play.

By ghost of steve finnan | October 5th, 2008 at 4:19 pm

Babel’s always on the bench now. Maybe he shoulda went to like a portsmouth or everton to get consistent run. Young players cannot get better watching others play. Its great to be on a CL team, but at what cost to your personal development? Babel is 21, 22 yrs old. He needs to play 90 a week somewhere.

Posted from United States

By dirk v.d. Berg | October 5th, 2008 at 4:27 pm

A bit of good news/bad news from the Real Madrid game.

Firstly if your an Oranje Madrid fan, they didn’t win 2-2, and none of the 5 Dutch players on the pitch scored. Thats right all 5 Dutch guys played, as Sneijder made his return. Unfortunately Drenthe’s introduction was for Arjen Robben, who was brought on for van der Vaart, meaning that Robben is probably injured.

So take your pick, Robben or Sneijder for Oranje midfield, I think most people have their answer.

Posted from Canada

By Carlos | October 5th, 2008 at 5:31 pm

Snejder will not play aganst Iceland according to both coaches but will probably line up against Norway. Watched Herenveen demolish Ajax (who couldnt string 2 passes together) and can’t believe that Sibon actually played OK ??? Why didn’t he hustle and head and run into space like that in China ? Also Jong A Pin did a good job at left back.

Posted from Singapore

By Jan | October 5th, 2008 at 5:32 pm

@Goose, there is no comment by you with YT’s being blocked, my man. Are you sure you sent it?

Feyenoord loses 0-2 against NEC in Rotterdam.

Ajax loses 5-2 (!) against Heerenveen…

More later on the http://www.eredivisie.offside.com site…

By finnster01 | October 5th, 2008 at 7:00 pm

Robben probably injured…Now there’s a shocker…NOT!!

Does this guy have a strength coach and/or warm up properly? Didn’t watch the game, but this is rubbish just before two very important WC quals.

By Michel-Olivier | October 5th, 2008 at 8:26 pm

robben=zenden, always getting injured.

Posted from United States

By Michel-Olivier | October 5th, 2008 at 8:28 pm

is robben going to be fit for WCQ?

Posted from United States

By chatchat | October 5th, 2008 at 9:25 pm

It is said the way Robben runs (high frequency but small steps) makes him subject to injury. But it is to late for him to change now.

Posted from United States

By goose | October 6th, 2008 at 1:48 am

@Jan; yes im sure, it took me more than 30 minutes to make it!!… i got a screen telling me it was marked as spam and that i should contact the webmaster…please check again Jan (or maybe Bob knows more)

Posted from Netherlands

By Jan | October 6th, 2008 at 2:16 am

Do you still have it…? Stupid question I guess, you wrote it directly into this window right? Sigh…gotta check again, but otherwise I will have to refer to the Blog Gods… Which I will, no worries. Laters….

By goose | October 6th, 2008 at 2:47 am

@Jan; thanks mate!

Posted from Netherlands

By tiju | October 6th, 2008 at 6:45 am

@jan,goose,bruce
I couldnt understand his language.
well
VDS comeback may get prolonged.Ruus may come back at wc 2010.
happy with slight changes
i would like to see
Donk,marcelis ,zuiverloon,calvin jong,Eric peiters in the back rather than heitinga and Co.
Where is castelen romeo he is master assisting crusual passess and goals.We need player like him very badly.Coz we are crowded with selfish players

Posted from India

By Bart | October 6th, 2008 at 7:35 am

Lol, It was dutch man

Posted from Canada

By Miguel Rosado | October 6th, 2008 at 12:45 pm

Robben will be out for 2 weeks, I guess Babel will be taking his place in the starting line up.

By 3ric | October 6th, 2008 at 4:26 pm

Afellay is a capable replacement for Robben, although I think Bertje may want to give Kuijt a spot in the starting lineup as reward for his great run up with Liverpool lately. Babel is a bench-warmer these days, I can’t imagine he plays any important role in the national setup. He can make cameo appearances as subs, I suppose, against tired defense as the match comes to conclusion.

By Jan | October 6th, 2008 at 6:36 pm

I think Kuyt will play.

Sar
Ooijer Marcellis Mathijsen Gio
De Jong Van Bommel
Kuijt Van Persie Van der Vaart
Huntelaar

By dirk v.d. Berg | October 6th, 2008 at 6:45 pm

Babel’s unlucky that he was born in the same timeslot as all of these talented forwards.

Posted from Canada

By goose | October 7th, 2008 at 1:48 am

@Dirk; Babel is unlucky that he isnt more talented!!

is say; ” Affelay or Beerens for Robben”

Posted from Netherlands

By Caleb | October 7th, 2008 at 8:41 am

@Goose – Haha! That’s what I was thinking! He’s unlucky he’s selfish and immature!
Kuyt or Afellay for Robben seems the best choice.