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Post-game comments…

April 2nd, 2009 | By: Jan | 13 Comments »

Bert van Marwijk: “Well, now it’s safe to say that if we don’t make it to the WC, I will resign…”

“But seriously,” he went on, “we knew this could be a tight match. They’re very good in the limited spaces and are a dangerous counter-team, so we needed to play smart, with confidence and with a high pace. And we’ve done just that. In particular Sneijder made the difference. He knows what it takes to play in between the lines and has done so very well.”

“We played aggressive and focused during the whole game. Only after the 2-0 we wanted to do some gallery play. I understand that, but only when we lead 4-0 or 5-0. Luckily the boys realized it soon enough. We played well until the end. And it was a typical Kuyt-game. He pushed the whole team up and was an inspiration again. But the whole team deserves a compliment.”

Arjen Robben was gregarious after the game. Although he left the pitch at half time with a slight calf injury. “I asked to be replaced. We were 3-0 up and I didn’t want to risk getting a serious injury. It went well, but I think we can do much better. I saw many little mistakes in the first half, despite our good performance. Every player made a couple, and we need to work on that. We’ve got some time for that now. I can’t say we’ve qualified of course, but we can’t and won’t give this away anymore.”

Skipper Van Bronckhorst: “We’ve played our best half in this series today. We did everything right. Scored at the right times. Great goals too. And we kept pressuring the opponent. We should be satisfied with this game and result. We can’t really book the tickets yet, but I think we can take an option on them…”

Arjen Robben, asked whether he thinks Oranje is world class. “Hmm…world class. Well, when you beat France and Italy and you lead as we do in the series, yeah, you belong up there. But when you’re really world class, you win prizes as well. And it’s about time we do just that.”

Robben voiced the hangover the Dutch team still feels. “Winning is more important than “being there”. The only thing that counts, is getting our team fit for the WC in South Africa. We need more “automatisms”. And we will work on that.”

Dirk Kuyt started in both the Scotland and Macedonia game. “Fantastic to be part of such a great team. We have so much quality. When one player can’t play, another is ready to take his place. Sneijder and Van Persie, for instance. Both different players, but both world class. It’s a shame sometimes one of them is benched, but the quality of the team is tremendous. When one player is out, we still have that level of quality.”

Kuyt acknowledges that the loss of Van Nistelrooy and Van der Sar has been felt. “Those are both world class players, but on the other hand, Wes, Raf, Robin, Arjen, myself and all the others have gained two years of experience at top clubs in Europe. It’s time we do it now. I’m proud to be part of this.”

Tags: Bommel, Gio, Holland, Kuyt, Orange, Oranje, Robben, Van Marwijk, World Cup 2010

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Comments

By goose | April 2nd, 2009 at 9:11 am

just a good game … looks like were off to the WC (what a poor poule we have btw)

btw ; i wont be able to visit this blog for quit some time, i think ill be back in september..you people keep it up!

grtz

Posted from Netherlands

By Rob | April 2nd, 2009 at 9:53 am

Agreed goose – really a very easy group when you look at something like the Portugal group. The promising thing is not so much the qualification, which looks almost certain, but the manner in which the team’s gone about it. This started with Van Basten in the last qualification process. Not so long ago Oranje would easily draw a fixture like Norway away, but this team seems a lot more confident and a lot more consistant – maybe it’s down to the players maturing, or maybe it’s down to the general character of these guys. I don’t think there’s an ego anything like a Davids or a Seedorf in this Dutch side (bar a certain coach’s son-in-law). We can all talk about how Robben, Sneijder and Van Persie are falling out left, right and centre, but I just don’t see it really – I think it’s just paper talk and I think this team is as together as any Dutch line-up I can remember.

Posted from Japan

By Andrew | April 2nd, 2009 at 11:36 am

Think of the fun of the Oranje pre-World Cup training camp next spring. If yesterday’s team is the first team, imagine this 11-11 scrimmage for spots:

GK
VDW/Ooijer/Math/Gio
Van Bom/DeJong
Kuyt/Sneijder/Robben
Hunter

Van Persie
Babel/VDV/Affellay
Schaars/De Zeeuw
Braafheid/Bouma/Boula/Heitinga
GK

Posted from United States

By Caleb | April 2nd, 2009 at 12:09 pm

@Andrew – that would be an awesome scrimmage! I think our reserves could beat half the “top sides” in Europe!

@Goose – that’s a long break! Where are you going for so long?

Posted from Canada

By Andrew | April 2nd, 2009 at 1:33 pm

@Goose, I will miss your contributions, and look forward to your comments when you return to the board.

Posted from United States

By Igor | April 2nd, 2009 at 4:19 pm

Goose, you can’t go…you haven’t given us your post-match grades for each player yet ! I was looking forward to them since the last few games no one earned more than a 6,5 or 7 and I wanted to see how high you’d go after this great team performance. Seriously though, your contribution to this blog will be missed until you return.

Posted from Canada

By Carlos | April 2nd, 2009 at 5:18 pm

Goose Buddy…get a laptop/go to an internet cafe, whatever you do, we need you for the June Games !!!
On the Sneijder/vP issue, there is NO question who makes the better no 10, however you can’t leave someone like vP out !! Watched both games twice now and vP hardly touched the ball in the first half, maybe 3 times incl his header. Sneijder went hunting for the ball every second of the first half and increased the pace signifcantly.Oh Dear spoilt for choices.

Posted from Singapore

By Jan | April 2nd, 2009 at 5:28 pm

goose…. Are you gone for that long???

That’s a blow to us all, man… What’s happening?

Is there no way you can call in every now and then?

Hate to loose you man, you’re the veteran here!!!

By Miguel Rosado | April 2nd, 2009 at 8:59 pm

I liked that when we were 4-0 in the final minutes our players kept running and trying to go forward. That’s the hunger I like!!!.

Bert is a very smart coach he’s creating competition but at the same time he gives confidence to players like Sneijder and Vaart. I wonder what he’ll do in the next game, I hope he benches a holding midfielder because having Sneijder on the bench wouldn’t be a wise decision.

By Carlos | April 2nd, 2009 at 9:26 pm

Miguel – he wont do anything silly in the next game, but what would be a master stroke in the games that “don’t count” is to bench MvB. That would make him Top Dog.

Posted from Singapore

By Gerard | April 2nd, 2009 at 10:02 pm

My first post: (!)

@Andrew: That would definitely be a great scrimmage. Wow! Then the winners could play this team for some extra practice:

Vorm
Zuiverloon, Marcellis, Luirink, Pieters
Brama, Emanuelson
Amrabat, Wijnaldum, Elia
v. Wolfswinkel

Posted from Canada

By tiju | April 2nd, 2009 at 11:03 pm

@goose its a surprise and its too long.Try to make it short man.best wishes to your mission.

Posted from India