Robben: I am fit to play…

This season hasn’t even really started yet or Arjen Robben already missed an international game due to another little injury. “I just have to listen to my body sometimes,” he says after missing the friendly against Australia. “But Wednesday, against Macedonia, I will be ready.”

Robben, the brilliant winger with the glass body. Man of Glass. Real Madrid paid 36 Mio euros for the 24 year old from Groningen. How high would his transfer sum be if he had played the same number of games as less-talented but indestructible Dirk Kuyt?

He will never get really used to it, but the dribble king has found peace with his body. “Of course I was pretty upset when I had to let this game go past. For the first time in three years I had a normal preparation for the new season. I played ten warm up games with Madrid and didn’t miss one training. But the friendly against Australia is on, and bang…this happens.”

Robben got a knock on the calf muscle against Deportivo. “What can you do? It was quite a foul, a hard knock. I thought the pain would disappear, but I suffered all week. I decided not to play last Saturday, but I didn’t like that. I mean, I am a football passionate. I want to play all games, but it was wiser to go for the Macedonia game. That’s a game that realy counts.”

Robben trained separately from the group and focused on getting match fit. Whenever the other lads got together for a drink of water or to discuss a training practice, Robben would be stoically stretching. “I need to do a lot of precautionary training practices to keep fit. My body needs this. That’s how it is. That’s the experience I gained from all those years. It’s not an automatic thing with me. Two years ago, I would have played against Australia. Now, I’ve learned not to.”

In the run up to the EC last summer, it seemed Robben found the solution for his injury plagued career. Robben’s back and spine were locked on several places. He unlocked the former FC Groningen and PSV winger and the danger man did his thing in the last games of the Spanish season. But, Robben couldn’t start at the EC against Italy and Russia.

It was clear, that Oranje without Van Persie and Robben (both weren’t present at the start against Russia at the EC) loses too much specific skills. And it were exactly these two players who had some worries again in the run up to Macedonia. But, Van Marwijk yesterday learned that both Robin and Robben can start.

And Oranje will need them too. “We know how difficult it is to play agains these opponents. We may have better players on paper, but that doesn’t mean you will win just like that. Scotland knows that now too. Macedonia can defend, they’re tough, well organized and disciplined. We will need to do our utmost to get a good result.”