Van Basten: Sneijder best midfielder ever

September 6th, 2011 | by: Jan |

wes bassie

While the high lights of the game with San Marino flashed by, Marco van Basten started to talk faster and faster. The ex-team manager and former Top scorer even had a tilt in his voice when he said: “Sneijder is probably the best midfielder Holland has had, ever….”

The old crew might not agree, what with players like Willem van Hanegem, Edgar Davids and Jan Wouters in our memory but there is a fair chance the former AC Milan star has it right.

You can see the mimic of the little Inter boss combined with the praise of Van Basten. The grin, the chip up, the chest out and the legs apart. When asked about it, Sneijder said” It’s pretty cool when someone like Van Basten says that. He wasn’t a bad player himself…”

He always looks confidence and he was totally himself on those training camp days with Oranje, when the transfer deadline passed. He knew Man United was not longer an option. “I couldn’t be bothered to get stressed about it,” he says now. “It doesn’t make a difference if I stress or not. When the Real Madrid transfer was happening, same thing. I wasn’t a player in it. It’s all happening between the clubs. It happens in a flash. My transfer to Inter: same. This is how it works in football and it gives me peace and quiet. I’ll hear tomorrow what happens, is my response to it all.”

Sneijder talks with respect out his former clubs and his former team manager Van Basten. Same with his words on Mourinho. “He’s a genius. Really. Every player who worked with him will tell you this. You can only understand it when you worked with him. I understand his public image sometimes works against him, but he’s passionate, warm and really smart.”

Sneijder still talks with Mourinho. “Oh yeah, we have contact still. We would love to work together again, we do discuss that. And you know, people ask me about going back to Ajax or Utrecht but I will never say “definitely yes” to that. I know how it works. But working with Mourinho….I’d love that.”

Oranje’s ultimate goal is to win the Euro2012, this is not a secret. All internationals will tell you. “This generation players need a trophy. If you don’t win it, you will think about that later. But in all honesty, I never think back to the WC finals. Only if people ask me about it. But I think that once my career is over, I will ponder these things, so yes… I think we have some trophies to win now.”

wes

Sneijder wants to win, but also wants to impress. “We are all brought up that way. Football is a sports but also an art. I believe that we did something special against San Marino in the first 15 minutes. We didn’t score as a result but it looked cool. The double step over.” Sneijder and Van Bommel executed it to free up Kevin Strootman. It failed. But the choreography did deserve an A+.

Sneijder: “You can tell that we’re having fun playing fro Holland. The coach wanted to see our fun and eagerness. He doesn’t want this for the fans only, he believes that if you raise the bar, you will program your body into wanting this always. Mourinho thinks like that too.”

The mission succeeded. The world record balls-outside-foot was Oranje’s. Backheels, step-overs, dummies….all different combinations were sought. And sometimes, they overdid it. For those who want something to whine about.

And it wasn’t that everything that was eye-candy let to a goal. Tremendous was Sneijder pass on Van der Wiel, hit behind his standing-leg, exactly in Van der Wiel’s stride. Or the banana ball on Van Persie, magically hit with the outside foot.

Oranje was eager to show their surplus skills and the the excited cooing from the stands proved that the fans love it. In the past, internationals against Malta, Cyprus and San Marino were boring to watch. A torturous exercise. Now, Oranje shows that no game can be seen as a afterthought.

Van Persie scored the 1-0 and Huntelaar raced into the goal to pick up the ball. Elia wanted the goalie to kick the ball quick when the score was 9-0. And Van Persie was smiling to see all the skill around him when Van Bommel invented an inside backheel cross. The series of goals did it for the fans, and the way Wijnaldum’s eleventh was celebrated by the World Cup finalists was telling. Young Wijnaldum is probably last in the hierarchy but top players like Sneijder and Heitinga celebrated with him as if he was part of their little cabal.

And every time there was a goal, they placed the ball immediately back on the center spot. Just as long as the final score was reached.

The Best Video of the Year Award goes to…..

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Comments

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By Sol | September 6th, 2011 at 6:06 pm

but i guess you guys were awake

Posted from Netherlands

By ajacied_23 | September 6th, 2011 at 6:26 pm

does anyone have a link to some highlights?

Posted from United Kingdom

By ajacied_23 | September 6th, 2011 at 6:32 pm

http://www.caughtoffside.com/2011/09/06/finland-0-2-holland-euro-2012-qualifying-highlights-video/

Posted from United Kingdom

By USA Oranje | September 6th, 2011 at 7:18 pm

sol:
do you have a good source that explains how the qualification calculation works? I’d read that we were qualified after the San Marino game, so I’m just curious as to how that works.

By Carlos | September 6th, 2011 at 7:27 pm

USA Oranje – The best second placed team ALSO goes straight through (no qualifying games)like the group winners. No second placed team can now get 18 points and that is why Holland are through. But then Holland will definitely head the group but just for the numbers game we are already through. Turkey’s missed penalty ensured Turkey would not be able to reach 18pts. They were the only ones left.

Posted from Singapore

By Jalepinho | September 6th, 2011 at 10:14 pm

This, my friends, deserve a celebration. I’m gona hit the bars during my lunch break and crack open a few beers. Cheers gentlemen!

Posted from Australia

By jake | September 6th, 2011 at 11:00 pm

a very good week for us, 2 wins, 13-0 goals, qualified for euro12, vpersie and huntelaar can play and score together, debut for wijnaldum, debut goals for our future stars strootman, dejong, wijnaldum.

Posted from Australia

By jake | September 6th, 2011 at 11:08 pm

and our boys going into top ten scorers.
Huntelaar, Persie, Sneijder, and Kuijt.

goals caps
Patrick Kluivert 40 79
Dennis Bergkamp 37 79
Faas Wilkes 35 38
Ruud van Nistelrooy 35 70
Abe Lenstra 33 47
Johan Cruijff 33 48
Beb Bakhuys 28 23
Klaas-Jan Huntelaar 28 46
Kick Smit 26 29
Robin van Persie 25 58
Marco van Basten 24 58
Wesley Sneijder 23 78
Dirk Kuijt 23 80
Leen Vente 19 21
Mannes Francken 17 22
Tonny van de Linden 17 24
John Bosman 17 30
Wim Tap 17 33
Johan Neeskens 17 49
Ruud Gullit 17 66
Marc Overmars 17 86
Rafael van der Vaart 17 90
Jan Thomée 16 16
Noud van Melis 15 13
Arjen Robben 15 53

Posted from Australia

By jake | September 6th, 2011 at 11:16 pm

In fact,
guess who score the most in the major tournament, like WC-EC and qualifications, excludes friendlies.

nistelrooy followed by bergkamp, kluivert got his 18 goasl from friendlies.

here is the leading scorers in major tournaments.

goals caps
Ruud van Nistelrooy 29 42
Dennis Bergkamp 27 51
Johan Cruijff 25 32
Patrick Kluivert 22 43
Marco van Basten 18 42
Klaas-Jan Huntelaar 16 23
Robin van Persie 16 38
Wesley Sneijder 16 48
John Bosman 15 16
Ruud Gullit 15 45
Dirk Kuijt 14 47
Johan Neeskens 12 34
Marc Overmars 11 55
Pierre van Hooijdonk 11 26
Rob Rensenbrink 11 31
Ronald de Boer 11 40
Johnny Rep 11 32
Ruud Geels 10 15
Rafael van der Vaart 9 52
Frank de Boer 9 66
Wim Jonk 9 31
Clarence Seedorf 9 46
Phillip Cocu 9 56
Arjen Robben 8 34
Ronald Koeman 8 49
Piet Keizer 8 17
Jan Vos 8 4
Wim Kieft 7 23
Mark van Bommel 6 43

Posted from Australia

By Miguel Rosado | September 7th, 2011 at 1:29 am

Wooow Strootman’s goal was a beauty!!! and good cross by Elia he has the magic he just has to rediscover his form.

I like Strootman because he is more creative than Nigel.

Goals from Wijnaldum, Strootman and de Jong! we have a good generation.

* I think Bert knows Wijnaldum is great but he doesn’t want to rush him.

By Miguel Rosado | September 7th, 2011 at 1:34 am

—————-Stekelenburg————-

—-Wiel—Heitinga—-Maduro—-Pieters—–

————Bommel—-Strootman————-

—-Robben——-Sneijder—-V.Persie——

—————-Huntelaar—————–

*With Persie, Sneijder and Robben free!.

By Jalepinho | September 7th, 2011 at 1:48 am

nice lineup there Miguel but assuming everyone is healthy, i would prefer this instead:

————-Stekey——–
–Weil-Heitinga-Bommel-Pieters–
——-de jong—vdvaart—-
–Robben—Sneijder—RVP—
———-Hunter————

Posted from Australia

By jake | September 7th, 2011 at 2:32 am

Strootman is good for a 21y age player who only play few games to execute that kind of goal.

Now I relly don’t know how to fit robben-vaart-affelay in the team when they fit again.
mid:
sneider-vaart-bommel-strootman-dejong-janssen-maduro-(+de guzman?)
forward:
robben-persie-kuyt-huntelaar-affelay-elia

Posted from Australia

By ruudking | September 7th, 2011 at 3:25 am

Why can’t ues Pieters as a DC?He is young ,tall,fast.

Maybe Van aaholt can be our new LB

By Sol | September 7th, 2011 at 3:27 am

Strootman can shoot from distance too:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Djz5MTf9oik

But his biggest asset, he’s always aware of his surroundings and looking for opportunities:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w1UVxLuNcLc

Notice that those videos are from when he still played at Sparta, he’s got 3 more years of experience now on top of that. Watch out for PSV this season, I’m gonna catch me a few of those matches (I normally only watch the European ones, sometimes Ajax-PSV, but me thinks I’m gonna watch a few more this season).

Posted from Netherlands

By Vincent | September 7th, 2011 at 3:56 am

@Sol: Wow… I’m thoroughly impressed. If we’re playing big teams and are forced to have two defensive-minded mids, I’m convinced we would be better served having Strootman alongside van Bommel.

By Tiju | September 7th, 2011 at 4:38 am

@sol….Why BVM likes strootman ,coz he is very clever.or clever enough to be a world class footballer.More over he is young and very energetic can play 120 minutes if needed.

Posted from United Arab Emirates

By Carlos | September 7th, 2011 at 4:56 am

Does anyone think that NO ONE (big teams) has noticed Strootman yet ?

Posted from Singapore

By Tiju | September 7th, 2011 at 4:57 am

Guys we can feild different types of Line ups…
Suppose
————Stekelenburg—————–
Weil——-Johny—Joris—-Peiters
——–Bommel—Strootman————
Roben———-Znijder—–Persie—
————Huntlaar—————–
In this line up we will clearly lack the work rate coz,We cannot expect 35 year old bommel o be Box to box.Roben is not famous for his work rate and huntlaar too.So we would be rely on znijedr and persie for that.Both does it.but they do have limitations.i think Dejong gives better workrate with Bommels quality.and Luuk de jong could give very good workrate with better skills than kuyt.Afaleey/Wijnaldum is no where near roben in terms of creativity.But could give better work rate with 80 % Quality of Roben.
so i would prefer….
————Stekelenburg—————–
———-Johny——Joris—————
Weil—————————–Peiters
———Dejong—Strootman————–
Roben——–Znijder———Afaleey
————Persie————————
and
Second eleven
—————Timkrul—————
———-Maduro—Douglas———–
Bruma————————Aanholt
———-Bommel–Deguzman———–
Wijnaldum——-Vaart————kuyt
————Luuk dejong———–

Posted from United Arab Emirates

By Wissam | September 7th, 2011 at 5:11 am

Strootman will replace v Bommel next world cup… he is good and will become world class. Oranje’s success is coming….

Posted from United States

By OranjeRules | September 7th, 2011 at 7:21 am

All the reports I’ve read this morning are Holland is, “all but through”. Next thing we worry about is the draw, do we get another group of death draw like 2008?????

At this point, I like this formation / line-up myself:

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Steks xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

xxxxxxx Heitinga xxxxxxxxxxxx Mathijsen xxxxxxx

van der Weil xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Peiters

xxxxxxx van Bommel xxxxxxxxxx de Jong xxxxxxxxx

Robben xxxxxxxxxx Sneijder xxxxxxxxx van Persie

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Huntelaar xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

By http://ontwerpenvoorgeld.net/ | September 8th, 2011 at 3:41 pm

Ik denk dat er nog wel betere voetballers rondlopen in Nederland !!

By bluemoon | September 20th, 2011 at 9:51 pm

He is the giant small man in the Orange team.

Posted from Thailand