Van Marwijk doesn’t need the Eredivisie

August 8th, 2011 | by: Jan |

bertwater

Bert van Marwijk is ready for the new competition. The team manager follows the Eredivisie, but from a distance. “It’s good for Oranje that Wijnaldum and Strootman decided to move to the Dutch top. It’s good for their development to have to carry a team with high expectations.”

One year after the World Cup finals, only four players in the Oranje squad make their money in Holland. Two goalies and Andre Ooijer and Greg Van der Wiel. Is that logical?

BvM: “It’s a logical result of the development of the players. We already had a good squad so if you are the second in the world, your development will only get more attention. Take Maarten Stekelenburg. It’s totally unbelievable that a top goalie like him isn’t snatched up by a top team right after the world cup. I do not get that. But he will get his opportunity to shine in Italy now.”

Did you expect or hope some experienced players to move back to the Eredivisie. Such as Joris Mathijsen?

“It’s not for me to comment on that. Van Bommel said last year: I want to play top flite football before the EC21012 and AC Milan is higher level than anything in Holland. And I like that position. The more resistance, the better it is. But there is a downside too. Our players are coming from four or five different competitions and they live, train and play differently in all those countries. The way players prepare in England is totally different than in Spain, for instance. On the one hand, our players improve, but you do need to turn them into one team again, once you get them back.”

Can you give an example?

“Wesley Sneijder is a typical example, but it applies to almost all of them. Sneijder is a number 10 at Inter. A counter team, allowing the opponent the ball. He will drift into space and not be too engaged with the game. Until Inter repossesses the ball. Then he’s sought and he needs to battle to maintain possession against six defenders or so. With Oraje, it’s different. We want the ball and our defenders want our playmaker to drop deep and ask for the ball. If Wes would play at Man United, he could play a similar game as we do at Oranje. I said before that he’d fit well there.

You decided to leave Theo Janssen at home this time around. Wijnaldum and Strootman did make the cut.

“It’s clear that we have top midfielders. We have about nine players I can chose from. Janssen made the move to Ajax, is skipper there and I felt it was good for him to focus on his new club. We know what Theo can bring. Strootman did well during out Brazil trip and I wanted to reward him.”

Janssen decided to let the Brazil trip go past. Is that a factor?

“Everything is a factor.”

What do you make of the different moves of the players? Mathijsen and Van Nistelrooy for instance. De Zeeuw, Schaars… The aforementioned Dutch players…

“Well, it can make for a shaky season start. Players leaving their country and getting adjusted to a different culture… For Raf van der Vaart, last year, it was not as hard, moving from Spain to England… Being abroad for a while… But for De Zeeuw, from Amsterdam to Moscow or Schaars from Alkmaar to Portugal. Big steps. You always have to wait and see how they adjust. Mathijsen and Van Nistelrooy will be fine at Malaga, I think, but it always depends… For us, it’s better they move now than being focused on a transfer right before the big tournaments.”

Theo-Janssen-Oranje-650

Vlaar (Feyenoord) and Schaars ( Sporting Lisbon) aren’t part of the squad either and Afellay is not present as a result of an injury. Van Nistelrooy is also not included.

“Ruud is not out of our books completely. We know how good he is and how important he can be. But he’s close to being 36 years old now. But I told him: he would be the first to know if I decided it’s over for him. And it’s not.”

The upcoming friendly against England is a the prep for the qualification games against San Marino ( Sept 2) and Finland ( Sept 6). “I think England is a top nation. They have tremendous quality but had an unlucky game against Germany. There’s a lot of prestige in this friendly. They have difficulties against Holland, traditionally, and now they will want to beat the number 2 of the world.”

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Comments

Displaying the most recent 25 comments from a total of 109 comments.

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By Carlos | August 10th, 2011 at 7:23 pm

Eduardo – I don’t care if they never won the world cup but Brasil 82 BEST Brasil team ever. Like Oranje 74!

Posted from Singapore

By Finnster01 | August 10th, 2011 at 7:43 pm

@Carlos: 82 was great, but I would argue that Brazil Anno Domini 1970 had a certain Godly quality to it.

I doubt we’ll ever see that again in my lifetime

By OranjeAussie | August 10th, 2011 at 8:28 pm

@Steve… Ill look into it I’m sure you can.
Great to see everyone’s getting involved.

Posted from Australia

By Carlos | August 10th, 2011 at 9:28 pm

Guys – I am Not into fantasy leagues sorry, but I will follow how all of you are going here and wish you all lotsa luck. Great Initiative OranjeAussie !!

Posted from Singapore

By Carlos | August 10th, 2011 at 9:30 pm

I still read SOOOOO many stories about Sneijder going to ManU. Is it going to happen ?

Posted from Singapore

By OranjeAussie | August 10th, 2011 at 10:35 pm

Hey guys we have 13 in the league so far… 5 more players to make the 18. Is everyone happy with the head to head it makes it more like a real soccer league where it’s all win/loss… If not I’ll try change it.

@Carlos… No worries mate…

Posted from Australia

By primoscientist | August 10th, 2011 at 10:51 pm

For what it’s worth I prefer Head-to-Head. Keeps it closer and more intense. I find that with classic a couple break away from the pack early on and it kind of loses the suspense.

Posted from Australia

By Finnster01 | August 10th, 2011 at 11:00 pm

@OranjeAussie: I would have like to join but I am afraid I don’t have enough time to give it an honest effort. Good luck all.

There is a good article posted on BBC about Wesley and what makes him so special. It is an interview with Danny Blind and well worth a read.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/14477901.stm

By OranjeAussie | August 10th, 2011 at 11:00 pm

@Primoscientist… Yeah exactly.

Posted from Australia

By Sonneveld | August 11th, 2011 at 1:02 am

I will join if there still is time. Ill check tomorrow to see if there is space.

By hien | August 11th, 2011 at 1:05 am

From what I read, Sneijder refuses to take a pay cut and Ferguson refuses to pay Sneijder more than Rooney, the highest paid MU player. Inter already agreed with what MU offered. I also read that Arsenal agreed to sell Fabregas to Barca for 35M with Fabregas paid Arsernal 4M for breaking off the contract (he still has 4 years left). 3 years is a long time. BVM’s contract ends after Euro 2012. Oranje has a strong squad but the coach is important. As long the new coach does not screw up then yes, Oranje is up there with Spain and Germany (Low’s under contract till WC2014). Brasil is always a contender but I do not see them as a favourite anymore.

Posted from Canada

By goose | August 11th, 2011 at 2:07 am

on sneijder:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/14477901.stm

Posted from Netherlands

By Carlos | August 11th, 2011 at 4:11 am

Thanks Finn I would have missed that article (tho I do read BBC) if I had not read EVERY post on this blog which always gets my priority

Posted from Singapore

By primoscientist | August 11th, 2011 at 4:28 am

I don’t know if anyone here watches Studio Voetbal but last week’s edition had Ronald Koeman as a guest. They talked about Feyenoord of course but at one point they had asked him why he only signed a one-year contract.

One of the people at the table (I think it was Van Halst) asked him if he was keeping an eye out for Van Marwijk’s job after he finished. He seemed to act a little mysterious about it.

I find it funny that after all of his failures (and let’s face it- we can add another to that list pretty soon) he still believes he is a competent coach. I think it’s safe to say that in 1 month he would undo what it took Van Basten and Van Marwijk years to create. It would be a bigger disaster than LVG’s stint after 2000.

I hope he doesn’t even get considered to be considered for the job by the KNVB.

By primoscientist | August 11th, 2011 at 4:33 am

Here’s the link to the episode:

http://nos.nl/video/260817-studio-voetbal-31-juli.html

It’s in Dutch for those who are interested.

By Jan | August 11th, 2011 at 4:37 am

Hi all, an arrogant U21 lost against Sweden as they got red card after 30 minutes. Apparently, Oranje was much better in the first phase. But Pot subbed 7 players in the second half and Oranje was nowhere.

Sneijder is said to sign for ManU in the next 48 hours, like Cesc will move to Barca.

Dennis Gentenaar is said to return to Ajax as second goalie.

ADO sensation Wesley Verhoek has decided not to go to Glasgow Rangers nor Nottingham as he already was homesick after one day in England . He’ll stay in Holland. Ado, Vitesse or PSV.

By Finnster01 | August 11th, 2011 at 5:56 am

BREAKING NEWS: Liverpool just bid for Wesley Sneijder.

Apparently they’ve offered 200 plasma TV’s, 6 rolls of carpet and 72 pairs of Reebok classics.

By eric | August 11th, 2011 at 6:51 am

Liverpool is closing on Enrique, and Newcastle is believed to target Erik Pieters as replacement. I am not sure I am a fan of this deal. I think Pieters could use some seasoning at Eredivisie to get better. I am afraid he will have two or three nervy moments against some of the best forwards in EPL, and get buried on the bench consequently. On the upside, Pieters is a very physical defender so his style might be just fine.

Posted from United States

By susanne | August 11th, 2011 at 7:27 am

lol finnster

Posted from Netherlands

By Eduardo | August 11th, 2011 at 10:14 am

Ferenc in the 90 I was a kid, but i remeber a few this team (alemao, careca, dunga?) and i think was better than this brasil.

I don`t want brasil win the next WC.. I am just watching who are the best contender agaisnt netherlands, and I just see Spain and Germany, and maybe Argentina.

I really HOPE BvM continue until the next WC!!

WIf BvM leaves after EC 2012, who will be the best option?

F de Boer? Co Adriansen? Ten Cat? Van Gaal 2?

By ferenc | August 11th, 2011 at 12:29 pm

Eduardo: the 90 brasil team had the mentioned players but they played awfully,it wasn’t nice for the eyes.

as a potential contender for the 2014 world cup in my opinion you should replace argentina by uruguay. but in 3 years lot of things might happen in football… and don’t forget,fifa will do everything for brazil…

Posted from Hungary