All posts by Will Burns

Unveiling four emerging stars of the Eredivisie

May 10, 2015 Will Burns 1 Comment

One of the positives of not being one of Europe’s biggest leagues and having relatively small finances is that the Eredivisie is a fertile ground for bringing through young players. A lot of the clubs rely on the money that they receive for their youth graduates to run their clubs.

FC Groningen are well known for their ability to bring players through and have seen the likes of Arjen Robben and Luis Suarez develop at their club in recent years. Although the latter was brought in from Uruguay, it would be wrong to suggest that the club didn’t have an impact on where he is now.

After the news that Depay will join Manchester United, clubs have been reminded of the rewards that come with producing talented players and in this article Jake Jackman talks about some of the young players coming through who may not be well known yet.

Steven Bergwijn (PSV)

An obvious place to start is with a player who is at PSV with the reputation as the next Depay, and that is Steven Bergwijn, who made his debut at the weekend to become the youngest player to feature in the Eredivisie this season. The winger’s style of play has been compared to both Depay and Arjen Robben, which is high praise indeed, but the 17 year old has a long way before he can truly be talked about in the same breath as either. Last summer, he played an integral part in the Holland U17 side as they made the final of European Championships and Bergwijn won the award for the tournament’s best player. The winger is quick and direct which makes him difficult to play against, while he has a very good shot on him. Next season will be key to him as his chances in the first team will increase now that Depay has left the club.

Riechedly Bazoer (Ajax)

Ajax are well known for their ability to produce their own players and one of the most promising coming through at the moment is Riechedly Bazoer. He has been talked about as the future of Dutch football by Frank de Boer, while he has been compared with Clarence Seedord, Frank Rijkaard and Patrick Viera, which is big praise for an 18 year old. He is a complete midfielder as he can pass the ball well and he is more than capable in the tackle. As you would expect from an Ajax player, he has excellent vision on the pitch and has the ability to play defence splitting passes from deep. He has featured in a handful of games this season and showed his ability against FC Twente when he scored a wonderful volley to give his side the lead. He is seen as a key part of the new look Ajax side and it will be surprising if he isn’t a regular in the Eredivisie next season.

Bilal Ould Chikh (FC Twente)

The Twente player is another very talented attacker coming through and like Bergwijn, he is only 17 years old. He has been linked with a move to Manchester United in recent weeks after Louis van Gaal was impressed with the winger’s performances at the U17 European Championships. He has already featured for the first team at Twente, managing to score his first goal against Heracles in January. He is a very good dribbler and has already showed that in the Eredivisie, which is impressive given his tender age. He is another quick and direct attacker, who likes to run with the ball in the final third, which Holland have a lot of. Ould-Chikh is very mobile and stands at only 5’6” which makes him difficult to mark at times as he likes to weave in and out of defenders. He is set to leave FC Twente this summer which could be a mistake given he is already featuring for the first team.

Richairo Zivkovic (Ajax)

Many believe Ajax forward Richairo Zivkovic to be Holland’s next number nine, which is a big claim, but this 18 year old has already made his mark on the Eredivisie. He is another player developed by Groningen before moving to Ajax last summer. In his first season in Amsterdam, he hasn’t featured much for the first team, but he did make his Champions League debut, which was a huge achievement for the striker. He has also opened his league account for the club, although last season he managed to score 11 times in the Eredivisie for Groningen. He will be eager to feature more for Ajax next season as he attempts to make his mark on the league. He likes to run with the ball, and has the pace and strength to beat defenders when he does. The striker is very good in front of goal when the chances come his way and once he has been embedded into the Ajax style, he could be a very clinical forward for them.

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TRANSFERS

PSV wish to sign Man City youngster

May 10, 2015 Will Burns Leave a comment

PSV sporting director Marcel Brands has stated that the Eredivisie champions wish to make the permanent signing of Manchester City loanee defender Karim Rekik when the transfer window opens on June 1st.

The defender, still only 20 years old, has been loaned to the Eindhoven side for the last two seasons and in that time Rekik has formed a strong central defensive partnership with former Chelsea youth Jeffrey Bruma.

After just clinching the Eredivisie title, PSV are looking to use the money from the sale of Memphis Depay to Manchester United to build a squad to compete in the UEFA Champions’ League group stages next term.

Brands speaking to De Telegraaf on Friday, the director confirmed that PSV wish to keep Rekik for the foreseeable future: “Karim simply has three options for next season. Firstly, he stays here and we buy him. That would hopefully be practicable for both parties. Another option is that he stays at Manchester City, however that is the least likely option. And last, another club buys him.”

He added that City were looking to loan the young defender out again, however that is an option that the defender has rejected: “Karim wishes to breakthrough to the Dutch national squad and Manchester City wished to loan him into a different league, but Karim refused. At PSV knows he better chance of playing in the European Championships next summer. But for now, he has a choice to make.”

One would presume that the defender will make a statement on his future soon after the season ends next weekend, so if staying at PSV is not an option, the club can look elsewhere to help build the team for next year.

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FEATURE

Could Tjaronn Chery be next for the Premier League?

May 9, 2015 Will Burns 1 Comment

At the age of twenty six years old, FC Groningen playmaker, Tjaronn Chery could be classified as a late bloomer, but this season the diminutive player has put in the performances that have rendered him one of the stars of the season writes Rion Rodgers.

Chery is a playmaker that arguably is at his best when operating as a free roaming number 10. This season he has operated both as a number 10 and as a winger for Groningen, but he has impressed in both positions. Chery is a typical Dutch playmaker with quick feet, good dribbles and a fierce striker of the ball. He is a good goal scorer and a set-piece specialist. At this stage in the season, Chery has already won the KNVB Beker and at the end of match day 32 in the Eredivisie, he has a record of fourteen goals and five assists. This piece of statistic thrusts him firmly into the spot of top goal-scoring midfielder in the Eredivisie. His nearest rival, PSV Eindhoven’s Georginio Wijnaldum is on thirteen goals.

We are accustomed to hearing a lot about the talent of Hakim Ziyech as a good number 10, but Chery is arguably having an even more impressive personal season. The shiny maiden Dutch Cup title that he won with his club earlier this month is a poignant example of the stellar season he is experiencing. It is also worth noting that with two more league games set go before the conclusion of the current season, Chery could still very well increase his goal scoring and assists records even further.

Having began his career with FC Twente in 2008 and making his official debut for the club in October 2008, he has taken a long road to the height he has displayed this season. Following his debut for FC Twente he was sent out on loan to SC Cambuur Leeuwarden. That first loan spell was followed by spells with RBC Roosendaal and FC Emmen, over a period of two years. At the beginning of the 2011 – 2012 season, Chery made the move to ADO Den Haag in the West of the Netherlands. He played in The Hague for two seasons where his outstanding and eye-catching performances lead to an initial loan move to the Northern club, FC Groningen, for the entirety of last season and a permanent move at the beginning of this season.

When one considers his current age as well as the fact that he is on the verge of concluding his second impressive season with FC Groningen, it looks like now is the ideal time for him to be seeking to venture abroad. But where? Turkish giants Galatasaray, has been linked with showing an interest in signing him recently, but a move to the English Premier League could possibly be better for his career. Southampton, Everton or Newcastle United could all fit his style of play.

However, it should be noted that there seems to be a lot of mixed opinions about how good Chery really is. The view of many may vary, but I am quite convinced that Chery has the quality to play admirably in a mid-table English, German or Spanish club. Undeniably, my first choice would be Southampton. The obvious link with a Dutch coach and the team’s style of play are my main reasons for choosing the home of the St. Mary’s Stadium. There would also be a possibility of him linking up with a few more Dutch players who will quite imminently make the move to the Saints this upcoming transfer window.

It must be said also that there is a strong case for Chery to be given a call by Mr. Guus Hiddink. Wesley Sneijder could do with a decent goal scoring backup. I would however, agree with many other fans that players such as Adam Maher, Hakim Ziyech, Davy Klaassen and Georginio Wijnaldum seem to be the most likely candidates for the number 10 position in the near future. But if Chery makes the move to a big European league and turns on the style successfully, we could see him eclipse the likes of Davy Klaassen, Hakim Ziyech, Adam Maher, Jonathan De Guzman and even Ibrahim Afellay, for the back-up number 10 position in the Oranje.

Many Eredivisie players have performed tremendously so far this season and will deservedly entice numerous big foreign clubs to make advances and wave large sums of cash in their directions. Tjaronn Chery should no doubt be towards the forefront of that group of stars.

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EREDIVISIE, FEATURE

Eredivisie: The Race For Third

May 9, 2015 Will Burns Leave a comment

This weekend’s fixtures are set to have a massive bearing on the race to finish third in the table and guarantee Europa League football for next season. With the league title already sown up by PSV, Ajax securing second place and Dordrecht guaranteed to finish bottom, there is not much else to play for this season. All that remains is to find out which of the teams will contest the relegation play-off, to cement the teams who will play in the Europa League play-off and which of the teams will finish third.

On Sunday AZ Alkmaar host NAC Breda in what could potentially be a trickier fixture than it looks on paper with NAC looking to secure their survival in the league. Thanks to a police strike the big game of the weekend between Feyenoord and Vitesse is now to be played on Monday night. A point for Feyenoord in this game will take Vitesse out of the equation and it will also be enough to secure third place if AZ lose. Even if both Feyenoord and AZ win Feyenoord will most likely still finish third thanks to their far superior goal difference. A win for Vitesse will shake things right up and force it to go right up until the final day.

Let’s now have a look at all three teams chances of finishing in that final league position…

FEYENOORD

Feyenoord should have had third place sewn up by now, but after a stuttering finish to the campaign there are now in danger of losing it after doing so well to get themselves up there in the first place. Were also, up until a few weeks ago, looking up the table at catching Ajax in second but are now forced to look down after gaining only two points from their last nine. A 2-2 draw with Willem II didn’t look to be too damaging at the time but that was followed by a surprise first defeat at De Kuip since September to relegation candidates Go Ahead Eagles. Go Ahead had only won twice away from home all season and it was a damaging defeat that could have a big impact on their final league position. Before last weekends break in play a point away to Groningen would otherwise have been seen as a good one but in their current situation after going 1-0 they will be disappointed not to see it out.

With manager Fred Rutten and potentially several playing staff such as Clasie, Boetius and Te Vrede all linked with moves away it is easy to see why they may have tailed off towards the end but you would hope that they would like to put Feyenoord in as good a position as possible for next season, especially captain Clasie. Coach Rutten is already guaranteed to guide Feyenoord to their worst league position in three years but he won’t want to make it any worse. After scoring four goals in three appearances at the end of March, Anass Achahbar has failed to score in his next three. They will hope he can return to this form to guide them through the next two games. They will also be boosted by the fact that they have signed striker Colin Kazim-Richards on a permanent deal from Bursaspor. Feyenoord will be confident of securing the right result at what will be a crowded house against a Vitesse club that has looked slightly out of sorts this season. Terence Kongolo will be back after missing the game at Groningen and the only absentee will be Khaled Boulahrouz who was sent off in the dying seconds last time out. With expectations high the only thing that is likely to cost Feyenoord is their nerve in the big games which, barring PSV at home and AZ away, has sometimes hindered them this season.

AZ ALKMAAR

Nearest and most likely challengers to Feyenoord for third place, AZ are currently sitting in fourth with three points separating them and a place above. The team from Alkmaar could potentially miss out through their poor goal difference, which would need to see a twenty goal swing between them and Feyenoord in the final two games if they finish level. This has not been helped by a defense that has conceded a massive 53 goals this season, the worst record inside the top 11 teams. This year itself they have shipped four to PSV, six against Utrecht, three against Vitesse, four at home to Feyenoord and five at Heerenveen, a cut down on these figures would have seen them right in amongst it at the top.

Utrecht alone have put nine goals past them this season. Like Feyenoord it has been a fairly inconsistent season for AZ and they have never really been able to put a good run of results together. Good results such as the 2-2 draw away to Feyenoord, the 1-0 win at Ajax and 4-2 success at Groningen have been cancelled out by defeats at home to Feyenoord and both games against PSV. A run of seven games unbeaten from the end of October to mid-December seemed to put them on the right path until it was inexplicably ended with a 3-0 defeat at home to Utrecht. Straight after this game it again looked as if they had dragged themselves back in it with a run of one loss in eight leading into March. During this time they looked like serious challengers to Feyenoord and even an outside bet of a Champions League place a run of one win in five though showed their inconsistent nature. They go into the game on Sunday with two wins in a row including a crucial three points away at struggling Twente.

However, the fans will be disheartened by the sale of captain Nemanja Gudelj to Ajax this week, though he will be suspended for this weekend’s fixture anyway. Whether this will have an affect on the players themselves though remains to be seen. With Gudelj, their main source of goals, out it will now be up to the rest of the squad to pitch in with striker Steven Berghuis looking to add to his tally of nine goals this term. AZ will gain confidence from the from the fact the have already beaten NAC Breda this season 1-0 away from home, but teams fighting relegation at the end of the season can be a very different animal to the one at the start, so they can’t afford to be complacent.

VITESSE ARNHEM

Vitesse can count themselves unlucky that they seem to have just a very outside chance of reaching the top three. Their season seems to have gone the opposite from their two rivals’ as their poorest form seems to have come in the middle of the campaign. They would have found themselves in with a great chance of grabbing third spot with a win at De Kuip on Monday if they had won against ADO Den Haag in their last game. This defeat put an end to a truly spectacular run of 12 games without a loss including ten wins, but the shock defeat has left their hope of gaining entry in the Europa League automatically hanging by a thread. Anything but a win on Monday and they will have to go through the play-offs, and with what looks like Zwolle, Heerenveen and one of either Feyenoord and AZ joining them in there, nothing is certain.

Aside from the defeat at Den Haag, Vitesse can point to a disappointing start to the season where they failed to win in August and only had four points from their first 18. It looked as if they had found their feet between September and October when they recorded three straight wins, scoring 16 goals in the process but a run of one win in ten was to follow that though as their season fell away before them. The much needed unbeaten run that followed was vital and set them up in a good position coming into Monday nights game before the defeat to Den Haag. The team does posses some truly quality players in Marko Vejinovic, Davy Propper, Valeri Kaziishvili and Bertrand Traore and are capable of beating any team in this league on their day. Traore has 11 goals to his name and will look to add more before he presumably returns to Chelsea in the summer.

Vitesse can also take heart from Feyenoord’s recent slump in form and after seeing Go Ahead Eagles come away with three points; they are likely to be in a confident mood.

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FEATURE

With Depay gone… could Ziyech be the new star of the Eredivisie?

May 8, 2015 Will Burns Leave a comment

The Eredivisie is a league which is known for bringing through a lot of talented players, both from Holland and from across the globe. A number of players from the smaller European nations, South America and Africa see it as a platform to move onto bigger things. Hakim Ziyech is a player who is rising in the Eredivisie and could be set for a move this close season, despite only joining FC Twente last summer. The playmaker is of Moroccan descent, but he is a Dutch youth international, who is beginning to make his mark at the age of 22 writes Jake Jackman.

Ziyech joined FC Twente at the beginning of this season from SC Heerenveen which was an excellent move for him as his game has come on leaps and bounds this campaign. The midfielder has managed to score 11 Eredivisie goals across the two clubs, while also managing to contribute an impressive 12 assists, which is a very productive return in the final third for a player featuring mainly in the centre of midfield. His creative ability and his ability to score goals make him a very attractive option for a number of clubs across the continent, while a future in the Dutch national side is not beyond him.

It was at Heerenveen where Ziyech broke onto the scene and he developed quickly, and was a fan favourite at the club, even managing to win the club’s player of the year award last year ahead of the free scoring Alfred Finnbogason. In the opening weeks of the season, Hakim Ziyech scored at Feyenoord with a superb free kick and was applauded off by the home fans after he outclassed their side. Although he rejected the Rotterdam giants just days later, it showed that it is hard not to be impressed by the youngster’s talent, even when you are the opposition.

As well as having talent, Ziyech is very driven and that showed in the summer as he opted to move to FC Twente over the more lucrative option of joining Feyenoord. The midfielder wanted assurances over playing in the number ten role and they weren’t given by the latter who already had Lex Immers. It was a big mistake as Ziyech has showed his undoubted quality since his move to the Enschede.

The Dutchman is an offensive minded player, who likes to attack with speed with his dynamic style of play, and his eye for a pass makes him impossible to defend against, especially when in combination with the rest of a very pacy and technical Twente attack. Last season Twente were heavily reliant on Dusan Tadic in the final third before he moved to Southampton, but Ziyech has replaced the Serbian international seamlessly. He may not have achieved the numbers that Tadic did, but his influence on the team is just as crucial.

Ziyech is a work in progress with his passing needing work as he can be careless in possession at times, but his technical ability from set pieces and ability to run with the ball show that he could grow into a very effective attacking midfield player. He can put in excellent deliveries from set pieces and has scored a number of free kicks in his short career to date. The Twente midfielder is also very dangerous with his long range shots, and his eye for a defence splitting through ball is up there with the very best in the league.

The future for the Dutch national side is bright with a number of very exciting attacking players coming through at the moment, and Ziyech has the potential to be one of the best. He has the talent to become a really good player and the maturity of the decisions he is making regarding his career will help him achieve that. This summer is too soon for him to be considering a move away from the Eredivisie, but with Memphis Depay departing for Old Trafford, there is room for a new star of the league to emerge and Hakim Ziyech is one of the few players with the potential to fill it.

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TRANSFERS

Can Man Utd’s new boy live up to his expectations?

May 7, 2015 Will Burns Leave a comment

Memphis Depay. A name which suits this 21-year-old, because it has strength, grace and you just can’t forget him. And the media makes sure this won’t happen with their numerous articles around the wonderboy based on Facebook-likes and vague social media posts. After all, the odds are looking good for the United fans. Mainly because of his connection with fellow Dutchmen and ex-coach Louis van Gaal writes Martijn Hilhorst.

‘LvG’ worked with the right-footed left winger at the World Cup in Brazil, in which Depay became the youngest Dutch scorer ever (at a World Cup). However, Louis van Gaal only made inquiries over the player’s availability last summer but decided to keep track of his progress rather than make a move. After 21 goals in the Eredivisie and his rising star we could state that his was a costly decision by the United manager.

The self-titled ‘Dreamchaser’, which is tattooed on his chest, have been compared to Cristiano Ronaldo and he could one day live up to this standard. According to Ed van Steijn, the man who scouted Ronaldo for United, he is better than the Portuguese was at his age: “If I compare him to a young Cristiano Ronaldo at the time, then Depay has more strings to his bow. I like him better’. And his coach Cocu also adds on the pressure by comparing him with his colleague at the Dutch squad: ‘Whether he can be as good as Arjen Robben? I think so.”

But can he live up to these expectations? When it comes to football ability, you can never tell for sure at this age, but mentality-wise without a doubt. In this aspect of football he is right up there with Madrid star Cristiano Ronaldo. Constantly improving his technique and physique and being highly frustrated when it won’t go his way.

Memphis on the ball and beginning to to dribble is truly a heart raising event. His physical superiority does not limit his technical abilities which is rare – akin to his eagerness. But those moments of magic are often replaced by losing possession, shooting from impossible corners and being too irritated. His consistency is something Depay needs to work on. In the Dutch competition it’s okay to have an off-day, but not on the level he sees himself playing at.

The semi-finals of a WC, single-handedly making PSV champions after this seven years with winning the competition and on his way to become top goal scorer in the same league. Depay is only 21 years old, but he has been extraordinary and magical in many games for the Netherlands and his club PSV. Who wouldn’t want a young mix between Arjen Robben and Cristiano Ronaldo for around £25m?

To hear more of my views on Depay, watch the latest edition of Stretty News TV below…

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TOTALDUTCHFOOTBALL.COM

TRANSFERS

Van Gaal clinches Depay’s most coveted signature

May 7, 2015 Will Burns Leave a comment

Premier League giants Manchester United have agreed a deal to sign Memphis Depay from Eredivisie champions PSV Eindhoven subject to a medical which will take place this weekend. The right-footed left winger will sign until the summer of 2019 with the option for another year. It’s believed that PSV received around £22 million for the Dutch international reports Martijn Hilhorst.

Depay have been playing wonderfully this season for PSV and is currently the top scorer in the Eredivisie with 21 goals (two more than colleague Luuk de Jong). ‘Memphis’ is just 21-years-old, but has already been compared to big stars such as Cristiano Ronaldo and Arjen Robben.

Depay was heavily linked with moves to Liverpool and Paris Saint Germain, but eventually choose Manchester United instead, where he will play under his former coach at the Netherlands, Louis van Gaal.

Depay on his move: “Time to set my goals again on winning trophies with Manchester United. I always say; dream, believe, achieve. I was dreaming and believing of becoming the champions of the Eredivisie with PSV and we achieved it. I’m extremely grateful towards PSV and all the fans for believing in me”.

Depay started at PSV when he was just 12-years of age, he made his debut in 2011/12 and scored 38 times in 88 Eredivisie matches since then. He also played fifteen times in the Dutch national squad, including the World Cup of 2014 in Brazil. His new coach, Van Gaal, let him make his debut for ‘Oranje’ in October 2013.

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NEWS, TRANSFERS

BREAKING NEWS: Depay opens talks with Manchester United

May 6, 2015 Will Burns Leave a comment

It was revealed from AD Sportwereld tonight that PSV winger Memphis Depay has already had talks with Premier League giants Manchester United in regards to a summer move to Old Trafford.

In what seems may be the biggest transfer move of the summer, Depay has been linked with moved to Liverpool, Paris Saint-Germain, Bayern Munich and Louis van Gaal’s Red Devils over the past twelve months. It is now understood that the player and agent Kees Ploegsma have already held discussions with officials from the Premier League side regarding a potential move.

The news was released in the tweet below at 11.32PM this evening.

Memphis Depay opent gesprekken met ManUnited en Van Gaal http://t.co/fEDkAq0LI5 pic.twitter.com/HiYxUj8uLx

— AD.nl/sportwereld (@ADSportwereld) May 6, 2015

For more news as it is released follow our twitter feed at @TotalDutchFB

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TRANSFERS

Ajax signs the Gudelj brothers

May 6, 2015 Will Burns Leave a comment

Eredivisie giants Ajax today announced a double Serbian signing from the same family reports Will Burns. The much anticipated transfer of AZ Alkmaar midfielder Nemanja Gudelj finally was confirmed this afternoon when he put pen to paper on five-year deal however, he did not arrive alone as his younger brother Dragiša joined from NAC Breda as well-reknowned coaching father Nebojsa posed for photos with the pair today in Amsterdam.

***Dragi, Nemanja and father Nebojsa Gudelj during the tour of the ArenA – picture courtesy of Ajax.nl***

NEMANJA GUDELJ

Central midfielder Nemanja Gudelj was born on November 16th 1991 in Belgrade and has plyed his trade in the Eredivisie since the summer of 2009, first with NAC Breda for four campaigns before moving onto AZ.

While in Breda he netted eight times over 79 appearances and also made 15 runouts for the Serbian Under-21 side during this tenure. During this time, his father Nebojsa was head coach of NAC and sold him in the summer of 2013 for a cool €3 million to Alkmaar. During his time at AZ over the past two seasons he has appeared on 64 occasions while scoring 17 goals. In 2014, he made the full Serbian international team nine times.

Joining on a five-year deal, Ajax have themselves a creative midfielder with a great first touch and tremendous dribbling skills. He looks to be a snip at the rumoured €4.5million that Frank de Boer has sanctioned for the playmaker.

DRAGIŠA GUDELJ

Arriving at Ajax with his older brother is 17-year-old Dragi signing until June 2018. The young left-back will join the Ajax youth academy on a free transfer from NAC Breda on a three-year deal, and will aim to break through the first team within that contract.

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UNDER-17

Under-17 European Championships Preview

May 5, 2015 Will Burns Leave a comment

Sixteen teams and their representatives have made home on the complex in Pomorie, a small town located on a rocky peninsula in Burgas Bay, for the youth tournament that has doubled in size from the contest that England won on penalties in Malta just 12 months ago. The country they defeated in that cruel shootout was Maarten Steklenburg’s Dutch side. The Jong Oranje enter the campaign looking to clinch their third championship at this age group to go alongside they trophies from the 2011 and 2012 tournaments.

Maarten Stekelenburg has selected his 18-man squad for the UEFA Under-17 European Championships which begins tomorrow night in Bulgaria. The Jong Oranje first game comes on Thursday night against the Republic of Ireland before heading to face the defending champions England on Sunday. Their third Group D encounter occurs on Wednesday against Italy.

SQUAD

GOALKEEPERS:

1. Justin Bijlow (Excelsior)

16. Thijmen Nijhuis (FC Utrecht)

DEFENDERS:

2. Giovaani Troupee (FC Utrecht)

3. Timothy Fosu-Mensah (Manchester United)

4. Mats Knoester (Feyenoord)

5. Rick van Drongelen (Sparta Rotterdam)

13. Sherel Floranus (Sparta Rotterdam)

MIDFIELDERS:

6. Reda Boultam (Ajax)

8. Carel Eiting (Ajax)

10. Teun Bijleveld (Ajax)

12. Dani di Wit (Ajax)

14. Matthijs de Ligt (Ajax)

15. Mink Peeters (Real Madrid)

FORWARDS:

7. Rashaan Fernandes (Feyenoord)

9. Nigel Robertha (Feyenoord)

11. Javairo Dilrosun (Manchester City)

17. Jay-Roy Grot (NEC Nijmegen)

18. Donyell Malen (Ajax).

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FEATURE

What’s next for Ajax heading into summer?

May 5, 2015 Will Burns 1 Comment

Ajax finished the 2014-2015 campaign in largely disappointing fashion. You won’t find too many Ajax supporters that will tell you PSV was not the best side in the Eredivisie this year. However, many in the Ajax camp expected to be in the hunt down to the final weeks of the season. A run of lackluster matches against mediocre opponents has Frank de Boer and company searching for answers going into the summer as Alex Pieter describes.

As for European competitions, Ajax again had the unfortunate luck of drawing a tough group, with European giants Barcelona and PSG. Yet, Ajax left points on the table. Drawing a winnable game at the ArenA against PSG 1-1 was a killer. The second-half of that match is perhaps the best 45 minutes Ajax strung together the entire season. The other match that comes to mind is the dismal draw in Cyprus against APOEL, a solid side, yet one Ajax was expected to beat. The Europa League did not treat Ajax much better. After an encouraging display against Legia Warsaw, Ajax saw their dreams dashed in Ukraine against a talented, but beatable, Dnipro squad. It must be noted though that Ajax started the youngest average squad of any club in either European competition with an average age of 22 years old.

Ajax will not have the privilege of qualifying for the Champions league group stages automatically next year. Rather, they will have to play a series of difficult qualifiers. If you remember back to last year, Feyenoord, who finished second in the league during the 2013-2014 season, had to play Besiktas. The year before that, PSV went crashing out in the qualifying rounds to AC Milan. The Champions League group stages are far from guaranteed for Ajax at this point and a quality opponent is guaranteed.

LIKELY DEPARTURES

Ajax will lose a few familiar faces heading into next year. The first being captain Niklas Moisander, who has come to terms with Serie A side Sampdoria and will leave on a free transfer. Moisander failed to live up to the expectations set up by his predecessors, Toby Alderwerield and Jan Vertonghen. The loss will hurt Ajax because of the lack of depth at the center-back position. While de Toekomst continues to churn out talented midfield prospects, the number of talented defenders has been lacking. Stenfano Denswil, once pegged as a future starter for Ajax, was sold last year and is now struggling for Club Brugge in Belgium. Possible successors for Mosiander’s CB position are: Riechedly Bazoer, who has played mostly as a defensive midfielder, but who’s future could be at CB, Mikey van der Hoorn, who has showed flashes of potential but overall hasn’t lived up to Ajax expectations, Jairo Riedwald, who is well-known for his 2-goal debut for the club last year, or the most likely of the candidates, Nick Viergever, who has played mostly on the outside, but has proved capable of holding down the center.

There have also been rumors of late of a Ricardo Kishna departure. Whether there is a factual basis for these rumors is unknown. Kishna’s agent, Mino Raoila, has always been known to stir the pot and create drama out of thin air. What is known though, is the innate talent possessed by Kishna. Easily one of the bigger talents in the squad, he has been linked to multiple clubs in Serie A. With the return of Viktor Fischer there is increased competition on the left-wing. If Kishna were to go, it would be a big loss for Ajax. Kishna has shown he has the talent to make it big someday.

Will we finally see the exit of Kolbeinn Sigthorsson? The Icelandic battering ram never really found his stride in Amsterdam. The striker is not a typical Ajax number 9. Granted, he was never the same player after his ankle injury a few years back. Sigthorsson possesses the talent to help a club where the fit is right. Sadly, that club is just not Ajax. Where Sigthorsson may land during the summer is still a mystery. Unfortunately for Ajax, his value may be at an all-time low.

The Niki Zimling experiment will be remembered as a failure. Brought in to fill the void left by veteran Christian Poulsen, Zimling did not contribute much on the pitch for Ajax this season. The 30 year-old loanee from Mainz was expected to provide experience and toughness in a young, sometimes frail and timid Ajax midfield. He also spent much of the season battling injuries. It is no surprise he will return to Mainz after the season.

POSSIBLE ADDITIONS

Another year, another rumor of a former club legend returning to Amsterdam. This year, it is Rafael van der Vaart. His current club Hamburg SV is currently battling relegation and has told the 32 year-old midfielder they do not intend to renew his contract. That has left the door open for a return to Amsterdam for van der Vaart. While it is a romantic idea, it is not very likely. Ajax is unlikely to be able to pay the wages van der Vaart will demand. If van der Vaart were to take a pay cut, it remains to be seen how he’d fit into the squad. He has not aged as gracefully as some of his peers, such as Wesley Sneijder. Van der Vaart cannot cover ground like he used to, a key aspect of the Ajax midfield. How would his return affect the development of other youngsters such as Sinkgraven, Nouri, and van Beek? As someone who has played at the very highest level, van der Vaart could provide much needed experience and guidance to the younger generation. It all depends on van der Vaart, is he content to take a pay cut and play the mentor role, or will he opt to play every week and make the big bucks in MLS or somewhere in Asia?

Nemanja Gudelj has also been on the Ajax radar. The 23 year-old AZ Alkmaar Serbian midfielder is the most likely candidate to join the club next year, although a deal has not yet been reached. Guldelj would certainly add some toughness in the midfield and could prove useful alongside Klaassen and Sinkgraven. His arrival could possibly spell the end for fan-favorite Thulani Serero.

The name Oscar Cardozo has also been thrown around. I won’t comment too much on this because of the extreme unlikelihood he lands in Amsterdam. A 31 year-old, target-man striker, with no Eredivisie roots is just simply not an idea Ajax would seriously entertain.

Ajax would be wise to add some experience though. The youth of the squad proved costly too many times this season. Hopefully Overmars will take some shots at some big-name targets, as Ajax are in a very good financial position at the moment.

With the financial success Ajax have found themselves in, another route would be buying their stadium, the Amsterdam Arena. This is something Ajax have been pondering for some time and would prove to be a long-term financially responsible decision.

No matter what Ajax decided to spend their resources on, the fact remains that Ajax expect to challenge for – and win the 2015-2016 Eredivisie title.

As summer progresses, we will learn more and more about how next year’s squad will shape up. Some questions leading into the summer:

-Will Zivkovic get his act together and get back on track toward reaching his potential?

-Will Arek Milik continue his progression and become the next great number 9 for Ajax?

-Will Klaassen take the next step in his development and prove himself a legitimate prospect for the top clubs of Europe?

-Will next season be Frank de Boer’s last?

-What will Overmars do, if anything, to make ensure Ajax are not only challenging for domestic titles, but also relevant in Europe?

-What talents will step up and show they are ready for the senior side and which need a year or two more with Jong Ajax?

Click on Alex’s name to follow him on Twitter.

FEATURE

Champions PSV could pay for their success… next season

May 4, 2015 Will Burns Leave a comment

PSV Eindhoven have reaped the rewards of the hard work they have put in over the last few years to win the Eredivisie for the first time since 2008. A combination of good recruitment, investment in youth development and placing faith in a young exciting coach have seen PSV rise to the top of the Dutch game. Everybody has played their part in the club’s successes, from the directors to the players, but the hard work starts now as they must build on this season. Clubs in the Eredivisie are always vulnerable to clubs from bigger leagues coming in to take their best players and PSV will be aware of this as they begin to look to next season as Jake Jackman discusses exclusively for Total Dutch Football.

Before this season started, many people were tipping PSV for success after a very productive summer, but Ajax were still favourites as they sought their fifth successive league title. However, PSV have ran away with the championship and as things currently stand, they are an incredible 14 points clear of Frank de Boer’s side.

They have been successful for a variety of reasons, with the main one being the attacking quality in the side as they have been far away the top scorers with 87 goals at the time of writing, which is 22 more than Ajax who have the second best attack. The combination play between the attacking trio of Georginio Wijnaldum, Memphis Depay and Luuk de Jong has been scintillating at times, when you also add in Adam Maher and Luciano Narsingh, it could be considered on the best attacks in Eredivisie history.

Championships are also won on the back of great defences, and although they have conceded more goals than Ajax, the PSV backline has been very good this season, conceding only 29 which is less than a goal per game. The loan signings of Karim Rekik and Andres Guardado have been central to that, with the latter signing on a permanent deal in recent days. Guardado has played in midfield for the majority of the season, but his role is to help the back four, which has added some stability to a side filled with attacking talent. Unfortunately for PSV, it is unlikely that Rekik will be back next season as he is set to return to fight for his place at Manchester City.

Another key part to their Eredivisie win has been the development of players who were already at the club. Both Jeffrey Bruma and Jetro Willems have started fulfilling the potential that has been talked about for years in Holland. They have been a key part of the club’s success and both could become regulars for Holland over the coming years. Meanwhile, Maher has been a player overlooked by some, but he has been brilliant this season. His play deeper on the pitch is pivotal in bringing the best out of Wijnaldum, with the two striking up a good connection this season.

PSV will be going into this summer feeling vulnerable as rumours start to circulate about Memphis Depay and Georginio Wijnaldum, who have been the standout players this season. The former built a reputation last summer at the World Cup, and PSV managed to keep him for another season, but it will be hard to retain him this summer with rumours regarding a move to England increasing every day. His direct style of play will suit the Premier League, with his pace and skill on the dribble and his quality in front of goal making him similar to Eden Hazard. Both Liverpool and Manchester United have been linked to the attacker who has 21 league goals this season and is on course to be the top scorer this season.

Meanwhile, Wijnaldum has been linked with Newcastle United this week and there will be a lot of other clubs across Europe looking at the talented playmaker. At the age of 24, Wijnaldum is developing into the top class midfielder that he has been tipped to become since breaking through at Feyenoord. He is starting to become a regular for the national side and his contribution of 13 goals and three assists is really good for a midfielder. Like Depay, he is very good when running with the ball, while he is also very creative with through balls being one of his strengths. A lot of PSV attacks this season have been created by a Wijnaldum through ball to either Depay or Narsingh. He has been one of the best players in the league this season and it might be time to test himself in another league as he has the potential to become a world class midfielder.

Like Feyenoord last summer, PSV could lose a significant number of their side to foreign clubs. Depay and Rekik are almost certainly not going to be at the club next season, while there will be interest in the likes of Wijnaldum, De Jong, Willems, Jeroen Zoet, Maher, Bruma and Narsingh, all of whom have been regulars in the PSV side. It’s difficult not to admire the work done by the PSV directors and Phillip Cocu as they have brought in and developed a lot of young talent into champions of the Eredivisie. However their success could be the reason for their demise as clubs come in for their best talent. They will get a significant amount of money for them, but they will have to rebuild again after creating one of the most exciting sides in the club’s history.

Click on Jacob’s name above to follow him on Twitter.

TotalDutchFootball.com WorldFootballWeekly.com

BETTING TIPS, KNVB BEKER, KNVB BEKER PREVIEW, KNVB CUP

KNVB BEKER FINAL Preview & Betting Tips

April 29, 2015 Will Burns 2 Comments

Sunday 3rd May

PEC ZWOLLE vs. FC GRONINGEN (17:00 BST)

Ron Jans has big game experience as he leads his side into yet another final searching for his third trophy in just over twelve months as PEC Zwolle face FC Groningen in the KNVB Beker showdown at De Kuip. Looking to make a profit from the match, Will Burns discusses on what bets show the most value this coming Sunday afternoon in Rotterdam.

Zwolle can thank playmaker Jesper Drost for yet another successful season. The team currently sits in seventh in the Europa League playoff positions and the 22-year-old has been involved in more goals during this season’s Eredivisie campaign than any other player in the squad, notching eight goals with seven assists.

Attacking midfielder Stef Nijland, whom Jans has employed as a striker for part of the season, is the team’s top scorer on 11 goals. Czech international Tomas Necid is joint second with Drost on eight goals apiece.

Just below them in eighth is Sunday’s opposition, Edwin van der Looi’s FC Groningen. The Pride of the North are undefeated in the last six games which has helped sit on the edge of the playoffs themselves, however if they were to lose on Sunday, they would enter in place of Zwolle, who would qualify automatically for the tournament outright.

Van der Looi has relied heavily on Tjaronn Chery and Michael de Leeuw for goals this season, with both attackers top the tally charts on 14 each. Zwolle will also have to be aware of the aerial threat of Brazilian centre-back Eric Botteghin, who has headed three goals this term and can be a real hazard at attacking set-pieces.

In an ironic twist, Zwolle and Groningen meet next weekend in the penultimate group of the games in the Eredivisie season.

MATCH ODDS

Zwolle just have a knack of coming up big in the big games and after defeating the mighty Ajax 5-1 in last year’s final, Jans’ side will be hopeful of retaining the trophy and at a handsome 31/20 that looks a great bet at Bet Victor. Groningen are just outside that at 17/20 with the draw on 90 minutes valued at 12/5.

One thing for sure, looking at the goals markets, this game should see the goalkeepers tested often. Zwolle have only kept one clean sheet in their last 12 matches, with Groningen going one better with two shutouts in the same amount of games. On that note, Both Teams to Score is coming in at a decent 4/6. If your feeling really lucky why not combine Zwolle and BTTS for a massive 19/5.

RECCOMMENDED BETS

Zwolle to win – 31/20

Both Teams to Score – 4/6

Zwolle to win with Both Teams to Score – 19/5

All odds are with Bet Victor and may vary throughout the week leading up to Sunday’s match. Bet Victor offers the best odds for football, click here to join and claim up to £25 in free bets for all new customers.

Click the name above to follow Will on Twitter.

TotalDutchFootball.com WorldFootballWeekly.com