All posts by Will Burns

EREDIVISIE MID-YEAR REPORT

January 7, 2015 Will Burns Leave a comment

We are at the halfway mark in the Eredivisie and Willem Slor is on hand to explain what has happened this season so far…

The winter break has arrived in Europe, and the Eredivisie is at a standstill. From what we have seen so far in the league, regularity has been bestowed upon the top three teams; PSV, Ajax, and Feyenoord. The ‘Big Three’ of the Eredivisie have found their respective place, as these three teams together hold more than 50 percent of the total Dutch Championships. They also contend in a variety of rivalries, primarily ‘De Klassieker’, which describes the always-exciting game between Ajax and Feyenoord. These three teams continue to fight for the first place, and every single point loss can be detrimental to its chances of becoming the champion.

However, these three teams have not only historically maintained greatness, in this year most of the players in the Eredivisie have received the highest rating, including PSV’s Memphis Depay, Feyenoord’s Jordy Clasie, Colin Kazim-Richards, Kenneth Vermeer, Jens Toornstra, and Ajax’s Davy Klaassen, Arka Milik, and Anwar El-Ghazi, who seemed to have drawn international attention with their performances in the Champions League rounds. Not only that, but the big three are all advancing in the Europa League, a sight to see surely for many Dutch supporters.

In team efforts, Feyenoord has the highest percentage of ball possession, rounding up at 62 percent. The team also has the highest amount of corners (117). Ajax’s Davy Klaassen holds the number one position for most assists (8), Niklas Moisander has the most successful pass rate (1041), while Ajax has the most goals from direct free kicks(3). Memphis Depay has the most shots on goals (59).

PEC Zwolle, a solid fourth place contender, has shown its supporters a kind of ‘voetbal’ that exhibits solid wins, strong finishing skills, but most importantly, beautiful attacks. Its team has had its fair amount of magical combinations and superb executions. A very well deserved spot for PEC Zwolle. Plus, who doesn’t like a joyful Ron Jans in a post-match interview? The guy says the greatest things when the W is in the pocket.

FC Twente has faced one of its trickiest first half of the semester, facing anything from light injuries to white tissues being displayed for Alfred Schreuder. A magnificent comeback last weekend signified its retaliation against its latest criticism, but can they continue to hold up for the second half of the competition? It’s winger, Jesús Manuel Corona, holds the season record for most successful dribbles (42), but does this really mean anything if those dribbles don’t lead to a goal?

AZ is coasting steadily, receiving 28 points in 17 matches, just as much as FC Twente. To its credit, the team has the longest series without suffering a goal (4 games) and its centre-back, Jeffrey Gouweleeuw, holds the most interceptions for the first half of the season(65).

SC Cambuur, FC Groningen and FC Utrecht have been fighting to claim seventh, eighth and ninth places. Cambuur holds on to the seventh; a solid standing for a team that has only recently been promoted to the Eredivisie. Overall, a respectable position for Cambuur, but also a target for Groningen and Utrecht to achieve. Groningen’s keeper Sergio Padt, has the most saves out of all the keepers in the Eredivisie (71). This means that he is a solid goalkeeper, but also that Groningen’s defense isn’t completely up to par with Padt’s level: a goalie wouldn’t have to stop that many shots if the defense did its job. Tommy Oar, the Australian winger for FC Utrecht, has created the most changes for its attackers (45).

As we start to dwindle down the list, the teams that stand between the number nine and 18 have its individual issues. Vitesse, which was considered a powerhouse last season, has not forgotten to play good football, but seems to have completely forgotten how to score on goal. No goals, no points. In order for Vitesse to claim its righteous spot, goals will have to start dropping left and right.

Heerenveen owns the top scorer of the Eredivisie, Mark Uth (11), but these goals seem to have no significance, as these goals mostly tie up or show retribution to defeat for Heerenveen, but they hardly seem to be decisive in wins.

Willem II, Excelsior, ADO Den Haag, Heracles, and Go Ahead Eagles are all fun teams to watch, as they occasionally give the top teams a hard time and makes these top teams work for their points. However, they mostly lack the power that all the top teams possess, and this usually leads to either a tie or a defeat. When they play each other, it’s really a toss-up which team would win. But they’re always fun to watch.

NAC Breda and FC Dordrecht fight ever so hard to stay away from elimination, but if nothing happens in the second half of the season, it seems that these two teams are doomed. Dordrecht recently received its first point at home since 1995; this is a milestone that does not belong in the Eredivisie.

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

FEATURE

Why Feyenoord Must Sign Colin Kazim-Richards

January 7, 2015 Will Burns Leave a comment

As we near the end of the mid-season break, many supporters around the Netherlands (and indeed the world) are taking stock and hoping for better from their respective clubs in 2014-15 (Part II). Paul Gellard’s own belief is that there is better to come from Feyenoord in the second half of the campaign, and central to that will be Turkish striker, Colin Kazim-Richards.

When Kazim-Richards arrived in Holland on a season-long loan from Turkish club, Bursaspor, it raised a few eyebrows. The winner of 35 caps for his country, the man who originally started his career with English League Two side, Bury, had primarily been a winger in his early career in England and also for the Turkish national side. However, Fred Rutten has chosen to employ him as a lone striker, with often devastating effect.

Feyenoord’s season did not start well (an opening day win at ADO Den Haag aside) and the loss of Graziano Pelle to Southampton was keenly felt in Rotterdam. The Italian had netted 23 goals for “De Club aan de Maas” but it was hoped Mitchell te Vrede would step up to the mark in his absence. To be fair to the Dutch forward, 5 goals in the opening 8 Eredivisie games speaks volumes. However Feyenoord still lacked a real physical presence in the final third as their form remained erratic.

Enter Colin Kazim-Richards, who made his debut for Feyenoord as a 63^rd minute substitute for the aforementioned te Vrede in a 2-1 defeat to Willem II at De Kuip. Indeed, it didn’t take long for the London-born Turk to open his account, scoring just 12 minutes later. This was then followed by a 1-0 home loss to bitter rivals, Ajax, but Kazim-Richards then grabbed his second Feyenoord goal with a 4-0 win at Go Ahead Eagles in Deventer on 27^th September before going on what can be fairly described as a lean spell. Indeed, the next goal did not come until 6^th December when he scored the opening goal in a 5-2 thrashing of neighbours, Excelsior.

By the time of the Excelsior goal, the knives were sharpening for the striker and criticism of his lack of goals was deafening in some quarters. However it was always appreciated by the Feyenoord faithful his willingness to chase down a lost cause and put himself about opposition defences.

As it happened, the Excelsior goal seemed to kickstart Kazim-Richards’ form as he went on to score a goal in each of the remaining three Eredivisie fixtures prior to the mid-season break. Indeed, who can forget his 89^th minute header at the Philips Stadion that appeared to have earned Feyenoord a well-deserved point when trailing 3-2? Only a 93^rd minute winner by Memphis Depay ultimately rained on the Rotterdammers’ parade in a game many have named as their top moment of 2014.

And so a record of 7 goals from 13 Eredivisie appearances is how it stands at the mid-season point. It is quite possible that Kazim-Richards is cursing the break as he hit such a rich run of form. However, for this writer, it is key that Fred Rutten and Feyenoord attempt to sign Kazim-Richards on a permanent basis. Apart from his goalscoring, he has also shown he can play the lone striker’s role and sacrifice himself for the side. He has a powerful physique and pace and is the sort of striker a lot of supporters will hate when he plays against their side, but they’d secretly advocate having him wearing their club’s shirt.

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

FEATURE

Evaluation of the 2014/15 Eredivisie Exports

January 5, 2015 Will Burns Leave a comment

In this piece, Jake Jackman focuses on five players who departed the Eredivisie this summer and determining whether they have been a hit or miss so far for their new club. Obviously it’s far too early to judge any player in his new environment, but these are initial reactions to the opening half of the season.

Graziano Pelle

The Italian has had a rather up and down career after failing to make it in his native Italy, but the past few seasons have been exceptional for Pelle, with his performances leading to a call up to the national side in September. The striker scored on his Italian debut, and he could be a late bloomer on the international scene becoming a top striker for Italy in the process. Many were doubting Southampton and some of their summer signings, but the side from the South Coast have been brilliant so far. The Italian has scored 9 in all competitions for Southampton so far, making him a great signing. He has scored 64 goals in his last 77 games in all competitions making him one of the hottest properties in football at the moment. Feyenoord struggled at the beginning of the season and it’s obvious to see why, any side would miss a goalscorer of Pelle’s class.

Verdict: HIT

Alfred Finnbogason

The former Heerenveen striker actually outscored Pelle in last season’s Eredivisie and many would have expected him to make a name for himself yet in Spain. He has only started twice for Real Sociedad and he is yet to break his duck. This is a player who had a lot of interest last summer, including some from the Premier League, and the Spanish league may not be the one best suited to him and it’s showing early in his Sociedad career. The Finn scored 29 league goals last season, his finishing ability is undoubted, which is why I expect him to make an impact in Spain once he has settled, but at the moment it isn’t going his way.

Verdict: MISS

Stefan De Vrij

Lazio got themselves a bargain when they signed the Dutch World Cup star from Feyenoord as the defender has slotted seamlessly into their defence and impressed over the opening matches of the Serie A. He may have already been sent off in Italy, but he has been very assured in the back line, making 3.3 interceptions per match. The organisational aspect of the Italian game will have a positive effect on de Vrij, who will continue to improve. It’s unlikely that this is going to be the biggest move of his career as he has the potential to become a top class player in one of the world’s major leagues.

Verdict: HIT

Daryl Janmaat

Another player that departed Feyenoord was right back Daryl Janmaat, who has become one of the first names on Alan Pardew’s team sheet in the North East of England. He has started every Premier League match for the Magpies this season, while he has yet to miss a minute of football in the league this season. The right back has started well in England, scoring a goal in his second match at St James’ Park. In every match he has played, he has been a massive threat going forwards, especially when he cuts inside and unleashes powerful shots from distance. He was signed to replace Mathieu Debuchy and at the moment, he looks like he has the ability to surpass the Frenchman’s achievements in the Newcastle side, already leveling Debuchy’s goal count.

Verdict: HIT

Dusan Tadic

Southampton signed another one of the best players of last season’s Eredivisie in Dusan Tadic, who was known for his creativity in FC Twente’s side. Last season, he contributed 16 goals and 14 assists, which is an incredible return from midfield. He has already shown his incredible eye for a pass on the South Coast, contributing six assists to date, including four against Sunderland alone. The Serbian also has one goal to his name. He hasn’t shown the goal threat he showed in the Eredivisie, but that will grow as he adjusts to the division. He is having 2.7 shots per game, highlighting that he is getting in goalscoring positions, he is just yet to become clinical in front of goal in England, but there is no doubt he has been great for Southampton this season

Verdict: HIT

The players above highlight the quality in the Eredivisie and the successes of these players will only bring more scouts to Holland on a weekly basis, which is positive for the league, especially when it comes to finances. The new batch of players making a name in the Eredivisie will know that performing in Holland will see them get opportunities to move to bigger leagues and as the above players show, it’s possible to be a big success away from the Eredivisie.

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

TotalDutchFootball.com WorldFootballWeekly.com

NEWS

Five Things To Expect In 2015

January 5, 2015 Will Burns 2 Comments

The year of 2014 is over, and it was undoubtedly a year to remember for Dutch football. A largely unfancied National Team finished 3rd place in the World Cup, demolishing Spain 5-1 on the way, Frank de Boer won a fourth consecutive title with Ajax, becoming the first manager to do so, and Louis van Gaal took on one of the biggest jobs in management when he when he was appointed as the Manchester United manager. 2015 is sure to be another big year, but just what can we expect?

Frank de Boer will leave Ajax

In 2010, off the pitch, Ajax was in turmoil, with Johan Cruyff clashing with the board. On the pitch however, Frank de Boer was on his way to his first eredivisie title with the Dutch giants. He has gone on to win three more league titles, playing the “Ajax way”, focusing on developing the club’s youngsters and playing an attractive style of football. He has gained many plaudits for this and has attracted the interest of some of Europe’s top clubs in recent seasons, but has always claimed to be happy at Ajax, saying that he wants to do well in Europe with them before he leaves. However, yet again his Ajax side fell at the first hurdle in the Champions League, and at the age of 44, with his stock higher than ever, it’s looking more and more likely that he’ll leave for one of Europe’s major leagues. As for his successor…

Jaap Stam will take over the reigns at Ajax

Due to the revolution of 2010 at Ajax, the majority of staff now are former players, that include the likes of Marc Overmars, Dennis Bergkamp, Edwin van der Sar, Wim Jonk and Jaap Stam. When Frank de Boer leaves, it is likely that Ajax will appoint someone within their ranks to replace him. Overmars and Van der Sar both have roles off the pitch, whilst Bergkamp has stated that he never wants to become a manager. That leaves Wim Jonk and Jaap Stam, and whilst de Boer has stated that he thinks they could both do a good job, Stam seems like the more likely option.

Ronald Koeman will win Manager of the Season

At the end of last season, Southampton lost their manager, Mauricio Pochettino to Spurs, and also lost many of their star players to bigger English clubs, so by the time Ronald Koeman had taken charge, many pundits tipped them to struggle, and some even said they could be drawn into a relegation battle. However, Koeman brought in two players who had been excellent in the Eredivisie for the past two seasons in Dusan Tadic and Graziano Pelle, and has lead the team to an impressive start in the league, currently sitting fourth in the table, and if they can hold on for a top four finish, Koeman will surely be crowned the Premier League’s manager of the season, surpassing the achievements of his predecessor, even after losing many key players.

Memphis Depay, Georginio Wijnaldum and Jordy Clasie will leave the Eredivisie

2014 was the year that many of the biggest Dutch talents left the Eredivisie after impressing at the 2014 World Cup. Daley Blind moved to English giants Manchester United, Bruno Martins-Indi moved to Portuguese powerhouses Porto, whilst Stefan de Vrij and Daryl Janmaat moved to Lazio and Newcastle respectively. However, Jordy Clasie, Georginio Wijnaldum and Memphis Depay all decided to stay at their Dutch clubs for another season. All three have continued to impress in Holland and are attracting the interest of Europe’s biggest clubs. Clasie and Wijnaldum have both performed well on the pitch and have demonstrated good leadership skills in captaining their respective teams. Both have been linked with teams abroad, with Italy looking like likely destinations for both of them. With 10 goals and 3 assists in 13 appearances, Depay is clearly too good for the league, and is destined for much bigger things, with the likes of Real Madrid and Manchester United showing interest.

PSV will break their seven year title drought

PSV were the dominant team in Holland from 1999 to 2007, winning seven league titles, and even reaching the Champions League semi-final in 2005, narrowly missing out on reaching the final. However, since then, Louis van Gaal has led AZ to the Eredivisie title, Steve McClaren did the same with FC Twente in 2008-09 and Frank de Boer’s Ajax have dominated since then. This season though, Phillip Cocu has built a young side capable of reclaiming the title. With the likes of Depay, Wijnaldum and Willems leading the charge, it looks like Ajax’s four year reign is about to be over, and with a four point lead at the top of the table, PSV hold their fate in their own hands, and come May, should be champions.

Ron Vlaar will join a bigger club

Ron Vlaar, the Aston Villa captain, has been linked with a move away from Villa Park for the last year, due to his contract expiring at the end of the season. Vlaar’s stock rose due to impressive performances at the World Cup, including a semi-final performance in which he silenced Lionel Messi. It is likely that Vlaar will want to seek a move to a bigger club, it is just a question of when. Villa can either cash in on him in January or choose to keep hold of him until the end of the season and let him go on a free transfer. Arsenal and Liverpool have both been linked with him, but with Van Gaal at the helm, and the side in need of defensive reinforcements, Manchester United looks like the most likely destination.

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

FEATURE

When will Dutch football dominate in Europe once again?

January 4, 2015 Will Burns Leave a comment

When you think back twenty years people can familiarize themselves with Dutch football being successful both in Europe and also the national team but the iconic Eredivisie is now suffering from a lack of investment throughout the league that is damaging the competitiveness of the Dutch top-flight. Top stars that have come to prominence in Holland are quickly shipped on to clubs in richer leagues with for a high fee and in the vast majority of cases become a success at their new clubs.

Players such as Graziano Pelle and Dusan Tadic were sold on from Feyenoord and Twente respectively for a fees combined of €20million with minimal investment being reproduced into the game for teams to become more competitive in European competitions. Prior to the commencement of the new league season last August, Feyenoord began their qualification campaign to enter into the Champions League against Besiktas but the sales of key players such as Bruno Martins Indi, Graziano Pelle, Stefan de Vrij and Daryl Janmaat and lack of replacement was deemed a bridge to far for qualification for Europe’s premier competition.

Investment in young Dutch talents has been ever present in Holland and almost a tradition of the footballing history and philosophy of the three-time World Cup runners up. The infamous Ajax youth academy has a reputation throughout Europe as one of the greatest academies in football currently, but to what benefit will is that to the clubs of the Eredivisie and supporters of the national team? In a league lacking the competitiveness of clubs against some of the world’s most iconic teams, it’s difficult to see how players can develop and push onto the international stage.

The summer of 2014 took fans of all nations by storm when Louis Van Gaal took his unfancied Netherland’s team to Brazil to try and go one step better than their successes of the 2010 World Cup in South Africa. The Dutch national side were expected to fail miserably during the competition with the players and team humiliated by world champions Spain and South American supremo’s Chille whom they faced in their group. Critics were humiliated when Van Gaal took Holland to the semi-finals with a team full of youthful promise. All the young players who started for Holland were all produced through clubs in the Eredivisie but with the exception of Memphis Depay and Jasper Cillessen, many of the Dutch top young stars were sold on for a large fees because of the potential witnessed in Brazil and their performances in domestically.

Where next for Dutch football and what is required to stop the out pour of players to other leagues people may ask, and it’s a question that has proved difficult to answer also. People may question that the league has had a tradition to sell their top stars to major European clubs but the last decade have proven that league is now suffering continentally. It may take investment of an Arab billionaire into a popular Dutch side to help with the attraction of foreign stars into the division to make it more successful. Should a foreign owner, and foreign stars with a mixture of Dutch youth products, would the Eredivisie become a larger success on a worldwide audience and re-create the famous European nights at the later stages of the UEFA Champions League.

Click the name above to follow Shane on Twitter.

NEWS

Heerenveen – The Best Football City in the Netherlands

January 4, 2015 Will Burns 1 Comment

A while ago Rogier Waalder set out to ask the question “What is the Best Football City in the Netherlands” which was published here. The answer to the question I posed was fairly easy in the end, with the clear winner being Heerenveen. Heerenveen won the title based on the level of support in the ‘city’ for its local side SC Heerenveen as a proportion of its total population. The average attendance of the club (22,700) equates to 80% of the town’s population. So as a natural follow up to this original article I looked into why is it that Heerenveeners love their football so much.

Heerenveen is a town (not a city) in the North of the Netherlands in the Province of Friesland. Its population of just fewer than 30,000 makes it the 4^th largest population centre in Friesland, which in turn has only the 8^th largest population out of the 12 Dutch Provinces. So it’s a small place but one that is renowned across the Netherlands for its sporting achievements and facilities. In a footballing sense, Heerenveen is home to SC Heerenveen, which has the most fervent supporters in all of the Eredivisie.

There are several key factors that have all combined to make the people of Heerenveen so passionate about football:

A Regional Club

One of the main reasons why the people of Heerenveen love football so much stems from the fact that the club is seen to represent the whole of Friesland. SC Heerenveen has set itself up as the club that represents the people of Friesland, going as far as to incorporate the Friesland flag in its logo and shirts and its nickname is De Superfriezen. This is in spite of the fact that by far the largest and most important city of Friesland is nearby Leeuwarden (home of rivals Cambuur). There is a perceived attitude in both Heerenveen and Leeuwarden that the Leeuwarders turn down their noses down at those who identify as being Fries, due to perceiving them to be peasants or farmers. This attitude has developed a very healthy rivalry between SC Heerenveen and Cambuur. In fact during last weekend’s derby between the 2 clubs the Heerenveen supporters predominately waved around Friesland flags whilst the Cambuur supporters waved the Dutch flag. The Heerenveen supporters also hired a plane to display a banner that read ‘Leeuwarden: Anti-Fries’. So in effect the snubbing of anything Fries by the people of Leeuwarden has made SC Heerenveen a symbol for not only Heerenveen but the rest of Friesland, which in turn has helped SC Heerenveen’s stature immensely.

Historical Injustice

Going hand in hand with SC Heerenveen appealing to the greater Friesland community, is also the historical sense of injustice amongst the citizens of Heerenveen to their overlords in Leeuwarden. This injustice stems back to the middle ages when the noblemen in Leeuwarden refused to grant Heerenveen city rights and as such Heerenveen has officially remained a town rather than a city ever since. This holds special significance in Friesland as its 11 ‘cities’ are part of the legendry ice skating race the ‘Elfstedentocht’, which is a massive event in the Netherlands (when it takes place) and Heerenveen of course misses out. This has also sensed to increase the anti-establishment feelings that Heerenveeers feel toward Leeuwaarden, which has resulted in an immense civil pride. The people of Heerenveen are naturally therefore very proud and defensive of their town and look to every opportunity to show off their town in a positive light.

A Sporting City

Heerenveen has a proud sporting history, particularly in football and speed-skating. Heerenveen is the spiritual home of the all-conquering Dutch speed skating team that shocked the world with their dominance at the 2014 Winter Olympics. Heerenveen’s Thialf arena regularly hosts Speed Skating World Cup events.

When I asked a spokesperson from the Gemeente (Council) as to what the positive reactions are for the town as a result of SC Heerenveen, the response was:

“Heerenveen is extremely sports-minded, not only when it comes to football. There is also speed-skating, gymnastics, ice hockey, athletics and dozens of other sports. It is the combination of all of this which is very positive for the town’s reputation. There are several up-to-date facilities available to all sportsmen and women, for training, schooling and (medical) supervision.

And sport-minded Heerenveen is a place tinged with gold: which has led us to choose ‘A Golden Plaque’ as the motto for Heerenveen. Golden Plaque has a double meaning for people here in Heerenveen and Friesland: it is a plaque as in ‘medal’ at championships but in Frisian ‘plak’ also means ‘place’. So in this instance Heerenveen is a place with its own golden tint”

So it’s quite evident that the Gemeente actively encourages sporting success and participation within Heerenveen as they realise the synergies for the whole community that can come out of football and sport in general.

Excellent Facilities

So all this positive mantra that the community reaps from having successful sporting ventures inside the town is appreciated by the Gemeente, who are more than willing to provide support in whatever way it can. When pressed on this point, the Gemeente spokesperson expanded on this point:

“The Abe Lenstra football stadium, named after the legendary footballer, is an integral part of the multi-sport complex Sportstad Heerenveen. The complex also hosts the Centre for Top-Class Sport and Education (CTO), supported by the Netherlands Olympic Committee*Netherlands Sports Federation (NOC*NSF), is also a central part of this complex. Through the CTO, young people can combine studies and sports at a personalized and top level, which allows them to train as much as possible. The municipality of Heerenveen owns 50% of Sportstad Heerenveen, of which the football stadium is a part of. The complex was built in 1996 and rebuilt in 2006.
By co-financing like this, the municipality of Heerenveen encourages SC Heerenveen enormously. This shows, once again, the town is proud of its football club.

Also, the municipality of Heerenveen pays for maintaining the training and playing fields which SC Heerenveen uses for the first team and its youth teams.”

So it seems as though passion for football (and sport in general) runs through all levels of society in Heerenveen, which in turn breed success.

Success

So it seems that Heerenveen has the perfect mix of passion and holistic community support for football which in turn has bred success. Despite coming from one of the smallest towns to ever host an Eredivisie side, SC Heerenveen has been in the Eredivisie consecutively since 1992. They were runners-up in 1992-3 and 1999-2000 seasons, whilst also winning the Dutch Cup in 2008-9 along with the multiple successes in the 1940’s in the then Regional leagues. They’ve qualified for a European competition in 16 of the past 20 seasons, including an appearance in the Champions League group stages in 2000-1 season. These are quite some achievements for a club from a town with less than 30,000 inhabitants.

The success of the club is not only represented by what happens on the field but also off it as well. According to club’s supporters at SC Heerenveen, football is experienced as it should be – an accessible, ‘fair’ game for the whole family. For years, SC Heerenveen has enjoyed the best reputation among the Eredivisie clubs. The club adheres to norms and values. It is also the ‘second team for many football supporters from other Dutch clubs. Corporate partners also enjoy being associated with SC Heerenveen, making its business club the largest one in the Netherlands.

So Heerenveen is an example of what happens when an entire community positively supports its football club and the benefits that come out of this support for both the football club and then back to the community. Heerenveen is a worthy winner of the title of ‘Best Football City in the Netherlands’ and I’ll leave the last word from a prominent supporter of the club who says “Heerenveen is a club for the people and Win, lose, or tie, SC HEERENVEEN TILL I DIE!”

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

DUTCHMEN ABROAD

DUTCHMEN ABROAD – SEPTEMBER 2014

October 10, 2014 Will Burns Leave a comment

Barclays Premier League

What a difference a month makes, in the August edition, Daryl Janmaat was being commended on his good performances and in helping his side, Newcastle United, to a decent start to the season. Although Janmaat himself has not worsened drastically his team have. Since the 3-3 draw against Crystal Palace they have only won once, 3-2 in extra-time in the League Cup against the same opposition. His manager Alan Pardew is under extreme pressure and it seems that he will soon be on his way. Robin Van Persie and Manchester United have improved on their poor opening month of the season. In the league they have won four out of five, they lost to Leicester City 5-3 in an amazing game, and Van Persie has managed to grab himself two goals as well this month. Both Ron Vlaar and Erik Pieters were mentioned last week for their brilliant performances but both their teams have dipped in September. Even though Aston Villa beat Liverpool away, Vlaar & Co have lost their last three games whilst Pieters’ Stoke sit in 16th having lost two, won once and drawn one game in September.

Bundesliga

Arjen Robben and Bayern Munich continued their dominance of the Bundesliga this month winning all 3 of their games as well as winning two group games in the Champions League, at home to Manchester City and away to CSKA Moscow. Although he didn’t manage to score he did provide an assist for Thomas Müller against newly promoted SC Paderborn in a 4-0 rout. Huntelaar continues to try and drag Schalke by the scruff of their neck as he performed well this month but his team didn’t and Roberto Di Matteo replaced Jens Keller as manager. He grabbed a goal in both Champion’s League games, against Chelsea and Maribor respectively, and helped Schalke beat rivals Borussia Dortmund who are also struggling but this was not enough to save Keller after defeats to Borussia Mönchengladbach and Hoffenheim as well as drawing at home with group minnows Maribor. Other mentions include Rafael Van der Vaart whose issues go on after he didn’t play a single game in September in a side that are really struggling and sacked their manager Mirko Slomka.

Serie A

Jonathan de Guzman has had a mixed month with Napoli; they lost their first 2 games before drawing with Palermo and going on to win their last game of the month. He appears to have already gone to th top of the pecking order at Napoli with captain Gokhan Inler struggling for consistent playing time. In Rome Dutch utility man Urby Emanuelson has had a tough start to his Roma career, featuring only once in Serie A for Roma. On the other side of the capital both Stefan de Vrij and Edson Braafheid have become crucial parts of the Lazio who currently sit eighth in the table. In other Serie A news midfielder Kevin Strootman is not leaving Roma according to many at the club including coach Rudi Garcia and is expected to return in December from his long term spell on the treatment table.

Best of the Rest

In Russia two players are becoming crucial members of their team, Alexander Buttner of Dinamo Moscow and Quincy Promes of Spartal Moscow. Buttner has been key to helping Dinamo to third in the table whilst Promes has played 7 times and scored twice for his new club following his summer move from Twente. Over in Ukraine Jeremain Lens is slowly working his way back into the team after being on the verge of leaving in the summer, he scored against Volyn last month. Further South in Turkey Wesley Sneijder and Dirk Kuyt have been featuring for Galatasaray and Fenerbache respectively whilst in Portugal Bruno Martins Indi and Porto have built on their solid start to the season, they beat BATE Borisov 6-0 in the Champions’ League.

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

TotalDutchFootball.com WorldFootballWeekly.com

FEATURE

Dirk Kuyt – A league of his own

October 10, 2014 Will Burns 1 Comment

When Dirk Kuyt burst onto the scene at Feyenoord, becoming the clubs top scorer in three consecutive seasons, many dubbed him to be Holland’s next prolific goal scorer, and as a potential replacement for Ruud Van Nistelrooy, so at first glance, his goal scoring record of 24 goals in 104 caps suggests that his international career was a disappointment. However, what Dirk Kuyt contributed to the Oranje over 10 years is worth so much more than just goals, and his three last major tournaments for the Dutch side epitomised this writes Fin Crebolder.

During the build up to the 2010 World Cup, there were calls for Dirk Kuyt to be replaced by the more skillfull and pacey winger Eljero Elia. Even after the first game, where Kuyt got himself a goal, calls still persisted for Elia to get the nod. However, as the tournament went on, despite the likes of Sneijder and Robben gaining plaudits, Kuyt was equally as crucial in the Oranje reaching the final. Whilst Robben was bombarding forward on the opposite wing, Kuyt was tirelessly tracking back in every match. In the build up to the quarter final against Brazil, many people pinpointed Maicon, the right back for Brazil, as one of their danger men. He had already scored at the tournament, and was proving to be a huge attacking threat for Brazil in every game. However, throughout the quarter final, Kuyt tracked Maicon and prevented him from making any sort of impact. This performance drew praise from Dutch legend, Johan Cruyff;

“Not only did he keep Maicon out of the game, he also set up the winner. Someone like that is worth his weight in gold.”

In the semi-final against Uruguay, after setting up Robben with a fantastic cross for the Bayern Munich winger to make it 3-1, he also made a crucial last ditch block in stoppage time with the scores at 3-2 to secure The Netherlands passage to their third World Cup Final. Despite the fact that they lost the final, Kuyt had shown fantastic work-ethic throughout to help get them there.

Going into Euro 2012, The Netherlands were one of the pre-tournament favourites to lift the trophy. Due to the strong depth of the squad, some star players were set to miss out on the starting line-up. These players were Huntelaar, Van der Vaart and Kuyt, who lost their places to Van Persie, De Jong and Afellay respectively. After the first game, a 1-0 loss to Denmark, Van der Vaart and Huntelaar started to kick up a fuss about not starting. This set the tone for the rest of the Oranje’s short tournament, as team morale got worse on and off the pitch. However, among the disharmony in the Dutch Camp, Dirk Kuyt did not complain once about being dropped from the team, even after being an undisputed starter during the qualifying campaign. Instead, he put his personal issues to one side and tried, along with Wesley Sneijder, to keep the morale in the camp high, for the good of the team, and this is probably a large factor as to why, when Van Gaal took over, he was made vice-captain, with Sneijder as captain. Despite the fact that he was unable to contribute on the pitch during this tournament, Kuyt displayed admirable selflessness that not many Dutch players have been known for showing.

Many people had forgotten about Dirk Kuyt going into the 2014 World Cup, due to his age and Van Gaal’s preference to play the younger players. However, after it was revealed that The Netherlands would play 5-3-2 at the World Cup, reports emerged that Dirk Kuyt had started training in the first XI as a wing back, and he even earned the nickname “Dirk Alba” from his teammates. After not playing a part in the first two games, Kuyt was deployed in the left wing-back against Chile. It was the first time in his career that he played in this position, but if you were watching him play for the first time, you would’ve thought that it was his natural position. He looked composed, organised and assured in the role, and compensated for his lack of pace with excellent positioning time and time again. In his 100^th cap, the last 16 clash against Mexico, he started off at right wing back, before moving over to left wing back for the second half, and when the team were 1-0 down with 10 minutes left, Van Gaal put Kuyt up front to provide an aerial threat. This worked, as Kuyt won the corner which resulted in Sneijder’s last ditch equaliser. Kuyt retained his role as a wingback in the games against Costa Rica and Argentina, rarely putting a foot wrong, and in both penalty shoot-outs, he calmly slotted his away. After going into the World Cup as an almost forgotten man, he emerged as one of the Oranje’s key players, showing excellent willingness and versatility to help the young side reach the Semi-Finals.

Whilst many Dutch players have been accused of putting themselves ahead of the team, Kuyt has always put the interests of the team ahead of his own, whether that is by trying to keep team morale up even after being, somewhat unfairly, dropped, or sacrificing his attacking qualities in order to help a young teams defensive problems. So no, he won’t be mentioned alongside the likes of Cruyff, Van Basten and Bergkamp when people are discussing Dutch greats, but whilst he may not possess the technique, skill or flair of these players, the simple fact is, there never has been, and in my opinion, never will be again, a Dutchman that is so hard-working, selfless and versatile, and for that reason, Dirk Kuyt is in a league of his own.

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INTERVIEW

INTERVIEW – PAOK’s Hedwiges Maduro

October 9, 2014 Will Burns Leave a comment

Hedwiges Maduro has starred for Ajax, Valencia and Sevilla before recently settling in at Greek side PAOK. TotalDutchFootball.com’s Martijn Hilhorst conducted an exclusive interview with Maduro this week to see what the future could hold for the midfielder.

In an interview from a year and a half ago you said you would’ve played more matches for the Netherlands if you didn’t left Ajax. Is this feeling still there and are you regretting some of the decisions you have made?

I never regret any of my decisions. You are aware of the choices you made. Sometimes this comes out great and in other occasions a bit disappointing. I do think that you are more in the picture when playing in the Netherlands which is logical because everyone could watch you regularly. When you aren’t playing at a big international club you are quickly out of the picture.

In the summer of 2012 it became public that you (at that time) had a heart condition. A problem which was dealt with immediately. Still, people do see you as a ‘unfit player’. How much did this affect your career? Were there any clubs who didn’t want you after this?

It was indeed a shock at the time, but eventually there wasn’t something majorly wrong with me. I am happy with the fact that I have some papers which were signed by several doctors where it said I was and am completely healthy. I guess it doesn’t have any influence on clubs, because they now have enough knowledge to double-check everything.

In your career you have played for Ajax, Valencia, Sevilla and now PAOK. Which competition suited you most?

Spain. You could compare the way of playing with the Eredivisie, only on a higher level.

PAOK achieved three points in the first two matches in the Europa League with Guingamp, Dinamo Minsk and Fiorentina as competition. What are the chances of PAOK qualifying for the next round?

I think the chance of us qualifying is enormous and when being honest I think we owe it to ourselves.

All the matches in the Greece competition where postponed due the death of a fan. Would you describe the atmosphere passionate, hateful or even aggressive?

Greek football is mostly passion and pugnacity. But the aggressiveness is from the fans. There is a difference between aggressiveness on and off the pitch. Being this violent with the consequence of a decedent fan is disgraceful.

You still have one and a half year contract with PAOK. Is this your last club outside of the Netherlands or not?

That’s hard to say. You never know what the future brings.

Do you see yourself return to Ajax?

You never know for sure, so I don’t know. Anyway I love Ajax and no one can change that feeling!

We at TotalDutchFootball.com are truly grateful that Hedwiges Maduro took time for this interview. Good luck with PAOK and we are hoping to see you soon in the Eredivisie.

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TOTALDUTCHFOOTBALL.COM

FEATURE

Inconsistency Plagues Ajax

October 9, 2014 Will Burns Leave a comment

Ajax have face many ups and many downs so far this season. Losing top player Daley Blind to Manchester United, being drawn into an extremely difficult Champions League group, and dropping unnecessary points against the likes of Groningen and PEC Zwolle mark the lows up to this point writes Alex Pieter.

Ajax also have some positives to draw on so far this season, such as a well-played draw at home in the Champions League to PSG, three points away to Feyenoord, and the emergence of young talents such as Lucas Andersen and Ricardo Kishna.

While many Ajax fans are panicking about the current state of the club, it is not as bad as it may seem. Simon Gleave (@SimonGleave) points out that Ajax actually have more points this year from equivalent Eredivisie fixtures than last year. That is the good news; the bad news is that so does chief competitor, PSV Eindhoven.

The frustration of many Ajax fans stems from the team’s Champions League performances. Ajax drew PSG 1-1 at home, but it left a sour taste in mouths of many, since Ajax had a few legitimate shots to come away with three points. It looked as if Ajax had turned a corner in the second half of that match, by far the best 45 minutes of play by Ajax to date, legitimately outplaying the Parisian club. Given the status of a club like PSG, Ajax should be quite content with the point at home.

Perhaps the most frustrating showing of the year came in Ajax’s second European match, away to APOEL Nicosia. It is never easy for teams to goes to Cyprus, and APOEL is a tough, tough side, as shown in their first match against Barcelona. Yet, Ajax desperately needed to come away with three points. Instead, Ajax came out flat, and looked content to bat the ball around the back. The chances they did create were squandered by poor finishing.

Yet, for Ajax fans that was not even the worst part. APOEL scored their lone goal on an alleged Ricardo van Rhijn handball in the box. Replay showed the call was a weak one, at best.

Edwin van der Sar said after the Champions League draw, which placed Ajax in a group with Barca, APOEL and PSG, that the goal remained to make it to the final 16 of the Champions League. Any chance Ajax had of reaching that goal set by van der Sar disappeared after not coming away with all three points in Cyprus. It is easy to blame the referees, but Ajax had to find a way to win that match. They certainly had the opportunities.

So where does Ajax go from here? For one, they have to find some sort of rhythm; Frank de Boer has constantly tinkered with the starting XI in an attempt to find some. Secondly, they need their top players to play like they are capable of. Niklas Moisander has been disappointing, as has Kolbeinn Sigthorsson. These are two of Ajax’s most experienced players, yet it hasn’t showed. Additionally, players like Joël Veltman and Nicolai Boilesen have each taken a step back, struggling to realize their full potential through the early part of the year.

Another tough break for Ajax has been the injury problems of Lasse Schöne. He is the man who makes the squad go, as was evident against PSG. Ajax need Schöne at 100% if they want to find success the rest of the way.

Frank de Boer is facing arguably his toughest season as Ajax manager. Ajax have a young squad, even by their standards, and lack the talent they have had on de Boer’s past squads. Additionally, PSV has put together a very talented side in Eindhoven and Cocu’s men pose a legitimate threat to Ajax’s title streak.

Will Frank de Boer pull through and work his magic as he has so many times before? Or is the challenge just too much this year? Ajax are entering a crucial leg of the season, and these next few weeks will go a long way in determining the success of the 2014-2015 campaign for Ajax.

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

FEATURE

A circus called the Jupiler League

October 9, 2014 Will Burns Leave a comment

In his latest edition of his weekly column, Jos Boesveld returns with the humorous story about an Eerste Divisie boss…

Haha! I’m still laughing about that moment. A moment that makes the Jupiler League so special. I love it, the clumsiness, the small teams with players no one has ever heard of. And Maurice Steijn.

For those of you who do not know Maurice Steijn, he’s a former player of ADO Den Haag and NAC Breda and he was a trainer for ADO Den Haag for about four years. Now, he has struck down in the Jupiler League, coaching VVV-Venlo and apparently, doing awesome stuff.

I’m talking about the third of October, Friday night. His team leads one to zero in the match against Helmond Sport. I know Steijn as a coach with pure passion for the game. He likes an aggressive style of football and cannot always control his emotions when coaching. Just like the third of October, Friday night.

One of his players was fouled by Charles Kazlauskas, a Lithuanian defender, born in the United States of America. Steijn got angry, screamed at the referee that it was a foul, but the arbiter would take none of that.

It took me back a few years, when I was still attending primary school. When harm was done to you in the schoolyard, justice had to be served. In a sneaky, childish way. Steijn also went back to his younger years. He seized the moment when Kazlauskas appeared near the sideline for a throw-in.

Steijn just pulled one little move, but when I saw it, it was enough to crack me up for days. He tripped Kazlauskas, plain and simple. Like a tree branch between spokes, Kazlauskas could only fell to the ground. It got Steijn suspended for a few games, gave me a good laugh and the thought that we have a very special competition next to the Eredivisie. The Jupiler League, yes!

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TEAM OF THE WEEK

Eredivisie Team Of The Week – Round 8

October 7, 2014 Will Burns Leave a comment

Welcome to week seven of our Eredivisie Team of the Week which leads into our Eredivisie ‘Player of the Season’ competition. All players have performed so well this weekend that Will Burns has decided they should be in our team of the week. Each player in the eleven receives one point and whichever player is declared ‘Player of the Week’, he receives an extra point.

GOALKEEPER

KENNETH VERMEER (Feyenoord)

DEFENDERS

BRAM VAN POLEN (PEC Zwolle)

RAMON LEEUWIN (FC Utrecht)

JORDAN PETERS (Willem II)

SIMON POULSEN (AZ Alkmaar)

MIDFIELDERS

KELVIN LEERDAM (Vitesse)

MARKO VEJINOVIC (Vitesse) – Player of the Week

DALEY SINKGRAVEN (Heerenveen)

THOMAS BRUNS (Heracles)

ATTACKERS

BARTHOLOMEW OGBECHE (SC Cambuur)

WOUT WEGHORST (Heracles)

Click here to see the ‘Player of the Season’ standings.

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TotalDutchFootball.com WorldFootballWeekly.com

EREDIVISIE REPORT

EREDIVISIE REPORT: WEEK EIGHT

October 7, 2014 Will Burns Leave a comment

Here’s your weekly summary of the Eredivisie by Willem Slor.

ADO Den Haag battled Vitesse away in an eventful game that ended up in favor for Vitesse 6-1. Michiel Kramer added the only goal for The Hague, simultaneously making him the top-scorer of the Eredivisie with six goals in eight matches. However, his efforts were irrelevant as Vitesse’s Kelvin Leerdam finished with two goals, adding two to the five goals that were scored for Vitesse in 40 minutes. Final score: 6-1 in favor of Vitesse.

Vitesse’s coach Peter Bosz about the game: “We’re now playing good football AND we’re scoring”. Overall, the game was surely a spectacle for the home fans.

Due to the international games next weekend, Vitesse will face Tilburg’s Willem II at Tilburg, which shouldn’t be a problem for the Arnhemmers. ADO Den Haag faces NAC Breda away and should be a chance for Kramer to pull away from other competitors regarding total goals.

Ajax played PEC Zwolle at home, a game that was not as predictable as it sounded before kick-off. Why? PEC has eliminated Ajax twice in a row now, and was looking to make it three. Ajax wanted revenge on these games, but both teams ended up not triumphing their counterpart: 0-0. PEC didn’t take advantage of the mess in Ajax’s defense. However, Ajax couldn’t pull away either due to the lack of concentration with shots on goal. They both neglected to play with quality, but in an optimistic view, one can debate that they didn’t have any luck either. Ajax’s Frank de Boer commented on PEC’s performance: “they played up to their capabilities and they did that well, but if there had to be a winner it would be us”. PEC’s Ron Jans commented on his teams’ performance: “We deserved this one point and we even could’ve ended up with more”.

FC Twente vs. Ajax on October 18th should be a really good game, as Twente is the only undefeated team in the Eredivisie and looks to lengthen this streak. Zwolle faces Go Ahead Eagles on October 19th.

AZ went up against FC Twente, which proved to be the match of the week. There were fights, goals, and the winner would end up joining the top 3 with PSV and Ajax. AZ has faced a multitude of problems, as it has gone through 3 coaches in 8 games, sticking with the fourth, Van Der Brom, for now. Although the game ended up in a tie, 2-2, it was anything but boring. Robert Mühren ended his three-game dry spell by scoring AZ’s first goal and Twente remains undefeated as they face Ajax in two weekends from now. Coach Van Der Brom (AZ): “ We’ve seen an AZ who played and fought hard”. They will face PSV on October 18th; a match-up that shouldn’t go unnoticed either.

Cambuur played Dordrecht and ended up taking over the game. The first goal for Cambuur came within the first minute and the second goal for Cambuur came 5 minutes later. Cambuur remained overall dominant for the remainder of the game. Final score: 4–1 Cambuur. Cambuur will face sc Heereveen and Dordrecht will go against FC Utrecht, a team that hasn’t been profoundly dominant in the Eredivisie either.

PSV modestly defeated Excelsior in a 3-0 victory. Although Excelsior hasn’t beaten PSV Eindhoven on their own turf in 43 years, PSV could’ve beaten Excelsior with a significant amount of goals. Henk Dijkuizen from Excelsior said he was hoping” not to end up with 6 or 7 to 0.” while Cocu’s mission was overall clear:”We didn’t give away anything and we were constantly looking for a goal”. A possible reason behind this modest victory was the red card given to PSV’s Bruma in the 60^th minute when he tackled a broken-through Excelsior player. Overall, a fun game to watch and an easy 3 points for PSV to keep their lead.

NAC Breda and Heracles turned out to be quite the spectacle: 6–1 for Heracles. They obtained the lead within the first ten minutes of the game and never gave it away. Things got worse for NAC when a red card in the 29th minute unleashed a scoring frenzy, which is a main reason for the 6-1 victory. Heracles is optimistic though: Coach Stegeman said that “we have a lot of work to do but this is a very fun start”.

Feyenoord, who has been battling to regain their spot had a good game this weekend. They beat FC Groningen 4-0, an exhibition that was joyful to watch. However, both teams were very mediocre throughout the first half. Things flared up in the second half when a Groningen player got sent of, allowing Feyenoord key players like Immers to take control of the game. Feyenoord’s coach Fred Rutten: “This is a very nice reward”. Groningen’s Van De Looi tended to feel the opposite about his team:”We don’t have the players playing on their right positions”.

Utrecht and Go Ahead Eagles both played sloppy in the first half, but after three minutes in the second half Utrecht finds two goals in the back of the Eagles’ goal. However, Go Ahead kept fighting and ended up winning the game in injury time. Final score: 3-2 for Go Ahead Eagles.

Lastly, Willem II defeated Heerenveen by 2 –1, which lead to a humorous comment by Willem II’s coach Streppel: “We have not received 12 points this quickly. Last time we had 12 points we had to wait till Easter. The snow had already melted at that point”.

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