Tag Archives: Jetro Willems

Could these five Eredivisie players be on the move this summer?

May 4, 2016 Will Burns Leave a comment

As one of Europe’s second tier leagues, the Eredivisie will always be at risk of losing its best players, as has happened in recent years. Last season it was Memphis Depay, Gini Wijnaldum, Luc Castaignos, Jordy Clasie and Oussama Tannane who were the big names to leave Holland. This year’s Eredivisie has had an intriguing title race with both PSV and Ajax level on points going into the last two matches. Meanwhile, there have been young players breaking through lower down in the league that will attract big interest this summer. The following are the five players that I feel will attract the most interest and are ready to try their luck in another league tells Jake Jackman.

Hakim Ziyech

The FC Twente attacking midfielder is almost certainly going to be leaving the league this summer, as he has outgrown the Eredivisie and his club are in desperate need of cash. Ziyech is a number ten, who is capable of scoring and creating goals as shown by this season’s tally of 17 goals and 10 assists. He has already tied Memphis Depay’s goal and assists haul from last season, and with two matches to play, he is set to beat it. Ziyech is a dead ball specialist, while his vision is also incredible as he often plays key passes that open up opposition defences. He has also showed his leadership ability as he has captained FC Twente this season after opting to remain at the club last summer.

I’d expect Ziyech to be available for a reasonable fee all factors considered, which could make him the bargain of the summer. He has been linked to Barcelona, Leicester City and Fenerbahce in recent months and it is impossible to predict where he will end up. The 23-year-old will be known to a lot of scouts across Europe and with the potential of making a huge profit, there will be lots of clubs asking about the midfielder.

Vincent Janssen

This year was Janssen’s first in the Eredivisie, but he is en route to being the league’s top scorer and he has also made his Oranje debut in recent months. He made an impact against England, getting a goal and an assist as the Dutch recorded a famous victory at Wembley. This match may have brought him to the world’s attention, but the AZ striker was already well known to regular watchers of the Dutch top flight. Janssen is a complete forward who is very capable of leading the line on his own. His strengths lie around the penalty box as he is a strong finisher, while he is good at anticipating potential chances. Janssen is a capable dribbler, while he also brings midfielders into the game in the final third.

He has an incredible 25 goals in his first Eredivisie season, which surpasses his tally from last season with Almere City. His rise to the top has been staggering and at the age of 21, he is likely to improve a lot more, which is exciting for Oranje fans, especially after the disappointment of missing the European Championships this summer. Janssen would suit Premier League football, and has been linked to both Liverpool and Manchester United. If he does move to a new league in the summer, fans will have to be patient and give him time to adapt as he is still very young. Janssen has adjusted quickly to every challenge he has been set in his career and I think he would be a huge hit wherever he goes.

Jetro Willems

Jetro Willems would have probably departed the league last summer if it wasn’t for his injury problems. He returned in the second half of the season and has performed well for the most part, but he has yet to find his form from last season. He has one goal and three assists to his name from just 13 league games, which shows that he is still a very effective player going forwards. Meanwhile he showed his defensive qualities in both legs against Atletico Madrid, playing a key part in two clean sheets. Willems is a modern day full back, who loves rampaging forwards. He is a good crosser of the ball and his ability to make the decision when on the ball in the final third shows intelligence beyond his years.

He has been linked with several clubs including Manchester United, Liverpool and Arsenal in recent months. It is got to the point when he should consider moving to another league to test himself and to continue progressing. He would risk stagnation if he remains in the Eredivisie as he is comfortable and established as the best left back in the division. He could cost up to £10m this summer, but he would be a great signing for any of the clubs mentioned as he has the potential to become one of the best full backs in world football. Also, he brings experience of the Champions League and has a winning mentality, both of which will be invaluable when he finally leaves the Eredivisie.

Riechedly Bazoer

The Ajax academy is still bringing through great talents in each generation and Riechedly Bazoer could be the best for a long time. He has already established himself as a starter for both club and country, while he has interested the likes of Napoli in recent months. The central midfielder is a great passer of the ball, while he is capable of carrying the ball, which is often does as he drives Ajax forwards. His reading of the game is superb as he rarely makes mistakes. Moreover, he is able to score goals with his tally standing at five for the season, with his long shots being another strength.

He is only 19-years-old and his potential is enormous. Bazoer is likely to go for a big fee when he does eventually leave Ajax. He has been linked with a move to Arsenal recently, but he may feel another year in the Eredivisie would be beneficial for his development. A move too soon to the wrong club can leave your growth at a standstill as Memphis Depay has learned the hard way. If he does leave this summer, he will be a great pick up for one of Europe’s premier clubs.

Sebastian Haller

The striker has had a great season in the Eredivisie and at the age of 21, he will develop a lot more in the future. Haller is all the attributes to succeed in a bigger league. He is great in the air, a strong finisher and capable of beating defenders on the dribble. The Frenchman is also contributes defensively, especially when it comes to defending set pieces. He almost joined Norwich City in January for £6.5m and although his value may be more in the summer, he will still be a cheaper option for clubs. He is an exciting prospect and it might be worth taking a risk on him now at a fee around £8m, than waiting and seeing his value rise.

Haller has scored 17 goals and has 4 assists, an impressive return which has helped his club get in contention for a Europa League spot for next season. He remains inconsistent and often scores his goals in streaks, but that is to be expected given his age. Tottenham have been linked with him in recent weeks, but they may be looking for a more proven talent to be a back up to Harry Kane, especially with the Champions League next season. He may opt for one more season in the Eredivisie, there will be interest in him this summer though.

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FEATURE

Contrary to the Dutch philosophy; the Oranje backline seems evident for silverware

May 31, 2015 Will Burns Leave a comment

The key to being successful in ‘The Beautiful Game’ is defense; as the old saying goes “Offense wins games, Defense wins championships”. For ‘Oranje’, the latter seems to always take a back seat, but with defensive clubs such as Chelsea and Juventus having remarkable success, maybe it is time for the Netherlands to change their perspective. With talented young defenders moving up through the ranks of their respective clubs, there could be a new horizon for the Netherlands. So here is a look at a few promising defenders that could take Holland from contender to champions. Thomas Tittley writes…

VIRGIL VAN DIJK

The 23-year-old defender for Celtic has flourished in the Scottish Premiership and is now ready to move on, as he has been linked to both Everton and Southampton. Van Dijk has dominated the Scottish league and while some sceptics will claim it is a rather weak league, he has proven his talents by playing exceptionally well in Europe. Van Dijk is a tall 6-foot-3 (1.93m), and is a bull on defense, using his size and strength and athleticism to overpower attacking players. Capable of muscling strong center forwards off the ball, while having the pace to keep up with quick and shifty wingers, Van Dijk averaged 0.7 tackles a game in Europe. Virgil has also shown his aptitude tactically as well, averaging an outstanding 3.4 interceptions a game in. To put that into perspective, Chelsea, one of the top defensive teams in England, averaged a total of 9.8 per game. Hopefully for Van Dijk, and Dutch fans, he will soon get his first international cap and be a part of a winning culture.

STEFAN DE VRIJ

The young central defender from Lazio has been a part of the Netherlands senior squad for a number of years now as the 23-year-old has already made 27 appearances, even wearing the captain’s armband during Holland’s friendly against Spain on March 31^st after Sneijder left the pitch. He impressed during the bronze medal World Cup run as he appeared in every match that Holland played, even scoring the third goal of the 5-1 thrashing that the Netherlands handed Spain in the first game. This is proof that De Vrij is highly respected within the dressing room and by the coaching staff. Fortunately, it is not only his leadership and poise that are his desired attributes, his skill on the football pitch is evident. Like Van Dijk he is also rarely caught out of position, averaging 3.6 interceptions a game and 6.1 clearances a game, comparing that to the legendary Sergio Ramos, who only averaged 2.4 interceptions and 3.9 clearances, De Vrij’s numbers are extraordinary. If Holland are to succeed, De Vrij will have to continue to show his skills on the pitch and in the dressing room.

JETRO WILLEMS

If you could create a left-back in a simulator, it would be Jetro Willems, a player with dynamic pace able to bomb forward and harass defences, while still able to track back and help his own back line. It is that dynamic pace that leaves managers around the world salivating over his potential. Not only does the young man possess vast amounts of pace, but the ability to pick a pass. The electrifying winger linked up well with now former teammate Memphis Depay to create a devastating left wing attack, and when able to get by a defender, possesses great quality in his left foot and whip in crosses to devastating effect. Willems accumulated a staggering thirtheen assists this season in the Eredivisie, second most behind only Hakim Ziyech. To put that into perspective, the closest defender to that assist total was Bart van Hintum with 7, which put him tied for 14^th in the league. But with his partner Depay gone, there is much speculation that Willems could also be headed out of the Eredivisie. Young Willems surprisingly made the 2012 Euro cup squad and even played in a handful of games, although nothing extraordinary. He has improved drastically since then, particularly attacking-wise, and will look to be the long-term left back for the Oranje in the future.

DARYL JANMAAT

Janmaat was a Dutchman who had a bit of a coming out party during the 2014-2015 season with Newcastle United. The 25-year-old right back moved from Feyenoord last season and struggled early on trying to adapt to the pace and physicality of the Premier League, but he eventually settled in and became one of Newcastle’s only consistent players. A very attacking right-back, Janmaat is strong in the tackle and has a sharp eye for making key passes that dissect opposing defences. Daryl totalled six assists this season, impressive for a right-back, particularly one that had an incredibly stagnant offense like Newcastle. Something Janmaat specializes in is the long pass, making 2.1 long passes a game, crucial for a team trying to attack when transitioning from defence to offense. This type of pass is particularly effective when wingers who possess immense amounts of pace are on the receiving end of the pass. With players who possess this type of speed such as Arjen Robben, Memphis Depay, Quincy Promes, Eljero Elia and Jeremain Lens available, the long pass could be the difference between winning and losing. Fortunately, Janmaat also takes care of his defensive responsibilities, tallying 2.8 tackles a game, tied for 20^th in the entire Premier League, remarkable for a player more known for his ability to dribble at defenders and attacking flare. Janmaat could be the key that unlocks the treasure chest of trophies available for the Netherlands in the years to come.

These young men will have to continue to develop and improve if Holland wish to become truly elite and finally win that ever elusive World Cup.

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FEATURE

Total Dutch Football 2014/15 Player of the Season

May 18, 2015 Will Burns 1 Comment

After yet another set of entertaining Eredivisie and KNVB Beker campaigns, the TotalDutchFootball.com workforce has been voting all week and we are now ready to dish out our prestigious first ever ‘End Of Season’ awards.

All staff were asked to name their top three players. Each first pick received three points, second place received two points and one point was awarded for the third pick. The results are below…

Winner – MEMPHIS DEPAY (PSV) 15 points

Like his manager, Philip Cocu, Depay was a unanimous winner picked first by all five voters. Over the past season no-one can doubt that without Depay, PSV would not have experienced the success they have this term. Depay notched 22 Eredivisie goals along with five assists that earned him major plaudits across the globe and a four-year deal at Louis van Gaal’s Manchester United next season.

His superb free-kick technique led to seven of those goals – leaving most goalkeepers stranded as he lined up the set pieces from the edge of the area. The flamboyant winger hit an average of 5.4 shots per game (according to Opta) and three assists (from 2.1 key passes per game).

With his tremendous determination, speed, skill and awareness, Depay has linked up well down the left with Jetro Willems (our runner-up). Connecting with the left-back has helped the 20-year-old create 13 goals in the league (an Eredivisie high).

This cocky youngster is heading to the Premier League, to a team who used to try and contain the cockiness of one Cristiano Ronaldo. He has all the attributes and swagger to hold his own in comparison to the now-Real Madrid star.

PSV and Eredivisie watchers will thank Depay for the memories this season and it is sad to see him go abroad but I’m sure all, including all the readers of this website, wish him good luck and keep chasing those dreams.

2nd – JETRO WILLEMS (PSV) 6 points

Depay’s team-mate is runner-up after a successful season appearing in 30 out of the 34 leagues games for PSV. Willems was a vital part of the Eindhoven set-up this year under Philip Cocu and they will be hoping to hold onto him as long as they can.

OTHERS

JASPER CILLESSEN (Ajax) 2 points

GEORGINIO WIJNALDUM (PSV) 2 points

LUUK DE JONG (PSV) 2 points

MICHIEL KRAMER (ADO Den Haag) 1 point

HAKIM ZIYECH (FC Twente) 1 point

MARKO VEJINOVIC (Vitesse) 1 point

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FEATURE

The next big thing at PSV – Jetro Willems

May 16, 2015 Will Burns Leave a comment

Jetro Willems has long been destined for great things in Holland and this season he has kicked on at PSV in their title winning campaign. The left back has been a key part of what the side do in both halves of the pitch and is very much a modern day full back, with the quality to create in the final third. He has an incredible engine which allows him to get up and down the pitch, which is a key part of a wing back’s game. After first coming onto the scene at Euro 2012 when he became the youngest player to appear at a European Championships, but he hasn’t progressed as he would have liked since then.

This season has been a positive one both personally and professionally for the left back as he has performed brilliantly for a side which has won their first Eredivisie title since 2007. He has been key part of the side, scoring twice and getting twelve assists which is a great achievement for a left back. At the age of 21, Willems will be beginning to look towards his next move and PSV will be worried about losing their left back in a summer which could see them lose a lot of their big players.

Willems has been linked with clubs such as Manchester City and Real Madrid in recent months, which highlights how well he has done this season. The defender will have to be careful when selecting his next move as many before him have rushed to leave the Eredivisie and have found their careers regressing outside of Holland. The PSV player has a huge future ahead of him and could develop into one of the best attacking full backs in the world, but he needs regular first team football to achieve that.

It is easy to see why many clubs are looking at Willems as he is a modern day full back who adds an extra edge to his side when going forwards. He is quick, direct and is capable of beating his opposite number to put in dangerous crosses into the penalty area. His crossing and passing are both excellent as he has the technical skills that people come to expect of Dutch footballers. Meanwhile defensively, he is very good in the air, and his concentration and reading of the game are both excellent as he often intercepts passes before launching his side into attack with lung bursting runs forward.

The main concern surrounding his game is his discipline as he fouls often, as can be seen by his tally of 9 yellow cards and one sending off this season. The red card was actually the quickest ever in Eredivisie history as he was dismissed after just 29 seconds against NAC Breda. This is an area he can work on and if he improves it, he has the attributes to develop into a fine left back.

This summer is going to be key for both PSV and the Eredivisie as the league has benefitted from having a side other than Ajax topping the table. PSV must hold on to the majority of their current side and sign some new players so they can challenge for the title again, as Ajax will be going all out to regain the championship. Willems is an example of a player who is likely to move to another European league in the near future, but at the age of 21, he has time on his side, and would benefit from another year in Holland. Especially as PSV will be playing Champions League football in the 2015/16 season.

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EREDIVISIE TO PREMIER LEAGUE, FEATURE

PSV’s Jetro Willems – the perfect fit for Man Utd

April 1, 2014 Will Burns Leave a comment

Will Burns presents a new series looking at current Eredivisie players that could fit right at home at your Premier League club.

The Dutch Eredivisie has been used as a stepping stone to the Premier League and other top leagues across Europe for years. For so long, young talent has been exported into England with the likes of Dennis Bergkamp, Edwin van der Sar, Jaap Stam, Marc Overmars, Robin van Persie, Ruud van Nistelrooy and Luis Suarez excelling in their new surroundings. Dutch club football used to provide us with great teams challenging for top European honours with Feyenoord, PSV Eindhoven and Ajax clinching the European Cup (now the Champions League, to you youngsters out there) in the 70’s, 80’s and 90’s.

However, since the Amsterdammers defeated AC Milan in May 1995, with a soon-to-be all star cast involving Edgar Davids, Clarence Seedorf, Patrick Kluivert, Jari Litmanen and the De Boer twins, Dutch football has saw a decline. Mainly due to the failure to keep up with the other leagues financially, the Eredivisie has seen their top players moving onto bigger sides and helping those sides become huge successes. With all the money flying about and regardless of what some may dispute, it’s hard to see UEFA’s Financial Fair Play rule creating a level playing field across Europe, allowing other leagues to catch up.

In recent transfer windows, Tottenham Hotspur have took advantage seeing Jan Vertonghen and Christian Eriksen leave Ajax for White Hart Lane for big money moves and earlier, Liverpool picked up Luis Suarez for £22.8m and no-one can argue that he has not already paid a large chunk of that back.

You will not see the Premier League’s importing stars from the Eredivisie ending anytime soon, with low wages and Dutch clubs struggling financially, it’s an easy market for England’s top clubs and in this series I will pick English clubs and which players would suit them and make the short journey across the North Sea.

JETRO WILLEMS

CLUB – PSV

POSITION – LEFT BACK

AGE – 19

At just 19 years of age, he has cemented the left-back position at Phillip Cocu’s PSV and between him and Ajax’s Daley Blind, the left side of the Oranje’s defence for the upcoming World Cup and years beyond is looking strong. At just 18, he broke a 28-year-old record to become the youngest ever player in the history of Euro Championships when he started all three of the Netherlands games at Euro 2012.

Willems’ big break came in 2011 when he was part of the Oranje Under-17 team that demolished all competition in the UEFA European Under 17 tournament for the first time in their history. Willems’ contributions were standout and the fact that the Dutch did not concede a goal on the road to the final, where they defeated bitter rivals Germany by five goals to two.

After the tournament, a big transfer move was inevitable and Willems, who had begun his career in Dutch amateur football at Spartaan ’20 and then moved to Eerste Divisie side Sparta Rotterdam in the summer of 2010. The sharks were circling and Sir Alex Ferguson was ready to snap him up and wanted to bring the young Dutchman to Manchester United. However, as the majority of Dutch youngsters believe, he stayed in the Eredivisie to further his career and moved to PSV for a sum of €800,000. During that season, he ousted Erik Pieters out of the left-back position and made it his own, and PSV were quick to extend the youngster’s contract until 2016.

He started twenty Eredivisie matches, scoring a goal and assisting two. He became the youngest Dutch player ever to appear in a European match in a UEFA Europa League tie with Hapoel Tel Aviv. Then Netherlands national coach Bert van Marwijk included Willems in the 23-man squad for Euro 2012, it was thought to give him some experience being part of tournament squad and nothing more with Vurnon Anita, the first choice left-back.

To many’s surprise, on the team sheet for the opening game, Marwijk kept faith in the young 18-year-old, and it was a baptism by fire. The Dutch crashed out of the tournament losing three games out of three. However, as Willems started all three games, it was the experience that he needed to progress his game and has only grew stronger from it.

Of course at such a young age, Willems still has mistakes to make and a lot to learn yet but as of writing he has made 91 Eredivisie appearances and mastered perhaps the key area of the pitch in modern football. His rapid improvement in a short space of time has been incredibly impressive and his progress so far suggests he’s going to handle any tests coming his way.

Could he match the speed and strengths of the Premier League? Yes, physically strong with great pace, Willems would slot into Patrick Evra’s boots for seasons to come. Going forward he has the skill to beat any defender and his physicality and technique will hold him in good stead at Old Trafford. With names like Southampton’s Luke Shaw being bandied around as potential successors for Evra, Jetro Willems could be a cheaper and better all around replacement.

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EREDIVISIE TO PREMIER LEAGUE, FEATURE

Eredivisie to Premier League: Jetro Willems – Man Utd

March 31, 2014 Will Burns Leave a comment

Will Burns presents a new series looking at current Eredivisie players that could fit right at home at your Premier League club.

JETRO WILLEMS

CLUB – PSV

POSITION – LEFT BACK

AGE – 19

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EREDIVISIE

25 EREDIVISIE STARS OF THE SEASON… SO FAR – PART 5

January 16, 2014 Will Burns Leave a comment

The Eredivisie season restarts after the winter break this Friday night, so as a preview, we have decided to rundown the stars of the division so far this season.

Here’s Will Burns with the final five…

The 26-year-old stopper has had a breakthrough season at Utrecht under Jan Wouters, highlighted by his David Seaman-like ability, by saving three penalties already in five months.

Currently averaging 5.2 saves per game, the second highest in the entire league, Ruiter joined Utrecht as a replacement for Michel Vorm in July 2012, who left for Swansea.

His colleagues have not had a successful season at the other end of the pitch, only scoring 26 goals in 18 games, which has left Utrecht sitting in ninth.

Tadić is a tremendously talent left-footed winger, who joined Twente in the summer from FC Groningen. At 25 years old, the Serbian is in the prime of his career and the states this season are showing this to be the case.

Starting all but one game this term from the third place side in the league, Tadić has made seven and scored seven goals, linking fantastically well with colleagues Quincy Promes and Luc Castaignos.

His playmaking skills light a fire under the Enschede side, and so far he has completed a total of 831 including averaging 4.1 key passes per game.

Joel Veltman was a relatively unknown until this term, and Frank de Boer had no quarms about throwing the 22-year-old in at the deep end. The 6ft 2inch central defender has not disappointed replacing Niclas Moisander after he fell to injury, and also Toby Alderweireld after Ajax cashed in on the Belgian international in the summer.

Starting the season, in the Jupiler League with the Jong Ajax, Veltman has only made nine appearances in the Eredivisie this term, but his partnership with fellow inexperienced Stefano Denswil has been more than successful. Inside the nine appearances, Ajax have only conceded four goals.

Jetro Willems is a 19-year-old left-back with many admirers, and his performances this season has proved that he is on the way to becoming one of the very best. Although, Willems has been hampered with injuries, he has fought past these adversities and became a stronger player.

Linking up well down the left with Memphis Depay, the defender has notched twice from 15 shots on goal and a solitary assist from 21 chances he has created.

It is going to be a real dogfight between Willems and Ajax’s Daley Blind on who will hold that starting left-back spot for the Oranje in Brazil this summer.

If you are not a newcomer to the Eredivisie, you will be wondering where this guy has come from? Hakim Ziyech, another young talent at only 20, has been a real find for Heerenveen this campaign.

Inside Marco van Basten’s more conservative 4-3-3 this season, Ziyech has taken over from last season’s playmaking star Filip Djurcic, who left in the summer for Benfica. Ziyech has starred in every game this term, including 16 starts creating seven goals for others (usually Finnbogason), while he has notched six himself.

Even at just such a young age, his tactical restraint, positional awareness, high tempo energy, quick fire decision-making and technical ability has rightfully been praised by the Dutch media. His temperament is also a testimony to his personality and at this early stage in his career, you can see Ziyech is going to be a star of the future.

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TEAM OF THE WEEK

EREDIVISIE TEAM OF THE WEEK #4

August 27, 2013 Will Burns Leave a comment

Welcome to our weekly section at TotalDutchFootball.com – the Eredivisie Team of the Week. Below you will see our ‘Player of the Week’ also – each player will be allocated points and at the end of the season we will declare our ‘Player of the Season’. Each player will be given one point for being named in our team and the ‘Player of the Week’ will gain two points.

WEEK 4

GOALKEEPER

Piet Velthuizen (Vitesse) – A fine performance that kept Vitesse Arnhem a clean sheet in their 1-0 over FC Twente.

DEFENDERS

Henk Dijkhuizen (Roda JC) – Attacking well against ADO, capped with a lovely goal and a clean sheet in Roda’s 4-0 win.

Bruno Martins Indi (Feyenoord) – A strong commanding display that kept the Feye backline tight in Sunday’s 3-1 victory over NAC Breda.

Darryl Lachman (PEC Zwolle) – The Zwolle defender is fast becoming the breakout star of the Eredivisie, cool, calm central defender and dangerous in the attack.

Bram van Polen (PEC Zwolle) – Another attacking full-back, surging forward and causing problems for Cambuur.

MIDFIELDERS

Kamohelo Mokotjo (PEC Zwolle) – Yet another excellent performance from the South-African, former club Feyenoord looked to have made a major mistake letting him go on a free.

Anouar Kali (Roda JC) – Another free transfer in the summer, never let ADO Den Haag midfield get in the game and terrorized their defence.

Mitchell Donald (Roda JC) – A smart headed goal that helped his team to their dominating 4-0 win over ADO.

ATTACKERS

Alfred Finnabogason (Heerenveen) – Scored a brace in the big 3-3 draw with Ajax on Friday night.

PLAYER OF THE WEEK Graziano Pelle (Feyenoord) – The Italian striker was Feyenoord’s hat-trick hero giving Ronald Koeman’s men their first win of the season

Mark-Jan Fledderus (Roda JC) – The Roda captain lead his team to the best win of the season and created one and scored a great free-kick goal.

EREDIVISIE PLAYER OF THE 2013/14 SEASON AWARD
NAME	POS	TEAM	POTW	POINTS
Kamohelo Mokotjo	MF	PEC Zwolle		3
Tjaronn Chery	MF	FC Groningen	1	2
Graziano Pelle	ST	Feyenoord	1	2
Zakaria Bakkali	ST	PSV	1	2
Youness Mokhtar	MF	PEC Zwolle	1	2
Christian Eriksen	MF	Ajax		2
Georginio Wijnaldum	MF/ST	PSV		2
Jetro Willems	DF	PSV		2
Alfred Finnbogason	ST	Heerenveen		2
Darryl Lachman	DF	PEC Zwolle		2

————-

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TEAM OF THE WEEK

EREDIVISIE TEAM OF THE WEEK #3

August 21, 2013 Will Burns Leave a comment

WEEK 3

GOALKEEPER

Filip Kurto (Roda JC) – A fine performance that kept Vitesse Arnhem at bay on Sunday and earned his side a point.

DEFENDERS

Joshua Brenet (PSV) – Replaced the poor Santiago Arias and excelled in the 3-0 win over Go Ahead Eagles. Earned his starting spot against AC Milan on Tuesday night.

Mike te Weirik (Heracles) – A wonderful long range goal and a dominating display to help his side to a 4-2 away victory at Heerenveen.

Karim Rekik (PSV) – Kept the dangerous Marnix Kolder under control throughout and looked ready for Mario Balotelli and co on Tuesday.

Jetro Willems (PSV) – Surging forward and always causing problems to Go Ahead. Improving rapidly on last season’s baptism of fire

MIDFIELDERS

Erik Bakker (SC Cambuur) – A commanding performance leading his team to their first win of the season, capped with a well-taken goal and an assist.

PLAYER OF THE WEEK Youness Mokhtar (PEC Zwolle) – The biggest cog in the PEC Zwolle machine, fleeting about, involved in every attack and grabbing a great goal in the process.

Nemanja Gudelj (AZ Alkmaar) – Two assists for the former NAC Breda man who has settled in well under Gertjan Verbeek.

ATTACKERS

Luc Castaignos (FC Twente) – Scored a brace in the big 6-0 win over FC Utrecht.

Kolbeinn Sigþórsson (Ajax) – His two goals on Sunday lunchtime kept his side in the title race, fighting back from a goal down to Feyenoord.

Bryan Linssen (Heracles) – A sublime bit of skill with a lashing shot earned the new signing from VVV Venlo a wonder goal and the final spot in the Team of the Week.

EREDIVISIE PLAYER OF THE 2013/14 SEASON AWARD
NAME	POS	TEAM	POTW	POINTS
Tjaronn Chery	MF	FC Groningen	1	2
Zakaria Bakkali	ST	PSV	1	2
Youness Mokhtar	MF	PEC Zwolle	1	2
Kamohelo Mokotjo	MF	PEC Zwolle		2
Christian Eriksen	MF	Ajax		2
Georginio Wijnaldum	MF/ST	PSV		2
Jetro Willems	DF	PSV		2

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TEAM OF THE WEEK

EREDIVISIE TEAM OF THE WEEK

August 5, 2013 Will Burns 1 Comment

Welcome to our new weekly section at TotalDutchFootball.com – the Eredivisie Team of the Week. Below you will see our ‘Player of the Week’ also – each player will be allocated points and at the end of the season we will declare our ‘Player of the Season’. Each player will be given one point for being named in our team and the ‘Player of the Week’ will gain two points.

WEEK 1

GOALKEEPER

Robbin Ruiter (FC Utrecht) – In between the sticks we have FC Utrecht’s Robbin Ruiter, the 6ft 5in goalkeeper kept his team in the match against Go Ahead Eagles on many occasions and lead his team to a draw.

DEFENDERS

Ricardo van Rhijn (Ajax) – The right-back scored a wonderful goal for his side in their 3-0 home win against Roda JC.

Eric Botteghin (FC Groningen) – An excellent debut performance from the Brazilian who has just recently moved from NAC Breda earlier this summer.

Jop van der Linden (Go Ahead Eagles) – The 23-year-old showed the Eredivisie what he can do, with an tremendous double block and even smashing the post in the dying seconds of the game with a superb free-kick

Jetro Willems (PSV) – See Van Rhijn but for PSV against ADO Den Haag

MIDFIELDERS

Kamohelo Mokotjo (PEC Zwolle) – An excellent display that kept Feyenoord’s Jordy Clasie and Lex Immers quiet throughout, also threatened at times.

PLAYER OF THE WEEK Tjaronn Chery (FC Groningen) – A goal and an assist showed the ADO Den Haag fans what they are missing, currently on a season-long loan at Groningen and will sign permanently in July 2014 when his current deal expires.

Christian Eriksen (Ajax) – Ran the show in Friday night’s 3-0 victory, a devastating set-piece display in the opening ten minutes.

ATTACKERS

Andreas Kirm (FC Groningen) – Like Chery, a goal and an assist that helped Groningen defeat NEC 4-1 on Saturday evening.

Georginio Wijnaldum (PSV) – The new captain of PSV seems to be settling in nicely scoring a brilliantly taken goal against ADO.

Alfred Finnbogason (Heerenveen) – The Icelandic hitman is back to his old tricks, scoring twice in an impressive 4-2 win over AZ Alkmaar.

Thanks to Peter McVitie for his input in selecting the best eleven this week.

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NEWS

NEWS: New deal for Jetro Willems at PSV

April 10, 2013 Will Burns Leave a comment

PSV technical director Marcel Brands presents Willems with the no.15 shirt

Left-back Jetro Willems signed a new deal with PSV Eindhoven on Tuesday afternoon to keep him at the Philips Stadion until summer 2017.

Willems joined PSV from Sparta Rotterdam in 2011 and the 19-year-old has rapidly established himself as a first-team regular. At 18 years and 71 days, while representing the Dutch national side, he became the youngest ever player at the 2012 European Championship in Poland and Ukraine.

Willems put pen to paper on the contract extension in the presence of his family, agent and PSV technical director Marcel Brands. Willems made twenty league appearances for PSV in his first season in Eindhoven and is also a key player in the current campaign.

“Things have gone really well very quickly” states Willems. “When I joined PSV from Sparta, my career really started and now I’ve played for my country at the 2012 Euro” said the left-back, beaming with pride, when speaking in an exclusive interview with the official PSV website.

The defender has scored one goal for PSV far, netting an equaliser in the 2-1 win over N.E.C. last season. He has not found the back of the net this season yet, but that does not worry Willems in the least. “I am a defender whose first duty is to defend.” Having signed a new deal, Willems says that winning the title with PSV is his next aim. “We want to be crowned champions and therefore we need a win over Ajax on Sunday” said Willems.

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