Tag Archives: Jordy Clasie

Depay, Wijnaldum, Clasie and Co – Eredivisie to the Premier League

July 30, 2015 Will Burns Leave a comment

With Holland being a constant production line of talent, here is a post that profiles some of the players making a move from the Eredivisie to the Premier League this summer writes Oliver Baise.

Memphis Depay: PSV to Manchester United- £25 million

By far the most high profile and expensive move across the North Sea, Memphis (as he likes to be referred to as) arrives at Manchester United with huge reputation following a season where he scored 22 Eredivisie goals, thereby cementing his status as one of the most exciting young players in the world.

Though he was primarily deployed by PSV as a left-winger that cuts in on his right foot, it is being suggested that Memphis may well be groomed as the eventual heir to Wayne Rooney as the man to lead the line at United, a rumour that has been strengthened by the fact that he has been handed the number nine shirt for pre-season games. For now, however, it is likely that he will compete with Ashley Young for the left wing spot in Louis van Gaal’s 4-3-3, as well as backing up Rooney up top.

Memphis will have to deal with the pressure of making a step up to a club of United’s stature, particularly with comparisons to Cristiano Ronaldo being made by sections of the Old Trafford faithful, due to his trickery and eye for the spectacular. However, his most impressive trait that he shares with Ronaldo is his obsessive desire to fulfil his immense potential and to improve day in and day out. It is this factor, beyond all else, which persuaded Van Gaal to part with £25 million for the 21-year-old.

Georginio Wijnaldum: PSV to Newcastle United- £14.5 million

With Ligue 1 long being Newcastle United’s Chief Scout Graham Carr’s quarry for bargains, the capture of Wijnaldum may be the start of a shift of focus towards trawling the Eredivisie for additions to Mike Ashley’s investment portfolio. This is because even at £14.5 million, a sizeable transfer fee for the Magpies’ standards, Wijnaldum has to be one of the coups of the season, as is the player’s immense quality. Not many can claim to have captained their club to a league and cup double at 24 but this, alongside having been a regular starter for the Dutch national team for several years now are but two feathers in Wijnaldum’s cap.

More impressively still has been the fact that he has excelled in a number of roles during his short career, including the right wing, central midfield and number ten position, emphasising both his completeness as a player and his professional attitude. He has however stated that his favoured position is playing just off the striker, and there may be concerns that he, Siem De Jong and Moussa Sissoko may cause an overload in one position for The Toon. Questions may also be raised in why a player who has achieved so much in the last two years on both the domestic, European and international stage has moved to Newcastle United.

One certainly hopes that his relatively modest destination ensures that he remains a regular first team starter as his presence should be a real treat for Premier League fans (except maybe the Sunderland ones).

Jordy Clasie: Feyenoord to Southampton – £8 million

A player who has followed in the footsteps of Graziano Pelle and Dusan Tadic in following Ronald Koeman from the Eredivisie to England. Saints fans will certainly be hoping that Clasie can emulate the success of his new team-mates. Given his most recent season at Feyenoord, they certainly have every reason to be hopeful. A defensive midfielder, Clasie has seemingly been signed to take the place of Morgan Schniederlin, although he is by no means a like for like replacement for the Frenchman.

At 5”7 and resembling a 12-year-old boy, Clasie lacks Schniederlin’s physical presence. Although he more than makes up for this with his tenacity (cue a lazy comparison to Edgar Davids) it will be interesting to see how he handles the step up in physicality that the Premier League presents him with. Where Clasie does offer an improvement to Schniederlin is in his technique and intelligence. He is one of those players like Michael Carrick or Xavi who always seems to have time on the ball and can dictate play to a level that belies his 24 years.

Though he is a shy and introverted character who displayed nerves when he came onto the scene at both club and international level, his close relationship with Koeman should ensure that Clasie does not disappoint Southampton fans — that is until Liverpool or Manchester United inevitably utilise their newest feeder club.

Cuco Martina: Twente to Southampton – £1.5 million

While certainly the less exciting Southampton import from the Eredivisie, Cuco Martina may yet play an important role for the Saints this season, particularly given their involvement in the notoriously squad-stretching Europa League this year.

The player had an unremarkable season in what was a poor campaign for FC Twente last season, and it is his versatility rather than his individual quality which likely brought him to St Marys. He is a natural right-back but can play anywhere across the back four or in defensive midfield.

Though he is unlikely to start regularly in any of these positions, barring injuries to team-mates, he may yet prove to be an important signing following the departures of Nathanial Clyne and Toby Alderweireld. Don’t expect fireworks though.

Steven Berghuis: AZ Alkmaar to Watford – £4.5 million

A free scoring winger who had a trial at Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur as a youngster, Steven Berghuis is a player that AZ fans will certainly miss following his 11 goals for them last year. Despite this, there are some concerns about his suitability in joining a club like Watford.

Although he is by no means a lazy player, he may well prove to be too lightweight to be effective in a team regularly playing on the back foot in games, and although he has the creativity to unlock defences in tight games, he is by no means complete enough to carry a struggling team.

In short, his personal success may be heavily predicated on the success of the Watford project as a whole. If they can thrive in the Premier League continuing their attacking style, Hornets fans are in for an exciting prospect as he certainly compliments this strategy. However, in games where Watford need to sacrifice inspiration for perspiration Berghuis may well be the fall guy.

Kristoffer Nordfeldt: SC Heerenveen to Swansea City – £800k

Though not likely to be a starter ahead of Lukas Fabianski, especially considering the Pole’s fine form last season, Swansea City’s signing of Kristoffer Nordfeldt is a further example of the value that can be found in the Eredivisie this window.

The goalkeeper was Heerenveen’s player of the season last campaign, keeping ten clean sheets and making the most amount of saves out of everyone in the league. He will certainly be one of the better second choice goalkeepers in the Premier League this coming season, despite being one of the least expensive. If Fabianski were to suffer an injury or dip in form Nordfeldt would certainly offer a solid replacement and may prove hard to dislodge, particularly given the fact that his ability with the ball of his feet endears himself to Swansea’s possession based style.

For now, however, it is likely that the principal of “if it ain’t broke don’t fix it” means that Nordfeldt will begin this coming season on the bench.

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FEATURE

Where does the future lie for Jordy Clasie?

June 3, 2015 Will Burns 1 Comment

Jordy Clasie has been playing regularly for Feyenoord for four seasons now and he is the current captain, but the time might be coming for him to move on to pastures new. Feyenoord failed to perform like they did in the 2013/14 campaign and it could be the right time to leave the club. A fourth place finish was disappointing for Feyenoord and they need to get back to the top of the Dutch game next season and to do that they will need to spend money this summer. Although it will be difficult for the club to see Clasie move on, it would bring in much needed finances to fund their own transfer dealings writes Jack Jackman.

The midfielder has been linked to Southampton and Tottenham Hotspur in England, while he has been scouted by various other clubs across Europe. The link to Southampton is not surprising given that his former manager Ronald Koeman is the manager there and it looks to be a club that will suit the midfielder as Graziano Pelle, Dusan Tadic and Eljero Elia have all gone there and made an impact.

Clasie has the ability to settle and make an impact in the Premier League. He is a combative midfielder who is good at distributing the football, which makes him a rare commodity in the modern game. The role of the defensive midfielder is on the rise and the Dutchman fits the bill as a modern defensive midfielder who is a good tackler and is capable of dictating the tempo when his side is in possession. As is expected from Dutch footballers, he is good on the ball and has a great passing range. He is also known as one of the best set piece takers in the Eredivisie, which will add a couple of million onto his price tag.

At the age of 23, Clasie has the potential to go on and be a regular for the Dutch national side having picked up 11 caps already for Oranje. The Eredivisie is a great league to develop in for young players and Clasie has benefited from playing competitive football at a high level since his teens, but it’s difficult to become a top player without moving to one of Europe’s bigger leagues.

This season has been a good one for Clasie scoring twice and getting six assists which is a good return for a defensive minded midfielder. His passing, through balls and set pieces have stood out, while he is also an excellent reader of the game as testified by his tackling and interception stats. His passing accuracy of 83.6 highlights his ability on the ball and shows that he is capable of retaining possession.

This summer is going to be an interesting one for Feyenoord as they once again try to rebuild and put together a side good enough to match the side they had under Ronald Koeman. However they may have to do it without Clasie who looks like he will be leaving for pastures new and it could be Koeman who takes him away from the club. Southampton will need to buy a new centre midfielder if they lose Morgan Schneiderlin and Clasie would be the perfect replacement. He knows Koeman and the set up is there for him to make an immediate impact.

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TotalDutchFootball.com WorldFootballWeekly.com

FEATURE

Feyenoord – A Tactical Analysis

February 2, 2015 Will Burns 1 Comment

If you are an Eredivisie fan and you love the tactical side of the beautiful game, then you are probably very impressed with the tactical manoeuvres of Feyenoord this season. The Rotterdam giant saw a huge exodus of players at the end of last season and many people thought they would have had a very challenging time this season. Those people were partially right, since Feyenoord struggled at the beginning of the season and only won one of their first six games. However, since then, the 2002 UEFA Cup winners have made significant strides. They currently sit 3^rd in the league and are playing some of the most dominant and invigorating football in the Eredivisie. Home games against Ajax, AZ and FC Twente as well as the away game against PSV have been some of the most stimulating and entertaining displays we have seen from any team in the league this season.

This relatively successful season so far is largely down to how well the players have been able to maintain the tactical set-up of this team. The 4-3-3 formation utilised is being executed with great discipline, hard work and skills by the players. The three main aspects of this Feyenoord system and strategy are as follows:

The Goalkeeping & Defensive Shake Up

Let’s start by looking at the goal keeper and the back four. Vermeer was brought into the team at the beginning of the season to bring more solidity to the defence and he has done just that. His experience, agility and calmness under pressure have not just curtailed the number of goals the team concedes, but it has also seemingly helped to bring confidence into the young centre backs of Van Beek and Kongolo.

The back four of Nilom, Van Beek, Kongolo and Wilkshire have all been playing very impressively. Van Beek brings great physicality and grit to the centre of the defence and Kongolo’s ball-playing and anticipation skills have been complimented by Wilkshire’s exuberant runs along the right full-back position. Nelom has also put in his best performances as a Feyenoord player this season. He has moved from being a very shaky, inconsistent and error-prone left-back last season, to becoming a much more solid and reliable full-back this season. There are still occasions of lapsed concentration and needless giving away of the ball by Nilom this season, but they have been less numerous than last season and his reading of the game has evidently improved.

The Midfield Dynamics

The Feyenoord midfield has been very impressive this season. Clasie continues to be a pass-master and he even ramped up his tackling and overall work rate. El Ahmadi has looked much more impressive in the box-to-box role this season than he looked most of his time at Aston Villa. His very intelligent forward runs have been a great advert for how to play that running midfield position with balance and poise. Immers is the kind of attacking midfielder who runs all game and constantly puts himself in positions to receive the ball. This man is a maverick to some fans as he is not very fast and not particularly technical, nevertheless, he can be quite an effective attacking midfielder at times. Most people would probably agree though that it is his huge selfless work rate that makes him such a useful player.

These three midfield players at times behave as one dynamic organism with an almost telepathic relationship. When Clasie gets the ball he never takes too much time to pick out the runs of Immers or El Ahmadi, each player seems to be fully aware of the intentions of the others at any given time and in any situation. El Ahmadi seems to know when to make a rampaging forward run without leaving Clasie in too much of a vulnerable situation to provide cover for him and Immers is always looking for El Ahmadi’s position to ensure that he can assist with any required covering or forward run. In the recent home game against FC Twente, Immers was practically switching with Clasie as the holding midfielder on several occasions and he still managed to venture forward to score. This dynamic midfield system has been partly responsible for some of the most dominant displays we have seen this season.

The Strike Force

This Feyenoord system requires a fast, strong centre forward that is very good at holding up the ball and getting his teammates into the attacking third. Colin Kazin-Richards plays that role quite well. He constantly moves around the penalty box to pull his markers out of position and use brute strength to hold off central defenders. This holding up of the ball essentially allows his wingers and midfielder to get into the attacking third. And with very fast wingers like Manu and Boetius, it only takes a few seconds for these guys to make runs ahead of him and get into good positions to take a lay-off and cross into the box for Immers or El Ahmadi. Both Beotius and Manu are fast wide men and Manu in particular is deceptively strong. These guys provide very direct runs into the box and with improvements to their finishing, could become much more effective.

Toornstra is playing out of position on the right, but if one didn’t know his resume from his Utrecht and ADO Den Haag days, one could think he is a natural right winger. Toornstra isn’t the flamboyant speedy winger that we are used to seeing in the Dutch top flight. However, this man embodies hard work, dedication and drive for results. He is also, probably one of the better readers of the game in the entire Eredivisie. In fact, he is quite similar to Dirk Kuyt. Both players aren’t very fast, but they read the game very well, track back and defend astutely.

Conclusion

This Feyenoord team is playing an exhilarating, entertaining and dynamic brand of football where the young players are all improving constantly and each line of the team consists of well drilled vibrant players moving in a constant state of relative cohesion and discipline.

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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.

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NEWS, TRANSFERS

Southampton to look to Feyenoord’s Clasie as Schneiderlin replacement

August 25, 2014 Will Burns Leave a comment

De Telegraaf reported this morning that Southampton’s Dutch manager Ronald Koeman could look to recruit Feyenoord captain Jordy Clasie to as a replacement for midfielder Morgan Schneiderlin if a bid comes in for the Frenchman writes Will Burns.

Koeman of course has worked with Clasie before at Feyenoord and last season named the midfielder as club captain after striker Graziano Pelle was stripped of the armband for disciplinary problems. It is understood that Feyenoord will accept an offer of over €12m for the 23-year-old and the player could be moved on before the end of the European Transfer Window next Monday, 1st September.

Schneiderlin has been with the Premier League side for six years but he has publicity stated he would like to leave after being linked with moves to Tottenham Hotspur and Arsenal by the British press. The 24-year-old delivered a Twitter outburst after the club’s hierarchy insisted Schneiderlin was not for sale – see below.

6 years of an amazing journey #saintsfc DESTROYED in 1 hour !!!

— Morgan Schneiderlin (@SchneiderlinMo4) July 29, 2014

If Schneiderlin does get his own way and leaves the South Coast club, Clasie would be the perfect alternative. Great defensively as well as going forward, Clasie shields the back four as simultaneously beginning and orchestrating the forward play with his decisive passing.

Since he was 18-years-old, Clasie has been playing first time football in the Eredivisie, first loaned to Excelsior Rotterdam before in the midfield of Feyenoord.

Portuguese giants FC Porto have been linked all summer with a move for the player however it would seem if Southampton were interested, Clasie would jump to the chance of playing in the Premier League under former manager Koeman.

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TotalDutchFootball.com WorldFootballWeekly.com

EREDIVISIE, EREDIVISIE REPORT

EREDIVISIE: ADO Den Haag 0-1 Feyenoord

August 10, 2014 Will Burns 1 Comment

SUNDAY 10TH AUGUST 2014

ADO DEN HAAG 0 – 1 FEYENOORD

The opening game of Sky Sports’ coverage in the UK was a high octane affair with 12 yellow cards and a sending off however; ten-man ADO Den Haag were harshly defeated by a late Mitchell te Vrede goal.

In an already hectic season for Fred Rutten, the new Feyenoord head coach decided to hand debuts down the right side to Luke Wilkshire and Bilal Basacikoglu while he dropped young striker Te Vrede in place of midweek scorer against Beşiktaş, Elvis Manu.

ADO’s debutant goalkeeper Martin Hansen had to be alert on nine minutes as Terence Kongolo delivered a wonderful cross for former Den Haag man Lex Immers to rise above everyone to smash a header at goal, and the former Liverpool youth keeper tipped over.

Feyenoord should have gained the lead on 15 minutes after Basacikoglu threaded the needle for Manu down the right. The striker showed great power and strength to get past Vito Wormgoor but Hansen flicked the ball around the post.

The woodwork stopped ADO’s chances going in, twice in succession. On 17 minutes, Mike van Duinen nodded on a corner for former West Brom defender Gianni Zuiverloon to head the ball off the crossbar. A few minutes later, Dion Malone crashed the bar with a great effort from long range that had the supporters inside Kyocera Stadion on their feet and Feyenoord keeper Erwin Mulder on his knees.

The hosts impressed after the early scares form Feyenoord but lost their captain Ronald Alberg to injury before half-time and had to be replacement by another man making his debut, 18-year-old Tyronne Ebuehi.

Things got worse for Henk Fraser as Mitchell Schet received two bookings within four minutes. Schet dived in on Sven van Beek and then minutes later he was penalised for pulling back Kongolo. Video replays showed that the second should not have been a sending off. Nevertheless, referee Danny Makkelie dished out the first red card of the Eredivisie season so far and Schet trudged off the pitch.

As the rain poured down, ADO lost their discipline and Aaron Meijers was lucky to stay on the field after a two footed challenge in the corner on Basacikoglu. The teams went into the interval all square but Feyenoord, with the man advantage.

Still the Rotterdammers failed to get going and really test Hansen’s gloves and it was not until the hour mark that we saw the first real chance. An audacious effort from Kevin Jansen, spotting Erwin Mulder off his line, hit a 45-yard free kick towards goal that just sailed wide with Mulder scrambling to get back in his goal.

On 65 minutes, Feyenoord had a free-kick of their own and with a great piece of improvisation, Clasie laid the ball low into the area for Kongolo to crack an effort on goal. Unfortunately for Rutten’s men the box was too crowded and the ball went behind for a corner. From the resulting set-piece, Immers got his head on the ball again but could not get his effort on target.

As the time dwindled on, ADO looked the more dangerous as Feyenoord became anxious. The introductions of Te Vrede, Ruben Schaken and later Ruud Vormer seemed to fail to inspire Rutten’s side to the expected victory. Although, In the dying moments, when it looked like the game would not be settled, Mitchell te Vrede snatched the win with an excellent header from a Clasie free-kick.

Feyenoord will need to improve if they wish to challenge the likes of Ajax, PSV and FC Twente for the Eredivisie championship. ADO will be disappointed with the result but on the bright this is only their second defeat in the last 14 league fixtures. Referee Danny Makkelie will be in headlines also, as the 13 cards he displayed in this game is an all-time Eredivisie record.

TEAMS

ADO: Hansen, Malone, Wormgoor, Zuiverloon, Meijers, Kristensen, Jansen (Merencia 87), Alberg (Ebuehi 38), Van Duinen, Kramer, Schet.

SUBS NOT USED: Zwinkles, Kanon, Buwalda, De Vlugt, Houtkoop.

GOALS: None.

BOOKINGS: Schet 36, Meijers 43, Kramer 52, Jansen 54, Zuiverloon 63, Kristensen 65, Merencia 90.

SENT OFF: Schet 40.

FEYENOORD: Mulder; Wilkshire, Van Beek, Mathijsen, Kongolo, Clasie, Immers, Vilhena, Basacikoglu (Schaken 67), Manu (Vormer 81), Boëtius (Te Vrede 58).

SUBS NOT USED: Hahn, Vormer, Verhoek, Nelom, Karsdorp.

GOALS: Te Vrede 90+1.

BOOKINGS: Manu 25, Te Vrede 77, Van Beek 80, Wilkshire 82, Clasie 85.

MAN OF THE MATCH: Kevin Jansen (ADO)

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TotalDutchFootball.com WorldFootballWeekly.com

NEWS

Clasie is ready for Feyenoord departure

August 3, 2014 Will Burns 2 Comments

After having such a good World Cup it was inevitable that Jordy Clasie would attract interest this summer. However throughout this summer window Feyenoord have stood firm in their belief that he will not be sold. Feyenoord’s Sporting Director Martin van Geel has even been quoted as saying “we have no intention of selling him.” But in the last few days Clasie’s agent Wessel Weezenburg has been quoted as saying “Of course Clasie does not have to leave Feyenoord. But he is ready for departure” which seems to imply that he probably won’t hand in a transfer request but if a big club were to come in with an agreeable personal terms then he would probably accept the offer.

Clasie has been linked with a whole host of clubs; there have been suggestions that both Louis van Gaal and Ronald Koeman, now of Manchester United and Southampton respectively want to be reunited with a player they have already managed. He has also been linked with other European giants such as FC Porto and Fiorentina. After having such a standout World Cup, Clasie’s stock has certainly risen as well as his price tag which is likely to be around the £15 million mark if not more.

While there are others in the Feyenoord team that played well last season, Terence Kongolo and Jean-Paul Boëtius to name a couple, Clasie is the last of the stalwarts of the team that helped Feyenoord to second in the league last season. Stefan de Vrij, Daryl Janmaat, Bruno Martins Indi and Graziano Pelle have all already left and it is unlikely that Feyenoord can repeat the achievements of last season.

Born in Haarlem just outside Amsterdam, Clasie joined the Feyenoord youth set up age 9. He spent ten years in the youth set up before being sent out on loan to Excelsior for the 2010/11 season. He actually made his professional debut for Excelsior against Feyenoord in the Rotterdam derby. The season after was his breakthrough for Feyenoord; he made his debut in a friendly game against Malaga. Clasie quickly became a hit with the Feyenoord fans due to his tenacity and good play on the pitch. One aspect of his game that he could improve is his goal scoring, because while he is certainly not an out and out attacker, six goals in 98 appearances for Feyenoord isn’t great.

Clasie is already an established member of the Oranje. Having played in the U18, U19 and U21 age groups it was only a matter of time before he was called up to the full squad. He was on the stand-by list for Euro 2012 and played in every game for the Dutch at the 2014 World Cup, both starting and from the bench.

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FEATURE

Four Eredivisie players to help rebuild Southampton?

July 28, 2014 Will Burns Leave a comment

Like his former club Feyenoord, this past summer has seen Ronald Koeman’s new club Southampton of the Premier League totally diminished. The Saints have seen Rickie Lambert, Adam Lallana and Dejan Lovren all depart to join Liverpool, Luke Shaw has left for Manchester United and today, Callum Chambers signing for Arsenal.

Koeman has been left with a lot of rebuilding at Southampton and obviously, the Dutch coach knows the Eredivisie very well. This transfer window has already seen him raid Feyenoord to take Italian striker Graziano Pellè to St. Marys and Dušan Tadić has been recruited from FC Twente. Anyone watching the Dutch top flight over the last two seasons has saw Pellè and Tadić emerge as two of the very best the league had to offer, so it would not surprise anyone if Koeman will return to the league to boost his first team options.

Today, Will Burns looks at four potential targets in the Eredivisie that Koeman may wish to take to Southampton.

JEFFREY GOUWELEEUW (Central Defender – AZ Alkmaar)

Gouweleeuw is a 23-year-old defender who has over 100 Eredivisie appearances under his belt after quickly progressing through the youth teams at Heerenveen. He secured a move to AZ Alkmaar last summer and has excelled as a classy performer. For a 6ft 1in defender, he has outstanding feet with great confidence and has no doubts about carrying the ball out of defence. His excellent pace who fit in lovely with Southampton, breaking on the attack if needed, whilst also covering his colleagues at the back.

KAMOHELO MOKOTJO (Central Midfielder – PEC Zwolle)

Ron Jans stated that Mokotjo was the “buy of the summer” last year when the South African arrived from Feyenoord on a free transfer. Indeed he was, after helping Zwolle to their first ever KNVB Beker cup final in their 104 year history, they defeated the mighty Ajax 5-1. The 23-year-old is a hard-working, Duracell-bunny like midfielder who gives his all for the team and could shine in the hustle and bustle of the Premier League.

JORDY CLASIE (Central Midfielder – Feyenoord)

Once nicknamed ‘the Dutch Xavi’, this 22-year-old midfielder has incredible vision and awareness, allowing him to play chess on the field and think of his next move. After making lots of interceptions, Clasie rarely loses possession and has the ability to control a match with his sharp passing. A tough-tackler that would add some meat to the Southampton midfield.

JEAN-PAUL BOËTIUS (Winger – Feyenoord)

Boëtius is a speed winger who combines pace with technique and creativity; he panics full-backs with his marauding runs. Game after game he is proving to be a rising star which in fairness, however, at 20 years old he possibly could do with another year at Feyenoord to gain more experience. Nevertheless, Koeman may decide his confidence and no fear approach may help out at Southampton this season. He combined tremendously last season with Graziano Pelle in Rotterdam, he could do the same in Southampton.

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NEWS, TRANSFERS

Porto sign Martins Indi – Clasie to follow?

July 15, 2014 Will Burns 1 Comment

After signing Bruno Martins Indi on a four year deal, Portuguese giants FC Porto are now said to be interested in acquiring the services of Feyenoord midfielder Jordy Clasie.

With the Dutch club looking more likely to lose Stefan de Vrij, and Daryl Janmaat, Graziano Pelle along with Martins Indi already gone, in such a short space of time, they are in no hurry to part ways with the holding midfielder. Clasie’s agent has spoken but only to confirm that there are clubs interested in his client, but no concrete offer has been received by Feyenoord.

Defender Martins Indi today signed a four year contract with Porto, settling on of the most anticipated transfers of the summer, for a 7.7million fee.

Martins Indi told VI.nl: “This feels like the right time to leave, I have played over a hundred games for the club and played in my first World Cup. I have said from the start that I hoped that if I ever make the next step in my career that it would be for better for I or the club. Feyenoord have received great financial benefit for me while I’m looking forward to a new challenge in Portugal. “

In regards to Jordy Clasie, Feyenoord technical director Martin van Geel, has said in De Telegraaf that, “With Jordy there is less pressure to leave, he is happy at Feyenoord and we would definitely not want to lose him.” One of the main objectives this summer for Van Geel was to make Feyenoord financially more stable and he is currently doing that with two big sales, so the club are in no way being held to ransom by their own bank account. Although, relations between the club are good seeing as Porto have already signed ex-Feyenoord man Bruno Martins Indi recently.

In so far as other players are concerned, this may not be the case. Van Geel admitted that players like Stefan de Vrij, who only has one year left on his contract, may be be sold if the right offer comes along. Clasie’s contract runs until the summer of 2018 which gives the club a little more control over the matter when an offers comes in.

The 23-year-old made his debut for Oranje in 2012 and has since represented his country on 10 occasions, the latest as a substitute in the semi-final defeat to Argentina in World Cup 2014. Clasie is your typical Dutch defensive midfielder, who has no gaping holes in any area of his game. He enjoys when the ball is at his feet and can defend capably. Porto are certainly in the market for a defensive midfielder, and it appears Clasie can be the man to fill that role, if they can only convince Martin van Geel that the price is right.

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EREDIVISIE, NEWS, TRANSFERS

Feyenoord could be ready to offload assets in plan for future

March 24, 2014 Will Burns Leave a comment

With Fred Rutten ready to take over the reins at Feyenoord in the summer, the new head coach could have a real battle on his hands in an attempt to keep the current youthful squad together.

Although it has been suggested, should Rutten wish to bring his own players in to match his vision for the Rotterdam club, he will have to cash in on some of the club’s stars to finance his own moves.

Italian striker Graziano Pellè is thought to be the first to pack his bags. Although the Lecce-born hitman has notched 47 goals in 53 appearances, his bad behaviour off the pitch has been frowned upon and the Rotterdam club could receive up to €7m for the 28-year-old.

Three of the younger players in particular have impressed this season and they are already on the radar of top European clubs. However, Jean-Paul Boëtius and Tonny Vilhena are under deals until the summer of 2016, young defender Terence Kongolo (pictured above) has just a season left on his contract.

Feyenoord’s general manager Martin van Geel is working hard on persuading the three starlets to extend their current agreements as they do not want to see them leave in the summer. Vilhena (19) and Boëtius (20) have impressed tremendously this term, with Vilhena managing two goals and five assists and Boëtius notching eight goals and eight assists.

Meanwhile, 20-year-old central defender Kongolo only recently pinned down a place in the starting line-up and he has a total of 11 league outings this season.

Although, Van Geel is desperate to tie down Boëtius, Kongolo and Vilhena, he may be willing to move on some more experienced youngsters. Defender Stefan de Vrij has been linked with moves away since last summer when Premier League side Everton were said to be looking at the 22-year-old.

Bruno Martins Indi and Jordy Clasie are set to be on display in Brazil this summer for Louis van Gaal’s Netherlands. The TV cameras will be beaming the World Cup finals across the globe, which puts these two players directly in the shop window. Martins Indi and Clasie, both 22, themselves have been rumoured to be leaving Rotterdam over the last few transfer windows but are also under contract until 2016.

Portugal-born defender Martins Indi was also linked with Everton as well as Arsenal but a move to neither club has materialised. With young hopes like Kongolo ready to step up into the Feyenoord defence, then moves for Martins Indi and De Vrij may happen come July.

Clasie, has just been named club captain and in recent months has been mooted with a move to England himself with Liverpool. However, before the midfielder signed his contract extension last summer a move to the Serie A with Fiorentina was openly denied by the club. He is the player that Feyenoord can hope to make the biggest amount of profit on, should they choose to.

Whatever happens in the summer, it certainly seems that times are changing for the Rotterdam club, whether or not these adjustments can be positive for Fred Rutten and his team, time will tell.

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EREDIVISIE, NEWS

Feyenoord strip Pellè of captaincy

March 3, 2014 Will Burns 4 Comments

Feyenoord have stripped controversial Italian hothead Graziano Pellè of the club captaincy and have also stated that the striker will not be considered for selection in their next two games against FC Groningen and Heerenveen. Jordy Clasie will lead the team out with the captain’s armband in the future.

A statement on Feyenoord.nl said: “Feyenoord have removed the captaincy from Graziano Pellè. Also, the striker will not be available for selection in Feyenoord’s next two games. These measures were taken on Monday and made known to Pellè and his team-mates.”

The KNVB handed Pellè a one-match ban suspended for a year after he was caught on camera (see video below) in a vicious outburst, kicking the dugout following his side’s 2-2 draw with FC Twente last weekend.

Pelle was selected in Sunday’s ‘De Klassieker’ with Ajax and scored the opening goal but Feyenoord were eventually defeated 2-1. Video replays showed during the game that the Italian was lucky not to be sent off after he appeared to strike Ajax defender Joël Veltman with an elbow in the second half. Referee for the match, Bjorn Kuipers, did not witness the incident and the KNVB have yet to announce whether they will take retrospective action or not.

After the game, the Italian was involved in a highly confrontational interview at pitchside with FOX Sports presenter Jan Joost van Gangelen, and the striker completely lost his cool.

Watch the full interview in the video below.

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FRIENDLY, KNVB, NETHERLANDS, ORANJE

In a 33 man squad, RVP & Huntelaar return for France clash

February 20, 2014 Will Burns Leave a comment

Oranje coach Louis van Gaal has named a huge 33-man provisional squad for the Netherlands’ friendly match with France on March 5th in Paris. The friendly with France is the first of four warm-up games for the Dutch ahead of this summer’s World Cup in Brazil.

Dutch captain Robin van Persie returns after having missed his country’s last two friendlies through injury.

Also recalled is Schalke striker Klaas-Jan Huntelaar, who has only recently made his comeback after a knee injury. The 30-year-old striker had spent five months on the sidelines but has scored two goals in four league appearances for the Bundesliga side since returning to action after the winter break.

Van Gaal has also announced six players to his squad who could win their first cap including dangerous winger Jean-Paul Boëtius, who has been in great form over the past few months for Feyenoord and could receive his first cap in Paris. Other possible debutants in the squad include PSV pair Karim Rekik and goalkeeper Jeroen Zoet, FC Twente’s Quincy Promes, Vitesse’s Davy Pröpper and Ajax’s Davy Klaassen.

SQUAD

GOALKEEPERS: Jasper CILLESSEN (Ajax), Tim KRUL (Newcastle United), Maarten STEKELENBURG (Fulham), Kenneth VERMEER (Ajax), Michel VORM (Swansea City), Jeroen ZOET (PSV).

DEFENDERS: Daley BLIND (Ajax), Jeffrey BRUMA (PSV), Stefan DE VRIJ (Feyenoord), Bruno MARTINS INDI (Feyenoord), Daryl JANMAAT (Feyenoord), Karim REKIK (PSV), Gregory VAN DER WIEL (Paris Saint-Germain), Joel VELTMAN (Ajax), Paul VERHAEGH (FC Augsburg), Ron VLAAR (Aston Villa).

MIDFIELDERS: Jordy CLASIE (Feyenoord), Nigel DE JONG (AC Milan), Siem DE JONG (Ajax), Leroy FER (Norwich City), Davy KLAASSEN (Ajax), Davy PROPPER (Vitesse), Stijn SCHAARS (PSV), Wesley SNEIJDER (Galatasaray), Kevin STROOTMAN (AS Roma).

FORWARDS: Jean-Paul BOETIUS (Feyenoord), Memphis DEPAY (PSV), Klaas-Jan HUNTELAAR (Schalke), Dirk KUYT (Fenerbahçe), Luciano NARSINGH (PSV), Quincy PROMES (FC Twente), Arjen ROBBEN (Bayern Munich), Robin VAN PERSIE (Manchester United).

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EREDIVISIE

25 EREDIVISIE STARS OF THE SEASON… SO FAR – PART 2

January 13, 2014 Will Burns 1 Comment

The Eredivisie season restarts after the winter break on 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 next five…

Once nicknamed ‘the Dutch Xavi’, Jordy Clasie is once again having a great season for Feyenoord. The tough tackling 22-year-old defensive midfielder is as useful defending his box, as well as attacking the oppositions. This season, Clasie has seen his role sitting a lot deeper and more restricted than other seasons, but still as effective.

Clasie has appeared in all but one game for Feyenoord this term, and created five goals but his strong point has been his interceptions and tackling. Averaging 3.1 successful tackles per game, the stats suggest that the midfielder has helped Feyenoord concede just 24 goals in 18 games in the Eredivisie this season.

As another season passes, another round of transfer rumours involving Clasie are sure to circle around, but he has no plans to move. Clasie was quoted stating “I’m not going to judge the guys who left, they had their reasons.

“I can only speak for myself and I’ve always thought it best to complete your football education where you’re the most comfortable – and Feyenoord is my place. Ever since I was a kid my aim was to become a professional here, to regularly play in front of full-houses at De Kuip. That dream has now come true, but it doesn’t mean it’s the end of the story.

“I want to make a name for myself at Feyenoord, help the club win things again. I’m under contract until 2015, so any move abroad is much further down the line as far I’m concerned.”

One of the hottest properties in Europe, Depay has become a key player for the very young and struggling PSV side this season, starting 17 league games and every European game on the left wing.

Oranje coach Louis van Gaal has recognised his talents and this season has saw the 19-year-old break onto the international scene winning three caps, and looks to have an outside chance of heading to Brazil in the Netherlands 23-man squad.

PSV need to pick up points and quick, Phillip Cocu’s side currently are 11 points adrift from leaders Ajax and Vitesse. With six goals and four assists, if his team-mates can follow his form they may move up the league instead of lingering into seventh, as they are right now.

The Icelandic goal-machine, Finnbogason has netted an incredible 17 goals in 15 appearances in a tremendous five months for the striker. A lethal finisher that he earned many admirers since moving from Lokeren in Belgium in August 2012, and in another amazing goalscoring stat, scored 41 in 48 total games for Heerenveen.

Under Marco van Basten this season, the Frisian club are currently located in fifth place in the Eredivisie standings and Finnbogason has to take the majority of the plaudits. His finishing has been irresistible, scoring his 17 goals out 69 total shots with a massive 79% on target.

It is no surprise that Finnbogason is a wanted man across the European big leagues, with his magnificent goalscoring record a move will be in the future for the Icelander. Although, it will possibly have to wait until the summer as Finnbogason has stated he will not make any decisions on furthering his career abroad until this season is complete.

The Dutch central defender, that also finds himself at home in the holding role of the midfield, has been a revelation for the high-flying Vitesse Arnhem the past five months. While the goals have been banged in by Lucas Piazon, Peter Bosz can thank Van der Heijden at the other end with a huge 89 clearances in 17 games (an average of 5.2 per game).

Do not think because Bosz has selected Van der Heijden at the heart of defence all season, that those clearance stats suggest that the former Ajax youth player likes to boot the ball up the field. His short, simple accurate passing out of the defence, keeping the possession, provides even greater statistics. The ball-playing central defender that has an amazing 91.5% success rate, a total of 1166 passes have met his team-mates over his 17 appearances.

Due to his great footballing brain and concentration, Van der Heijden rarely makes a mistake and is a key cog in the Vitesse wheel, especially if they are to clinch their inaugural Eredivisie championship.

Even though Roda linger just above the relegation places, right-winger Hupperts, has become the ‘diamond in the rough’ this season. The 21-year-old has really shined, finding goals against top-half sides, FC Twente and Heerenveen.

In October, Hupperts led the struggling Kerkrade side to a great 2-1 win over PSV. Bombing down the right-wing, Hupperts gave PSV full-back Jetro Willems a torrid time and while standing at 6ft tall, also winning aerial duels over the Oranje international.

These impressive showings will see possible see Hupperts move at the end of the season, with Ajax being strongly linked with the player.

JOIN US TOMORROW FOR PART THREE

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