Twente voto cinque, come le giornate di squalifica inflitte al brasiliano Douglas, con tanti ringraziamenti ai compagni di squadra – Theo Janssen in particolare - che lo hanno trattenuto dal commettere una sciocchezza che avrebbe potuto costargli almeno un anno di carriera: mandare l’arbitro, il signor Ruud Bossen, dritto all’ospedale. Senza dubbio i nervi sono tesi in casa Tukkers, con la squadra che ha perso un po’ di smalto e continua a raccogliere meno di quanto meritato – con il Nec ci stavano i tre punti e ne è uscito un pareggio, domenica contro l’AZ la sconfitta è stata una punizione troppo severa. In più si è nuovamente infortunato Ruiz. Attenzione però a considerare il Twente in declino. Anche lo scorso anno con McClaren la squadra di Enschede aveva fatto registrare una flessione nei primi tre mesi dell’anno, ma poi era arrivato il titolo. A nove giornate dalla fine della Eredivisie, con un calendario migliore rispetto a Psv e Ajax, il Twente (squadre oltretutto agli ottavi di Europa League e in semifinale nella coppa d’Olanda) è in gioco più che mai. Deve solamente resistere al periodo negativo. E tenere le mani a posto.
“Con me Georginio Wijnaldum gioca sempre”. Attestato di stima a firma del tecnico Mario Been, che non ha gradito le perplessità mostrate da parte della stampa sullo stato di forma non ottimale del giovane talento del Feyenoord. Sulle fasce Biseswar e Miyaichi corrono a tutta birra? Ecco pronta per il talentuoso classe 90 una maglia da numero 10, centrocampista offensivo alle spalle del tridente. Un esperimento poco riuscito a Den Haag, eccellente nella resa invece in casa contro il Groningen quarto in classifica, sepolto sotto cinque reti. Di queste, quattro sono arrivate proprio da un Wijnaldum in stato di grazia. Settimana dopo settimana, i giovani del Feyenoord – l’unica risorsa rimasta al club di Rotterdam – stanno portando la squadra fuori dalle sacche della zona retrocessione.
Ci voleva l’imbarazzante Heerenveen di Ron Jans per far centrare al derelitto Willem II la seconda vittoria stagionale in Eredivisie. E ci voleva l’inqualificabile Vitesse di Albert Ferrer per far segnare ad un Heracles Almelo in fase calante (rispetto agli ultimi campionati) e alle soglie della zona pericolo ben sei reti in una sola partita. La palma del peggiore allenatore dell’anno è ormai una lotta a due.
Footballstories.net
lunedì 28 febbraio 2011
giovedì 24 febbraio 2011
PSV Eindhoven v Lille Match Preview
What: Europa League (Round of 32)
Who: PSV Eindhoven vs Lille
When: Thursday 24th February, 2011, at 18:00 UK Time
Where: Philips Stadion, Eindhoven, Netherlands
Too Tough to Die
At the start of 2011, PSV lost two key players: creative midfielder Ibrahim Afellay – sold to Barcelona – and striker Jonathan Reis – sidelined through a knee injury. The Philips-backed club’s poor financial situation however meant that coach Fred Rutten could not enter the transfer market for replacements. The Dutch giants are well on their way to achieving their objectives though and sit top of the Eredivisie, while they have also shone in the Europa League. Indeed, PSV have performed quite brilliantly thus far, both domestically and in Europe.
Last week, PSV’s first leg against Lille was a game filled with ups and downs. After a disappointing first half, "we didn’t win a single duel", said Rutten, the Eindhoven side came back from 2-0 down to record a useful 2-2 draw in the dying minutes. "We could have also scored the third", bemoaned the PSV coach, "but honestly it would have been too much. Anyway, I am satisfied with the mentality the team showed in the second half, in which we controlled the game." In France, PSV showed strong character and a never-say-die attitude, two of their greatest qualities.
The club’s top scorers this season are left winger Balazs Dzsudzsak (19 goals) and Swedish striker Ola Toivonen (18), a forward deployed by Rutten as a creative midfielder in a system that comes very close to being a 4-2-4. And even though the Swede is still searching for real consistency, he is quickly becoming a key player for the Dutch side. Veterans like Wilfred Bouma and Orlando Engelaar are vital for PSV, shoring up the midfield and defence, while up front Marcus Berg is still desperately seeking the cold-blooded composure in front of goal that was his trademark at Groningen two years ago.
Still Looking for European Maturity
Over the last two seasons it can be argued that Lille have played some of the most pectacular football in Ligue 1. Their numbers are impressive: 72 goals scored in the 009/10 campaign and 42 so far this time, a season in which they top the French league – espite a weekend defeat away to Montpellier. "It’s hard to tell what the secrets of this Lille’s op performances are", pondered Belgian talent Eden Hazard. "In my opinion, it is something that has to do with the Spanish football philosophy our coach Rudi Garcia brought here.Relatively speaking, Lille’s style of play can be compared with Barcelona’s. An attacking mentality, ball possession and exuberant approach."
Lille’s Europa League campaign however has been far from their impressive domestic fare. Les Dogues (The Mastiffs) are still looking to hone their European approach, with key performers like Moussa Sow – the current Ligue 1 top scorer -, Ivory Coast star Gervinho and in-demand Hazard unable to impress as they do domestically. For Garcia, the reason for this is simple: too many games played. "It’s virtually impossible for a club like Lille to be a contender for the championship, the domestic cup and the Europa League at the same time. We don’t have a large squad. Every game gets harder. In the French Cup, we beat Ligue 2 outfit Nantes only on penalties. While last week PSV scored two goals against us in the last minutes. You can’t always do your best when you play twice in a week."
Despite a dip in Europe, Lille remain a team that cannot be underestimated. A strong midfield group of Florent Balmont-Rio Mavuba-Yohan Cabaye, a sold central defender in Adil Rami – who will head to Valencia in the summer – and one of the best keepers in Ligue 1 in Mickael Landreau, have made the northern France side a well-balanced team. Considering their undoubted talent up front, with Brazilian hitman Tulio de Melo one to watch too, Lille have everything they need to progress in the Europa League.
Players to watch
PSV Eindhoven – Balazs Dzsudzsak: Currently the club’s top scorer, the Hungarian winger also has 12 assists to his name. Dzsudzsak has a quick turn of pace and exceptional ability to beat his man, making him a nightmare for any defence – throw in a powerful shot too and he is a handful of trouble. Though left-footed, a brace scored against AZ two weeks ago demonstrated perfectly that his right is not just for standing on. The Hungarian recently signed a new deal with PSV until 2015, ending rumours about a possible departure for free next year. "His contract extension fits our ambitions", said PSV technical director Marcel Brands.
Lille – Eden Hazard: For Lille’s coach Rudi Garcia, "Eden is not a nugget, he is a mine". For Zinedine Zidane, "he’s a player I would take to Real Madrid with my eyes closed". Arsene Wenger would also like to see Hazard pulling on an Arsenal jersey. In 2010, the Belgian international, who made his debut with Lille aged 16 years, 10 months and eight days old, was handed the Ligue 1 Young Player of the Year award for the second time in a row. In the 2009/10 Europa League campaign, Hazard found the back of the net four times, including a wonderful solo goal against Genoa. This year however, he is still looking for his first – Lille may need him to find it if they are to survive in Eindhoven.
Match Prediction
Both PSV and Lille play attacking football, moving the ball around quickly and developing the game along the flanks. They both have strong tactical organisation too, making this an intriguing battle. The Dutch surely take to the pitch in better heart, due to their first leg comeback. PSV will try to control the game and hit the French with quick counter attacks. This match looks a 60-40 clash in favour of PSV, who will win 2-1.
Fonte: Inside Futbol
Who: PSV Eindhoven vs Lille
When: Thursday 24th February, 2011, at 18:00 UK Time
Where: Philips Stadion, Eindhoven, Netherlands
Too Tough to Die
At the start of 2011, PSV lost two key players: creative midfielder Ibrahim Afellay – sold to Barcelona – and striker Jonathan Reis – sidelined through a knee injury. The Philips-backed club’s poor financial situation however meant that coach Fred Rutten could not enter the transfer market for replacements. The Dutch giants are well on their way to achieving their objectives though and sit top of the Eredivisie, while they have also shone in the Europa League. Indeed, PSV have performed quite brilliantly thus far, both domestically and in Europe.
Last week, PSV’s first leg against Lille was a game filled with ups and downs. After a disappointing first half, "we didn’t win a single duel", said Rutten, the Eindhoven side came back from 2-0 down to record a useful 2-2 draw in the dying minutes. "We could have also scored the third", bemoaned the PSV coach, "but honestly it would have been too much. Anyway, I am satisfied with the mentality the team showed in the second half, in which we controlled the game." In France, PSV showed strong character and a never-say-die attitude, two of their greatest qualities.
The club’s top scorers this season are left winger Balazs Dzsudzsak (19 goals) and Swedish striker Ola Toivonen (18), a forward deployed by Rutten as a creative midfielder in a system that comes very close to being a 4-2-4. And even though the Swede is still searching for real consistency, he is quickly becoming a key player for the Dutch side. Veterans like Wilfred Bouma and Orlando Engelaar are vital for PSV, shoring up the midfield and defence, while up front Marcus Berg is still desperately seeking the cold-blooded composure in front of goal that was his trademark at Groningen two years ago.
Still Looking for European Maturity
Over the last two seasons it can be argued that Lille have played some of the most pectacular football in Ligue 1. Their numbers are impressive: 72 goals scored in the 009/10 campaign and 42 so far this time, a season in which they top the French league – espite a weekend defeat away to Montpellier. "It’s hard to tell what the secrets of this Lille’s op performances are", pondered Belgian talent Eden Hazard. "In my opinion, it is something that has to do with the Spanish football philosophy our coach Rudi Garcia brought here.Relatively speaking, Lille’s style of play can be compared with Barcelona’s. An attacking mentality, ball possession and exuberant approach."
Lille’s Europa League campaign however has been far from their impressive domestic fare. Les Dogues (The Mastiffs) are still looking to hone their European approach, with key performers like Moussa Sow – the current Ligue 1 top scorer -, Ivory Coast star Gervinho and in-demand Hazard unable to impress as they do domestically. For Garcia, the reason for this is simple: too many games played. "It’s virtually impossible for a club like Lille to be a contender for the championship, the domestic cup and the Europa League at the same time. We don’t have a large squad. Every game gets harder. In the French Cup, we beat Ligue 2 outfit Nantes only on penalties. While last week PSV scored two goals against us in the last minutes. You can’t always do your best when you play twice in a week."
Despite a dip in Europe, Lille remain a team that cannot be underestimated. A strong midfield group of Florent Balmont-Rio Mavuba-Yohan Cabaye, a sold central defender in Adil Rami – who will head to Valencia in the summer – and one of the best keepers in Ligue 1 in Mickael Landreau, have made the northern France side a well-balanced team. Considering their undoubted talent up front, with Brazilian hitman Tulio de Melo one to watch too, Lille have everything they need to progress in the Europa League.
Players to watch
PSV Eindhoven – Balazs Dzsudzsak: Currently the club’s top scorer, the Hungarian winger also has 12 assists to his name. Dzsudzsak has a quick turn of pace and exceptional ability to beat his man, making him a nightmare for any defence – throw in a powerful shot too and he is a handful of trouble. Though left-footed, a brace scored against AZ two weeks ago demonstrated perfectly that his right is not just for standing on. The Hungarian recently signed a new deal with PSV until 2015, ending rumours about a possible departure for free next year. "His contract extension fits our ambitions", said PSV technical director Marcel Brands.
Lille – Eden Hazard: For Lille’s coach Rudi Garcia, "Eden is not a nugget, he is a mine". For Zinedine Zidane, "he’s a player I would take to Real Madrid with my eyes closed". Arsene Wenger would also like to see Hazard pulling on an Arsenal jersey. In 2010, the Belgian international, who made his debut with Lille aged 16 years, 10 months and eight days old, was handed the Ligue 1 Young Player of the Year award for the second time in a row. In the 2009/10 Europa League campaign, Hazard found the back of the net four times, including a wonderful solo goal against Genoa. This year however, he is still looking for his first – Lille may need him to find it if they are to survive in Eindhoven.
Match Prediction
Both PSV and Lille play attacking football, moving the ball around quickly and developing the game along the flanks. They both have strong tactical organisation too, making this an intriguing battle. The Dutch surely take to the pitch in better heart, due to their first leg comeback. PSV will try to control the game and hit the French with quick counter attacks. This match looks a 60-40 clash in favour of PSV, who will win 2-1.
Fonte: Inside Futbol
mercoledì 23 febbraio 2011
Preview Inter-Bayern Monaco: Thomas Kraft
Altro che sottiletta, come il cognome potrebbe maliziosamente suggerire. Thomas Kraft scenderà regolarmente in campo questa sera dopo lo scontro con Petar Sliskovic del Mainz che quattro giorni fa lo ha costretto ad uscire con un trauma cranico. Per la grande rivincita contro l’Inter Louis van Gaal si affida a questo 22enne che lo scorso 30 ottobre giocava ancora nella Dritte Liga, la Serie C tedesca, difendendo la porta del Bayern Monaco II, la seconda squadra del club bavarese, in un incontro in casa del VfR Aalen.
Dalle giovanili alla Champions League, un film già visto in casa Bayern lo scorso anno con Thomas Müller, Holger Badstuber e Diego Contento. Adesso tocca a Kraft, vice-campione tedesco under-19 nel 2006 e nel 2007, sul cui talento Van Gaal si è quasi giocato la panchina. All’annuncio che Kraft sarebbe stato titolare in Bundesliga contro il Wolfsburg lo scorso gennaio, il direttore sportivo di bavaresi Christian Nerlinger aveva tuonato: “Una scelta emotiva più che razionale, destinata a danneggiare gli interessi del club. Ci potrebbero essere drastiche conseguenze per Van Gaal”. Kraft quel giorno ha parato un rigore al brasiliano Grafite e non è più uscito dall’undici titolare. A San Siro contro Eto’o e compagni disputerà la sua decima partita con il Bayern Monaco, la terza in Champions League.
“Una parte del mio compito come allenatore è quello di valorizzare i prodotti del vivaio”, ha commentato il tecnico olandese, che già in passato si era distinto per le felici intuizioni in tema di portieri facendo debuttare Edwin van der Sar nell’Ajax e Victor Valdes nel Barcellona. Dal ritiro di Oliver Kahn il Bayern non è più riuscito a risolvere il suo “Torwartproblem”. Micheal Rensing ha fallito per evidenti limiti tecnici e caratteriali, mentre Oliver Butt è sempre stato un ripiego per ragioni puramente anagrafiche. I bavaresi si erano pertanto lanciati sul mercato alla caccia dell’estremo dello Schalke 04 Micheal Neuer, ennesimo prodotto di qualità di un movimento calcistico, quello tedesco, che sta vivendo un’autentica età dell’oro. Invece l’erede di Der Titan il Bayern sembra proprio averlo già in casa. “Se arriva Neuer me ne vado io”, ha prontamente replicato alle voci di mercato Kraft, con la stessa sicurezza finora mostrata in campo. Altro che sottiletta…
Fonte: Il Giornale
Dalle giovanili alla Champions League, un film già visto in casa Bayern lo scorso anno con Thomas Müller, Holger Badstuber e Diego Contento. Adesso tocca a Kraft, vice-campione tedesco under-19 nel 2006 e nel 2007, sul cui talento Van Gaal si è quasi giocato la panchina. All’annuncio che Kraft sarebbe stato titolare in Bundesliga contro il Wolfsburg lo scorso gennaio, il direttore sportivo di bavaresi Christian Nerlinger aveva tuonato: “Una scelta emotiva più che razionale, destinata a danneggiare gli interessi del club. Ci potrebbero essere drastiche conseguenze per Van Gaal”. Kraft quel giorno ha parato un rigore al brasiliano Grafite e non è più uscito dall’undici titolare. A San Siro contro Eto’o e compagni disputerà la sua decima partita con il Bayern Monaco, la terza in Champions League.
“Una parte del mio compito come allenatore è quello di valorizzare i prodotti del vivaio”, ha commentato il tecnico olandese, che già in passato si era distinto per le felici intuizioni in tema di portieri facendo debuttare Edwin van der Sar nell’Ajax e Victor Valdes nel Barcellona. Dal ritiro di Oliver Kahn il Bayern non è più riuscito a risolvere il suo “Torwartproblem”. Micheal Rensing ha fallito per evidenti limiti tecnici e caratteriali, mentre Oliver Butt è sempre stato un ripiego per ragioni puramente anagrafiche. I bavaresi si erano pertanto lanciati sul mercato alla caccia dell’estremo dello Schalke 04 Micheal Neuer, ennesimo prodotto di qualità di un movimento calcistico, quello tedesco, che sta vivendo un’autentica età dell’oro. Invece l’erede di Der Titan il Bayern sembra proprio averlo già in casa. “Se arriva Neuer me ne vado io”, ha prontamente replicato alle voci di mercato Kraft, con la stessa sicurezza finora mostrata in campo. Altro che sottiletta…
Fonte: Il Giornale
martedì 22 febbraio 2011
Pillole di Eredivisie - giornata 24
Negli ultimi mesi Luc Castaignos ha fatto parlare molto di sè, anche in Italia, per via delle trattative che lo vedono ad un passo dall’Inter. Nel frattempo questo classe 92 originario di Schiedam, sobborgo operaio di Rotterdam, sta continuando il proprio processo di maturazione sul campo. Nella trasferta di Den Haag è arrivata una doppietta che lo ha portato a quota 9 reti ed ha regalato un ulteriore saggio delle sue qualità. Prima con uno stop volante in area di rigore, seguito da una rapida giravolta e da un morbido lob terminato nell’angolo più lontano. Poi con una rovesciata su cross proveniente dalla destra. Due reti che non sono servite al Feyenoord per centrare la seconda vittoria consecutiva, sfumata nel finale dall’uno-due Vicento-Bulykin. Due reti però utili a far lievitare ulteriormente il valore del giocatore. A 18 anni Castaignos è già un attaccante vero.
Il tatuatissimo danese Niki Zimling non ha certamente lasciato ricordi memorabili a Udine, tanto da finire in prestito al Nec Nijmegen. Con i nero-rosso-verdi si è riscoperto centrocampista di lotta e di governo, duro come l’acciaio in fase di contenimento, puntuale nelle incursioni tra le linee. Dopo la doppietta della scorsa settimana, ecco un’altra pesantissima marcatura, questa volta in casa del Twente: servito con la solita lucidità dal connazionale Schøne (un ottimo giocatore in credito con la fortuna, Mondiale perso per infortunio incluso), Zimling non ha sbagliato. Poi nella ripresa è stato tra i protagonisti del fortino eretto dal Nec (provvidenziale un salvataggio su Chadli in piena area di rigore), uscito da Enschede con un punto e l’ottavo risultato utile consecutivo.
Nuovo iscritto alla serie “questo lo segnavo anch’io” è l’argentino del De Graafschap Hugo Bargas, che contro il Vitesse si è divorato una clamorosa palla-gol a porta vuota. Protagonista assoluto la passata stagione della promozione dei Superboeren, questo attaccante figlio d’arte (papà era nazionale argentino ai mondiali del 1974) stenta a ritrovarsi dopo un buon inizio di stagione. La squalifica di Poepon gli ha offerto una nuova chance nell’undici titolare, che lui ha sprecato nel più comico dei modi. Quasi fosse un Hugo Maradona qualsiasi.
Footballstories.net
Il tatuatissimo danese Niki Zimling non ha certamente lasciato ricordi memorabili a Udine, tanto da finire in prestito al Nec Nijmegen. Con i nero-rosso-verdi si è riscoperto centrocampista di lotta e di governo, duro come l’acciaio in fase di contenimento, puntuale nelle incursioni tra le linee. Dopo la doppietta della scorsa settimana, ecco un’altra pesantissima marcatura, questa volta in casa del Twente: servito con la solita lucidità dal connazionale Schøne (un ottimo giocatore in credito con la fortuna, Mondiale perso per infortunio incluso), Zimling non ha sbagliato. Poi nella ripresa è stato tra i protagonisti del fortino eretto dal Nec (provvidenziale un salvataggio su Chadli in piena area di rigore), uscito da Enschede con un punto e l’ottavo risultato utile consecutivo.
Nuovo iscritto alla serie “questo lo segnavo anch’io” è l’argentino del De Graafschap Hugo Bargas, che contro il Vitesse si è divorato una clamorosa palla-gol a porta vuota. Protagonista assoluto la passata stagione della promozione dei Superboeren, questo attaccante figlio d’arte (papà era nazionale argentino ai mondiali del 1974) stenta a ritrovarsi dopo un buon inizio di stagione. La squalifica di Poepon gli ha offerto una nuova chance nell’undici titolare, che lui ha sprecato nel più comico dei modi. Quasi fosse un Hugo Maradona qualsiasi.
Footballstories.net
lunedì 21 febbraio 2011
2000-2010 Eredivisie Top Transfer Flops_part 2
Dutch clubs have a reputation for making the most of their resources, developing talents and picking up bargains – perhaps unsurprisingly since they cannot compete on price with sides from bigger leagues. But things do not always turn out well and the Eredivisie has seen its share of flops. Here are the most notable from 2000 to 2010.
1. Danko Lazovic (2006; Partizan Belgrade to Feyenoord; €7M)
Feyenoord’s most expensive player was also their biggest ever flop, economically speaking. The Dutch side paid €7M to Partizan Belgrade for Danko Lazovic’s services, but lost a chunk of that when selling the striker on to Vitesse for €1.5M. An improved spell there led to a move from the Arnhem side to PSV Eindhoven for €6.6M, and then it was on to Zenit St. Petersburg for €5M. Apart from the deal being a financial disaster for Feyenoord, Lazovic failed to impress from the off in Rotterdam. It surely didn’t help his cause that Dirk Kuyt was exploding onto the scene at the same time – bought from Utrecht for just €1M – and later Feyenoord youth product Saloman Kalou made his presence felt too. Lazovic was also blamed for being a disruptive influence in the dressing room. When the Serbian forward left Rotterdam he declared it “the end of my worst nightmare”.
2. Albert Luque (2007; Newcastle United to Ajax; Undisclosed)
Apart from Catalan midfielder Gabri, all the Spaniards – from Juanfran to Roger, from Ismael Urzaiz to Oleguer – who have worn the Ajax shirt have disappointed. However, according to the expectations placed on his head upon arrival, Albert Luque can be counted as the biggest flop of the lot. The Amsterdam giants snapped up the Spaniard from Newcastle in the summer of 2007, and just one month later he scored a brace against VVV-Venlo; the future looked bright indeed. That though proved to be the only positive of Luque’s stay and the former Deportivo La Coruna striker soon became more famous for his love of the city’s night-life and frequent falling-outs with team-mates than his ability to find the back of the net. In 2008, Ajax asked Luque to leave, and he finally did one year later after a season-long loan at Malaga (for which the Dutch club continued to pay his extravagant salary). All told, Ajax spent €16M on Luque.
3. Bogdan Milic (2007; Buducnost Podgorica to ADO Den Haag; €650,000)
One of the less gifted players to grace the Eredivisie over the last few years, ADO Den Haag bought Bogdan Milic from Buducnost Podgorica in 2007 for €650,000. The club had sold rising star Eljero Elia to FC Twente for €200,000 just weeks before, but saw any chance of them competing in the ‘bang for the buck’ race go up in smoke with Milic; the player had poor technique, could not find the back of the net and boasted poor tactical awareness. And last but not least, Milic could not head, despite standing 2.1 metres tall. His attacking team-mates – Fabio Caracciolo, Andres Oper and Berry Powel – weren’t much better though and it has come as no surprise that ADO have continued to struggle.
4. Graziano Pellè (2007; Lecce to AZ Alkmaar; €6M)
€6M for 12 Eredivisie goals in three and a half years, at the time of writing. AZ’s most expensive ever signing, Graziano Pelle is one of former coach Louis van Gaal’s biggest mistakes in the transfer market. The Italian forward impressed the Dutch boss during two international competitions: the 2005 FIFA World Under-20 Championship and the 2007 UEFA Under-21 European Championship, both hosted in Holland. The Eredivisie however, has always looked a world apart for Pelle. He did surprisingly shake off his lethargy this season, with few rivals left in the AZ attack due to the club’s ongoing financial problems. It is too little too late though and in the summer he will head back to Italy.
5. Collins John (2008; Fulham to NEC Nijmegen; Loan)
When FC Twente sold 19-year-old Collins John to Fulham in 2004 the Dutch striker with Liberian roots looked set for glory. Despite an auspicious start – 11 league goals in the 2005/06 campaign – John failed to become a regular at Craven Cottage. After unsuccessful loan spells with English second tier sides, John moved back to Holland with NEC Nijmengen in 2008, hoping to get his career back on track. The Collins John that turned up at the McDOS Goffertstadion however, was overweight and took almost four months to make his debut for the club. John was never able to reach the level of fitness required for Eredivisie action and left NEC in March 2009, three months before his loan was up, after coach Mario Been sent him to the reserves.
Fonte: Inside Futbol
1. Danko Lazovic (2006; Partizan Belgrade to Feyenoord; €7M)
Feyenoord’s most expensive player was also their biggest ever flop, economically speaking. The Dutch side paid €7M to Partizan Belgrade for Danko Lazovic’s services, but lost a chunk of that when selling the striker on to Vitesse for €1.5M. An improved spell there led to a move from the Arnhem side to PSV Eindhoven for €6.6M, and then it was on to Zenit St. Petersburg for €5M. Apart from the deal being a financial disaster for Feyenoord, Lazovic failed to impress from the off in Rotterdam. It surely didn’t help his cause that Dirk Kuyt was exploding onto the scene at the same time – bought from Utrecht for just €1M – and later Feyenoord youth product Saloman Kalou made his presence felt too. Lazovic was also blamed for being a disruptive influence in the dressing room. When the Serbian forward left Rotterdam he declared it “the end of my worst nightmare”.
2. Albert Luque (2007; Newcastle United to Ajax; Undisclosed)
Apart from Catalan midfielder Gabri, all the Spaniards – from Juanfran to Roger, from Ismael Urzaiz to Oleguer – who have worn the Ajax shirt have disappointed. However, according to the expectations placed on his head upon arrival, Albert Luque can be counted as the biggest flop of the lot. The Amsterdam giants snapped up the Spaniard from Newcastle in the summer of 2007, and just one month later he scored a brace against VVV-Venlo; the future looked bright indeed. That though proved to be the only positive of Luque’s stay and the former Deportivo La Coruna striker soon became more famous for his love of the city’s night-life and frequent falling-outs with team-mates than his ability to find the back of the net. In 2008, Ajax asked Luque to leave, and he finally did one year later after a season-long loan at Malaga (for which the Dutch club continued to pay his extravagant salary). All told, Ajax spent €16M on Luque.
3. Bogdan Milic (2007; Buducnost Podgorica to ADO Den Haag; €650,000)
One of the less gifted players to grace the Eredivisie over the last few years, ADO Den Haag bought Bogdan Milic from Buducnost Podgorica in 2007 for €650,000. The club had sold rising star Eljero Elia to FC Twente for €200,000 just weeks before, but saw any chance of them competing in the ‘bang for the buck’ race go up in smoke with Milic; the player had poor technique, could not find the back of the net and boasted poor tactical awareness. And last but not least, Milic could not head, despite standing 2.1 metres tall. His attacking team-mates – Fabio Caracciolo, Andres Oper and Berry Powel – weren’t much better though and it has come as no surprise that ADO have continued to struggle.
4. Graziano Pellè (2007; Lecce to AZ Alkmaar; €6M)
€6M for 12 Eredivisie goals in three and a half years, at the time of writing. AZ’s most expensive ever signing, Graziano Pelle is one of former coach Louis van Gaal’s biggest mistakes in the transfer market. The Italian forward impressed the Dutch boss during two international competitions: the 2005 FIFA World Under-20 Championship and the 2007 UEFA Under-21 European Championship, both hosted in Holland. The Eredivisie however, has always looked a world apart for Pelle. He did surprisingly shake off his lethargy this season, with few rivals left in the AZ attack due to the club’s ongoing financial problems. It is too little too late though and in the summer he will head back to Italy.
5. Collins John (2008; Fulham to NEC Nijmegen; Loan)
When FC Twente sold 19-year-old Collins John to Fulham in 2004 the Dutch striker with Liberian roots looked set for glory. Despite an auspicious start – 11 league goals in the 2005/06 campaign – John failed to become a regular at Craven Cottage. After unsuccessful loan spells with English second tier sides, John moved back to Holland with NEC Nijmengen in 2008, hoping to get his career back on track. The Collins John that turned up at the McDOS Goffertstadion however, was overweight and took almost four months to make his debut for the club. John was never able to reach the level of fitness required for Eredivisie action and left NEC in March 2009, three months before his loan was up, after coach Mario Been sent him to the reserves.
Fonte: Inside Futbol
domenica 20 febbraio 2011
2000-2010 Eredivisie Top Transfer Flops_part 1
Dutch clubs have a reputation for making the most of their resources, developing talents and picking up bargains – perhaps unsurprisingly since they cannot compete on price with sides from bigger leagues. But things do not always turn out well and the Eredivisie has seen its share of flops. Here are the most notable from 2000 to 2010.
6. Kevin Vandenbergh (2007; Genk to Utrecht; €1M)
The son of one of the most prolific strikers for Belgium in the 1980s, Kevin Vandenbergh seemed ready to follow his father Erwin Vandenbergh as he scored 43 times for Genk between 2002 and 2005. His transfer to Utrecht two years later promised much, but was a complete disaster. Vandenbergh was picked out by coach Foeke Booy, who wanted to put him up front in his 4-4-2 formation. Booy though left just weeks later, heading for Saudi Arabia, and was succeeded by Willem van Hanegem, whose 4-3-3 wasn’t the best use of Vanderbergh’s talents. In his first season the Belgian played just 11 times, and things didn’t improve under current coach Ton du Chatinier. When he departed in the summer of 2010, the Belgian had just three goals to show for his spell in the Eredivisie.
7. Leandro Do Bomfim (2002; EC Vitoria to PSV Eindhoven; €5M)
Since the 1980s, PSV Eindhoven have proven they have an eye for talent spotting in the South American market – Brazil in particular – and Romario, Ronaldo, Alex, Heurelho Gomes and, currently, Jonathan Reis, stand as proof of this. But it is not possible for the Dutch club to win them all. Leandro Do Bomfim signed up in 2002, having cost €5M and arriving tipped as the next big thing in Brazilian football. Soon though the Eredivisie giants discovered that they had not unearthed the next Ronaldo, but an attacking midfielder without the mental strength to succeed at the highest level. After three unimpressive seasons the player controversially joined FC Porto, leaving PSV with no choice other than to appeal to FIFA for compensation. They won, but it did not hide the fact that Leandro was not a success.
8. Vagif Javadov (2010; FK Qarabag to FC Twente; Undisclosed)
It is not possible to judge a player on a single match alone; That is the lesson FC Twente learned with Azerbaijani forward Vagif Javadov, who was snapped up in January 2010 from FK Qarabag. Javadov had impressed the Tukkers in a Europa League preliminary round clash just six months earlier, making the Dutch work overtime to see off the Azerbaijani side. Once in Enschede however, the forward – a CSKA Moscow youth academy product – failed to even make his debut with the first team due to a combination of injuries and an inability to settle. Javadov is currently on loan back in Baku, with little chance of finding his way to Holland once again.
9. Bob Peeters (2000; Roda JC to Vitesse; €6.8M)
In the summer of 2000, Vitesse striker Pierre van Hoojidonk spread panic in Arnhem after deciding to leave to join Portuguese giants Benfica. Coach Ronald Koeman chose to reinvest almost all the money received by the Dutch club – 15M Guilders out of 16M – on Belgian forward Bob Peeters, Roda JC’s top scorer the previous season. Soon Vitesse discovered though what the Dutch press dubbed finding they had swapped a Ferrari for a FIAT syndrome. Peeters scored 17 goals in three seasons; Van Hoojidonk had managed 25 in just one.
10. Matias Cahais (2008; Boca Juniors to Groningen; Loan)
Great expectations were attached to defender Matias Cahais upon his arrival at the Euroborg. In January 2008, Cahais was the object of a great many clubs’ desires, including Real Madrid, Chelsea and Ajax. Small steps was the philosophy though of the, at the time, Argentina Under-20 captain, who won the FIFA World Youth Cup in 2007. Cahais chose little Groningen, trying to avoid biting off more than he could chew, for his first taste of European football. In Holland however, the Argentine failed to show the talent which had won him fans at clubs across the world. The Green-Whites sent him back to Argentina after 11 dull games, happy to have saved their money having only picked Cahais up on a six-month loan.
Fonte: Inside Futbol
6. Kevin Vandenbergh (2007; Genk to Utrecht; €1M)
The son of one of the most prolific strikers for Belgium in the 1980s, Kevin Vandenbergh seemed ready to follow his father Erwin Vandenbergh as he scored 43 times for Genk between 2002 and 2005. His transfer to Utrecht two years later promised much, but was a complete disaster. Vandenbergh was picked out by coach Foeke Booy, who wanted to put him up front in his 4-4-2 formation. Booy though left just weeks later, heading for Saudi Arabia, and was succeeded by Willem van Hanegem, whose 4-3-3 wasn’t the best use of Vanderbergh’s talents. In his first season the Belgian played just 11 times, and things didn’t improve under current coach Ton du Chatinier. When he departed in the summer of 2010, the Belgian had just three goals to show for his spell in the Eredivisie.
7. Leandro Do Bomfim (2002; EC Vitoria to PSV Eindhoven; €5M)
Since the 1980s, PSV Eindhoven have proven they have an eye for talent spotting in the South American market – Brazil in particular – and Romario, Ronaldo, Alex, Heurelho Gomes and, currently, Jonathan Reis, stand as proof of this. But it is not possible for the Dutch club to win them all. Leandro Do Bomfim signed up in 2002, having cost €5M and arriving tipped as the next big thing in Brazilian football. Soon though the Eredivisie giants discovered that they had not unearthed the next Ronaldo, but an attacking midfielder without the mental strength to succeed at the highest level. After three unimpressive seasons the player controversially joined FC Porto, leaving PSV with no choice other than to appeal to FIFA for compensation. They won, but it did not hide the fact that Leandro was not a success.
8. Vagif Javadov (2010; FK Qarabag to FC Twente; Undisclosed)
It is not possible to judge a player on a single match alone; That is the lesson FC Twente learned with Azerbaijani forward Vagif Javadov, who was snapped up in January 2010 from FK Qarabag. Javadov had impressed the Tukkers in a Europa League preliminary round clash just six months earlier, making the Dutch work overtime to see off the Azerbaijani side. Once in Enschede however, the forward – a CSKA Moscow youth academy product – failed to even make his debut with the first team due to a combination of injuries and an inability to settle. Javadov is currently on loan back in Baku, with little chance of finding his way to Holland once again.
9. Bob Peeters (2000; Roda JC to Vitesse; €6.8M)
In the summer of 2000, Vitesse striker Pierre van Hoojidonk spread panic in Arnhem after deciding to leave to join Portuguese giants Benfica. Coach Ronald Koeman chose to reinvest almost all the money received by the Dutch club – 15M Guilders out of 16M – on Belgian forward Bob Peeters, Roda JC’s top scorer the previous season. Soon Vitesse discovered though what the Dutch press dubbed finding they had swapped a Ferrari for a FIAT syndrome. Peeters scored 17 goals in three seasons; Van Hoojidonk had managed 25 in just one.
10. Matias Cahais (2008; Boca Juniors to Groningen; Loan)
Great expectations were attached to defender Matias Cahais upon his arrival at the Euroborg. In January 2008, Cahais was the object of a great many clubs’ desires, including Real Madrid, Chelsea and Ajax. Small steps was the philosophy though of the, at the time, Argentina Under-20 captain, who won the FIFA World Youth Cup in 2007. Cahais chose little Groningen, trying to avoid biting off more than he could chew, for his first taste of European football. In Holland however, the Argentine failed to show the talent which had won him fans at clubs across the world. The Green-Whites sent him back to Argentina after 11 dull games, happy to have saved their money having only picked Cahais up on a six-month loan.
Fonte: Inside Futbol
sabato 19 febbraio 2011
Le età di Lulic
Quest’anno in Europa solamente il Fenerbahce è uscito imbattuto dal Wankdorf di Berna. Per il resto lo Young Boys di Vlado Petkovic ha avuto ragione di tutte le squadre ospitate, dal Tottenham Hotssur al Getafe, dall’Odense allo Stoccarda fino ai campioni di Russia dello Zenit San Pietroburgo, sconfitti in rimonta 2-1 nell’andata dei sedicesimi di Europa League.
(Articolo completo su Il mondo siamo noi).
(Articolo completo su Il mondo siamo noi).
venerdì 18 febbraio 2011
Pillole di Eredivisie - giornata 23
Un 18enne giapponese sugli scudi nella prima vittoria raccolta del Feyenoord nel 2011. Ryo Miyaichi , ala sinistra classe 92 arrivata a gennaio in prestito dall’Arsenal, ha aperto le marcature nel delicato incontro casalingo del club di Rotterdam contro l’Heracles Almelo, diretta rivale nella lotta per evitare la nacompetitie, ovvero i temibili play-off promozione/retrocessione. Una rete importante e di pregevole fattura, procurata da uno spunto del redivivo Diego Biseswar, che poi si è incaricato personalmente di firmare il raddoppio. Miyaichi ha firmato un contratto con l’Arsenal la scorsa estate dopo un periodo di prova nel quale si era meritato il pubblico elogio da parte di Arsene Wenger. Tuttavia i Gunners non sono stati i primi a notare il giovane talento; già a inizio 2010 Stanley Brard, osservatore del Feyenoord, aveva segnalato al proprio club Miyaichi, ma l’affare era sfumato perché il giocatore, il cui padre è stato giocatore professionista di baseball, non aveva ancora terminato gli studi alla Chukyodai Chukyo High School. A Rotterdam ci è arrivato comunque, anche se via Londra, proponendosi subito quale una pedina importante nella tribolata stagione della squadra allenata da Mario Been.
Rimanendo sempre a sinistra, da intendersi come lato del terreno di gioco, l’ungherese Balázs Dzsudzsák ha ribadito le ambizioni di titolo del Psv Eindhoven, dopo il passo falso casalingo contro l’Ado, schiantando a domicilio l’Az Alkmaar con una doppietta e numerose giocate di qualità. Partiti Suarez e Afellay, l’ala ungherese si candida al ruolo di top player della Eredivisie. Fenomenale la rete del 3-0 (il club della Philips ne ha segnate quattro al malcapitato club di Alkmaar), con una bordata finita sotto l’incrocio dei pali che ha fatto dichiarare il portiere dell’Az Esteban Alvarado: “solamente Superman avrebbe potuto arrivarci”. Piccolo dettaglio: Dzsudzsák ha calciato di destro, il suo piede “debole”. In Olanda dicono chocoladebeen, “piede (gamba, traducendo letteralmente - nda) di cioccolato”. Sarà anche tale, ma è di finissima qualità.
Mounir El Hamdaoui si è fatto parare dal polacco Przemyslaw Tyton il rigore della possibile vittoria dell’Ajax sul campo del Roda. Gli ajacidi sono così stati costretti ad accontentarsi di un punto, ottenuto oltretutto dopo essersi fatti rimontare un vantaggio di due gol. Un regalo nei confronti di Psv Eindhoven e Twente, che hanno incrementato la propria distanza in classifica dal club di Amsterdam. A consolare El Hamdaoui ci ha pensato proprio il tecnico dell’Ajax Frank de Boer, consapevole che in tema di rigori sbagliati non può dare lezioni a nessuno. “Io ho fallito rigori in incontri ben più importanti”, ha dichiarato De Boer. Non c’è stato bisogno di aggiungere a quale partita si riferisse. Volete un indizio? Francesco Toldo a Rotterdam agli albori del nuovo millennio.
Fonte: Footballstories.net
Rimanendo sempre a sinistra, da intendersi come lato del terreno di gioco, l’ungherese Balázs Dzsudzsák ha ribadito le ambizioni di titolo del Psv Eindhoven, dopo il passo falso casalingo contro l’Ado, schiantando a domicilio l’Az Alkmaar con una doppietta e numerose giocate di qualità. Partiti Suarez e Afellay, l’ala ungherese si candida al ruolo di top player della Eredivisie. Fenomenale la rete del 3-0 (il club della Philips ne ha segnate quattro al malcapitato club di Alkmaar), con una bordata finita sotto l’incrocio dei pali che ha fatto dichiarare il portiere dell’Az Esteban Alvarado: “solamente Superman avrebbe potuto arrivarci”. Piccolo dettaglio: Dzsudzsák ha calciato di destro, il suo piede “debole”. In Olanda dicono chocoladebeen, “piede (gamba, traducendo letteralmente - nda) di cioccolato”. Sarà anche tale, ma è di finissima qualità.
Mounir El Hamdaoui si è fatto parare dal polacco Przemyslaw Tyton il rigore della possibile vittoria dell’Ajax sul campo del Roda. Gli ajacidi sono così stati costretti ad accontentarsi di un punto, ottenuto oltretutto dopo essersi fatti rimontare un vantaggio di due gol. Un regalo nei confronti di Psv Eindhoven e Twente, che hanno incrementato la propria distanza in classifica dal club di Amsterdam. A consolare El Hamdaoui ci ha pensato proprio il tecnico dell’Ajax Frank de Boer, consapevole che in tema di rigori sbagliati non può dare lezioni a nessuno. “Io ho fallito rigori in incontri ben più importanti”, ha dichiarato De Boer. Non c’è stato bisogno di aggiungere a quale partita si riferisse. Volete un indizio? Francesco Toldo a Rotterdam agli albori del nuovo millennio.
Fonte: Footballstories.net
giovedì 17 febbraio 2011
Europa League: Anderlecht v Ajax Match Preview
What: Europa League (Round of 32)
Who: Anderlecht vs Ajax
When: Thursday 17th February, 2011, at 20:05 UK Time
Where: Constant Vanden Stock Stadium, Brussels, Belgium
Clean Sheet Mentality to Fight European Malaise
With four matches left in the Jupiler Pro League regular season, Anderlecht are firmly topping the table, three points ahead of Genk. Domestically, the Brussels-based side appear to be unstoppable. Goalkeeper Silvio Proto especially has the magic touch and is unbeaten for 750 minutes, having not conceded a goal since the 5th December clash against Zulte Waregem. Proto is just 22 minutes away from the breaking the club’s record, currently held by Jean Trappeniers.
Even when the Belgians have not been performing at the top of their game, as was the case at the weekend against Cercle Brugge – the visitors were only finally beaten in the dying moments of the match – Anderlecht always seem to be able to find a way to come out as winners. In truth, it should not be surprising, the Belgian giants can call upon some of the league’s most talented players, like Mbark Boussoufa, Romelu Lukaku (who has yet to score in 2011), Matias Suarez, Lucas Biglia and Jonathan Legear.
In the winter window Anderlecht managed to keep hold of Boussoufa and Lukaku, despite serious interest from abroad. "For Lukaku, we refused an offer that was as big as our whole budget", said club chairman Roger Vanden Stock. The duo are expected to play a key role in the European campaign, an arena in which the Belgians have yet to impress, winning just two of their six group games to advance this far.
Still Looking for Consistency
First appointed as caretaker coach upon Martin Jol’s resignation, Frank de Boer has had a positive impact at the Amsterdam ArenA and gained a permanent deal. However, Ajax still look too inconsistent to become serious title contenders in the Eredivisie; maybe the Europa League will offer silverware. It is on the road that Ajax seem to have most of their problems, losing 3-0 at Utrecht earlier this year and dropping more points when a 2-0 lead was cut to 2-2 by Roda JC last Sunday.
Roda’s Belgian coach Harm van Veldhoven has had his say on this match. "Ajax have a lot of skilled players, like Christian Eriksen and Gregory van der Wiel. However, in my opinion, Anderlecht have more quality, especially up front." Van Veldhoven’s comments are not a surprise given that Ajax lost two of their four strikers last month: Luis Suarez was sold to Liverpool, while Mido terminated his contract by mutual consent. With only Dutch-Moroccan Mounir El Hamdaoui – the club’s top scorer this season with 16 goals – and the permanently injured Argentine Dario Cvitanich left, De Boer must sometimes push midfielder Siem de Jong into the attack.
For the Belgian pair of Jan Vertonghen and Toby Alderwierled in the heart of Ajax’s defence, this clash is a personal derby of sorts. "We are not in our best moment", admitted Vertonghen, "but I watched Anderlecht play last Saturday and I don’t think they are either. Both teams however are good. In my opinion, the chances are 50-50."
Players to watch
Anderlecht – Mbark Boussoufa: Last summer the Dutch-Moroccan playmaker seemed very close to moving to a bigger league, yet six months later Boussoufa is still in Brussels, leading Anderlecht to their second league title in a row. This season the former Chelsea youngster has clocked up 11 goals and 18 assists, and has picked up his third – and second in a row – Belgian Footballer of the Year award. Anderlecht’s chances of making a splash in the Europa League depend very much on Boussoufa. Right winger Matias Suarez could be a key performer too, popping up with assists for the strikers, or scoring himself – he has nine goals so far.
Ajax – Miralem Sulejmani: The Serbian forward has a long way to go to repay Ajax the €16.25M they sent to Heerenveen in the summer of 2008 for his services. Under De Boer however, Sulejmani has received another chance to impress, being deployed as the right winger in the new coach’s 4-3-3 system. It seems to have paid off, with the Serbian being amongst Ajax’s best performers this year, with three goals and two assists in his last five Eredivisie games. His speed can do real damage to Anderlecht. Established performers like keeper Maarten Stekelenburg and midfielder Demy de Zeeuw will also be vital for Ajax.
Match Prediction
Which club comes into this at a disadvantage? Anderlecht with their poor run of European performances? Or Ajax with their inconsistency and troubles on the road? The Belgians must take to the pitch in better heart, due to their strong domestic displays. However, Ajax’s European campaign has been more impressive than Anderlecht’s, with victories over teams like Dynamo Kyiv, Auxerre and AC Milan. Defender Jan Vertonghen is surely right when he calls the game as a 50-50 clash. This does look tight and should finish 1-1 or 2-2.
Fonte: Inside Futbol
Who: Anderlecht vs Ajax
When: Thursday 17th February, 2011, at 20:05 UK Time
Where: Constant Vanden Stock Stadium, Brussels, Belgium
Clean Sheet Mentality to Fight European Malaise
With four matches left in the Jupiler Pro League regular season, Anderlecht are firmly topping the table, three points ahead of Genk. Domestically, the Brussels-based side appear to be unstoppable. Goalkeeper Silvio Proto especially has the magic touch and is unbeaten for 750 minutes, having not conceded a goal since the 5th December clash against Zulte Waregem. Proto is just 22 minutes away from the breaking the club’s record, currently held by Jean Trappeniers.
Even when the Belgians have not been performing at the top of their game, as was the case at the weekend against Cercle Brugge – the visitors were only finally beaten in the dying moments of the match – Anderlecht always seem to be able to find a way to come out as winners. In truth, it should not be surprising, the Belgian giants can call upon some of the league’s most talented players, like Mbark Boussoufa, Romelu Lukaku (who has yet to score in 2011), Matias Suarez, Lucas Biglia and Jonathan Legear.
In the winter window Anderlecht managed to keep hold of Boussoufa and Lukaku, despite serious interest from abroad. "For Lukaku, we refused an offer that was as big as our whole budget", said club chairman Roger Vanden Stock. The duo are expected to play a key role in the European campaign, an arena in which the Belgians have yet to impress, winning just two of their six group games to advance this far.
Still Looking for Consistency
First appointed as caretaker coach upon Martin Jol’s resignation, Frank de Boer has had a positive impact at the Amsterdam ArenA and gained a permanent deal. However, Ajax still look too inconsistent to become serious title contenders in the Eredivisie; maybe the Europa League will offer silverware. It is on the road that Ajax seem to have most of their problems, losing 3-0 at Utrecht earlier this year and dropping more points when a 2-0 lead was cut to 2-2 by Roda JC last Sunday.
Roda’s Belgian coach Harm van Veldhoven has had his say on this match. "Ajax have a lot of skilled players, like Christian Eriksen and Gregory van der Wiel. However, in my opinion, Anderlecht have more quality, especially up front." Van Veldhoven’s comments are not a surprise given that Ajax lost two of their four strikers last month: Luis Suarez was sold to Liverpool, while Mido terminated his contract by mutual consent. With only Dutch-Moroccan Mounir El Hamdaoui – the club’s top scorer this season with 16 goals – and the permanently injured Argentine Dario Cvitanich left, De Boer must sometimes push midfielder Siem de Jong into the attack.
For the Belgian pair of Jan Vertonghen and Toby Alderwierled in the heart of Ajax’s defence, this clash is a personal derby of sorts. "We are not in our best moment", admitted Vertonghen, "but I watched Anderlecht play last Saturday and I don’t think they are either. Both teams however are good. In my opinion, the chances are 50-50."
Players to watch
Anderlecht – Mbark Boussoufa: Last summer the Dutch-Moroccan playmaker seemed very close to moving to a bigger league, yet six months later Boussoufa is still in Brussels, leading Anderlecht to their second league title in a row. This season the former Chelsea youngster has clocked up 11 goals and 18 assists, and has picked up his third – and second in a row – Belgian Footballer of the Year award. Anderlecht’s chances of making a splash in the Europa League depend very much on Boussoufa. Right winger Matias Suarez could be a key performer too, popping up with assists for the strikers, or scoring himself – he has nine goals so far.
Ajax – Miralem Sulejmani: The Serbian forward has a long way to go to repay Ajax the €16.25M they sent to Heerenveen in the summer of 2008 for his services. Under De Boer however, Sulejmani has received another chance to impress, being deployed as the right winger in the new coach’s 4-3-3 system. It seems to have paid off, with the Serbian being amongst Ajax’s best performers this year, with three goals and two assists in his last five Eredivisie games. His speed can do real damage to Anderlecht. Established performers like keeper Maarten Stekelenburg and midfielder Demy de Zeeuw will also be vital for Ajax.
Match Prediction
Which club comes into this at a disadvantage? Anderlecht with their poor run of European performances? Or Ajax with their inconsistency and troubles on the road? The Belgians must take to the pitch in better heart, due to their strong domestic displays. However, Ajax’s European campaign has been more impressive than Anderlecht’s, with victories over teams like Dynamo Kyiv, Auxerre and AC Milan. Defender Jan Vertonghen is surely right when he calls the game as a 50-50 clash. This does look tight and should finish 1-1 or 2-2.
Fonte: Inside Futbol
mercoledì 16 febbraio 2011
Preview Roma-Shakhtar Donetsk
Dopo aver allenato Ronaldo, fenomeno in campo ma ingestibile fuori per pigrizia e appetito – tanto culinario quanto sessuale - nessun brasiliano può più far paura a Mircea Lucescu. Nei suoi sei anni di permanenza sulla panchina dello Shakhtar Donetsk, il tecnico rumeno ha portato nel gelo polare ucraino ben tredici giocatori verdeoro, otto dei quali tuttora in squadra. Più dalla Vyscha Liga, la massima divisione ucraina, lo Shaktar sembra insomma arrivare direttamente dal Brasileirão.
La famosa saudade? Per Lucescu è solo un luogo comune. “Nessun giocatore vive per il calcio come quello brasiliano”, ha dichiarato l’ex allenatore di Pisa, Brescia, Reggiana e Inter. “Più esso è lontano da casa, migliore è il suo rendimento”. Difficile dargli torto lanciando un’occhiata al recente palmares dello Shakhtar do Brazil: quattro titoli nazionali negli ultimi sei anni, una Coppa Uefa vinta nel 2009, la prima qualificazione in assoluto agli ottavi di Champions League centrata nella stagione in corso.
Unire Est Europa e Brasile è un esperimento tentato da molti, spesso con risultati risibili. I russi dell’Arsenal Tula importarono dieci carneadi in un solo colpo, accorgendosi ben presto che un semplice passaporto non fa un campione. Lo Shakhtar opera in maniera diversa; un network di osservatori setaccia capillarmente il mercato brasiliano alla ricerca dei migliori prospetti (ogni spedizione produce mediamente 120 cd di materiale da analizzare), quindi entra il campo il potere economico dell’oligarca Rinat Akhmetov, la cui capacità di spesa può competere con quella dei più ricchi club europei.
Non sorprende pertanto l’arrivo in Ucraina di giocatori quali Elano e Matuzalem, capaci poi di imporsi anche in campionati di alto livello quali Premier League, Liga e Serie A, o di gioiellini quali i vice-campioni del mondo under-20 Alex Teixeira e Douglas Costa. Quest’ultimo, trequartista di gran classe, è stato uno tra i migliori degli uomini di Lucescu nella fase a gironi, assieme ai bomber Eduardo (ex Arsenal, sua la rete che ha steso i Gunners consegnando agli ucraini il primo posto nel gruppo H) e Luiz Adriano, e allo specialista dei calci piazzati Jadson. Per trovare nello Shakhtar un giocatore non brasiliano di grande livello bisogna retrocedere sino in difesa, dove agisce il terzino destro croato Darijo Srna, uno dei migliori interpreti continentali del ruolo. La Roma è avvisata.
Fonte: Il Giornale
La famosa saudade? Per Lucescu è solo un luogo comune. “Nessun giocatore vive per il calcio come quello brasiliano”, ha dichiarato l’ex allenatore di Pisa, Brescia, Reggiana e Inter. “Più esso è lontano da casa, migliore è il suo rendimento”. Difficile dargli torto lanciando un’occhiata al recente palmares dello Shakhtar do Brazil: quattro titoli nazionali negli ultimi sei anni, una Coppa Uefa vinta nel 2009, la prima qualificazione in assoluto agli ottavi di Champions League centrata nella stagione in corso.
Unire Est Europa e Brasile è un esperimento tentato da molti, spesso con risultati risibili. I russi dell’Arsenal Tula importarono dieci carneadi in un solo colpo, accorgendosi ben presto che un semplice passaporto non fa un campione. Lo Shakhtar opera in maniera diversa; un network di osservatori setaccia capillarmente il mercato brasiliano alla ricerca dei migliori prospetti (ogni spedizione produce mediamente 120 cd di materiale da analizzare), quindi entra il campo il potere economico dell’oligarca Rinat Akhmetov, la cui capacità di spesa può competere con quella dei più ricchi club europei.
Non sorprende pertanto l’arrivo in Ucraina di giocatori quali Elano e Matuzalem, capaci poi di imporsi anche in campionati di alto livello quali Premier League, Liga e Serie A, o di gioiellini quali i vice-campioni del mondo under-20 Alex Teixeira e Douglas Costa. Quest’ultimo, trequartista di gran classe, è stato uno tra i migliori degli uomini di Lucescu nella fase a gironi, assieme ai bomber Eduardo (ex Arsenal, sua la rete che ha steso i Gunners consegnando agli ucraini il primo posto nel gruppo H) e Luiz Adriano, e allo specialista dei calci piazzati Jadson. Per trovare nello Shakhtar un giocatore non brasiliano di grande livello bisogna retrocedere sino in difesa, dove agisce il terzino destro croato Darijo Srna, uno dei migliori interpreti continentali del ruolo. La Roma è avvisata.
Fonte: Il Giornale
lunedì 14 febbraio 2011
Pochi come Srna
Darijo Srna è uno dei migliori terzini nel panorama calcistico mondiale. Un cursore moderno capace di disimpegnarsi efficacemente in entrambe le fasi. Però gioca nello Shakhtar Donetsk, club che ha espressamente dichiarato di lasciare “solamente quando non sarà più disponibile per il sottoscritto una maglia da titolare”, e pertanto viene puntualmente ignorato dalle classifiche sui migliori interpreti di ruolo.
(Articolo completo su Il mondo siamo noi).
(Articolo completo su Il mondo siamo noi).
domenica 13 febbraio 2011
La guerra di Spagna
Quando ha lasciato l’Ajax per la Spagna, Johan Cruijff ha scelto il Barcellona rispetto al Real Madrid in quanto “non avrei mai potuto giocare per una squadra associata a Franco”. Quando nel Clàsico de la Verguenza (il Classico della vergogna) dagli spalti del Camp Nou sono piovute sulla testa di Luis Figo bottiglie di whisky, monete e una testa di maiale, l’allora presidente del Barcellona Joan Gaspart ha accusato il portoghese, ex blaugrana passato alle merengues, di essersi incaricato di battere tutti i calci d’angolo allo scopo di provocare i tifosi. Nel suo libro “Camì d’Itaca” edito nel 2006, l’ex difensore del Barcellona Presas Oleguer ha introdotto un paragrafo nel seguente modo: “Quando Carrero Blanco vinse la gara di salto in alto […]”. L’ammiraglio Blanco, braccio destro di Franco lungo tutto il periodo della dittatura, venne fatto esplodere da 100 chili di esplosivo che sbalzarono la sua auto ad oltre 30 metri di altezza.
Tre esempi, ma avrebbero potuto essere un centinaio, di ciò che il giornalista inglese Phil Ball ha definito con il termine di morbo nel suo (fondamentale) libro sulla storia del calcio spagnolo, intitolato appunto “Morbo”. Una parola intraducibile per indicare una rivalità che trascende l’aspetto sportivo affondando le proprie radici nella storia, nella cultura e nei costumi di un paese. In poche parole, Real Madrid contro Barcellona. Castiglia contro Catalogna. Potere centrale contro autonomia locale. Monarchia contro Repubblica. Madrid, ovvero il cuore dello stato, il centro – geografico e simbolico – dell’intera Spagna. Barcellona, la culla di tutte le idee radicali e progressiste prodotte tra ‘800 e ‘900: sindacalismo, federalismo, anarchismo, comunismo.
La guerra civile spagnola (1936-39) e la successiva dittatura del caudillo Francisco Franco (1939-1975) hanno trasformato una sana rivalità di campanile in morbo. La polarizzazione tra le due società, ed i rispettivi tifosi, ha raggiunto un tale punto di non ritorno da rendere estremamente difficile tracciare il confine tra realtà e ipotesi di complotto che sfiorano la paranoia. Secondo l’ottica madridista il Real Madrid è stato più utile a Franco che non viceversa; secondo il barcellonismo i bianchi della capitale non erano altro che una versione ante litteram della Dinamo Berlino, la squadra della Stasi nella Germania Est.
Il regime di Franco non tollerava alcun impulso autonomista. L’utilizzo di lingue quali il basco e il catalano venne proibito. Era vietato registrare i bambini con un nome basco o catalano (proprio in opposizione a tale regola Cruijff chiamò suo figlio Jordi), nonché parlare queste lingue, pena la tortura e la prigione. E’ innegabile che per il Barcellona e la sua gente l’atmosfera non era delle migliori. Diversi episodi legati al Real Madrid rimangono oscuri. Nel 1943 i blancos battono nella semifinale di Copa del Rey il Barcellona 11-1, dopo che l’andata si era conclusa 3-0 per i catalani. Si è parlato di minacce ai giocatori blaugrana da parte del responsabile della sicurezza nazionale nel pre-partita. Nel 1953 il Real si inserisce in maniera poco limpida nella trattativa tra Barcellona e River Plate per l’acquisto di Alfredo Di Stefano, dando vita ad un contenzioso con la società blaugrana che la Federcalcio spagnola risolve con una salomonica, ma poco credibile, decisione: il giocatore giocherà per entrambi i club, un anno a testa. Il Barcellona rifiuta l’accordo, e Di Stefano prende la via di Madrid.
Nel 1969, nel corso di un Clàsico valevole per i quarti di finale della Copa del Generalissimo (così era stata ribattezzata la coppa nazionale durante l’era Franco), l’arbitro Emilio Guruceta fischia un rigore per il Real Madrid nonostante il fallo fosse stato commesso un metro fuori area. Il Barça, sconfitto 2-0 all’andata, stava conducendo 1-0. Il Camp Nou erutta fuoco e fiamme. Diversi blaugrana abbandonano il campo, e solo l’intervento del tecnico Vic Buckingham li convince a rientrare. A due minuti dal termine l’incontro viene sospeso per invasione di campo da parte dei tifosi catalani. La terna arbitrale viene assediata negli spogliatoi prima di uscire dallo stadio sotto scorta. Guruceta verrà sospeso sei giornate per non aver portato a termine la partita. Il Real vincerà la coppa. Per il Barcellona l’episodio rappresenta la prova lampante che gli arbitri sono al soldo di Madrid. La questione si riapre nel 1997, quando il presidente dell’Anderlecht Constant Vanden Stock ammette di aver corrotto Guruceta in un incontro di Coppa Uefa. Riguardo a quel Clàsico però non è mai stata trovata alcuna prova.
Franco in realtà tifava Atletico Aviación (così si chiamava all’epoca l’Atletico Madrid), club molto vicino agli ambienti che si erano sollevati contro la Repubblica di Spagna. La definizione del Real quale “animale domestico della dittatura”, ad opera di Jimmy Burns nell’ultra-fazioso “Barça: a people’s passion”, trova scarso riscontro nelle statistiche. Durante il franchismo il Barcellona ha vinto otto titoli nazionali, con una doppietta campionato-coppa nella stagione 58-59 sotto la guida di Helenio Herrera. Inoltre, nei primi anni Cinquanta, i catalani hanno centrato i seguenti piazzamenti: primo-primo-secondo-secondo-secondo. Tra il 1932 e il 1954 invece il Real Madrid ha messo in bacheca la miseria di tre coppe nazionali. Poi è arrivato un certo Di Stefano, con alle spalle uno squadrone tra i migliori mai visti in Europa. I ripetuti successi in Coppa Campioni hanno indubbiamente aiutato l’immagine di Franco, alle prese negli anni Cinquanta con una Spagna in condizioni economiche disastrose a causa dei mancati aiuti del Piano Marshall. Il regime infatti, pur essendo rimasto neutrale durante la seconda guerra mondiale, non aveva mai nascosto le proprie simpatie per Adolf Hitler e le potenze dell’Asse.
Il Barcellona è stata la prima squadra ad eliminare il Real Madrid dalla Coppa dei Campioni. Dopo aver perso in semifinale nel 1959 (doppio 3-1 per le merengues), i catalani si sono vendicati nell’edizione successiva: 2-2 al Santiago Bernabeu, con l’inglese Arthur Ellis che assegna un rigore al Barça nonostante la bandiera alzata del guardalinee a segnalare il fuorigioco del brasiliano Evaristo, che poi avrebbe subito il fallo; 2-1 al Camp Nou, con un altro inglese, Reg Leaf, capace di annullare quattro reti, tre delle quali al Real. Un dettaglio per il barcellonismo, anzi, l’ulteriore prova che senza arbitri spagnoli il Real Madrid è molto più vulnerabile. Tipico di ogni dietrologia: gli errori in buonafede sono solo quelli a favore della propria squadra.
Talvolta il morbo colpisce la memoria. Tutti a Barcellona ricordano Josep Sunyol, presidente del Barcellona ucciso dalle milizie franchiste durante la guerra civile. Nessuna citazione invece per Antonio Ortega, presidente del Real Madrid sul finire degli anni Trenta, ex colonnello dell’esercito repubblicano, imprigionato durante il regime e inghiottito per sempre nel nulla. Per contro a Madrid tocca leggere pubblicazioni quali Historia del Fútbol Español, prodotta dal magazine destrorso Epoca, dove il Barcellona finalista di Coppa Campioni 1960 viene rinchiuso in un minuscolo box, un piccolo intruso tra pagine e pagine di magniloquenti celebrazioni dei successi madridisti. Quasi non fosse una notizia particolarmente degna di nota per il calcio spagnolo.
No, Real Madrid-Barcellona non è un derby. E’ molto di più.
Fonte: Guerin Sportivo
Tre esempi, ma avrebbero potuto essere un centinaio, di ciò che il giornalista inglese Phil Ball ha definito con il termine di morbo nel suo (fondamentale) libro sulla storia del calcio spagnolo, intitolato appunto “Morbo”. Una parola intraducibile per indicare una rivalità che trascende l’aspetto sportivo affondando le proprie radici nella storia, nella cultura e nei costumi di un paese. In poche parole, Real Madrid contro Barcellona. Castiglia contro Catalogna. Potere centrale contro autonomia locale. Monarchia contro Repubblica. Madrid, ovvero il cuore dello stato, il centro – geografico e simbolico – dell’intera Spagna. Barcellona, la culla di tutte le idee radicali e progressiste prodotte tra ‘800 e ‘900: sindacalismo, federalismo, anarchismo, comunismo.
La guerra civile spagnola (1936-39) e la successiva dittatura del caudillo Francisco Franco (1939-1975) hanno trasformato una sana rivalità di campanile in morbo. La polarizzazione tra le due società, ed i rispettivi tifosi, ha raggiunto un tale punto di non ritorno da rendere estremamente difficile tracciare il confine tra realtà e ipotesi di complotto che sfiorano la paranoia. Secondo l’ottica madridista il Real Madrid è stato più utile a Franco che non viceversa; secondo il barcellonismo i bianchi della capitale non erano altro che una versione ante litteram della Dinamo Berlino, la squadra della Stasi nella Germania Est.
Il regime di Franco non tollerava alcun impulso autonomista. L’utilizzo di lingue quali il basco e il catalano venne proibito. Era vietato registrare i bambini con un nome basco o catalano (proprio in opposizione a tale regola Cruijff chiamò suo figlio Jordi), nonché parlare queste lingue, pena la tortura e la prigione. E’ innegabile che per il Barcellona e la sua gente l’atmosfera non era delle migliori. Diversi episodi legati al Real Madrid rimangono oscuri. Nel 1943 i blancos battono nella semifinale di Copa del Rey il Barcellona 11-1, dopo che l’andata si era conclusa 3-0 per i catalani. Si è parlato di minacce ai giocatori blaugrana da parte del responsabile della sicurezza nazionale nel pre-partita. Nel 1953 il Real si inserisce in maniera poco limpida nella trattativa tra Barcellona e River Plate per l’acquisto di Alfredo Di Stefano, dando vita ad un contenzioso con la società blaugrana che la Federcalcio spagnola risolve con una salomonica, ma poco credibile, decisione: il giocatore giocherà per entrambi i club, un anno a testa. Il Barcellona rifiuta l’accordo, e Di Stefano prende la via di Madrid.
Nel 1969, nel corso di un Clàsico valevole per i quarti di finale della Copa del Generalissimo (così era stata ribattezzata la coppa nazionale durante l’era Franco), l’arbitro Emilio Guruceta fischia un rigore per il Real Madrid nonostante il fallo fosse stato commesso un metro fuori area. Il Barça, sconfitto 2-0 all’andata, stava conducendo 1-0. Il Camp Nou erutta fuoco e fiamme. Diversi blaugrana abbandonano il campo, e solo l’intervento del tecnico Vic Buckingham li convince a rientrare. A due minuti dal termine l’incontro viene sospeso per invasione di campo da parte dei tifosi catalani. La terna arbitrale viene assediata negli spogliatoi prima di uscire dallo stadio sotto scorta. Guruceta verrà sospeso sei giornate per non aver portato a termine la partita. Il Real vincerà la coppa. Per il Barcellona l’episodio rappresenta la prova lampante che gli arbitri sono al soldo di Madrid. La questione si riapre nel 1997, quando il presidente dell’Anderlecht Constant Vanden Stock ammette di aver corrotto Guruceta in un incontro di Coppa Uefa. Riguardo a quel Clàsico però non è mai stata trovata alcuna prova.
Franco in realtà tifava Atletico Aviación (così si chiamava all’epoca l’Atletico Madrid), club molto vicino agli ambienti che si erano sollevati contro la Repubblica di Spagna. La definizione del Real quale “animale domestico della dittatura”, ad opera di Jimmy Burns nell’ultra-fazioso “Barça: a people’s passion”, trova scarso riscontro nelle statistiche. Durante il franchismo il Barcellona ha vinto otto titoli nazionali, con una doppietta campionato-coppa nella stagione 58-59 sotto la guida di Helenio Herrera. Inoltre, nei primi anni Cinquanta, i catalani hanno centrato i seguenti piazzamenti: primo-primo-secondo-secondo-secondo. Tra il 1932 e il 1954 invece il Real Madrid ha messo in bacheca la miseria di tre coppe nazionali. Poi è arrivato un certo Di Stefano, con alle spalle uno squadrone tra i migliori mai visti in Europa. I ripetuti successi in Coppa Campioni hanno indubbiamente aiutato l’immagine di Franco, alle prese negli anni Cinquanta con una Spagna in condizioni economiche disastrose a causa dei mancati aiuti del Piano Marshall. Il regime infatti, pur essendo rimasto neutrale durante la seconda guerra mondiale, non aveva mai nascosto le proprie simpatie per Adolf Hitler e le potenze dell’Asse.
Il Barcellona è stata la prima squadra ad eliminare il Real Madrid dalla Coppa dei Campioni. Dopo aver perso in semifinale nel 1959 (doppio 3-1 per le merengues), i catalani si sono vendicati nell’edizione successiva: 2-2 al Santiago Bernabeu, con l’inglese Arthur Ellis che assegna un rigore al Barça nonostante la bandiera alzata del guardalinee a segnalare il fuorigioco del brasiliano Evaristo, che poi avrebbe subito il fallo; 2-1 al Camp Nou, con un altro inglese, Reg Leaf, capace di annullare quattro reti, tre delle quali al Real. Un dettaglio per il barcellonismo, anzi, l’ulteriore prova che senza arbitri spagnoli il Real Madrid è molto più vulnerabile. Tipico di ogni dietrologia: gli errori in buonafede sono solo quelli a favore della propria squadra.
Talvolta il morbo colpisce la memoria. Tutti a Barcellona ricordano Josep Sunyol, presidente del Barcellona ucciso dalle milizie franchiste durante la guerra civile. Nessuna citazione invece per Antonio Ortega, presidente del Real Madrid sul finire degli anni Trenta, ex colonnello dell’esercito repubblicano, imprigionato durante il regime e inghiottito per sempre nel nulla. Per contro a Madrid tocca leggere pubblicazioni quali Historia del Fútbol Español, prodotta dal magazine destrorso Epoca, dove il Barcellona finalista di Coppa Campioni 1960 viene rinchiuso in un minuscolo box, un piccolo intruso tra pagine e pagine di magniloquenti celebrazioni dei successi madridisti. Quasi non fosse una notizia particolarmente degna di nota per il calcio spagnolo.
No, Real Madrid-Barcellona non è un derby. E’ molto di più.
Fonte: Guerin Sportivo
venerdì 11 febbraio 2011
Gli inverni del Real Madrid
Angel Di Maria è un serio candidato alla palma di colpo di mercato dell’anno nella Liga, almeno secondo il settimanale Don Balon. Il madridista, autore di un ottimo primo semestre “spagnolo”, se la gioca con i due David, rispettivamente Villa del Barcellona e Trezeguet dell’Hercules, e con il sottovalutato Borja Valero, perno del centrocampo del Villarreal. Sembra insomma che quest’anno il Real Madrid i propri soldi abbia saputo spenderli bene e, caso abbastanza raro, risparmiarli ancora meglio.
(Articolo completo su Il mondo siamo noi)
(Articolo completo su Il mondo siamo noi)
martedì 8 febbraio 2011
Pillole di Eredivisie - giornata 22
Potrà anche risultare noioso e ripetitivo, ma ancora una volta il week-end di Eredivisie ha visto sugli scudi lo sloveno Tim Matavz. E se l’attaccante del Groningen offre reti e prestazioni superbe a cadenza settimanale, è giusto tributargli il dovuto riconoscimento. Fatte le debite proporzioni, non si fa del resto la stessa cosa con l’alieno Messi? La tripletta rifilata ieri al derelitto Willem II ha portato Matavz a quota 15 reti, a sole sei lunghezze dal primato assoluto di bomber stagionale del Groningen detenuto da Peter Houtman, 23 centri nella stagione 85/86, unico giocatore peraltro nella storia dei bianco-verdi ad aver sfondato il muro dei 20 gol in un campionato. Nella goleada al club di Tilburg la prima segnatura di Matavz, assistita dal solito lucidissimo esterno sinistro Dusan Tadic, è un manifesto alle qualità del nostro: tecnica, coraggio (per la giocata tentata) e grande istinto per la porta. Matavz insomma è uno che il gol lo “sente”. E il Groningen, portatosi a quattro lunghezze dalle capoliste Psv e Twente, può continuare a sognare.
L’Ado Den Haag non vinceva in casa del Psv Eindhoven dal 1971. Erano i tempi di Aad Mansveld, il miglior giocatore di sempre nella storia dei giallo-verdi di ‘s Gravenhage. Poi si è scatenato l’inferno, tra razzismo e violenza (i tifosi), caos (la società) e prestazioni di basso livello (la squadra). L’attuale stagione prometteva nuovamente sangue, sudore e lacrime; è finora arrivato invece un ottimo calcio e il (meritato) quinto posto in classifica, dopo aver espugnato campi quali l’Amsterdam ArenA e, appunto, il Philips Stadion. Merito di un rottame ormai prossimo alla pensione (Bulykin), di un carneade slovacco (Kubik), di un colabrodo difensivo (Derijck), di una pallida promessa da cinque partite belle all’anno (Verhoek), di un tifoso segaligno mascherato da giocatore (Immers) e di un tizio che due anni fa giocava ancora nei dilettanti (Toornstra). Queste le descrizioni di ieri. Oggi i soggetti citati sono tutti rivelazioni.
La vittoria mancava in casa Excelsior dallo scorso novembre. In suo soccorso sono arrivati Dirk Marcellis e Sergio Romero dell’Az Alkmaar, buoni samaritani che si sono dati da fare per annullare il vantaggio firmato dal loro compagno di squadra Sightórsson, permettendo così alla compagine di Rotterdam di riscoprire l’ebbrezza dei tre punti. Il terzino ha commesso un plateale fallo di mano in area di rigore, mentre il portiere ha prima ciccato la respinta sul (pessimo) penalty calciato da Vincken, facendosi poi scavalcare dal rimbalzo della punizione-cross del promettente interno di centrocampo Clasie. Ex talento del vivaio del Psv, che lo ha scaricato dopo un paio di stagioni da titolare, Marcellis è naufragato nei propri (evidenti) limiti tecnico-tattici. Romero invece continua a peccare di affidabilità, alternando grandi prestazioni ad errori imbarazzanti. I detrattori di Maradona ct – che lo aveva promosso titolare della nazionale argentina – continuano ad avere un argomento in più.
Fonte: Footballstories.net
L’Ado Den Haag non vinceva in casa del Psv Eindhoven dal 1971. Erano i tempi di Aad Mansveld, il miglior giocatore di sempre nella storia dei giallo-verdi di ‘s Gravenhage. Poi si è scatenato l’inferno, tra razzismo e violenza (i tifosi), caos (la società) e prestazioni di basso livello (la squadra). L’attuale stagione prometteva nuovamente sangue, sudore e lacrime; è finora arrivato invece un ottimo calcio e il (meritato) quinto posto in classifica, dopo aver espugnato campi quali l’Amsterdam ArenA e, appunto, il Philips Stadion. Merito di un rottame ormai prossimo alla pensione (Bulykin), di un carneade slovacco (Kubik), di un colabrodo difensivo (Derijck), di una pallida promessa da cinque partite belle all’anno (Verhoek), di un tifoso segaligno mascherato da giocatore (Immers) e di un tizio che due anni fa giocava ancora nei dilettanti (Toornstra). Queste le descrizioni di ieri. Oggi i soggetti citati sono tutti rivelazioni.
La vittoria mancava in casa Excelsior dallo scorso novembre. In suo soccorso sono arrivati Dirk Marcellis e Sergio Romero dell’Az Alkmaar, buoni samaritani che si sono dati da fare per annullare il vantaggio firmato dal loro compagno di squadra Sightórsson, permettendo così alla compagine di Rotterdam di riscoprire l’ebbrezza dei tre punti. Il terzino ha commesso un plateale fallo di mano in area di rigore, mentre il portiere ha prima ciccato la respinta sul (pessimo) penalty calciato da Vincken, facendosi poi scavalcare dal rimbalzo della punizione-cross del promettente interno di centrocampo Clasie. Ex talento del vivaio del Psv, che lo ha scaricato dopo un paio di stagioni da titolare, Marcellis è naufragato nei propri (evidenti) limiti tecnico-tattici. Romero invece continua a peccare di affidabilità, alternando grandi prestazioni ad errori imbarazzanti. I detrattori di Maradona ct – che lo aveva promosso titolare della nazionale argentina – continuano ad avere un argomento in più.
Fonte: Footballstories.net
lunedì 7 febbraio 2011
Eric Huseklepp, un vichingo per il Bari
È il secondo norvegese della storia del Bari ma dello stereotipo dell’ariete scandinavo ha poco, quasi nulla. Figlio d'arte -papà Ingvald ha giocato nel Brann negli anni Settanta- fino al due anni fa Erik Huseklepp era il classico talentino inespresso in quanto troppo... frivolo. Una partita da campione seguita da tre settimane di scarsa vena, e così via. Emblematico l’esordio da titolare con la maglia del Brann, nel 2005 contro il Fredrikstad, che lo vide a segno dopo soli 19 secondi. Poi, però, per due anni, a riprova di un rendimento incostante, non ha visto più la porta.
Almeno fino a quando sulla panchina del Brann è arrivato l'ex milanista Nielsen, che gli ha confezionato addosso il ruolo più congeniale alle sue caratteristiche. Non più ala sinistra ma punta centrale, e l'incompiuto è definitivamente maturato.
In doppia cifra nelle ultime due stagioni (prima di queste, mai), per due anni consecutivi nella top ten della Tippeliga, ingresso nel giro del nazionale, maglia da titolare a partire dal 2009.
La giusta collocazione tattica? Non certo al centro dell’area avversaria, a far da torre e a “spizzare” palloni. Molto meglio come seconda punta in un 4-4-2, con la possibilità di partire qualche metro più indietro, in modo da poter sfruttare la sua arma migliore, il tiro. Magari di destro, che Huseklepp vanta secco e tagliente. Ciò non vuol dire che non possa giocare prima punta -in nazionale gioca spesso nel ruolo di Carew- ma rende meglio accanto ad un attaccante che dia profondità e gli apra spazi.
Oggi il momento è quello giusto per un'esperienza all'estero. Non è un fuoriclasse ma ha dei numeri. E sembra proprio che abbia imparato cosa significhi esercitare la professione di calciatore.
Fonte: solobarinews.it
Almeno fino a quando sulla panchina del Brann è arrivato l'ex milanista Nielsen, che gli ha confezionato addosso il ruolo più congeniale alle sue caratteristiche. Non più ala sinistra ma punta centrale, e l'incompiuto è definitivamente maturato.
In doppia cifra nelle ultime due stagioni (prima di queste, mai), per due anni consecutivi nella top ten della Tippeliga, ingresso nel giro del nazionale, maglia da titolare a partire dal 2009.
La giusta collocazione tattica? Non certo al centro dell’area avversaria, a far da torre e a “spizzare” palloni. Molto meglio come seconda punta in un 4-4-2, con la possibilità di partire qualche metro più indietro, in modo da poter sfruttare la sua arma migliore, il tiro. Magari di destro, che Huseklepp vanta secco e tagliente. Ciò non vuol dire che non possa giocare prima punta -in nazionale gioca spesso nel ruolo di Carew- ma rende meglio accanto ad un attaccante che dia profondità e gli apra spazi.
Oggi il momento è quello giusto per un'esperienza all'estero. Non è un fuoriclasse ma ha dei numeri. E sembra proprio che abbia imparato cosa significhi esercitare la professione di calciatore.
Fonte: solobarinews.it
domenica 6 febbraio 2011
Michael Bradley ready to get serious at Aston Villa
From Giovanni Savarese to Roy Keane to Gennaro Gattuso. As continents and perspectives change, so do the idols. Aston Villa’s newcomer Michael Bradley grew up inspired by the Venezuelan top scorer of the New York MetroStars, but since arriving in Europe his points of reference have changed. Now the American looks more to Keane and Gattuso. It’s never just any old players though. And this young midfielder, born in 1987 in Princeton, New Jersey, doesn’t intend to be just any old player himself either.
By the age of 18 Bradley had already moved home five times; from Illinois to Washington, from Florida to New York, before finally ending up in Heerenveen, in the north of Holland. A determination to rise in the game meant swapping surroundings and packing his bags for a cold town in the north of Europe “not much bigger than a street in New York” and was never a hardship, just a necessary step. Better the Eredivisie than the MLS.
It was a question of mentality and sporting methods the American soon explained. “I have a friend who plays for the LA Galaxy, and he tells me that they train from ten until noon, then spend the rest of the day at the beach. Undoubtedly a nice life, but how do you grow from a sports perspective? In the US, there are teams with a lot of money, but none of them are a big club, even compared to a small team like Heerenveen. The Frisians are a team with strong ties to the people and the area, supported by grandfathers, fathers and sons. A team with a history and culture behind them. In the USA we’ll still need years to create similar ties, because soccer is still a young sport.”
Bradley rose through the Bradenton Academy, the football school of the US Soccer Federation for the American Under-17s. Then, after being included in the MLS’s Project 40 programme, he made the jump to the professional ranks at just 16 when he received a call from New York MetroStars, the team coached by his father Bob, currently the coach of the US national team. Just over a year later, Bradley became the youngest player to leave the MLS for a European league. Tall, with a solid physique, good lungs and decisive in the tackle, the American immediately showed himself to be a complete midfielder in Holland, armed with a capacity to read the game both from an attacking and defensive standpoint. So much so that it wasn’t a wholly unusual sight to see Bradley operate as a playmaker in a four-man midfield in the Heerenveen youth team; it was a role the American played when he opened the scoring in a 2-1 victory for Jong Heerenveen against Jong NEC on 17th April, 2007, as his side conquered the national youth title for just the third time in the club’s history.
In the 2007/08 campaign Bradley was ready for the big jump to Heerenveen’s senior ranks, thanks in part to the retirement of old warrior Paul Bosvelt, who had freed up a place in midfield and personally pointed to the American as his natural successor. It was a chance the youngster couldn’t let slip through his fingers and it didn’t take long for Bradley to show what he was made of. A series of sterling performances followed, with a handful of goals thrown in (16 in the Eredivisie, two in the Dutch Cup and two in the UEFA Cup) to silence critics who had maintained that he was too timid in front of the net.
On 31st August, 2008, Bradley inked a four-year deal with Bundesliga side Borussia Monchengladbach, and three months later he scored his first goal against Bayern Munich. The American ended the season with five goals to his name, despite often being deployed as a screening midfielder, limiting his opportunities to get forward. Bradley’s fine displays however, were not enough to stop the Fohlen flirting with relegation – this season, stuck to the bottom of the table, it seems only a miracle can save the team from the 2.Bundesliga.
No longer the rookie at Heerenveen, Bradley is a veteran with the US national team. On 26th May, 2006, the midfielder won the first of his 50 caps so far against Venezuela, in a warm-up game for the World Cup. However, the tender age of the young man kept then-coach Bruce Arena from including him in his squad for Germany. The first major international tournaments Bradley tasted were the CONCACAF Gold Cup in 2007, where the United States saw off Mexico in the final, and the Under-20 World Cup in Canada – Bradley starred as one of the Stars and Stripes standout performers, scoring the only goal against Uruguay in the second round in a tournament the US exited at the quarter-final stage.
The 23-year-old grabbed another opportunity to impress on the international stage at the 2009 Confederations Cup, putting in two superb shifts against Egypt and Spain, but missing the final – the US lost 3-2 to Brazil – due to a red card picked up in the semi-final against the Spanish. In the 2010 World Cup, Bradley scored against Slovenia, his eighth international goal. And last August he captained the team for the first time in a friendly against Brazil.
Bradley doesn’t want to play in a second division. In 2008 he had agreed to join Birmingham City on the condition that they retained their Premier League status – they didn’t and the American headed to the Bundesliga instead. With Borussia Monchengladbach rooted to the bottom of the German league table, Bradley has headed to Aston Villa. And in the Midlands he will be looking for the definitive turning point in his career. It’s time for Bradley to get serious.
Fonte: Inside Futbol
By the age of 18 Bradley had already moved home five times; from Illinois to Washington, from Florida to New York, before finally ending up in Heerenveen, in the north of Holland. A determination to rise in the game meant swapping surroundings and packing his bags for a cold town in the north of Europe “not much bigger than a street in New York” and was never a hardship, just a necessary step. Better the Eredivisie than the MLS.
It was a question of mentality and sporting methods the American soon explained. “I have a friend who plays for the LA Galaxy, and he tells me that they train from ten until noon, then spend the rest of the day at the beach. Undoubtedly a nice life, but how do you grow from a sports perspective? In the US, there are teams with a lot of money, but none of them are a big club, even compared to a small team like Heerenveen. The Frisians are a team with strong ties to the people and the area, supported by grandfathers, fathers and sons. A team with a history and culture behind them. In the USA we’ll still need years to create similar ties, because soccer is still a young sport.”
Bradley rose through the Bradenton Academy, the football school of the US Soccer Federation for the American Under-17s. Then, after being included in the MLS’s Project 40 programme, he made the jump to the professional ranks at just 16 when he received a call from New York MetroStars, the team coached by his father Bob, currently the coach of the US national team. Just over a year later, Bradley became the youngest player to leave the MLS for a European league. Tall, with a solid physique, good lungs and decisive in the tackle, the American immediately showed himself to be a complete midfielder in Holland, armed with a capacity to read the game both from an attacking and defensive standpoint. So much so that it wasn’t a wholly unusual sight to see Bradley operate as a playmaker in a four-man midfield in the Heerenveen youth team; it was a role the American played when he opened the scoring in a 2-1 victory for Jong Heerenveen against Jong NEC on 17th April, 2007, as his side conquered the national youth title for just the third time in the club’s history.
In the 2007/08 campaign Bradley was ready for the big jump to Heerenveen’s senior ranks, thanks in part to the retirement of old warrior Paul Bosvelt, who had freed up a place in midfield and personally pointed to the American as his natural successor. It was a chance the youngster couldn’t let slip through his fingers and it didn’t take long for Bradley to show what he was made of. A series of sterling performances followed, with a handful of goals thrown in (16 in the Eredivisie, two in the Dutch Cup and two in the UEFA Cup) to silence critics who had maintained that he was too timid in front of the net.
On 31st August, 2008, Bradley inked a four-year deal with Bundesliga side Borussia Monchengladbach, and three months later he scored his first goal against Bayern Munich. The American ended the season with five goals to his name, despite often being deployed as a screening midfielder, limiting his opportunities to get forward. Bradley’s fine displays however, were not enough to stop the Fohlen flirting with relegation – this season, stuck to the bottom of the table, it seems only a miracle can save the team from the 2.Bundesliga.
No longer the rookie at Heerenveen, Bradley is a veteran with the US national team. On 26th May, 2006, the midfielder won the first of his 50 caps so far against Venezuela, in a warm-up game for the World Cup. However, the tender age of the young man kept then-coach Bruce Arena from including him in his squad for Germany. The first major international tournaments Bradley tasted were the CONCACAF Gold Cup in 2007, where the United States saw off Mexico in the final, and the Under-20 World Cup in Canada – Bradley starred as one of the Stars and Stripes standout performers, scoring the only goal against Uruguay in the second round in a tournament the US exited at the quarter-final stage.
The 23-year-old grabbed another opportunity to impress on the international stage at the 2009 Confederations Cup, putting in two superb shifts against Egypt and Spain, but missing the final – the US lost 3-2 to Brazil – due to a red card picked up in the semi-final against the Spanish. In the 2010 World Cup, Bradley scored against Slovenia, his eighth international goal. And last August he captained the team for the first time in a friendly against Brazil.
Bradley doesn’t want to play in a second division. In 2008 he had agreed to join Birmingham City on the condition that they retained their Premier League status – they didn’t and the American headed to the Bundesliga instead. With Borussia Monchengladbach rooted to the bottom of the German league table, Bradley has headed to Aston Villa. And in the Midlands he will be looking for the definitive turning point in his career. It’s time for Bradley to get serious.
Fonte: Inside Futbol
sabato 5 febbraio 2011
Liverpool set to benefit from Luis Suarez’ rapid rise
Luis Suarez’s career at Ajax symbolised the Amsterdam side’s decline. Despite the Uruguayan striker scoring 109 goals at the Dutch giants in only three and a half seasons, he exited the Amsterdam ArenA with just a single piece of silverware to show for his efforts – the 2010 Dutch Cup. Suarez was always loyal to the Eredivisie club though. He never forced a transfer, and equally did not complain when transfer talk failed to turn into something more substantial.
“I will leave Ajax only for a bid that cannot be refused”, Suarez had said. And that he did. Liverpool’s €26.5 offer was one that could not be turned down in the corridors of power at Ajax. The sale of Suarez was the club’s second best deal of recent times, after Wesley Sneijder’s move to Real Madrid for €27M in 2007.
Since Suarez made his professional debut in the Uruguayan Primera Division on 27th August, 2005, in a game between Nacional Montevideo and Cerro Porteno, he has always finished his campaigns with a double digit tally of goals to his name. The Uruguayan has headed to Liverpool at the age of just 23, and already with 149 goals in all competitions to show for a career which has simply accelerated from one stage to the next; from Nacional Montevideo to Groningen, to Ajax, all while excelling with Uruguay too.
Scoring goals though is not Suarez’s only talent. In Holland the forward developed into an attacking all-rounder, able to be deployed and feeling comfortable in a range of positions: the man up front in a 4-5-1 formation, a right winger in a 4-3-3 set-up, and as a support striker in a 4-4-2. The Uruguayan’s vision and ability to pick a pass stands alongside his cold-blooded composure in front of goal – 56 assists in three and a half seasons of Eredivisie football is testament to that.
Suarez was born on 24th January, 1987, in Salto, a Uruguayan town close to the Argentine border. His parents soon split up and the seven-year-old was on his way to Montevideo to live with his grandmother. There he went through hard times: “When I was eleven”, Suarez remembered, “I was selected for a training camp with the Uruguayan youth team in La Plata, Argentina. All my dreams came true. Unfortunately, it was too expensive, so I had to decline because I didn’t even have enough money to buy a pair of shoes.”
The youngster from Salto learned to play football on the streets, joining small local clubs (FC Urreta, Deportivo Sporting Antigas) until he got his chance with Nacional Montevideo’s youth team. In the 2005/06 season, Suarez helped the senior side to win the national title, chipping in with ten goals. The waves the forward was making did not go unnoticed, with Dutch side Groningen the quickest amongst a raft of European clubs to buy the player. The Euroborg outfit pounced after an enthusiastic report compiled by one of their scouts, who happened to be in Montevideo scouting several other players.
At the northern Dutch club Suarez had a big impact almost at once. He scored on his debut in Europe against Partizan Belgrade and it took just two months for the Uruguayan to become a regular in the Green-Whites’ starting eleven, where he struck up a fruitful partnership with former Manchester United striker Erik Nevland.
Homesickness, so often the scourge of the South American player, did not seem to be a problem for Suarez, who settled perfectly in Groningen, both on and off the pitch – the presence of countryman Bruno Silva also helped. Suarez tried to speak Dutch from his very first interviews and was equally fearless on the pitch, taking off tough defender Jaap Stam with relish. He liked to joke too: “One of my idols is Ronaldo, but when I am thirty I hope not to be that fat.”
With Groningen, Suarez scored 12 goals – ten in the Eredivisie – and then joined Ajax. The deal was not an easy one for the Amsterdam side, who found themselves looking for a replacement for Ryan Babel, who had headed to Liverpool. Groningen turned down Ajax’s initial €3.5M bid. Suarez himself appealed to the Dutch Football Association’s arbitration committee, but lost his case. The committee argued that in recent times Ajax’s performance was not that much better than Groningen’s. It looked like the Uruguayan would be staying at the Euroborg, but the same day the verdict was handed down both clubs announced a deal had been struck for €8M.
In Amsterdam Suarez proved he was worth every cent of the €8M. The forward was the Eredivisie’s top scorer in the 2009/10 campaign, finding the back of the net 35 times in 33 games, in the process becoming the joint-highest scoring foreign player in a single Eredivisie season ever, equalling Mateja Kezman. It was therefore little surprise when Suarez was awarded the Dutch Footballer of the Year accolade. In the same season, Suarez notched eight goals in the Dutch Cup and six in the Europa League. On 23rd December, 2009, the prolific goal-getter scored six goals in a single match against amateur team WHC Wezep in the Dutch Cup, helping Ajax to a 14-1 win, the club’s best ever in the domestic cup. Suarez leaves Ajax as their fifth ever top scorer – the first amongst the foreign contingent – on average: 109 goals in 152 games equals one goal for every 139 minutes on the pitch. Only Marco van Basten, Ruud Geels, Cees Groot and Johan Cryuff could do better.
Suarez’s Achilles heel is bad temper on the pitch. The 23-year-old was sent off on his debut for Uruguay, after receiving two yellow cards. Since his first Eredivisie outing, Suarez has never been far from a wave of criticism due to the large number of yellows dished out to the fiery forward, most coming for diving or protesting decisions. In 2009/10, Suarez picked up the ignominious title of second most yellow carded player in the Eredivisie after Utrecht full back Mihai Nesu. Moreover, last November he was fined by the Dutch FA (KNVB) after he bit PSV Eindhoven midfielder Otman Bakkal between his neck and his shoulder. The “Cannibal of Ajax” as Dutch daily De Telegraaf labelled him, was suspended for seven league games as the KNVB considered his poor behaviour “habitual” after another red card received in the Dutch Supercup final at the start of the season.
Liverpool’s new striker hit the international stage for the first time at the 2007 Under-20 FIFA World Cup in Canada. At that time, Suarez had already picked up his first cap proper with Uruguay in a 3-1 win over Colombia on 8th February, 2007. Now the forward is counted as a key member of La Celeste, scoring a hat-trick last October against Indonesia that took him to 16 goals in 37 games for his country. Suarez was also a driving force behind Uruguay’s run to the semi-final and an eventual fourth place finish at the 2010 World Cup.
In South Africa, Suarez formed a lethal striking partnership with team-mate Diego Forlan, scoring three goals in six games. In the Round of 16, Suarez struck a delightfully powerful drive against South Korea, part of a brace which put Uruguay through to the quarter-finals for the first time since 1970. In the quarter-final itself Suarez was voted Man of the Match, despite failing to find the back of the net. However, he played a vital role in the last minute of extra-time against Ghana, handling the ball on the line and then celebrating when Asamoah Gyan missed the resulting penalty. Uruguay went on to win the penalty shoot-out.
During the winter transfer window, Liverpool had the option to try and field the Suarez-Forlan partnership at club level, however the Reds preferred to buy the younger, less experienced, but more expensive Andy Carroll from Newcastle United instead. With Forlan having been available at Atletico Madrid, only time will tell if the Anfield side have made the right choice. Suarez though, seems set for a big future in the Premier League, with or without his international team-mate.
Fonte: Inside Futbol
“I will leave Ajax only for a bid that cannot be refused”, Suarez had said. And that he did. Liverpool’s €26.5 offer was one that could not be turned down in the corridors of power at Ajax. The sale of Suarez was the club’s second best deal of recent times, after Wesley Sneijder’s move to Real Madrid for €27M in 2007.
Since Suarez made his professional debut in the Uruguayan Primera Division on 27th August, 2005, in a game between Nacional Montevideo and Cerro Porteno, he has always finished his campaigns with a double digit tally of goals to his name. The Uruguayan has headed to Liverpool at the age of just 23, and already with 149 goals in all competitions to show for a career which has simply accelerated from one stage to the next; from Nacional Montevideo to Groningen, to Ajax, all while excelling with Uruguay too.
Scoring goals though is not Suarez’s only talent. In Holland the forward developed into an attacking all-rounder, able to be deployed and feeling comfortable in a range of positions: the man up front in a 4-5-1 formation, a right winger in a 4-3-3 set-up, and as a support striker in a 4-4-2. The Uruguayan’s vision and ability to pick a pass stands alongside his cold-blooded composure in front of goal – 56 assists in three and a half seasons of Eredivisie football is testament to that.
Suarez was born on 24th January, 1987, in Salto, a Uruguayan town close to the Argentine border. His parents soon split up and the seven-year-old was on his way to Montevideo to live with his grandmother. There he went through hard times: “When I was eleven”, Suarez remembered, “I was selected for a training camp with the Uruguayan youth team in La Plata, Argentina. All my dreams came true. Unfortunately, it was too expensive, so I had to decline because I didn’t even have enough money to buy a pair of shoes.”
The youngster from Salto learned to play football on the streets, joining small local clubs (FC Urreta, Deportivo Sporting Antigas) until he got his chance with Nacional Montevideo’s youth team. In the 2005/06 season, Suarez helped the senior side to win the national title, chipping in with ten goals. The waves the forward was making did not go unnoticed, with Dutch side Groningen the quickest amongst a raft of European clubs to buy the player. The Euroborg outfit pounced after an enthusiastic report compiled by one of their scouts, who happened to be in Montevideo scouting several other players.
At the northern Dutch club Suarez had a big impact almost at once. He scored on his debut in Europe against Partizan Belgrade and it took just two months for the Uruguayan to become a regular in the Green-Whites’ starting eleven, where he struck up a fruitful partnership with former Manchester United striker Erik Nevland.
Homesickness, so often the scourge of the South American player, did not seem to be a problem for Suarez, who settled perfectly in Groningen, both on and off the pitch – the presence of countryman Bruno Silva also helped. Suarez tried to speak Dutch from his very first interviews and was equally fearless on the pitch, taking off tough defender Jaap Stam with relish. He liked to joke too: “One of my idols is Ronaldo, but when I am thirty I hope not to be that fat.”
With Groningen, Suarez scored 12 goals – ten in the Eredivisie – and then joined Ajax. The deal was not an easy one for the Amsterdam side, who found themselves looking for a replacement for Ryan Babel, who had headed to Liverpool. Groningen turned down Ajax’s initial €3.5M bid. Suarez himself appealed to the Dutch Football Association’s arbitration committee, but lost his case. The committee argued that in recent times Ajax’s performance was not that much better than Groningen’s. It looked like the Uruguayan would be staying at the Euroborg, but the same day the verdict was handed down both clubs announced a deal had been struck for €8M.
In Amsterdam Suarez proved he was worth every cent of the €8M. The forward was the Eredivisie’s top scorer in the 2009/10 campaign, finding the back of the net 35 times in 33 games, in the process becoming the joint-highest scoring foreign player in a single Eredivisie season ever, equalling Mateja Kezman. It was therefore little surprise when Suarez was awarded the Dutch Footballer of the Year accolade. In the same season, Suarez notched eight goals in the Dutch Cup and six in the Europa League. On 23rd December, 2009, the prolific goal-getter scored six goals in a single match against amateur team WHC Wezep in the Dutch Cup, helping Ajax to a 14-1 win, the club’s best ever in the domestic cup. Suarez leaves Ajax as their fifth ever top scorer – the first amongst the foreign contingent – on average: 109 goals in 152 games equals one goal for every 139 minutes on the pitch. Only Marco van Basten, Ruud Geels, Cees Groot and Johan Cryuff could do better.
Suarez’s Achilles heel is bad temper on the pitch. The 23-year-old was sent off on his debut for Uruguay, after receiving two yellow cards. Since his first Eredivisie outing, Suarez has never been far from a wave of criticism due to the large number of yellows dished out to the fiery forward, most coming for diving or protesting decisions. In 2009/10, Suarez picked up the ignominious title of second most yellow carded player in the Eredivisie after Utrecht full back Mihai Nesu. Moreover, last November he was fined by the Dutch FA (KNVB) after he bit PSV Eindhoven midfielder Otman Bakkal between his neck and his shoulder. The “Cannibal of Ajax” as Dutch daily De Telegraaf labelled him, was suspended for seven league games as the KNVB considered his poor behaviour “habitual” after another red card received in the Dutch Supercup final at the start of the season.
Liverpool’s new striker hit the international stage for the first time at the 2007 Under-20 FIFA World Cup in Canada. At that time, Suarez had already picked up his first cap proper with Uruguay in a 3-1 win over Colombia on 8th February, 2007. Now the forward is counted as a key member of La Celeste, scoring a hat-trick last October against Indonesia that took him to 16 goals in 37 games for his country. Suarez was also a driving force behind Uruguay’s run to the semi-final and an eventual fourth place finish at the 2010 World Cup.
In South Africa, Suarez formed a lethal striking partnership with team-mate Diego Forlan, scoring three goals in six games. In the Round of 16, Suarez struck a delightfully powerful drive against South Korea, part of a brace which put Uruguay through to the quarter-finals for the first time since 1970. In the quarter-final itself Suarez was voted Man of the Match, despite failing to find the back of the net. However, he played a vital role in the last minute of extra-time against Ghana, handling the ball on the line and then celebrating when Asamoah Gyan missed the resulting penalty. Uruguay went on to win the penalty shoot-out.
During the winter transfer window, Liverpool had the option to try and field the Suarez-Forlan partnership at club level, however the Reds preferred to buy the younger, less experienced, but more expensive Andy Carroll from Newcastle United instead. With Forlan having been available at Atletico Madrid, only time will tell if the Anfield side have made the right choice. Suarez though, seems set for a big future in the Premier League, with or without his international team-mate.
Fonte: Inside Futbol
Il tulipano di Cecenia
Da Nelson Mandela a Ramzan Kadyrov, ovvero da un simbolo mondiale della libertà e della lotta per i diritti umani ad un paramilitare che nega la prima e calpesta i secondi. Per cinque milioni di dollari – questa la cifra indicata dalla stampa russa – Ruud Gullit ha accettato la panchina del Terek Grozny e, indirettamente, il ruolo di “testimonial” del controverso governo ceceno.
(Articolo completo su Il mondo siamo noi).
(Articolo completo su Il mondo siamo noi).
venerdì 4 febbraio 2011
Mark van Bommel could be AC Milan transfer masterstroke
The signing of Mark van Bommel could be a real masterstroke for AC Milan and quite possibly the signing of the winter transfer window. More disciplined – both on and off the pitch – than other new recruit Antonio Cassano and more experienced than fellow Dutch arrival Urby Emanuelson, van Bommel could quickly establish himself as a key player in Massimiliano Allegri’s 4-3-3 system.
Milan were searching for an experienced and top class player to strengthen a team looking at a long injury list, one which recently forced central defender Thiago Silva to play as a screening midfielder against Cesena. The Serie A giants had no doubt about the 33-year-old Van Bommel, whose contract with Bayern Munich was due to expire in June, and who had long been linked with an exit from the Allianz Arena.
Well known for his tough tackling and never-say-die attitude, the Dutchman is the kind of player modern day coaches adore, and equally one that those who still cling faithfully to beautiful football dismiss. In the present era, the holding midfielder has become a crucial part of building a team capable of performing at the highest level. In recent years, players like Esteban Cambiasso, Xabi Alonso, Gennaro Gattuso, Marcos Senna, Michael Essien and Yaya Toure have not been any less important to their team’s success than celebrated
stars such as Lionel Messi, Wesley Sneijder, David Villa, Xavi, Andres Iniesta, Kaka and Didier Drogba.
In Milan, Van Bommel will be looking for the 19th trophy of his career. Amongst others, the midfielder has won seven national titles (four with PSV Eindhoven, one with Barcelona and two with Bayern Munich) and a Champions League (in 2006 with the Catalans) so far. An impressive haul for a player who failed a trial with Ajax in the late 1990s and later left the Eredivisie at 28 years old.
Over the last four years the Dutchman has gone from zero to hero with the Holland national team. Despite making his debut on 7th October in 2000 against Cyprus, Van Bommel missed the major international tournaments until 2006. Then, after the 2006 World Cup in Germany he stated he would not continue at international level as long as coach Marco van Basten was in charge. Both had strong, but incompatible, views – once Van Bommel commented: "I knew I could never have played at my best if I’d followed Van Basten’s ideas." In Holland Van Bommel was widely criticised for his decision, especially after he jokingly declared that he would have worn a Germany shirt if it were possible.
Van Bommel returned to the national fold after his father-in-law Bert van Marwijk took over following Euro 2008 and the midfielder quickly developed into a key player for the Oranje. His ability to read the game – Van Bommel has said one of his favourite hobbies remains "to analyse on the TV the games I have just played" – and to protect the defence were vital in helping Holland reach second spot in the FIFA rankings. Under Van Marwijk, Holland have lost only one match in the last two years: the 2010 World Cup final against Spain, and only then in extra-time.
Van Marwijk has played a vital role in his son-in-law’s career, even during Van Bommel’s earlier days. When, in 1997, he was appointed coach of Fortuna Sittard, he switched Van Bommel from playing as a winger to central midfield. Van Bommel, who had joined the Limburg side in 1993, blossomed, leading Fortuna Sittard to the Dutch Cup final in 1999; the Green-Yellows lost against PSV Eindhoven. Just a few weeks later though, Van Bommel was signed by the Philips-backed club, and in 2001 and 2005 won the best Eredivisie player award. He left Eindhoven in the summer of 2005, heading for Barcelona, and departed with a double digit season of goals behind him, scoring 14 times.
The tough-tackling midfielder turned out for Barcelona for just one season, however it was enough to win a treble of La Liga, the Spanish Cup and the Champions League. "Xavi recently stated that the football they played at Barcelona was too fast for me", recalled Van Bommel in a recent interview. "I wondered how he could say this, considering that he was sidelined for six months due to a bad injury that season. I used to play in midfield with Deco and Edmilson, not with him. Of course in a team with Ronaldinho and [Samuel] Eto’o I could not be the key player, nor did I pretend I was. However, I had a great time in Spain."
Upon joining Bayern Munich, Van Bommel proved to be a key player for the Bundesliga giants, providing strength in the middle of the park. He was voted Bayern Player of the Year in the 2006/07 season and just one year later became only the second non-German captain of the Bavarian side after Søren Lerby. Van Bommel was though the first to lead the team to a domestic double, winning the Bundesliga and German Cup last season, a campaign in which Bayern Munich also reached the Champions League final.
This season though the Dutchman lost his place in Louis van Gaal’s starting line-up after he revealed he would not renew his contract with Bayern Munich, and then in January the Allianz Arena side snapped up Brazilian midfielder Luiz Gustavo from Hoffenheim; a clear sign that for Van Bommel the time had come to pack his suitcase and leave. With Milan currently topping Serie A, Van Bommel hopes to equal his Oranje team-mate Arjen Robben by winning league titles in four different countries. For the Dutchman’s journey outside his comfort zone and sheer determination it would be just reward.
Fonte: Inside Futbol
Milan were searching for an experienced and top class player to strengthen a team looking at a long injury list, one which recently forced central defender Thiago Silva to play as a screening midfielder against Cesena. The Serie A giants had no doubt about the 33-year-old Van Bommel, whose contract with Bayern Munich was due to expire in June, and who had long been linked with an exit from the Allianz Arena.
Well known for his tough tackling and never-say-die attitude, the Dutchman is the kind of player modern day coaches adore, and equally one that those who still cling faithfully to beautiful football dismiss. In the present era, the holding midfielder has become a crucial part of building a team capable of performing at the highest level. In recent years, players like Esteban Cambiasso, Xabi Alonso, Gennaro Gattuso, Marcos Senna, Michael Essien and Yaya Toure have not been any less important to their team’s success than celebrated
stars such as Lionel Messi, Wesley Sneijder, David Villa, Xavi, Andres Iniesta, Kaka and Didier Drogba.
In Milan, Van Bommel will be looking for the 19th trophy of his career. Amongst others, the midfielder has won seven national titles (four with PSV Eindhoven, one with Barcelona and two with Bayern Munich) and a Champions League (in 2006 with the Catalans) so far. An impressive haul for a player who failed a trial with Ajax in the late 1990s and later left the Eredivisie at 28 years old.
Over the last four years the Dutchman has gone from zero to hero with the Holland national team. Despite making his debut on 7th October in 2000 against Cyprus, Van Bommel missed the major international tournaments until 2006. Then, after the 2006 World Cup in Germany he stated he would not continue at international level as long as coach Marco van Basten was in charge. Both had strong, but incompatible, views – once Van Bommel commented: "I knew I could never have played at my best if I’d followed Van Basten’s ideas." In Holland Van Bommel was widely criticised for his decision, especially after he jokingly declared that he would have worn a Germany shirt if it were possible.
Van Bommel returned to the national fold after his father-in-law Bert van Marwijk took over following Euro 2008 and the midfielder quickly developed into a key player for the Oranje. His ability to read the game – Van Bommel has said one of his favourite hobbies remains "to analyse on the TV the games I have just played" – and to protect the defence were vital in helping Holland reach second spot in the FIFA rankings. Under Van Marwijk, Holland have lost only one match in the last two years: the 2010 World Cup final against Spain, and only then in extra-time.
Van Marwijk has played a vital role in his son-in-law’s career, even during Van Bommel’s earlier days. When, in 1997, he was appointed coach of Fortuna Sittard, he switched Van Bommel from playing as a winger to central midfield. Van Bommel, who had joined the Limburg side in 1993, blossomed, leading Fortuna Sittard to the Dutch Cup final in 1999; the Green-Yellows lost against PSV Eindhoven. Just a few weeks later though, Van Bommel was signed by the Philips-backed club, and in 2001 and 2005 won the best Eredivisie player award. He left Eindhoven in the summer of 2005, heading for Barcelona, and departed with a double digit season of goals behind him, scoring 14 times.
The tough-tackling midfielder turned out for Barcelona for just one season, however it was enough to win a treble of La Liga, the Spanish Cup and the Champions League. "Xavi recently stated that the football they played at Barcelona was too fast for me", recalled Van Bommel in a recent interview. "I wondered how he could say this, considering that he was sidelined for six months due to a bad injury that season. I used to play in midfield with Deco and Edmilson, not with him. Of course in a team with Ronaldinho and [Samuel] Eto’o I could not be the key player, nor did I pretend I was. However, I had a great time in Spain."
Upon joining Bayern Munich, Van Bommel proved to be a key player for the Bundesliga giants, providing strength in the middle of the park. He was voted Bayern Player of the Year in the 2006/07 season and just one year later became only the second non-German captain of the Bavarian side after Søren Lerby. Van Bommel was though the first to lead the team to a domestic double, winning the Bundesliga and German Cup last season, a campaign in which Bayern Munich also reached the Champions League final.
This season though the Dutchman lost his place in Louis van Gaal’s starting line-up after he revealed he would not renew his contract with Bayern Munich, and then in January the Allianz Arena side snapped up Brazilian midfielder Luiz Gustavo from Hoffenheim; a clear sign that for Van Bommel the time had come to pack his suitcase and leave. With Milan currently topping Serie A, Van Bommel hopes to equal his Oranje team-mate Arjen Robben by winning league titles in four different countries. For the Dutchman’s journey outside his comfort zone and sheer determination it would be just reward.
Fonte: Inside Futbol
mercoledì 2 febbraio 2011
Pillole di Eredivisie - giornata 21
Copertina glaciale ma doverosa dedicata al pokerissimo rifilato dall’islandese Kolbeinn Sigthórsson al Vvv Venlo. A differenza dell’impronunciabile Eyjafjallajökull, che lo scorso anno bloccò i cieli di mezza Europa, il vulcano Sigthórsson erutta solamente reti. Ne beneficia un Az Alkmaar a vocazione sempre più nordica: a parte l’altro islandese Johann Berg Gudmundsson – che ha completato il quadro dei marcatori nel 6-1 al malcapitato club di Venlo – il tecnico Gert Jan Verbeek può contare su due svedesi (Pontus Wernbloom e Rasmus Elm), un finlandese Niklas Mosiander e un danese Simon Poulsen. Fino alla scorsa settimana Sigthórsson – attualmente a quota 9 reti in Eredivisie, curiosamente tutte segnate in incontri casalinghi - era la terza scelta nelle gerarchie di Verbeek quale prima punta, alle spalle del brasiliano Jonathas e di Graziano Pellè. L’allenatore gli concedeva scampoli di partita o lo schierava fuori ruolo, trequartista centrale nel 4-2-3-1. Lui accettava ma non approvava. Sono una prima punta, diceva, il mio mestiere è segnare gol. Contro il Vvv è definitivamente passato dalle parole ai fatti.
Il classe 1990 Genero Zeefuik debuttava in Eredivisie nella stagione 2006/07 con il Psv Eindhoven targato Ronald Koeman all’età di 16 anni e 360 giorni (più precoci di lui nel club della Philips solo Stanley Bish e Wilfred Bouma). Poco meno di cinque anni dopo, gli ultimi due dei quali trascorsi in prestito in Eerste Eivisie prima nell’Omniworld (oggi Almere City) e poi nel Dordrecht (12 reti con gli Schapenkoppen), è arrivato il suo primo gol nella massima serie oranje. Una rete pesantissima, in pieno recupero, che ha evitato al Psv la figuraccia casalinga contro il fanalino di coda Willem II, che stava bloccando la capolista sull’1-1. Un gol all’ultimo respiro al quale ha prontamente risposto il Twente con Bryan Ruiz; il costaricano ha piegato il Feyenoord solamente nei minuti di recupero. Classifica di vertice pertanto immutata. Ma se Ruiz – rientrato dopo uno stop di due mesi causa infortunio – è uno dei punti cardine dei Tukkers, Zeefuik rappresenta per il Psv una piacevole riscoperta. Specialmente se Marcus Berg continuerà a non buttarla dentro.
Derby del nord senza storia. Troppo superiore il Gronigen rispetto all’Heerenveen dal punto di vista del collettivo e dell’organizzazione di gioco. I Frisoni sono un gruppo di solisti costretti a cantare in coro: non sempre la melodia è gradevole. E’ finita 4-1 per il Groningen ma, a conferma di quanto detto poco sopra, il gol più bello è da ascrivere all’Heerenveen: spiovente di Viktor Elm, sinistro al volo di Filip Djuricic dritto nel sette. Una gemma individuale di pregevole fattura. Il resto però è stato tutto di marca Groningen, con i soliti Matavz e Tadic sugli scudi a confermare quanto la voragine di punti che separa le due squadre in classifica sia ampiamente giustificata.
Fonte: Footballstories.net
Il classe 1990 Genero Zeefuik debuttava in Eredivisie nella stagione 2006/07 con il Psv Eindhoven targato Ronald Koeman all’età di 16 anni e 360 giorni (più precoci di lui nel club della Philips solo Stanley Bish e Wilfred Bouma). Poco meno di cinque anni dopo, gli ultimi due dei quali trascorsi in prestito in Eerste Eivisie prima nell’Omniworld (oggi Almere City) e poi nel Dordrecht (12 reti con gli Schapenkoppen), è arrivato il suo primo gol nella massima serie oranje. Una rete pesantissima, in pieno recupero, che ha evitato al Psv la figuraccia casalinga contro il fanalino di coda Willem II, che stava bloccando la capolista sull’1-1. Un gol all’ultimo respiro al quale ha prontamente risposto il Twente con Bryan Ruiz; il costaricano ha piegato il Feyenoord solamente nei minuti di recupero. Classifica di vertice pertanto immutata. Ma se Ruiz – rientrato dopo uno stop di due mesi causa infortunio – è uno dei punti cardine dei Tukkers, Zeefuik rappresenta per il Psv una piacevole riscoperta. Specialmente se Marcus Berg continuerà a non buttarla dentro.
Derby del nord senza storia. Troppo superiore il Gronigen rispetto all’Heerenveen dal punto di vista del collettivo e dell’organizzazione di gioco. I Frisoni sono un gruppo di solisti costretti a cantare in coro: non sempre la melodia è gradevole. E’ finita 4-1 per il Groningen ma, a conferma di quanto detto poco sopra, il gol più bello è da ascrivere all’Heerenveen: spiovente di Viktor Elm, sinistro al volo di Filip Djuricic dritto nel sette. Una gemma individuale di pregevole fattura. Il resto però è stato tutto di marca Groningen, con i soliti Matavz e Tadic sugli scudi a confermare quanto la voragine di punti che separa le due squadre in classifica sia ampiamente giustificata.
Fonte: Footballstories.net
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