Huntelaar, lei si presenta all’Europeo con un bottino di 53 reti stagionali. Sarà la volta buona per vederla titolare in un grande torneo internazionale?
Lo spero proprio, e mentirei se non dicessi così. Credo di essermi guadagnato sul campo la chance di giocare titolare nell’Olanda. Ho giocato tutte le partite di qualificazioni, ho dato il mio contribuito in termini di reti (12, nda), perché ora dovrei farmi da parte?
Forse perché nel suo ruolo c’è un certo Robin van Persie, capocannoniere della Premier League?
In Olanda si parla tanto del nostro dualismo, ma secondo me è un falso problema. Io e Robin abbiamo giocato assieme in passato, lui come numero 10 e io come prima punta. Possiamo farlo benissimo ancora.
Qualcuno dice che l’Olanda abbia troppa qualità davanti.
E’ una considerazione piuttosto insensata, come gran parte delle chiacchiere che ho ascoltato fino ad ora. Per me conta solo il campo. E poi, come sostiene Dennis Bergkamp, i giocatori di qualità sanno sempre a giocare bene assieme.
Come vice-campioni del mondo, è scontato inserirvi nel gruppo delle favorite.
Concordo. Se siamo tutti in forma, possiamo battere chiunque. Qualitativamente non siamo inferiori né alla Spagna né alla Germania, ma ciò non significa sottovalutare le altre avversarie. Siamo stati sorteggiati nel girone più difficile dell’Europeo e questo può essere un bene, perché dovremo partire subito a mille.
I giocatori chiave dell’Olanda?
Wesley Sneijder in primis, è il cervello della squadra. Se gira lui, giriamo tutti. Ma non c’è un giocatore della rosa che non possa essere determinante, incluso il baby Jetro Willems.
Un buon Europeo può significare per Huntelaar la possibilità di lasciare lo Schalke 04 per un club ancora più prestigioso?
Non credo che qualche rete a Euro 2012 possa rendermi più o meno appetibile in sede di mercato. Di una cosa però sono sicuro: non mi trasferirò in un top club senza la garanzia di un posto da titolare. L’errore l’ho già fatto al Milan.
Esperienza da dimenticare?
In campo, si. Mi facevano giocare in fascia, disputavo un paio di buone partite e mi ritrovavo lo stesso in panchina. Non c’era stabilità. Ma non rimpiango di essere venuto in Italia. E’ stato un arricchimento professionale, e poi il paese è splendido.
Com’era il Real Madrid pre-Mourinho?
Caotico. Ricordo gli allenamenti, così blandi che una volta mio padre mi disse che a quei ritmi avrebbe potuto allenarsi anche lui. Ovviamente esagerava, ma in Italia e in Germania ho trovato molta più intensità. Ma adesso con Mourinho credo sia cambiato tutto.
Questo Europeo rappresenta l’ultima chiamata per la vostra generazione?
Molti di noi sono attorno ai 28 anni di età, ovvero il momento della massima maturità fisica e psicologica per un giocatore. Un po’ presto per parlare di ultima chance.
D’accordo, ma chi lo vince questo Europeo?
Pronostico troppo difficile. Nel 2004 battemmo senza problemi la Grecia in amichevole, ma poi chi diventò campione d’Europa quell’estate? Già, proprio loro…
Fonte: Il Giornale
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sabato 9 giugno 2012
venerdì 4 maggio 2012
Interview: John Guidetti on Feyenoord, Euro 2012 and more
John Guidetti has burst onto the scene this season, going from young Manchester City starlet to one of the most deadly strikers in Holland’s Eredivisie with Feyenoord. Record after record has fallen to the 20-year-old, who is also tipped to make a big impact this summer at Euro 2012 with Sweden.
Inside Futbol went to speak to the man who, in February, became only the second player in Eredivisie history to score three hat-tricks in three consecutive home games:
John, one year ago you were just one of many rising talents at an English Premier League club’s academy, while now you are one of the most prolific strikers in Europe. How do you feel?
I am extremely proud about what we [Feyenoord] have done. When I came to Rotterdam last summer, I heard that last season Feyenoord finished tenth and their aim was to grab sixth spot. We’ve gone beyond all expectations, also considering our budget. If you look at Ajax, they spent €17M on just one player, Miralem Sulejmani. Feyenoord built a team for the price of some cheeseburgers.
What is the secret behind Feyenoord’s outstanding performances?
In my opinion a winning team is often made by a good balance between experienced and young players. Last season it was hard for Feyenoord, while this time we are fighting for the title, or at least a Champions League spot. And we’ll keep going until the end.
It is often said that working under coach Ronald Koeman is not easy. What’s your opinion about that?
Ronald Koeman is like a father to me. And, as happens with every father, sometimes you love him and sometimes you hate him. After a discussion however, I often find out he was right.
What has impressed you the most about your experience in Holland?
Feyenoord’s supporters; they are incredible. Last season, the week after they lost 10-0 against PSV Eindhoven, there were 49,000 at De Kuip. Where in the world could you find such faith?
You’ve said you don’t feel pressure, because pressure is your drug. Did you think the same thing even in your first few games at De Kuip?
I can’t say I was the quietest guy in the world during those moments: Especially when I had to take a penalty. It is not easy for a 19-year-old to take one in front of thousands and thousands of spectators. But you are on the stage, and you must play.
Speaking of playing in the Eredivisie, will you be in the league next season?
I can say one thing for sure: My aim is to play. This is the reason why last summer I chose Feyenoord. That is the same for my future. I’m looking for a club that tells me ‘John, you are our first or second striker. Here’s the number 9 or 10 shirt’. At Manchester City they gave me the number 60 shirt! Obviously I’m looking forward to playing in a top team and it will be important what City decide to do next summer. For me and my career, playing as a regular in the current season has been fundamental.
You’re surely heading to Euro 2012 this summer with Sweden. What are your expectations for the tournament in Poland and the Ukraine?
I’m very confident about Sweden’s chances. Our team is really competitive. If someone thinks we’re simply a “Zlatan Ibrahimovic plus ten other players” team, they are making a big mistake. Zlatan of course is our top player, but we shouldn’t forget footballers like [Johan] Elmander, [Kim] Kallstrom, [Pontus] Wernbloom or Ramsus Elm, who are all performing well in the leagues where they play.
Do you think Sweden could be dark horses at Euro 2012?
It is surely our intention to be the surprise package of Euro 2012. Recently we beat a strong Croatia team away from home and of course, nobody can forget what Greece did in 2004. It is important to remember that the European Championship is a tournament without underdogs.
Apart from co-hosts Ukraine, your opponents in the group stage will be England and France. Who do you fear the most, Wayne Rooney or Karim Benzema?
My philosophy is respect for everyone but fear of no one – neither England or France. It will be a pleasure to play against them. Those will be difficult games for us, especially when you face international stars such as those players you mentioned. However, we don’t have to suffer any kind of inferiority complex against any opponents.
What can you tell us about the time you spent in Kenya when you were young? It’s a different experience from that of many European players.
I lived in Kenya from the age of three to six, and then again from ten to twelve. My father worked for a school project in Kibera, a large slum area in Nairobi. There the rich men were not good at football, so I preferred to stay with the poor. I played barefoot even if I had a pair of shoes, because I did not want to be different to my team-mates. I went to school barefoot too.
How much can growing up in Africa change people’s way of approaching life?
A lot. When you see two fishermen trying to steal each other’s fishing nets, or when you hear that one of the guys you played against was shot dead by the police after a robbery, you see life through different eyes.
Your father has played a key role in your career, hasn’t he?
For sure. I’ve got a strong link with him and my family. Sometimes it is difficult to play in a foreign country, far from your loved ones. However, this is the price you must pay to get to the top. And even if it is difficult, I know I am doing this for a good purpose.
Who is your idol in football?
When I was a kid I liked Roberto Baggio and Christian Vieri. At the 1998 World Cup in France I supported Italy, not Sweden. Now in my opinion Ibrahimovic is at the top. I like him both as a footballer and as a person. An out of the ordinary guy, who always does things on his own.
Turning away from strikers, who is the toughest defender you have ever played against?
Vincent Kompany. No doubt about it.
And finally, at Manchester City, what is the most bizarre thing to have happened to you?
Once, in the dressing room, I found my football boots cut in two. Unfair competition, you know.
Fonte: Inside Futbol
domenica 11 marzo 2012
Luc Castaignos spreekt
Pubblicare un articolo in olandese su un blog italiano non ha molto senso. Per i pochi che conoscono la lingua, segnalo comunque un'intervista fatta dal sottoscritto a Luc Castaignos e pubblicata da Voetbalzone.nl, con traduzione/editing a cura di Daniel Cabot Kerkdijk.
Link all'articolo.
lunedì 5 marzo 2012
Nel fango del calcio italiano
Questa intervista a Jeannine Koevoets, ex signora Tonellotto nonché presidente della Triestina per un mese, è stata rifiutata da quattro testate italiane prima di essere pubblicata, parzialmente, da Il Giornale. Eppure non ci sembra riveli chissà quali verità nascoste, né che il suo contenuto sia particolarmente scomodo. Semplicemente, le risposte non sono una fiera delle banalità come quelle dell'intervistato medio del mondo del calcio. La riproponiamo su Indiscreto, in versione integrale.
Link all'articolo.
Link all'articolo.
martedì 21 febbraio 2012
Persie in person - part II
Transfer Policy. “I am not the right person to talk about Arsenal’s transfer policy. I am not the manager, nor the managing director. Of course I have an opinion, but I couldn’t influence the club’s decisions on their transfers.
My job is another job, so I don’t think it’s fair to talk about someone else’s work at the club. But moving on to Arsenal’s newcomers, I can tell you that Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain is a great talent, and I can see a bright future ahead of him.”
Cesc Fabregas. “I miss Cesc Fabregas not only as a footballer, but also as a friend. I consider him to be amongst the top five players in the world, and of course he is almost impossible to replace - not only at Arsenal, but in almost every team.
Cesc came to London as a promising youngster and ended his stint as Arsenal’s captain and the club's idol. He did fantastic things here. I remember when he played with a broken foot against Barcelona. No Arsenal fan should ever forget this.
However, there comes a time when you feel you have to change. Cesc chose to go back to Barcelona, to his roots, to his home. I can understand him, even though his departure has been a great loss for Arsenal.”
Captaincy. “Wearing the captain’s armband makes me very proud. I have never had any problem in voicing my opinion in the dressing room. I always liked to stay with the youngsters for a chat at the end of a match or a training session, even before I became the team’s captain.
When I arrived at Arsenal I remember how interesting it was to have a conversation with Bergkamp and Henry and to discover their thoughts about the game.
During a training session a few weeks ago, I wasn’t satisfied with the level of intensity some of my team-mates were playing at during a five-against-three game. I told them what I thought, we discussed it and then things improved. It was a good moment.
I like the responsibility the captain’s armband gives you. A captain is expected to organise things – on but also off the pitch. When we went to play golf once, my team-mates expected me to organise everything for example, from the first seconds to the last hole.”
English Tradition. “It’s typically English to ask a new player to introduce himself to the team with a little speech, and to sing a song. In Holland, it doesn’t work this way at all!
Luckily I didn’t have to do this when I joined Arsenal. It was at a training camp in Austria and it was snowing. With a trembling voice I said: ‘Hello everybody, I’m glad to be here.’ Nothing else. Fortunately veterans like [Patrick] Vieira and Henry were still on holiday after the [2004] European Championship in Portugal. So, nobody asked me to sing.”
Holland. “Over the last few years no team has improved as much as Holland. Spain have been at the top of the game since 2008 and Germany are still improving a lot, but during the last World Cup we performed better. France and Italy have experienced some difficult years.
Our coach Bert van Marwijk has given us a new mentality. One of the first lessons he asked us to learn was that every game and every training session are a new adventure. Forget about your past performances; every time a player begins from zero.
Holland supporters were disappointed after our recent 1-0 win against Moldova, something I found very positive because it means that our usual performances are high, and consequently the fans’ expectations are too.
Holland’s talent of the future? PSV Eindhoven’s midfielder Kevin Strootman. Under Van Marwijk young players do not get selected for the national team as quickly. However, when the coach makes an exception to the rule – like happened with Strootman – it means that the player is extremely talented.”
Samuel Eto’o. “I consider Samuel Eto'o the best striker in the world, alongside Wayne Rooney and Didier Drogba. I have always been impressed with his mentality. He won three Champions League titles, scored in two finals, and lifted lots of other trophies. However, he still gives his best on the pitch, like a youngster who is hungry for success.
I have read a lot of speculation about his Anzhi Makhachkala move. I remember what his fellow countryman Alexandre Song told me about him once. Eto’o is said to have told a car salesman: ‘If I score 30 goals this season, I will buy 40 cars.’ Not for himself, but for his relatives and friends in Cameroon, so that they could start a business as taxi drivers. This is a fantastic story about this man.
What if a club offered me such a large amount of money? I can honestly say I won’t move to a club which does not play my style of football. But tomorrow, who knows?”
Life. “Family is the most important thing to me. I have two kids, and of course the priorities in my life have changed. I’m not saying I live like a monk, but there comes a time when you have to make a decision.
I’m deeply involved in my children growing up and it’s just fantastic. Of course, I can’t go out to clubs at night until the break of dawn anymore. Some players want both - their family and the night life. However, these are two completely different worlds. You have to choose one of them and focus on it. This doesn’t mean you can no longer go to a restaurant or see your friends – but you do it with a different point of view.”
Contract at Arsenal. “I know my contract with Arsenal expires in 2013 and I understand everybody would like to know more about my future. However, this is something private.
I have been fit for almost a year now and it is my desire to fully concentrate on football, both at Arsenal and for Holland. Every person writes their own history. Thierry Henry did it his way, Dennis Bergkamp too. And I want to do it my way.”
Fonte: Football World - December 2011, Anniversary issue
My job is another job, so I don’t think it’s fair to talk about someone else’s work at the club. But moving on to Arsenal’s newcomers, I can tell you that Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain is a great talent, and I can see a bright future ahead of him.”
Cesc Fabregas. “I miss Cesc Fabregas not only as a footballer, but also as a friend. I consider him to be amongst the top five players in the world, and of course he is almost impossible to replace - not only at Arsenal, but in almost every team.
Cesc came to London as a promising youngster and ended his stint as Arsenal’s captain and the club's idol. He did fantastic things here. I remember when he played with a broken foot against Barcelona. No Arsenal fan should ever forget this.
However, there comes a time when you feel you have to change. Cesc chose to go back to Barcelona, to his roots, to his home. I can understand him, even though his departure has been a great loss for Arsenal.”
Captaincy. “Wearing the captain’s armband makes me very proud. I have never had any problem in voicing my opinion in the dressing room. I always liked to stay with the youngsters for a chat at the end of a match or a training session, even before I became the team’s captain.
When I arrived at Arsenal I remember how interesting it was to have a conversation with Bergkamp and Henry and to discover their thoughts about the game.
During a training session a few weeks ago, I wasn’t satisfied with the level of intensity some of my team-mates were playing at during a five-against-three game. I told them what I thought, we discussed it and then things improved. It was a good moment.
I like the responsibility the captain’s armband gives you. A captain is expected to organise things – on but also off the pitch. When we went to play golf once, my team-mates expected me to organise everything for example, from the first seconds to the last hole.”
English Tradition. “It’s typically English to ask a new player to introduce himself to the team with a little speech, and to sing a song. In Holland, it doesn’t work this way at all!
Luckily I didn’t have to do this when I joined Arsenal. It was at a training camp in Austria and it was snowing. With a trembling voice I said: ‘Hello everybody, I’m glad to be here.’ Nothing else. Fortunately veterans like [Patrick] Vieira and Henry were still on holiday after the [2004] European Championship in Portugal. So, nobody asked me to sing.”
Holland. “Over the last few years no team has improved as much as Holland. Spain have been at the top of the game since 2008 and Germany are still improving a lot, but during the last World Cup we performed better. France and Italy have experienced some difficult years.
Our coach Bert van Marwijk has given us a new mentality. One of the first lessons he asked us to learn was that every game and every training session are a new adventure. Forget about your past performances; every time a player begins from zero.
Holland supporters were disappointed after our recent 1-0 win against Moldova, something I found very positive because it means that our usual performances are high, and consequently the fans’ expectations are too.
Holland’s talent of the future? PSV Eindhoven’s midfielder Kevin Strootman. Under Van Marwijk young players do not get selected for the national team as quickly. However, when the coach makes an exception to the rule – like happened with Strootman – it means that the player is extremely talented.”
Samuel Eto’o. “I consider Samuel Eto'o the best striker in the world, alongside Wayne Rooney and Didier Drogba. I have always been impressed with his mentality. He won three Champions League titles, scored in two finals, and lifted lots of other trophies. However, he still gives his best on the pitch, like a youngster who is hungry for success.
I have read a lot of speculation about his Anzhi Makhachkala move. I remember what his fellow countryman Alexandre Song told me about him once. Eto’o is said to have told a car salesman: ‘If I score 30 goals this season, I will buy 40 cars.’ Not for himself, but for his relatives and friends in Cameroon, so that they could start a business as taxi drivers. This is a fantastic story about this man.
What if a club offered me such a large amount of money? I can honestly say I won’t move to a club which does not play my style of football. But tomorrow, who knows?”
Life. “Family is the most important thing to me. I have two kids, and of course the priorities in my life have changed. I’m not saying I live like a monk, but there comes a time when you have to make a decision.
I’m deeply involved in my children growing up and it’s just fantastic. Of course, I can’t go out to clubs at night until the break of dawn anymore. Some players want both - their family and the night life. However, these are two completely different worlds. You have to choose one of them and focus on it. This doesn’t mean you can no longer go to a restaurant or see your friends – but you do it with a different point of view.”
Contract at Arsenal. “I know my contract with Arsenal expires in 2013 and I understand everybody would like to know more about my future. However, this is something private.
I have been fit for almost a year now and it is my desire to fully concentrate on football, both at Arsenal and for Holland. Every person writes their own history. Thierry Henry did it his way, Dennis Bergkamp too. And I want to do it my way.”
Fonte: Football World - December 2011, Anniversary issue
lunedì 20 febbraio 2012
Persie in person - part I
The journey from troubled child in Kralingen, a multi-ethnic area of Rotterdam, to superstar in London is a long road to walk. But Robin van Persie has travelled the distance, step by step.
The talented but hard-to-handle Feyenoord starlet has become one of the best players in world football with Arsenal and is currently enjoying the finest season of his career, with manager Arsene Wenger hailing the 28-year-old as “world class”.
In September, the Dutch international scored his 100th goal for Arsenal in their EPL encounter against Bolton Wanderers, becoming the 17th player in the history of the Gunners to reach this impressive milestone.
At the end of October, Van Persie landed a hat-trick against rivals Chelsea, hitting the net for the 26th, 27th and 28th time in 2011 alone. With another two months to go until the end of the year, the Dutchman is very close to breaking yet another record, following his former team-mate Thierry Henry in the process (who scored 34 goals in 2004), by becoming the second player in the history of the EPL to score 30 or more goals in a calendar year.
World class striker, national idol - with 630,000 Twitter fans he is second only to the musician DJ Tiësto in his native Holland - and family man: Robin van Persie speaks to us about his world.
100 Club. “I like to read these kinds of statistics. However, they only tell you a part of the truth. I will always have something to learn from players like Henry and Dennis Bergkamp. Of course, I am proud to be compared to them, but this doesn’t mean I consider myself as good as them.
I know Arsenal are going to produce a DVD of my 100 goals. That’s funny because one of the first things I bought when I signed my first contract with the Gunners in 2004was a DVD of Bergkamp’s first 100 goals.”
Michael Jordan. “The most curious SMS I received after the game against Bolton was from [former Arsenal player and Dutch international] Glenn Helder. ‘Congratulations’ – he wrote – ‘you have scored 99 goals more than me with Arsenal.’ It made a laugh, then I turned the page. A sportsman should live in the present, not in the past.
This is a lesson I learnt from Michael Jordan. Once he said he was thinking about all the crucial misses he experienced in his basketball career: about 18,000. However, he accepted them and never looked back, becoming the champion everybody knows today.
For a footballer it works exactly the same. In the game against Bolton I could have scored five times, but I only hit the net twice. I didn’t think about it for too long. Sometimes the ball goes in, sometimes it doesn’t. When I was 20 I would have been frustrated about this, now I have become quieter. If I miss a chance I move on and think about what lies ahead, and how I can be useful to my team.”
Manchester United and Chelsea. “The 8-2 defeat at Old Trafford against Manchester United was something which could hardly be explained. It was a top football game with a futsal score, unbelievable.
What was behind this? The answer is simple: It was a game with a team that scored every time they shot on goal, while the other one was having one of their worst days in recent history; a day when nothing works out as planned.
But you can always learn a lot from experience and even from a defeat. And we proved this against Chelsea [on 29th October]: We didn’t play the perfect game, but every one of us fought at his best. The 5-3 win at Stamford Bridge was a great achievement.”
Title Contenders. “The Premier League has changed a lot in recent years. When I arrived at Arsenal in 2004, we beat Manchester City 6-0. Something like this is impossible now.
I’ve read that during the last five years City invested something like €645M. Tottenham spent around €400M and Liverpool too are at the top of the list of big spenders.
Arsenal’s philosophy is different. It might be harder to fight for the title now, but this doesn’t mean it is less exciting.
Despite all these changes, the Premier League remains the best and the most entertaining league in the world though. It is a tournament that can give players and fans everything they are looking for.”
Fonte: Football World - December 2011, Anniversary issue
The talented but hard-to-handle Feyenoord starlet has become one of the best players in world football with Arsenal and is currently enjoying the finest season of his career, with manager Arsene Wenger hailing the 28-year-old as “world class”.
In September, the Dutch international scored his 100th goal for Arsenal in their EPL encounter against Bolton Wanderers, becoming the 17th player in the history of the Gunners to reach this impressive milestone.
At the end of October, Van Persie landed a hat-trick against rivals Chelsea, hitting the net for the 26th, 27th and 28th time in 2011 alone. With another two months to go until the end of the year, the Dutchman is very close to breaking yet another record, following his former team-mate Thierry Henry in the process (who scored 34 goals in 2004), by becoming the second player in the history of the EPL to score 30 or more goals in a calendar year.
World class striker, national idol - with 630,000 Twitter fans he is second only to the musician DJ Tiësto in his native Holland - and family man: Robin van Persie speaks to us about his world.
100 Club. “I like to read these kinds of statistics. However, they only tell you a part of the truth. I will always have something to learn from players like Henry and Dennis Bergkamp. Of course, I am proud to be compared to them, but this doesn’t mean I consider myself as good as them.
I know Arsenal are going to produce a DVD of my 100 goals. That’s funny because one of the first things I bought when I signed my first contract with the Gunners in 2004was a DVD of Bergkamp’s first 100 goals.”
Michael Jordan. “The most curious SMS I received after the game against Bolton was from [former Arsenal player and Dutch international] Glenn Helder. ‘Congratulations’ – he wrote – ‘you have scored 99 goals more than me with Arsenal.’ It made a laugh, then I turned the page. A sportsman should live in the present, not in the past.
This is a lesson I learnt from Michael Jordan. Once he said he was thinking about all the crucial misses he experienced in his basketball career: about 18,000. However, he accepted them and never looked back, becoming the champion everybody knows today.
For a footballer it works exactly the same. In the game against Bolton I could have scored five times, but I only hit the net twice. I didn’t think about it for too long. Sometimes the ball goes in, sometimes it doesn’t. When I was 20 I would have been frustrated about this, now I have become quieter. If I miss a chance I move on and think about what lies ahead, and how I can be useful to my team.”
Manchester United and Chelsea. “The 8-2 defeat at Old Trafford against Manchester United was something which could hardly be explained. It was a top football game with a futsal score, unbelievable.
What was behind this? The answer is simple: It was a game with a team that scored every time they shot on goal, while the other one was having one of their worst days in recent history; a day when nothing works out as planned.
But you can always learn a lot from experience and even from a defeat. And we proved this against Chelsea [on 29th October]: We didn’t play the perfect game, but every one of us fought at his best. The 5-3 win at Stamford Bridge was a great achievement.”
Title Contenders. “The Premier League has changed a lot in recent years. When I arrived at Arsenal in 2004, we beat Manchester City 6-0. Something like this is impossible now.
I’ve read that during the last five years City invested something like €645M. Tottenham spent around €400M and Liverpool too are at the top of the list of big spenders.
Arsenal’s philosophy is different. It might be harder to fight for the title now, but this doesn’t mean it is less exciting.
Despite all these changes, the Premier League remains the best and the most entertaining league in the world though. It is a tournament that can give players and fans everything they are looking for.”
Fonte: Football World - December 2011, Anniversary issue
martedì 14 febbraio 2012
Preview Milan-Arsenal: Clarence Seedorf exclusive interview
Intervista realizzata per MSN Sport UK.
Link all'articolo: http://sport.uk.msn.com/football/arsenal-are-in-decline-says-clarence-seedorf.
Link all'articolo: http://sport.uk.msn.com/football/arsenal-are-in-decline-says-clarence-seedorf.
venerdì 27 gennaio 2012
Inside Interview: Prolific Mons Striker Jeremy Perbet
An incredible 40 goals in 40 games in 2011 made 27-year-old striker Jeremy Perbet one of the most lethal marksmen in Europe. Since landing at Belgian top flight outfit RAEC Mons last January, the French forward has become a key player for the Walloon side, both in the second half of the 2010/11 season (Mons won promotion from the second division through the playoffs) and the first half of the current campaign, helping to turn Les Dragons from relegation candidates to a mid-table side.
Inside Futbol speak to the revelation of the 2011/12 Jupiler Pro League.
Inside Futbol (IF): Jeremy Perbet, your goal average in 2011 was better than Lionel Messi’s and Cristiano Ronaldo’s. How does it make you feel to read your name next to these top players?
Jeremy Perbet (JP): It feels good for sure and it makes me feel proud. Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo are two great champions who play for great teams, that often win a game by scoring three or four goals more than their opponents. For me the situation is quite different. Mons are a newly promoted team whose aim is to avoid relegation. And actually we are doing fine, even in the national cup – we are in the semi-finals. We must go on in this way.
IF: 22 goals in the Tweede Klasse (Belgium’s second tier), 17 in the Jupiler Pro League, two in the Belgian Cup. Which was the most beautiful of these?
JP: Last August we met Anderlecht at the Constant Vanden Stock Stadium – it was the fourth round of the league. I opened the scoring with a shot to the top corner. It was a beautiful moment, a goal scored in a full stadium against the country’s best team. The game ended 2-2.
IF: Apart from your goals, what is the secret behind Mons’ surprising season?
JP: There isn’t any particular secret. Our team is quite like that which was promoted last season from the second division. The players know each other. Even our coach, Dennis van Wijk, is the same. We already know his football philosophy, his tactics and what he is expecting from us. Moreover, last summer Mons signed some new players too who brought the experience a newly promoted club needs.
IF: What kind of striker is Jeremy Perbet? To whom do you compare yourself?
JP: I am cold-blooded in front of goal and I don’t need many chances to put the ball in the net. I am the typical penalty box striker, however I am good at protecting the ball too and playing with my back to goal. Something I must certainly improve is my quickness off the mark. I should be more explosive. I don’t like to make comparisons though. When I was a teenager I liked Jean-Pierre Papin, who later became my coach at Strasbourg. Another player I admired was the former Paris Saint-Germain striker Pedro Pauleta. Despite the fact that he wasn’t a top player, in the box he was a lethal forward.
IF: You started your career in France, where in 2006 you became the top scorer in the third division with Moulins (23 goals). However, you had to move to Belgium to make an impact in professional football. What happened?
JP: I became a professional only when I was 18. Before that I trained no more than twice a week, because for my family school was more important than football. My father was an amateur footballer, however I never joined a youth academy. I am not a typical French player who grew up playing in the youth teams of clubs like Lille, Bordeaux or Saint-Etienne. Moreover, at that time I did not have the right mentality to be a professional. For sure it didn’t help me to change clubs every year, from Clermont to Moulins to Clermont again, then Strasbourg, four months in Belgium at Charleroi and then a return to France with Angers.
IF: Then you definitely settled in Belgium…
JP: I had a good time with Charleroi and I became a little sick of playing in the French second division, or worse. And at Angers, where I was on loan from Strasbourg, a knee injury ruled me out for months. I thought it was time to leave and when French coach Albert Cartier asked me to join him at Tubize, I agreed.
IF: What is the current level of football in Belgium?
JP: In my opinion it is increasing year after year. Look at the Belgian clubs in Europe. Anderlecht, Standard Liege and Club Brugge have all qualified for the Europa League knockout stage. Three or four years ago it was impossible to imagine something like this; the Belgian league is often underrated, maybe because it lacks media exposure. However, the level is good.
IF: Alongside Standard Liege, Mons are the only Walloon club in the Jupiler Pro League, while all the rest are Flemish – apart from Anderlecht. How can you explain this?
JP: I’ve played for clubs from both regions – Charleroi, Tubize and Mons are Walloon, while Lokeren are Flemish, and I can say that there is no difference between football in Flanders and Wallonia except for the language. The first speak Dutch, the second French. But if we talk about training facilities, organisation, football stadiums, it becomes a question of club, not of region.
IF: The two previous Jupiler Pro League top scorers moved to two big teams – Romelu Lukaku joined Chelsea and Ivan Perisic signed for Borussia Dortmund. Where will Perbet go?
JP: First of all, I still have to win the Gouden Schoen (Golden Shoe. ed). The season hasn’t finished yet and there is still a lot to do. Then, who knows? The football world moves so fast that it is impossible to make any predictions. I’ve heard about interest from many foreign clubs, but I am actually happy here with Mons.
IF: But if you could choose, which league would you like to play in at some point in the future?
JP: The Premier League and Spanish La Liga are currently the best competitions. However, I feel that Holland’s Eredivisie is the right league for me to show my true potential. There they play attacking football, just like Van Dijk does here at Mons. It’s a great shop window for a striker.
IF: As the most productive French footballer in 2011, have you ever thought about a call-up to the national team?
JP: No, never. I am aware that normally a league’s top scorer gets a national team call-up, but I have never had any contact with anybody in France. It is something I’ve never thought about.
Fonte: Inside Futbol
Inside Futbol speak to the revelation of the 2011/12 Jupiler Pro League.
Inside Futbol (IF): Jeremy Perbet, your goal average in 2011 was better than Lionel Messi’s and Cristiano Ronaldo’s. How does it make you feel to read your name next to these top players?
Jeremy Perbet (JP): It feels good for sure and it makes me feel proud. Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo are two great champions who play for great teams, that often win a game by scoring three or four goals more than their opponents. For me the situation is quite different. Mons are a newly promoted team whose aim is to avoid relegation. And actually we are doing fine, even in the national cup – we are in the semi-finals. We must go on in this way.
IF: 22 goals in the Tweede Klasse (Belgium’s second tier), 17 in the Jupiler Pro League, two in the Belgian Cup. Which was the most beautiful of these?
JP: Last August we met Anderlecht at the Constant Vanden Stock Stadium – it was the fourth round of the league. I opened the scoring with a shot to the top corner. It was a beautiful moment, a goal scored in a full stadium against the country’s best team. The game ended 2-2.
IF: Apart from your goals, what is the secret behind Mons’ surprising season?
JP: There isn’t any particular secret. Our team is quite like that which was promoted last season from the second division. The players know each other. Even our coach, Dennis van Wijk, is the same. We already know his football philosophy, his tactics and what he is expecting from us. Moreover, last summer Mons signed some new players too who brought the experience a newly promoted club needs.
IF: What kind of striker is Jeremy Perbet? To whom do you compare yourself?
JP: I am cold-blooded in front of goal and I don’t need many chances to put the ball in the net. I am the typical penalty box striker, however I am good at protecting the ball too and playing with my back to goal. Something I must certainly improve is my quickness off the mark. I should be more explosive. I don’t like to make comparisons though. When I was a teenager I liked Jean-Pierre Papin, who later became my coach at Strasbourg. Another player I admired was the former Paris Saint-Germain striker Pedro Pauleta. Despite the fact that he wasn’t a top player, in the box he was a lethal forward.
IF: You started your career in France, where in 2006 you became the top scorer in the third division with Moulins (23 goals). However, you had to move to Belgium to make an impact in professional football. What happened?
JP: I became a professional only when I was 18. Before that I trained no more than twice a week, because for my family school was more important than football. My father was an amateur footballer, however I never joined a youth academy. I am not a typical French player who grew up playing in the youth teams of clubs like Lille, Bordeaux or Saint-Etienne. Moreover, at that time I did not have the right mentality to be a professional. For sure it didn’t help me to change clubs every year, from Clermont to Moulins to Clermont again, then Strasbourg, four months in Belgium at Charleroi and then a return to France with Angers.
IF: Then you definitely settled in Belgium…
JP: I had a good time with Charleroi and I became a little sick of playing in the French second division, or worse. And at Angers, where I was on loan from Strasbourg, a knee injury ruled me out for months. I thought it was time to leave and when French coach Albert Cartier asked me to join him at Tubize, I agreed.
IF: What is the current level of football in Belgium?
JP: In my opinion it is increasing year after year. Look at the Belgian clubs in Europe. Anderlecht, Standard Liege and Club Brugge have all qualified for the Europa League knockout stage. Three or four years ago it was impossible to imagine something like this; the Belgian league is often underrated, maybe because it lacks media exposure. However, the level is good.
IF: Alongside Standard Liege, Mons are the only Walloon club in the Jupiler Pro League, while all the rest are Flemish – apart from Anderlecht. How can you explain this?
JP: I’ve played for clubs from both regions – Charleroi, Tubize and Mons are Walloon, while Lokeren are Flemish, and I can say that there is no difference between football in Flanders and Wallonia except for the language. The first speak Dutch, the second French. But if we talk about training facilities, organisation, football stadiums, it becomes a question of club, not of region.
IF: The two previous Jupiler Pro League top scorers moved to two big teams – Romelu Lukaku joined Chelsea and Ivan Perisic signed for Borussia Dortmund. Where will Perbet go?
JP: First of all, I still have to win the Gouden Schoen (Golden Shoe. ed). The season hasn’t finished yet and there is still a lot to do. Then, who knows? The football world moves so fast that it is impossible to make any predictions. I’ve heard about interest from many foreign clubs, but I am actually happy here with Mons.
IF: But if you could choose, which league would you like to play in at some point in the future?
JP: The Premier League and Spanish La Liga are currently the best competitions. However, I feel that Holland’s Eredivisie is the right league for me to show my true potential. There they play attacking football, just like Van Dijk does here at Mons. It’s a great shop window for a striker.
IF: As the most productive French footballer in 2011, have you ever thought about a call-up to the national team?
JP: No, never. I am aware that normally a league’s top scorer gets a national team call-up, but I have never had any contact with anybody in France. It is something I’ve never thought about.
Fonte: Inside Futbol
martedì 23 agosto 2011
Exclusive Inside interview: Udinese Sporting Director Fabrizio Larini
Italian side Udinese have flourished in recent years, recording finishes which far outweigh their budget in Serie A and producing a number of highly rated players. The 2010/11 season was no exception, with the Udine-based club earning a spot in this season’s Champions League, although they must negotiate a tough playoff round against Arsenal to progress to the group stage.
Despite losing a number of stars this summer, including Chilean talent Alexis Sanchez to Barcelona, the future still looks bright for the Bianconeri thanks to a strong scouting network and a partnership with Spanish La Liga side Granada CF.
Key to Udinese’s set-up is the club’s sporting director Fabrizio Larini. Inside Futbol’s Alec Cordolcini spoke to Larini about the secrets behind Udinese’s success and the Serie A side’s plans for the future.
Inside Futbol (IF): Considering your unique, attractive style of play, Udinese could be described as an exception to the rule of "less than easy on the eye" Italian sides. Do you agree?
Fabrizio Larini (FL): Of course, I do. In our team we have a lot of players who are looking for their breakthrough at the highest level. They have skills and they want to show all their potential. These kinds of players fit perfectly into our football philosophy which prioritises technical qualities to develop a game that makes the difference.
IF: You are widely known for your “buy-cheap-gain-exposure-sell-high” philosophy. What are the secrets behind this successful approach?
FL: First of all, a quick and extremely organised scouting system. Of course we don’t have the resources and money to compete with the big clubs in the race for a potential world class talent. When they set eyes on a player, we are out.
We basically have two options: Be the first to discover a future star of tomorrow – as happened with Alexis Sanchez – or look for unknown players in alternative markets, such as in Chile and Colombia instead of Brazil or Argentina. Or in the less important European leagues: Switzerland, Denmark, Slovenia.
IF: How long do your scouting teams follow a player before a decision is made over whether they are good enough to join Udinese?
FL: It’s not a question of how long, but a question of opinions. We have scouts abroad and others who work in our head office in Udine. A player is good enough for us when all the people who have watched him play – including the head scout – agree on his potential.
Take for example our new signing Thierry Doubai. We have a scout in Switzerland, who followed him playing with Young Boys. He sent us his review, we watched him on DVD, and finally the head scout went to Switzerland to see him live.
How many times did Udinese watch Doubai play? I don’t know, ten or maybe 12. However, the most important thing was that we always had positive feedback on the player.
IF: Udinese lost three key players in the transfer window this summer: Alexis Sanchez (sold to Barcelona), Gokhan Inler (now at Napoli) and Cristian Zapata (who joined Villarreal). What are your expectations for the new season, considering that from this year Serie A clubs will only have three instead of four Champions League spots?
FL: At the beginning of every season our ambition is always the same, develop a team able to cement a mid-table spot as soon as possible. We can’t ever forget Udinese are not a top club.
Discovering and developing players is our main aim and every time one of our stars leaves for another club, we know the cycle begins anew. We try to sell a player only when we know we have the guarantee of having the right replacement for him. Doubai will take Inler’s place, and we have two new Brazilian defenders, Danilo Larangeira and Sergio Piccoli Neuton, that can play as well as Zapata.
Of course, a player like Sanchez is almost impossible to replace. Not only for Udinese, but for almost every team in the world.
IF: Coach Francesco Guidolin said that the Champions League playoff tie against Arsenal will in a way be an “impossible mission” for Udinese. What’s your opinion about this?
FL: We are clearly underdogs and it will be very, very difficult for us. Arsenal are a top club, technically speaking they are two or three steps above us. I don’t like to make predictions, but I know that our few chances will depend on how we can surprise and apply pressure on them.
IF: These are unsettling times for Arsenal. Don’t you think the unhappiness Arsene Wenger must face at the club, from the supporters to some players, could help Udinese?
FL: The best moment to play against a big club is always at the beginning of a season, when the top teams in particular are still a work in progress. This is the only advantage Udinese have, but it would be the same against other teams.
IF: In your opinion, which Udinese players could actually merit a spot in the Gunners’ starting eleven?
FL: I think many, from our goalkeeper Samir Handanovic to midfielder Kwadwo Asamoah. Mauricio Isla and Pablo Armero, who play on the flanks, could be good enough too. Of course I am not considering our star striker Antonio Di Natale, who technically is second to none. But he is linked to Udinese until the end of his career.
IF: What about the partnership between Udinese and Spanish club Granada? Can you tell us a little about it?
FL: It’s an important benefit for us to work together with a club from an important footballing country such as Spain. Granada were suffering a deep financial malaise – both competitively and financially – when we signed a partnership agreement in July 2009.
As you know we have a well-developed recruitment policy in South America and Africa. Gaining some experience with Granada could provide many young players with an easier introduction into Europe’s football and lifestyle. South American players don’t even have to face a language barrier, while we don’t have the same problem of limits for African players as for non-EU players, due to an agreement signed by Spain and Africa concerning free movement for certain kinds of workers.
IF: Two months ago Granada were promoted to La Liga. Will this make the connection with Udinese stronger?
FL: It was surely a great achievement, one that shows how a partnership can benefit both clubs. Granada had 11 Udinese players on loan, of whom six were starters. The Spanish Segunda Division was a league we valued to develop players; however La Liga is obviously better. From the beginning we thought Granada was a city with great footballing potential, and we are very confident about the future.
Fonte: Inside Futbol
Despite losing a number of stars this summer, including Chilean talent Alexis Sanchez to Barcelona, the future still looks bright for the Bianconeri thanks to a strong scouting network and a partnership with Spanish La Liga side Granada CF.
Key to Udinese’s set-up is the club’s sporting director Fabrizio Larini. Inside Futbol’s Alec Cordolcini spoke to Larini about the secrets behind Udinese’s success and the Serie A side’s plans for the future.
Inside Futbol (IF): Considering your unique, attractive style of play, Udinese could be described as an exception to the rule of "less than easy on the eye" Italian sides. Do you agree?
Fabrizio Larini (FL): Of course, I do. In our team we have a lot of players who are looking for their breakthrough at the highest level. They have skills and they want to show all their potential. These kinds of players fit perfectly into our football philosophy which prioritises technical qualities to develop a game that makes the difference.
IF: You are widely known for your “buy-cheap-gain-exposure-sell-high” philosophy. What are the secrets behind this successful approach?
FL: First of all, a quick and extremely organised scouting system. Of course we don’t have the resources and money to compete with the big clubs in the race for a potential world class talent. When they set eyes on a player, we are out.
We basically have two options: Be the first to discover a future star of tomorrow – as happened with Alexis Sanchez – or look for unknown players in alternative markets, such as in Chile and Colombia instead of Brazil or Argentina. Or in the less important European leagues: Switzerland, Denmark, Slovenia.
IF: How long do your scouting teams follow a player before a decision is made over whether they are good enough to join Udinese?
FL: It’s not a question of how long, but a question of opinions. We have scouts abroad and others who work in our head office in Udine. A player is good enough for us when all the people who have watched him play – including the head scout – agree on his potential.
Take for example our new signing Thierry Doubai. We have a scout in Switzerland, who followed him playing with Young Boys. He sent us his review, we watched him on DVD, and finally the head scout went to Switzerland to see him live.
How many times did Udinese watch Doubai play? I don’t know, ten or maybe 12. However, the most important thing was that we always had positive feedback on the player.
IF: Udinese lost three key players in the transfer window this summer: Alexis Sanchez (sold to Barcelona), Gokhan Inler (now at Napoli) and Cristian Zapata (who joined Villarreal). What are your expectations for the new season, considering that from this year Serie A clubs will only have three instead of four Champions League spots?
FL: At the beginning of every season our ambition is always the same, develop a team able to cement a mid-table spot as soon as possible. We can’t ever forget Udinese are not a top club.
Discovering and developing players is our main aim and every time one of our stars leaves for another club, we know the cycle begins anew. We try to sell a player only when we know we have the guarantee of having the right replacement for him. Doubai will take Inler’s place, and we have two new Brazilian defenders, Danilo Larangeira and Sergio Piccoli Neuton, that can play as well as Zapata.
Of course, a player like Sanchez is almost impossible to replace. Not only for Udinese, but for almost every team in the world.
IF: Coach Francesco Guidolin said that the Champions League playoff tie against Arsenal will in a way be an “impossible mission” for Udinese. What’s your opinion about this?
FL: We are clearly underdogs and it will be very, very difficult for us. Arsenal are a top club, technically speaking they are two or three steps above us. I don’t like to make predictions, but I know that our few chances will depend on how we can surprise and apply pressure on them.
IF: These are unsettling times for Arsenal. Don’t you think the unhappiness Arsene Wenger must face at the club, from the supporters to some players, could help Udinese?
FL: The best moment to play against a big club is always at the beginning of a season, when the top teams in particular are still a work in progress. This is the only advantage Udinese have, but it would be the same against other teams.
IF: In your opinion, which Udinese players could actually merit a spot in the Gunners’ starting eleven?
FL: I think many, from our goalkeeper Samir Handanovic to midfielder Kwadwo Asamoah. Mauricio Isla and Pablo Armero, who play on the flanks, could be good enough too. Of course I am not considering our star striker Antonio Di Natale, who technically is second to none. But he is linked to Udinese until the end of his career.
IF: What about the partnership between Udinese and Spanish club Granada? Can you tell us a little about it?
FL: It’s an important benefit for us to work together with a club from an important footballing country such as Spain. Granada were suffering a deep financial malaise – both competitively and financially – when we signed a partnership agreement in July 2009.
As you know we have a well-developed recruitment policy in South America and Africa. Gaining some experience with Granada could provide many young players with an easier introduction into Europe’s football and lifestyle. South American players don’t even have to face a language barrier, while we don’t have the same problem of limits for African players as for non-EU players, due to an agreement signed by Spain and Africa concerning free movement for certain kinds of workers.
IF: Two months ago Granada were promoted to La Liga. Will this make the connection with Udinese stronger?
FL: It was surely a great achievement, one that shows how a partnership can benefit both clubs. Granada had 11 Udinese players on loan, of whom six were starters. The Spanish Segunda Division was a league we valued to develop players; however La Liga is obviously better. From the beginning we thought Granada was a city with great footballing potential, and we are very confident about the future.
Fonte: Inside Futbol
giovedì 16 dicembre 2010
Preview Juventus-Manchester City: intervista a Vincent Kompany
100 milioni di sterline investite solamente nel 2010. Come gestite la pressione del dover vincere ad ogni costo?
Da professionisti, lavorando ogni giorno e prestando poca attenzione a quello che si dice su di noi. In pochi anni il Manchester City è passato dal Championship all’elite della Premier League. Prima non ci considerava nessuno, oggi tutto vogliono batterci. Dobbiamo abituarci alla nostra nuova dimensione.
Gli scontri Tevez-Mancini, le intemperanze di Balotelli. Il City non fa notizia solamente per i risultati sul campo.
I giornali credono che noi leggiamo tutto ciò che scrivono, ma non è così. Le critiche fanno parte del gioco, ma noi andiamo avanti per la nostra strada.
Balotelli in Italia non gode di una buona stampa.
Mario è un giocatore importante, ed ha avuto un impatto immediato nel Manchester City segnando al debutto in Europa League. So che è partito dall’Italia lasciandosi alle spalle una scia di polemiche, ma qui la mentalità è diversa. In Inghilterra tutto ruota attorno al calcio. Finisci sui giornali per qualche vicenda extra-calcistica? Ok, se ne parla, ma non ci si sofferma per settimane su quello. Alla fine vieni giudicato solo per quello che fai in campo, e sarà così anche per lui.
Cosa è cambiato a Manchester con l’arrivo di Mancini?
Organizzazione e cura della fase difensiva, che sono i due punti cardine della sua filosofia. Lui dice sempre che una buona squadra si costruisce dalle retrovie, e i risultati gli stanno dando ragione. Siamo la miglior difesa della Premier. Tatticamente poi Mancini è un autentico maestro.
E nella gestione dello spogliatoio?
Come dicevo prima, siamo professionisti. Le incomprensioni ci sono anche nelle piccole squadre. Ciò che conta sono i risultati. Un giocatore come Tevez sarà sempre ricordato per i gol, non per le dichiarazioni.
Quanto conta per voi l’Europa League?
Molto. E’ un trofeo, non ne vinciamo uno dal 1976 (la Coppa di Lega, nda). Non possiamo permetterci di snobbare alcuna competizione. Ogni partita a livello internazionale regala esperienza, fondamentale per un gruppo come il nostro che lavora per aprire un ciclo. La Juventus? A Manchester ha strappato un pareggio molto generoso.
Una parola sullo sceicco Mansour.
E’ un proprietario che non aggiunge ulteriore pressione a quella già esistente. Non entra nelle questioni tecniche, mantiene sempre un basso profilo e rispetta molto i ruoli e le persone. Il Manchester City è la sua squadra, non il suo giocattolo.
Fonte: Il Giornale
Da professionisti, lavorando ogni giorno e prestando poca attenzione a quello che si dice su di noi. In pochi anni il Manchester City è passato dal Championship all’elite della Premier League. Prima non ci considerava nessuno, oggi tutto vogliono batterci. Dobbiamo abituarci alla nostra nuova dimensione.
Gli scontri Tevez-Mancini, le intemperanze di Balotelli. Il City non fa notizia solamente per i risultati sul campo.
I giornali credono che noi leggiamo tutto ciò che scrivono, ma non è così. Le critiche fanno parte del gioco, ma noi andiamo avanti per la nostra strada.
Balotelli in Italia non gode di una buona stampa.
Mario è un giocatore importante, ed ha avuto un impatto immediato nel Manchester City segnando al debutto in Europa League. So che è partito dall’Italia lasciandosi alle spalle una scia di polemiche, ma qui la mentalità è diversa. In Inghilterra tutto ruota attorno al calcio. Finisci sui giornali per qualche vicenda extra-calcistica? Ok, se ne parla, ma non ci si sofferma per settimane su quello. Alla fine vieni giudicato solo per quello che fai in campo, e sarà così anche per lui.
Cosa è cambiato a Manchester con l’arrivo di Mancini?
Organizzazione e cura della fase difensiva, che sono i due punti cardine della sua filosofia. Lui dice sempre che una buona squadra si costruisce dalle retrovie, e i risultati gli stanno dando ragione. Siamo la miglior difesa della Premier. Tatticamente poi Mancini è un autentico maestro.
E nella gestione dello spogliatoio?
Come dicevo prima, siamo professionisti. Le incomprensioni ci sono anche nelle piccole squadre. Ciò che conta sono i risultati. Un giocatore come Tevez sarà sempre ricordato per i gol, non per le dichiarazioni.
Quanto conta per voi l’Europa League?
Molto. E’ un trofeo, non ne vinciamo uno dal 1976 (la Coppa di Lega, nda). Non possiamo permetterci di snobbare alcuna competizione. Ogni partita a livello internazionale regala esperienza, fondamentale per un gruppo come il nostro che lavora per aprire un ciclo. La Juventus? A Manchester ha strappato un pareggio molto generoso.
Una parola sullo sceicco Mansour.
E’ un proprietario che non aggiunge ulteriore pressione a quella già esistente. Non entra nelle questioni tecniche, mantiene sempre un basso profilo e rispetta molto i ruoli e le persone. Il Manchester City è la sua squadra, non il suo giocattolo.
Fonte: Il Giornale
lunedì 15 novembre 2010
BelgiOlanda 2018: intervista a Ruud Gullit
In Italia c’è qualcuno che paragona il nuovo Milan a quello del trio olandese Gullit-Van Basten-Rijkaard. Cosa ne pensi?
Forse un domani potrà eguagliarlo perché possiede tanta qualità, e questa è la cosa più importante. Però per ora è ancora tutto sulla carta, bisogna vedere quanto sarà abile Allegri ad amalgamare una simile concentrazione di talenti. Sicuramente Berlusconi è stato di parola, mettendo a segno due grandi colpi di mercato con gli acquisti di Ibrahimovic e Robinho. Ma prima di fare certi paragoni bisogna aspettare almeno qualche mese.
E’ un Milan più da campionato o da Champions?
E’ una squadra che si è rinforzata molto, anche se non in maniera omogenea. In Champions può fare molta strada, nonostante non abbia trovato un girone agevole. Purtroppo quest’anno i gruppi mi sembrano abbastanza squilibrati, ed alcuni di questi sono di livello non eccelso.
Due parole su Ibrahimovic.
Il suo arrivo ha regalato al Milan potenza fisica in attacco, senza sottrarre nulla sotto il profilo della qualità. E sono convinto che il calcio di Ibra è più adatto alla Serie A piuttosto che alla Liga.
Un campionato, quello spagnolo, all’insegna della sfida Mourinho-Guardiola.
Per Mou la sfida sarà ancora più tosta di quelle vinte finora, perché deve dare subito continuità ad una squadra composta da grandissimi giocatori, in gran parte però nuova. Il Barcellona invece è il top per quanto riguarda il bel calcio. Mi piaceva molto quello di Rijkaard, e ovviamente ammiro quello attuale. Guardiola può permettersi di giocare questo calcio perché possiede dei giocatori di altissimo livello. Non dobbiamo dimenticare che sono i giocatori a determinare la carriera, e le fortune, di un tecnico.
Pallone d’Oro a Sneijder, Iniesta oppure a qualcun altro?
Da Sneijder dissi che mi aspettavo un grande Mondiale, e così è stato. Apprezzando molto il Barcellona, non posso che ammirare Iniesta, così come Xavi e Messi. Il Pallone d’Oro dipende da molte cose. A me piace chi crea gioco, chi sa dirigere una squadra e migliorarla come collettivo.
Il Mondiale ha messo sul podio tre movimenti calcistici che prestano grande attenzione ai vivai: Spagna, Olanda e Germania. Non è ovviamente un caso.
Assolutamente no. Il circolo virtuoso nasce dalla sinergia tra settori giovanili che producono elementi di qualità, club che integrano precocemente i giovani talenti in prima squadra, e commissari tecnici che sfruttano questo lavoro per creare l’ossatura della loro selezione. Del Bosque secondo me ha fatto un lavoro eccezionale, mescolando le virtù del Barcellona, e della sua particolare filosofia, con quelle del calcio spagnolo. La Germania deve molto al lavoro svolto dalla Federcalcio negli ultimi anni a livello di nazionali giovanili, ma anche dal Bayern Monaco di Louis van Gaal. Stesso discorso per l’Olanda con l’Ajax.
Joahn Cruijff ha criticato molto il gioco poco brillante degli uomini di Van Marwijk.
Non condivido, l’Olanda ha disputato un ottimo torneo. Contro il Brasile ha sfoderato una maturità impressionante. Del resto, nemmeno la Spagna ha incantato in alcune partite. Contro il Paraguay ha sofferto molto, e in finale ha rischiato. Però hanno vinto meritatamente. Spagna e Germania hanno rappresentato il meglio dal punto di vista del gioco.
Il peggio è invece arrivato da Francia e Italia.
La Francia era alle prese con un delicato ricambio generazionale che né federazione né allenatore sono stati in grado di gestire. All’Italia invece mancava quasi completamente la qualità.
Perché i Mondiali 2018 dovrebbero essere assegnati a Belgio e Olanda (Gullit è il presidente dell’associazione che si occupa della candidatura, nda)?
Perché possiamo garantire il meglio sotto ogni punto di vista. E l’Olanda è l’unico paese appartenente ai grandi del calcio che non ha mai organizzato un Mondiale.
(7-fine)
Fonte: Guerin Sportivo
Forse un domani potrà eguagliarlo perché possiede tanta qualità, e questa è la cosa più importante. Però per ora è ancora tutto sulla carta, bisogna vedere quanto sarà abile Allegri ad amalgamare una simile concentrazione di talenti. Sicuramente Berlusconi è stato di parola, mettendo a segno due grandi colpi di mercato con gli acquisti di Ibrahimovic e Robinho. Ma prima di fare certi paragoni bisogna aspettare almeno qualche mese.
E’ un Milan più da campionato o da Champions?
E’ una squadra che si è rinforzata molto, anche se non in maniera omogenea. In Champions può fare molta strada, nonostante non abbia trovato un girone agevole. Purtroppo quest’anno i gruppi mi sembrano abbastanza squilibrati, ed alcuni di questi sono di livello non eccelso.
Due parole su Ibrahimovic.
Il suo arrivo ha regalato al Milan potenza fisica in attacco, senza sottrarre nulla sotto il profilo della qualità. E sono convinto che il calcio di Ibra è più adatto alla Serie A piuttosto che alla Liga.
Un campionato, quello spagnolo, all’insegna della sfida Mourinho-Guardiola.
Per Mou la sfida sarà ancora più tosta di quelle vinte finora, perché deve dare subito continuità ad una squadra composta da grandissimi giocatori, in gran parte però nuova. Il Barcellona invece è il top per quanto riguarda il bel calcio. Mi piaceva molto quello di Rijkaard, e ovviamente ammiro quello attuale. Guardiola può permettersi di giocare questo calcio perché possiede dei giocatori di altissimo livello. Non dobbiamo dimenticare che sono i giocatori a determinare la carriera, e le fortune, di un tecnico.
Pallone d’Oro a Sneijder, Iniesta oppure a qualcun altro?
Da Sneijder dissi che mi aspettavo un grande Mondiale, e così è stato. Apprezzando molto il Barcellona, non posso che ammirare Iniesta, così come Xavi e Messi. Il Pallone d’Oro dipende da molte cose. A me piace chi crea gioco, chi sa dirigere una squadra e migliorarla come collettivo.
Il Mondiale ha messo sul podio tre movimenti calcistici che prestano grande attenzione ai vivai: Spagna, Olanda e Germania. Non è ovviamente un caso.
Assolutamente no. Il circolo virtuoso nasce dalla sinergia tra settori giovanili che producono elementi di qualità, club che integrano precocemente i giovani talenti in prima squadra, e commissari tecnici che sfruttano questo lavoro per creare l’ossatura della loro selezione. Del Bosque secondo me ha fatto un lavoro eccezionale, mescolando le virtù del Barcellona, e della sua particolare filosofia, con quelle del calcio spagnolo. La Germania deve molto al lavoro svolto dalla Federcalcio negli ultimi anni a livello di nazionali giovanili, ma anche dal Bayern Monaco di Louis van Gaal. Stesso discorso per l’Olanda con l’Ajax.
Joahn Cruijff ha criticato molto il gioco poco brillante degli uomini di Van Marwijk.
Non condivido, l’Olanda ha disputato un ottimo torneo. Contro il Brasile ha sfoderato una maturità impressionante. Del resto, nemmeno la Spagna ha incantato in alcune partite. Contro il Paraguay ha sofferto molto, e in finale ha rischiato. Però hanno vinto meritatamente. Spagna e Germania hanno rappresentato il meglio dal punto di vista del gioco.
Il peggio è invece arrivato da Francia e Italia.
La Francia era alle prese con un delicato ricambio generazionale che né federazione né allenatore sono stati in grado di gestire. All’Italia invece mancava quasi completamente la qualità.
Perché i Mondiali 2018 dovrebbero essere assegnati a Belgio e Olanda (Gullit è il presidente dell’associazione che si occupa della candidatura, nda)?
Perché possiamo garantire il meglio sotto ogni punto di vista. E l’Olanda è l’unico paese appartenente ai grandi del calcio che non ha mai organizzato un Mondiale.
(7-fine)
Fonte: Guerin Sportivo
martedì 12 ottobre 2010
Special Inside Interview: Ex-Holland Star Pierre van Hooijdonk
Over a professional career spanning 18 years, Dutch striker Pierre van Hooijdonk scored 349 goals in 597 games, including internationals. Known for his spectacular free kicks, Van Hooijdonk played in five different countries (Holland, Scotland, England, Portugal and Turkey). The hitman was was the leading scorer in three competitions – the Scottish Premier League in 1996, the Eredivisie in 2002 and the UEFA Cup in the same year. Van Hooijdonk is considered an icon by Feyenoord fans, who dedicated a song to him titled “Put your hands up for Pi-Air” that hit the national charts in 2002. Now the 40-year-old Van Hooijdonk is an ambassador for the Holland-Belgium 2018 World Cup bid and in his free time still plays the game with hometown amateur side VV Steenbergen.
Inside Futbol’s Alec Cordolcini caught up with him in Rotterdam for a chat:
AC: Do you consider winning the UEFA Cup with Feyenoord in 2002 the high point of your career?
PvH: Yes, of course.
AC: That was the last time a Dutch side have lifted a European trophy. In your opinion, what are the reasons for the lack of competitiveness we’ve seen from Dutch sides in Europe in recent seasons?
PvH: The most decisive factor these days is money. The Netherlands have talent and will continue producing the talent. But the bigger clubs in Europe are far more attractive for young players because they have more money and as a result of that they play in the Champions League. For any young Dutch player, the major challenge is to go abroad. If you look at the big national teams that do well in the World Cup, you find that many of the players play for the big European clubs in key positions. Unfortunately, there is no way we can keep them in our country.
AC: Is that all though?
PvH: Well, another factor is the physical side of the game which is sometimes underestimated in the Netherlands. The game has become more and more physical and we should be prepared [for that]. All in all however, I still believe Dutch clubs could occasionally rise and reach the final stages of the Champions League or Europa League.
AC: You won the Super Lig twice with Fenerbahce. Can we compare the level of the Turkish league with the Dutch Eredivisie?
PvH: Not really. To be honest, I think the Turkish league is stronger these days because there is more money available. Just look at the names of the players who have been signed by Turkish clubs recently. Unfortunately, none of the Dutch clubs have that kind of money at the moment.
AC: How was your experience with Fenerbahce?
PvH: In Turkey I had a great time, and I’m not talking just about the football! Istanbul is a modern city that offers a fascinating mixture of western and eastern culture. You can find everything there: shops, restaurants, museums, nice people and a hot climate. I was 33 when I went to Turkey, and I enjoyed my experience in a very different way to when I was in Scotland at 25. A better way, I think.
AC: You also learned Turkish didn’t you?
PvH: Yes, I took lessons when I lived there. For me it has always been very important to be able to communicate with everyone.
AC: Talking about communication, Jose Mourinho is a real master at that, and you worked with him at Benfica. What were your impressions of Mourinho?
PvH: I only worked with Mourinho for a very short time, but I still have a good relationship with him. Despite all the criticism [he has received], he has remained the same person, with the same character, going his own way. He is imperturbable and will follow his own plan. He’s not likely to be distracted by what other people say or write about him.
AC: You were, undisputedly, a free kick master. Is there any player today whose style of kick can be compared with yours?
PvH: Even if I think hard, I cannot find a name in modern football that kicks the ball in a similar way. I think the main reason is that in my time the balls were slightly different and you could hit them in such a way that they went in the goal the way they went. But, I practised a lot to get it right. Modern balls do not allow players to kick the ball in the same way with the same result.
AC: Maybe Robin van Persie learnt some tricks from you. Was he really a hard-to-manage youngster when he took his first steps with Feyenoord?
PvH: Robin has a strong character. From his early days you could see that he was an exceptional talent. He has proved that with Arsenal and the national team. I am really sorry that he was struck down by serious injuries a couple of times.
AC: Once you said, if I remember rightly, ‘Just because a player scores a lot of goals, it doesn’t mean he is a great striker’.
PvH: Yes. A top class striker should, in my opinion, weigh the situation and know how to finish. Strikers who are always hitting the ball as hard as possible can score 20-25 goals in one season, however, you cannot be sure they’ll repeat their performance in the next ones.
AC: From 1997 to 1999 you played in England with Nottingham Forest. Since then, do you think money and foreign owners have deprived the Premier League of a part of its identity?
PvH: No, I don’t think so. The Premier League is still the most popular competition in the world. It has just become more global.
AC: England are supposed to be the Holland-Belgium bid’s toughest opponents. Why, in your opinion, should FIFA choose Holland and Belgium as the 2018 World Cup host countries?
PvH: We are a safe choice to host the FIFA World Cup for several reasons. Firstly, we offer a compact bid, where no-one has to board an airplane after arriving in Belgium or the Netherlands. Fans can go everywhere in just a few hours at the most. Public transport will be free and we will have two million bikes available at railway stations and stadiums to ride around on. Thus, the next match is never far away! We have the experience from hosting Euro 2000 and welcomed hundreds of thousands of fans. Furthermore, we want to show that the World Cup is not exclusively reserved for the larget footballing nations. We want to make clear that smaller nations can do the same thing if they work together with a good spirit.
AC: You are currently working for the KNVB (the Dutch football federation) in the World Coach project. Can you tell us a little about that?
PvH: Sure. Both the Belgian and Holland football associations have some good ideas on how to create a better world with the help of football. I have been travelling as a world coach myself. A world coach is educated to help children from minority groups to improve their football as well as their position in life. A world coach serves as an excellent example for his pupils and we will educate thousands of world coaches all around the planet prior to 2018. Actually, I have just returned from Trinidad and Tobago, where we educated 25 world coaches on a five-day course. They can help local children to get a grip on life through football.
AC: That sounds like a great scheme Pierre, I wish you every success with it. Thanks for taking the time to speak to me today.
PvH: No problem.
Fonte: Inside Futbol
Inside Futbol’s Alec Cordolcini caught up with him in Rotterdam for a chat:
AC: Do you consider winning the UEFA Cup with Feyenoord in 2002 the high point of your career?
PvH: Yes, of course.
AC: That was the last time a Dutch side have lifted a European trophy. In your opinion, what are the reasons for the lack of competitiveness we’ve seen from Dutch sides in Europe in recent seasons?
PvH: The most decisive factor these days is money. The Netherlands have talent and will continue producing the talent. But the bigger clubs in Europe are far more attractive for young players because they have more money and as a result of that they play in the Champions League. For any young Dutch player, the major challenge is to go abroad. If you look at the big national teams that do well in the World Cup, you find that many of the players play for the big European clubs in key positions. Unfortunately, there is no way we can keep them in our country.
AC: Is that all though?
PvH: Well, another factor is the physical side of the game which is sometimes underestimated in the Netherlands. The game has become more and more physical and we should be prepared [for that]. All in all however, I still believe Dutch clubs could occasionally rise and reach the final stages of the Champions League or Europa League.
AC: You won the Super Lig twice with Fenerbahce. Can we compare the level of the Turkish league with the Dutch Eredivisie?
PvH: Not really. To be honest, I think the Turkish league is stronger these days because there is more money available. Just look at the names of the players who have been signed by Turkish clubs recently. Unfortunately, none of the Dutch clubs have that kind of money at the moment.
AC: How was your experience with Fenerbahce?
PvH: In Turkey I had a great time, and I’m not talking just about the football! Istanbul is a modern city that offers a fascinating mixture of western and eastern culture. You can find everything there: shops, restaurants, museums, nice people and a hot climate. I was 33 when I went to Turkey, and I enjoyed my experience in a very different way to when I was in Scotland at 25. A better way, I think.
AC: You also learned Turkish didn’t you?
PvH: Yes, I took lessons when I lived there. For me it has always been very important to be able to communicate with everyone.
AC: Talking about communication, Jose Mourinho is a real master at that, and you worked with him at Benfica. What were your impressions of Mourinho?
PvH: I only worked with Mourinho for a very short time, but I still have a good relationship with him. Despite all the criticism [he has received], he has remained the same person, with the same character, going his own way. He is imperturbable and will follow his own plan. He’s not likely to be distracted by what other people say or write about him.
AC: You were, undisputedly, a free kick master. Is there any player today whose style of kick can be compared with yours?
PvH: Even if I think hard, I cannot find a name in modern football that kicks the ball in a similar way. I think the main reason is that in my time the balls were slightly different and you could hit them in such a way that they went in the goal the way they went. But, I practised a lot to get it right. Modern balls do not allow players to kick the ball in the same way with the same result.
AC: Maybe Robin van Persie learnt some tricks from you. Was he really a hard-to-manage youngster when he took his first steps with Feyenoord?
PvH: Robin has a strong character. From his early days you could see that he was an exceptional talent. He has proved that with Arsenal and the national team. I am really sorry that he was struck down by serious injuries a couple of times.
AC: Once you said, if I remember rightly, ‘Just because a player scores a lot of goals, it doesn’t mean he is a great striker’.
PvH: Yes. A top class striker should, in my opinion, weigh the situation and know how to finish. Strikers who are always hitting the ball as hard as possible can score 20-25 goals in one season, however, you cannot be sure they’ll repeat their performance in the next ones.
AC: From 1997 to 1999 you played in England with Nottingham Forest. Since then, do you think money and foreign owners have deprived the Premier League of a part of its identity?
PvH: No, I don’t think so. The Premier League is still the most popular competition in the world. It has just become more global.
AC: England are supposed to be the Holland-Belgium bid’s toughest opponents. Why, in your opinion, should FIFA choose Holland and Belgium as the 2018 World Cup host countries?
PvH: We are a safe choice to host the FIFA World Cup for several reasons. Firstly, we offer a compact bid, where no-one has to board an airplane after arriving in Belgium or the Netherlands. Fans can go everywhere in just a few hours at the most. Public transport will be free and we will have two million bikes available at railway stations and stadiums to ride around on. Thus, the next match is never far away! We have the experience from hosting Euro 2000 and welcomed hundreds of thousands of fans. Furthermore, we want to show that the World Cup is not exclusively reserved for the larget footballing nations. We want to make clear that smaller nations can do the same thing if they work together with a good spirit.
AC: You are currently working for the KNVB (the Dutch football federation) in the World Coach project. Can you tell us a little about that?
PvH: Sure. Both the Belgian and Holland football associations have some good ideas on how to create a better world with the help of football. I have been travelling as a world coach myself. A world coach is educated to help children from minority groups to improve their football as well as their position in life. A world coach serves as an excellent example for his pupils and we will educate thousands of world coaches all around the planet prior to 2018. Actually, I have just returned from Trinidad and Tobago, where we educated 25 world coaches on a five-day course. They can help local children to get a grip on life through football.
AC: That sounds like a great scheme Pierre, I wish you every success with it. Thanks for taking the time to speak to me today.
PvH: No problem.
Fonte: Inside Futbol
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