Absolutely not. Not when you're a dogs hit team. We're not Holland in the 70's. If we did that we'd lose 8 nip every game.
They just haven't got the players coming through now. Vincent Janssen is their main striker which pretty much says it all. There's a big overhaul going on at the minute with Dutch football, starting right at the grassroots. I suspect we've seen the last of them as one of the giants of international football.
Have you read Ruud Gullit's latest book? He's very critical of the Dutch approach and how its not developed from the 70s.
Na mate, I've not read it. It's such a small country though that sometimes gets forgotten. They've done well to always be one of the big guns. The investment just isn't there though in Dutch football. This was always going to happen. Once the rest of the world started to splash the cash, they got left behind. Ajax have quite a few promising youngsters coming through now but they'll never be the force that they once were.
This is true. Gullit also wants to blame the focus on technicality from young age and the way that competitiveness and physicality aren't considered as being important. Opposite of here really! He reckons that means that they no longer produce defenders who can defend. He's very critical of the 'Ajax way, which he seems to think pervades all of Dutch football. I suppose that's understandable seeing as he spent most of his time in the Dutch league at Feyenoord and PSV. I think the money thing is probably the more relevant fact though. Lots of leagues- Belgium is similar- have gone that way.
Massive shame that. I always loved their team and players as a kid. I guess that Belgium have kind of taken their place as the giant dwarf of European footy.
Before reading further I really hope this works for him and as we need CH cover maybe just maybe ...arise Jack (remember Dave Watson a CF converted to become a legend at CH ...I wonder ...
I agree with you but he did'nt decide to get paid £60k a week so I think whoever agreed to that wage should get byrned - MB now gone but I think she was our chief transfer negotiator. I think the crowd should be more tolerant when he plays but that's not easy when the team are'nt winning or playing well. So no easy answers to this JR problem - a solid CH by the new year may help though.
Very interesting post: A dutch export, "The Coerver method," is extremely popular in the States. It focuses very heavily on foot skills, taking your money, and small sided games/drills. I remember in the early years, amongst the American parents, who didn't really have soccer as a sporting option in their childhoods, saying, "Ok, when do they learn how to play soccer?"
Schmichel has put in more crosses than Rodwell ! go back 40 years mate and EVERY midfield player should at least be able to do that in football, even Julio could make rings round Rodwell.
