Just 1 source after quick Google: It is discussed now on many forums around the world. I agree. I don't have a problem with all the millions of montages after the game, but they intent to mess with cause and effect. Why? What has this for effect? More emotion = more audience = more television money = more money for UEFA. That's the best I can think off. They don't care if their interest violates the truth. I believe a Danish player got a bigger fine for some advertising on a boxer short than cases of racism. This organisation is clueless if it comes to values. You know what? In a time where everything can be photoshopped, where no image is save from manipulation they should be 2 times more cautious with the first stream of actual sequences. If I were head of that organisation, that responsibility would weigh in these times even more on me than in the past. In short, I feel manipulated.
What did you think of van Persie on 10 vs Portugal? Is there a game in Dutch NT he played on 10 he jumped out for you and that had ingredients for consistent repetition of the same quality? Maher being at this age already a better 10? That's a bold statement. VDV plays for Spurs 70 minutes on that spot and Spurs fans love him as one of the most. In what department do you see Maher excel over VDV at the moment? His face jumps out because it is in stark contrast with the others. All other players are deeply touched by the story, where Jetro is not absorbed by what is told to him. IMO the things that happen in your life often function as a docking station for things that happen in world history. Some things don't land, as you don't have a point of reference for it. Maybe there hasn't happened much in Jetro's life to understand what it all means. Maybe it's a counter reaction to the situation. He feels uncomfortable with the down state of the group and the seriousness of it all and took that opportunity to throw out a peace sign. Maybe it's a coping mechanism rather than a lack empathy with the situation. Many people questioned if it is smart to do this before a tournament. Why? Because it can unsettle players or have a blurring effect on their focus as it tends to have an effect on your perspective of things. Maybe here we see Jetro dealing with it his way to not get it to close to him. In the interviews I have seen of Jetro, he is contrary of an attention whore. He answers short, does not want to hang out to long for the camera or create any drama. So much so, that Derksen in a talk show started to talk about media training and protecting him. Then I thought: "No buddy, this is who he is". Derksen wants him to answer differently so his reporters can extract quote's from him to sell more papers. He is not allowed to be himself and so that was a cheap comment of the man. Oke this is a point where we really disagree. I have been on tournaments with my team many times back when I played football. It pretty much always ended in aggression after 3 days against each other. Even after 1 day. Sleep together, eat together, train together, play together. Group humor is very often at the cost of players mutually and that gets intensified in these weeks. The worst thing is boredom as that often gets transformed into people picking on each other to create something. I always found it interesting how I have never seen a tournament of my team ending without a fist fight on day 3, but I understand this also was due the group not really being matured (under 18). I think that when a group is together for so long it is clutch that everybody can retreat to their own domain. People are instinctively territorial creatures. They need space on their own to relax and where they can install their rules. Everybody needs a level of control, some more than others. Team building is creating understanding for each other so that people at least respect each other , work as optimal as possible together and deliver that top performance. That could be developed by sessions where players go explore each other values etc. Can be done with with very simple games like these ones: Games Does it mean you have to hold each other hands all the times? Hell no. Maybe it's the other way around. Team building should have build the bridge for others to see that van der Wiel likes his time on his own. That he needs thát to perform optimal. Van der Wiel has always played better for country than for Ajax, so who are we to judge him as not having the right attitude? He is just not good anymore. That was clear at Ajax recently and now dripped into the NT also. Van der Wiel displayed this behavior also at WC 2010, but now all of the sudden it's linked to not being interested and so causing under performing. I don't buy that. I agree. Strootman's handling speed needs to go up. The reason why PSV lost many top matches was also due to Strootman not being able to let PSV football themselves out of the pressure. Vice verca, part of the reason why Feyenoord was able to win many top matches and at least do well in all of them was Clasie being able to let Feyenoord football themselves out of pressure and turn it on the other team. The reason why I started to love Clasie. Anita does the same for Ajax, but does not have the same lovely creative pass I see Clasie (potentially) having. I like creative forward passing football.
Another source about the manipulation of UEFA: Die Tränen flossen also lange vor dem Spiel, nicht wegen Balotellis Toren. Und auch nicht aus Schock und Enttäuschung, sondern, im Gegenteil, aus wohliger Rührung. "Translation": The tears were flowing long before the game, not because Balotelli's goals. And not from shock and disappointment, but on the contrary, from comforting emotion. This source says UEFA have now admitted doing so.
Of course you all know that the US never landed a man on the moon. It was all done in a film studio under the direction of Stanley Kubrick!
It was brilliant in its evilness. Just as what the UEFA is doing. It is evil but brilliant at the same time. Manipulation. Altering perceptions. Fake reality.
I just want to say that Van Persie on a technical level is hardly any better than Huntelaar. Can't control a hard pass either without it bouncing meters away from his feet. Therefor, don't get rid of Van der Vaart. He can do what Fabregas does.
^plus he's pretty good at controlling the ball and getting off a snap shot. Too bad we don't have any aspiring Prandellis in the Dutch league that would be courageous enough to do this (though I guess the closest we have to such a player is Siem de Jong when he plays the false 9 for Ajax but of course Siem is no Fabregas). BTW - we had the most horrible storm Friday night. It's called a Derecho (http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/capital-weather-gang/post/derecho-behind-washington-dcs-destructive-thunderstorm-outbreak-june-29-2012/2012/06/30/gJQA22O7DW_blog.html?hpid=z3) and it started in Chicago and moved east all day growing in length and strength. About 1/2 of our greater metropolitan area has lost electricity and it will take the better part of a week to restore it. We were fortunate to still have power afterwards though we did lose it for about three hours during very early morning hours today. I hope that it stays on through the day so I can watch the Euro final!! Being in a 38C house without air conditioning is not very pleasant! I'm now a convinced believer in global warming and the increased violent weather we are having.
So what should our lineup be when It finally matters. I'd like to have both Anita and Clasie in the midfield but I don't think this is the best time to introduce both of them at once. I'm thinking a midfield of Sneijder, de Jong and Clasie, then sub in Anita when Clasie tires. I'm still satisfied with whatever goal keeper plays. I'd go with this: Stekvan Rhijn - Heitinga - Viergever - BMIde JongSneijder - - - ClasieNarsingh - Huntelaar - RobbenI haven't given up on van der Wiel, I just think he needs a kick in the ass. He needs to know that his place isn't locked down. He needs to fight for his spot again. Then over time phase out de Jong if he doesn't improve and put in Anita. Then de Jong can be a 70 minute sub for Clasie when we have the lead
Again Stek & De Jong needs to go. No need to have any Ajax bias in this. My team for the future - Krul VDW Van Rhijn Viergever BMI Van Ginkel Clasie Strootman Narsingh Hunter/Dost/Castaignos Robben
Yeah this is indeed the qualification thread for 2014. Next game is already the big one. At home and against our main rival in the group, Turkey
My line-up: Krulvan Rhijn - Heitinga - Viergever/Douglas* - WillemsClasie/AnitaSneijder - - - Afellay/StrootmanNarsingh - Van Persie - Robben* When he becomes eligible BTW, I am very curious how SAF will utilize RvP in a team loaded with front players. I've read multiple articles saying that there is a big possibility SAF will use three forward players in a somewhat fluid rotation (i.e no out-and-out striker). This worked pretty well in 08/09 when SAF had C. Ronaldo, Rooney and Tevez at his disposal. I think M.U won double that season. This time around, the three forwards will be Rooney, RvP and Wellbeck/Nani. If RvP thrives in this system, maybe LvG can copy the idea or slightly modify. Robben has already had tendency to drift inside and switch flanks. I think Narsingh has capability to play in either wing and score. If not, Ola John can.
Preliminary squad for the two next games against Turkey and Hungary. The names in green are totally new: Keepers: Tim Krul (Newcastle United) Maarten Stekelenburg (AS Roma) Michel Vorm (Swansea City) Defense: Khalid Boulahrouz (Sporting) Franco Douglas (FC Twente) John Heitinga (Everton) Bruno Martins Indi (Feyenoord) Joris Mathijsen (Feyenoord) Ricardo van Rhijn (Ajax) Nick Viergever (AZ) Ron Vlaar (Aston Villa) Gregory van der Wiel (Ajax) Jetro Willems (PSV) Midfield: Vurnon Anita (Newcastle United) Jordy Clasie (Feyenoord) Urby Emanuelson (AC Milan) Leroy Fer (FC Twente) Nigel de Jong (Manchester City) Siem de Jong (Ajax), Adam Maher (AZ) Stijn Schaars (Sporting) Wesley Sneijder (Inter) Kevin Strootman (PSV) Rafael van der Vaart (Tottenham Hotspur) Attack: Ibrahim Afellay (Barcelona) Bas Dost (VfL Wolfsburg) Klaas Jan Huntelaar (Schalke 04) Ola John (Benfica) Luuk de Jong (Borussia Mönchengladbach) Dirk Kuyt (Fenerbahҫe) Jeremain Lens (PSV) Luciano Narsingh (PSV) Robin van Persie (Manchester United) Arjen Robben (Bayern München) Ruben Schaken (Feyenoord)
Whoops I didn't realise we already had a 2014 thread. Mods can you delete the one I just created? Sorry!
No, he even has already 1 cap playing 28 minutes. Got that on 11-08-2010 against Ukraine in the B squad right after we lost the WC final with Bert and they pressed to keep the promise to play them.
Vlaar and Douglas may very well be the two starting central defenders. Vlaar was good last weekend and Heitinga didn't start for Everton. Douglas is Douglas.
That's two right legged players at center back. Van Gaal likes to have a right legged player on right center back and a left legged players on the left center back for a more optimal build up. I think Viergever had a good game against Belgium. He got some critique in the media on the second goal, pushing to high up, leaving defense vulnerable. I think that in the Dutch NT you may expect proper passing and first touches and did not agreed with the critique. Viergever brought football and I liked that. So maybe Douglas and Viergever. De Vrij is injured and will be out for some time. That is not ideal preparation for Turkey. I also have a feeling van Gaal likes BMI. So Willems has a problem for left back. BMI can also play in center, so the same goes for Viergever. Nobody mentions Mathijsen, but he remains the guy with experience. He has also become a player that is risky to play. Viergever is very quick. Mathijsen can't play with much space in his back. Look at the recent game of Feyenoord against Heerenveen where he got a red card and a penalty against, as he could not keep up (tackle was probably not wrong by the way, but speed would have prevented a last second tackle in the box).