Yeah Hansen is a really exciting prospect so it's not surprising that there are top teams after him already. Hopefully his head is on his shoulders and he goes to Liverpool or stays at Ajax.
Unlike the 2000 age group, this one is loaded!! Quite a few of players with high potential... at least on paper. My selected favorites, in terms of future impacts: Boadu: pretty easy choice after a breakout season. Not a screamingly great talent... I would say maybe he is slightly-above-average when it comes to physique, speed, and technique. What has been encouraging is that he is really good gets into a shooting a position and burying chance. Has eyes on goal. I think he will be a dependable first-team player for Oranje in years to come. Zirkzee: arguably the most talented of the bunch, checks all the boxes to be an elite striker. Gifted physically and can bully defenders. In the mold of young Ibrahimovic/Lukaku. The next year or so will be crucial... he needs the minutes to develop the understanding and awareness of the game, otherwise he can be stuck on a treadmill, career-wise. IF he reaches the potential, he will lead Oranje front line and a key building block. Van den Berg: His playing style resembles Virgil... excellent reader of the game, composed on the ball, mature and decisive. Looks lightweight physically today, but will still develop. Training with VVD and under Klopp's watch would help him tremendously. He is in line for the next great Dutch CB. Mbuyamba: My wildcard from this group... another one of those Virgil's copycats. Been in the Barcelona system, so presumably is a ball-playing defender. Reportedly looking for a way out to secure more playing time, and put many big European clubs on notice. Two other Germany-based youngsters who are interesting... Immanual Pherai (attacking midfielder.... close to Dortmund's first team); Omar Rekik (brother of Karim... Hertha Berlin).
When you look at the young ones in the CD's position it's insane and a waste of talent. Mbuyamba 2001, Bogarde 2002, van den Berg 2001, Drongelen, 1998, Ovando Hoever 2003.
https://www.si.com/soccer/mancheste...ble-loan-move-and-comparisons-to-jadon-sancho "I don't know what to do..." - Man City winger opens up on a possible loan move and comparisons to Jadon Sancho Freddie Pye 17 mei 2020 Manchester City wonderkid Jayden Braaf has opened up on the possibility of a loan move away from the club and discussed comparisons between him and Borussia Dortmund star Jadon Sancho.
There's a lot of strong, young CBs coming up in the Netherlands. It's great. Braaf looks really exciting as a talent so I hope whatever he picks it's the right move for his development. He needs a coach though that will be able to guide him to make better decisions in the final 3rd...we know he's fast and great with the ball at his feet, and that he has a great shot, but decision making could be an issue if he's not groomed properly.
Not for those guys. It sucks to be a good Dutch CD at the moment if you have orange aspirations. The list of CD ranging from the best to very good and in age from 28 to 16 is insane. So it sucks especially for those in the 21-24 range. You have a few top cd's ahead of you in their prime and behind you are the youngsters breathing in your neck.
I think this is good though. It pushes them to be better, and ensures a strong crop for the national team. A high level of competition for positions is never a bad thing.
Young kids are maturing at different rates, so it's not really that important which exact year they were born. Curious if there could enough world-class talents (and other rotational or servicable players), who were born, say, within a 4 or 5 years span... but would be peaking at, or around, the same time. The generation of 1997-2002 certainly looks a fascinating one to me. Here's what a team could look like: Bijlow Dumfries* - De Ligt - Schuurs (V. d. Berg) - Wijndal De Jong (Koopmeiners) - V. d. Beek (Veerman) Ihattaren Stengs (Kluivert) - Malen (Boadu) - Bergwijn * Dumfries was a 1998. Close enough. That is a pretty strong team!! Could very well be considered a "golden" generation if all the stars aligned. Other contenders who can still make a leap... Bakker, Van Drongelen, Pierie (Def), Reis, Gravenberch, Pherai (Mid), Dilrosun, Gakpo, Zirkzee (Att). Then there's the veteran like Depay or Ake to add balance. Question - When would they peak? Well... 2021 and 2022 are certainly way too soon for this group. I'd suspect in EC 2024 they could be competitive. But I think the most likely scenario for them to bring home a trophy would be WC 2026. The indispensable, like De Jong, De Ligt, Stengs, Bergwijn, would all be in prime years (27 - 29 y.o). Editor's Note: WC 2026 will be in the U.S.A - so yeah, I am going baby to be a witness! Question - Who is the right coach for this team? Definitely need the right man at the helmet to bring home the bacon... a progressive coach who is in mid-career and hungry (age 50's), and experienced at international (club) level. Erik Ten Haag seems like to fit the bill, but who knows what his job situation might look like. Bosz might be another one to watch. Maybe Schreuder. F. de Boer or Cocu, if either manages a powerful comeback in the coaching career (although I am doubtful it they're good enough to handle NT). Lots of football to be played between now and then... but it's fun to speculate. An exciting and bright Oranje for sure ahead!
My personal favourite for the job is Schreuder. Bosz and ten Hag are to me too much kamikaze managers and that works with selections you have under control each day, but not with a selection you only have to mold for a fortnight at the most available every six months.
If either de Boer or Cocu are selected, I'm finding some other NT to support. Each of them would be a disaster in a different way.
Kees van Wonderen would an be ideal choice imo. Even though he is assistant to koeman, he very well knows most of those kids from youths days.KNVB should just hold him up there as long as they can until after EC 2024 after which he should take over.Proven winner as well.
Now that Schreuder is out of job... maybe he should interview for the assistant manager to Koeman, and take over when Koeman exits to a greener pasture (presumably Barcelona)?
Nice list. Personally if we're looking at all of them developing properly I'd look at something more like this: Bijlow Frimpong - de Ligt - Schuurs - Wijndal de Jong - Gravenberch Stengs - Ihattaren - Bergwijn Hansen Back-ups being Raatsie, van Gelderen, van den Berg, Obispo, Bakker, Veerman, Koopmeiners, Boadu, van de Beek, Braaf and Boadu. For sure this has potential to be a golden generation though. All of de Ligt, de Jong, Gravenberch, Ihattaren, Stengs, Braaf and Ihattaren have the potential to be among the best in the world at their positions, if not the best. The coach I think who would be best, but is a long shot to ever get for the NT, would be Pep Ljinders. Absolute genius coach working every day with Klopp...but I think he's the heir to Klopp with Liverpool (though maybe Klopp could last long enough at Liverpool to give Ljinders a chance with the NT while he waits for that job).
Hansen looks like a gem. Looks like he's better suited in an auxiliary forward role (false "9") given his pace, dribbling, ability to drop down and roam the pitch. Could turn to a Promes with more flair. Or maybe even a higher ceiling e.g. Griezmann? With consistent first-team minutes, he should/will even get better (see: Mo Ihattaren and Boadu). Ajax is very loaded though in the attacking department - it would be quite a testimony of his talent if he can scrap some minutes next season.
This puts him pretty much in the same shoes as Daishawn Redan. Also with malen and lammers now first choice at PSV, im not sure what will happen to Joel Piroe who is out on loan at sparta, but no doubt he is a very capable striker in making. He did score against ajax in one of the fixtures if im not wrong. On the wings it will be one hell of competition with chong,gakpo,adekanye,dilrosun,zakaria aboukhlal, stengs and kluivert
Van Drongelen last Sunday..... - His team HSV suffered a heavy defeat 1-5 in the final match of the season - HSV failed to secure a promotion, and will stay in Bundesliga 2. - Van Drongelen scored an own goal in that loss - Van Drongelen ruptured his ACL, and will likely be out for 6+ months (probably rule out any immediate future transfer). Wow
Fenerbache-based Ferdi Kadioglu (whose father is a Turkish) will be called up by Turkey. Kadioglu would first like to have a conversation with the national coach before he will make a decision about this. He's been representing Dutch U21 in the past several months, and looks like he's starting to get his bearing. Turkey, I believe, has successfully convinced Kokcu to switch allegiance - and his Senior NT debut is imminent.
Once he went to Turkey I knew this would happen. Disappointing to continuously lose talents, but in this case our midfield already has a lot of young talent with players like De Jong, Ihattaren, VdB, Reus, Koopmeijers, Gravenberch, etc. And lots of upcoming talents.
Yes, but no need to loose talents. I wouldn’t mind to lose a CD since we have some many but I do mind losing a CAM. Kadioglu is super fast, has good vision and more important a great shot. Yeah I definitely mind since he was groom as a Dutch player and played in all our under divisions.
Agreed. Especially since he himself previously indicated he would choose Oranje: https://www.goal.com/nl/nieuws/kadioglu-op-dit-moment-kies-ik-voor-oranje/rzomlizbxr6b1tdinsxkgz81s. But that being said I knew this would happen as soon as he went to Turkey, that is why I wasn't happy when that transfer happened. It was obvious he would get pulled into the Turkish team then. I honestly haven't seen much of him though. Besides him being considered a big talent, do you think he'll end up being really good?