Re: The U-21 Tournament I'm going to games at Heerenveen, NEC and Vittese. Are the Stadiums fairly close to the Train Stations in those Cities?
Re: The U-21 Tournament Heerenveens stadium is beaitiful! Nice to see you back in the Netherlands Heerenveen should be ok (with a bus) NEC (not a great connection by bus) Vittese (pretty ok to get to by bus)
Re: The U-21 Tournament I think I've got about 45 minutes to get from NEC's Stadium to the Train Station after the Match, so hopefully I'll be able to find a Taxi. Why they are kicking games off at 8.45 pm when the last train leaves at 11.30 is beyond me.
Re: The U-21 Tournament Good news for Holland, Afellay has confirmed he'll definitely play. That's a PSV midfield then (Aisatti-Bakkal-Affelay).
Re: The U-21 Tournament Good to hear that. So then, Aissati has made up his mind to play for Holland I assume? Last time I recalled there were rumors circling that he would play for senior Marocco team.
Re: The U-21 Tournament Playing for a national youth team does not mean a definite commitment to a specific football nation, unfortunately. In line with Fifa rules he will need to decide before he reaches the age of 21, that gives him another three years to think about it. Van Basten may want to force the issue before that though depending on how Aisatti performs for PSV next season. England v Holland live on Eurosport tonight, starts at 5.30 Dutch time I think. Holland need a draw to make it through to the semis (and simultaneously qualify for the world cup in their age category).
Re: The U-21 Tournament I wouldn't worry about it, they're expecting plenty of English fans and they've probably got free bus transport from the stadium to the station and the city lined up. The Dutch are very anal when it comes to organising things.
Re: The U-21 Tournament That will be handy. Hopefully information for that sort of thing will be with the tickets.
Re: The U-21 Tournament Afellay, Sno, and Schaars have all been omitted because of injuries according to the report from KNVB.NL website. Too bad. http://www.knvb.nl/archief/oranje/knvb.nl_oranje_nieuws/voorlopige_ek-selectie_jong_oranje_bekend
Re: The U-21 Tournament Yet still they haven't called up any Twente players. Isn't it ironic that our youth development programme has never been in better shape with our A1 under 19s winning the championships in their age group ahead of Ajax while at the same time we've never had this few Twente players called up for Dutch representative youth teams (one in the under 19s after three Ajax players declined with injuries and none in the under 21s). The Dutch FA selectors apparently do not believe the success of our youth teams is owing to the quality of our players. Just like Van Basten doesn't think Twente proper's success is thanks to the quality of our players. Oh well, you've got to laugh really.
Re: The U-21 Tournament Squadlist for Holland in this tournament. Goalkeepers: Tim Krul (Newcastle United FC), Kenneth Vermeer (AFC Ajax), Boy Waterman (AZ Alkmaar). Defenders: Ryan Donk (AZ Alkmaar), Royston Drenthe (Feyenoord), Calvin Jong-A-Pin (SC Heerenveen), Arnold Kruiswijk (FC Groningen), Erik Pieters (FC Utrecht), Frank van der Struijk (Willem II), Ron Vlaar (Feyenoord), Gianni Zuiverloon (SC Heerenveen). Midfielders: Ismaïl Aissati (FC Twente), Otman Bakkal (FC Twente), Luigi Bruins (SC Excelsior), Hedwiges Maduro (AFC Ajax), Haris Medunjanin (Sparta Rotterdam), Robbert Schilder (Heracles Almelo). Forwards: Ryan Babel (AFC Ajax), Roy Beerens (NEC Nijmegen), Tim Janssen (RKC Waalwijk), Julian Jenner (AZ Alkmaar), Daniel de Ridder (RC Celta de Vigo), Maceo Rigters (NAC Breda). So how will the starting lineup look like?
Re: The U-21 Tournament My guess: ------------------------Waterman------------------ Zuiverloon -------------Donk-----------Vlaar--------Drenthe -------Aisatti-------------Maduro----------Bakkal Jenner------------------Babel-----------Medunjahin
Re: The U-21 Tournament This is mine, and why: GK: Waterman. While Vermeer is arguably more technically-gifted, Waterman is ahead in terms of experiences and maturity. RB: Zuiverloon. No competition on this spot. CB's: Donk and Vlaar. Vlaar is needed as veteran for U21 team, while Donk provides quickness. Kruiswijk is in close contention. LB: Drenthe. Tough choice. Calvin Jong-A-Pin and Pieters are not too far behind, but I like Drenthe to start because he is more attacking-minded. Could easily sub with Calvin or Pieters on a defense mode. DM: Maduro. Need a ball-winning midfielder. Although the season had gone south for Maduro, nobody else is more fitted. AM: Aissati. The most creative player in the squad. All attacks will go through and around him. Holland needs him to be at his best. CM/AM: Medunjanin. Another tough choice. I like Medunjanin because of his ability to fire missiles from long distance. Bakkal and Schilder are excellent back up. RW: Jenner. Cemented his place after a series of appearances late this season for AZ. ST: Babel. Seems to be the best finisher in the squad, although he is more of winger at Ajax. If De Haan goes with Rigters as striker, then Babel can occupy LW. LW: Beerens. De Ridder is more a logical choice for some, but he is a bench-warmer for a relegated-bound Celta de Vigo. Beerens on the other hand was getting plenty of minutes after being loaned out.
Re: The U-21 Tournament The now notourious match between Young Orange and Young Morocco made him change his mind. He was treated like shit by the trash that go shame their Moroccon mother and father as a living and now he's swaying to the Orange team. Out of bad things sometimes good things rise up like this. From the bottom of my heart: thank you morons for giving us that jewel on the soccer field and I advise you not to go to Morocco the coming 20 years as he will shine in the Orange colour and every time he does so the Moroccons will want to chase you into the desert without water. Thinking of that: I might pay for their plane tickets.
Re: The U-21 Tournament I hope we'll see something like this: Vermeer; Donk, Vlaar, Pieters, Drenthe; Maduro; Bruins, Schilder; Aissati; Janssen, Babel;
Re: The U-21 Tournament Awww. Actually Drenthe probably is more of a midfielder than a left back but I want Bakkal to start.
Re: The U-21 Tournament The coming 2 weeks they first have the prestigious Toulon Tournement with some strong contenders and the first they face is Ghana.