Team manager Bert van Marwijk confirmed he uses a shadow list for potential Oranje players at last Friday's press conference in Zeist. The coach refused to publish the list, though. "It wouldn't do anyone any good to publish that list. It's not a fixed list either, so then I'd have Click to continue reading...

Netherlands manager Bert van Marwijk has named his 23-man squad friendly international matches against Italy on November 14th and Paraguay on November 18th. Squad: Goalkeepers: Maarten Stekelenburg (Ajax Amsterdam), Michel Vorm (Utrecht), Piet Velthuizen (Vitesse Arnhem) Defenders: John Heitinga (Everton), Joris Mathijsen (Hamburg SV), Edson Braafheid (Bayern Munich), Gregory van der Wiel (Ajax Amsterdam), Giovanni van Bronckhorst (Feyenoord), [. Click to continue reading...

Royston Drenthe grabbed his chance in the Real Madrid - AC Milan CL game last week. Although the Galacticos lost the game, the young Dutchman impressed 30 minutes. Bert van Marwijk watched the game with one eye, using the other one to check out Bayern Munich vs Bordeaux. Did you look Click to continue reading...

In three games against Australia, Oranje hasn't been able to win. Last Saturday, Oranje played the Socceroos away. In Australia. A unique happening, since most big nations balk at the idea of traveling 42 hours to play a 90 minute friendly. Bert van Marwijk - and the powers that be at Click to continue reading...

Rafael Benitez will be furious after Dirk Kuyt came off injured at half-time in Saturday's friendly for Holland against Australia.
Liverpool were already less than happy that Kuyt and Ryan Babel had to play the match in Sydney in what was a commercially-driven deal done by the Holland FA. Click to continue reading...

Rafael van der Vaart doesn't have it easy. Not because he doesn't get to play for Real Madrid so much. Nor is it because Bert van Marwijk overlooked him at first. Raf is going through a difficult time because the light of his life, tv-personality Sylvie Meis, was recently diagnosed Click to continue reading...

After 22 hours of flight and 2,5 hours of stop-over, Bert van Marwijk resembles an American president after his eight years reign in the White House. His little grey beard shows, his hair is ruffled and his clothes wrinkled. The only difference? The Dutch coach has sparkles in his eyes. But Click to continue reading...

Liverpool forward Ryan Babel has to force himself into a regular first team spot at Anfield, according to Netherlands coach Bert van Marwijk, or his chances of representing his country at next summer's World Cup finals in South Africa will disappear.
The powerful winger has only impressed fitfully during his time on Merseyside so far, though many feel that Reds manager Rafa Benitez has not necessarily given the Dutchman as much opportunity as he perhaps should have, and Van Marwijk has affirmed that he needs his international players to be performing as regularly as possible for their clubs in order to put themselves properly in the frame for Holland. Click to continue reading...

Winger has until January to prove himself worthy of a first team spot otherwise he may have to leave to cement his World Cup hopes.

Liverpool forward Ryan Babel has to force himself into a regular first team spot at Anfield, according to Netherlands coach Bert van Marwijk, or his chances of representing his country at next summer's World Cup finals in South Africa will disappear.

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Oranje won 3-0 against Japan. But team manager Bert van Marwijk was as down to earth as ever: "This was the worst game we played under my rule. Japan made it very hard for us. They deserve the compliments." Asked about the reasons, Van Marwijk went on: "We were playing clumsy, Click to continue reading...

Team manager Bert van Marwijk refuses to look into the future regarding a comeback of Van der Sar and Van Nistelrooy. Both players announced that the WC 2010 is still in the back of their heads. Van der Sar (130 international games) broke two fingers last month and is at Click to continue reading...

Ryan Babel had been touted as one of the most exciting prospects in Europe when he made a switch from Ajax to Liverpool but his career has since taken the wrong turn. The player himself has to take part of the blame for this because he never really repeat the performances from his time at Ajax, but in all fairness I have to say Rafa Benitez never really gave him a real chance to shine.

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Angry Liverpool winger Ryan Babel is desperate to go out on loan after claiming Rafa Benitez has broken promises made to him.
Babel, 22, has already targeted a move to his former club Ajax in January to salvage his World Cup dream.
The Dutch star has struggled to get any regular first-team football since moving to Anfield two years ago. Click to continue reading...

Bert van Marwijk invited Glenn Loovens in the Oranje selection for the friendly against Japan and the WC qualification game against Scotland. The 25 year old Celtic defender has never before played for the Dutch team, although he did play for Young Oranje teams when a youth player at Feyenoord. Skipper Click to continue reading...

Both the Dutch and the English national team have won all seven games in their WC qualifications. Still, it's a question whether the friendly in Amsterdam tonight will be a top class game. Form and rhythm will be absent since most players haven't started their competition season yet. Bert van Marwijk Click to continue reading...

Bert van Marwijk said it: Huntelaar is a smart lad. He will have talked to his new club AC Milan about their plans with them... Huntelaar: "I sure did. I already talked to the a month ago. I had a meeting with Leonardo, the new coach, and he sees a deep Click to continue reading...

Oranje's football season starts with a friendly against England coming Wednesday and will end with the WC in South Africa. Despite Oranje's swift qualifications for the tournament, Bert van Marwijk is not without worries. In this busy season, the team manager needs to keep his players motivated while the results don't Click to continue reading...

Ajax' new signing De Zeeuw With the real experts having had a go at the crystal ball ( us!!), it's now time for three former coaches to enlighten us. Ron Spelbos - former AZ, Club Brugge, Ajax and Oranje defender, former coach and currently scout for Bert van Marwijk - has been Click to continue reading...

Bert van Marwijk is soaking up impressions at the Confederations Cup in South Africa, one year prior to the real WC. His conclusions for now... The Climate "Thursday I saw two games. In the afternoon I saw Brazil - USA between 4 and 6 pm. I was wearing a t-shirt, it was Click to continue reading...

The movement to ban vuvuzelas continues to gain supporters and steam. Dutch head coach Bert Van Marwijk spoke out against the annoying horns.
"At home watching TV it really was annoying, but in the stadiums you get used to it but it is still unpleasant," Van Marwikj, who is on a fact-finding tour before next year's World Cup finals, told reporters at the hotel his team will use next year. Click to continue reading...