Young Oranje made a huge step towards the play offs for the Youth EC in 2011. Cor Pot's team won
2-1 against Spain at the Sparta Castle in Rotterdam. There's seven tickets for the Denmark EC 2011
for grabs in the play offs. The confrontation with Spain was the first serious
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The Netherlands might be the number 3 in the world according to FIFA, Oranje will go into cup 3,
according to Marca. France is said to go in cup 1, although Les Blues still have to qualify. If
Ireland qualifies at France' expense, Holland moves up one cup. The preliminary categories: Pot 1:
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Happy and proud. Those are two words that came to mind when Otman Bakkal heard he was called up to
replace the injured Wesley Sneijder at Oranje. It will be his first appearance in the big team.
Right after receiving the call, the PSV midfielder jumped in his car to
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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), [.
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Ejero Elia is traveling in a fast elevator. And he's going up! The winger has a tremendous start
with HSV and the talent of the year was also decisive for Oranje in his first internationals. Elia
is inspired by his idol Rafael van der Vaart. "Everything he does has
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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
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John Heitinga left Atletico Madrid for Everton because the chance for him to play center back is
bigger in England. At Oranje, he really doesn't care where he plays, as long as he plays. "Playing
for your country is the best thing there is." Ask Heitinga about his biggest disappointment in
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Orlando Engelaar is back in Oranje's definite selection for the Down Under Trip. Van Marwijk
announced this at Zeist last Friday. Raf van der Vaart and Mark van Bommel aren't part of the
excursion...eh...holiday...friendly. Vaart simply lacks match rhythm while Van Bommel is still
recovering from injury.
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Leroy Fer doubted for quite some time whether to choose for Oranje or the Dutch Antilles. The 19
year old powerhouse, born on Curacao, has a flash of a season's start and seems to be on Van
Marwijk's radar. The Feyenoord midfielder was the leader of Young Oranje's victory over Young
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The last qualification game for Oranje against Scotland in Glasgow will not have any serious
implications. After an impressive qualification series, Holland doesn't need to win anymore.
Anything goes. In fact, the Glasgow game is as relevant as the friendly against Japan, last
Saturday. But, a rarity looms.
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Anfield Talk 07 September @ 12:31 PM EST
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.
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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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In our series, we now look at the silent engine on midfield. In those days, most teams had a
playmaker (Willem van Hanegem), a penetrating runner ( Johan Neeskens ) and a vacuum cleaner ( Nico
Reijnders, Willy van der Kerkhof). In Oranje's case, Wim Jansen was actually all three.
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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
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Phillip Cocu's testimonial was one big party for the former PSV, Barca and Oranje midfielder and a
reunion for many ex internationals. We covered the game earlier - Team Cocu lost 5-1 vs PSV - but
I've got some more photo's here. And some questions for Cocu: So, you play your own farewell
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Huntelaar bored in Madrid: oops...there goes C Ronaldo again...another dive.... VfB Stuttgart hopes
to be able to present Klaas Jan Huntelaar as their new striker within the next 24 hours. The Oranje
international is supposed to replace topscorer Mario Gomez in South Germany. Last week, the club
made a deal with Real
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In a time when Holland had a number of great left wingers ( Coen Moulijn, Piet Keizer, Robbie
Rensenbrink) Theo Pahlplatz (62) played 13 matches for Oranje and scored three goals. The former FC
Twente star, he never played for another club, tells us about his past, present and future
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Henk Fräser (42) played six games for Oranje. Now, he was a successful youth coach at Feyenoord,
went to be the assistant coach at ADO Den Haag and has recently signed as youth coach again at PSV.
"I never really was at ease at Oranje..." Fraser sees opportunities for Oranje
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It hasn't looked good for years: a relaxed Oranje taking a breather. Van Marwijk only needed two
examples from recent history to prove his point at the training today. At the last two big
tournaments, two games "about nothing" were the lead in to Oranje's exit. In the WC2006 it was
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A few days after the victory over Iceland Oranje will play Norway at home. John Heitinga is clear
about his ambitions: "After this wonderful series we want more!". There are no big interests
anymore. Six victories on the trot and Oranje has secured it's place for the big tournament in
South
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With World Cup qualifiers on the horizon FIFA has released its world rankings and that means
World Cup Buzz released their own rankings as well. The big news was Netherlands now in pursuit of
top-ranked Spain after the Dutch leapfrogged over Germany into the #2 spot. The WCB Rankings had
the Dutch ahead of Germany since the April 2009 rankings.
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Oranje in 1982 standing from left to right: Dick Schoenaker (Ajax), Ben Wijnstekers (Feyenoord),
Michel van de Korput (Torino), Ruud Gullit (Feyenoord), Hans van Breukelen (FC Utrecht), Frank
Rijkaard (Ajax). Sitting: Gerald Vanenburg (Ajax), Peter Boeve (Ajax), Edo Ophof (Ajax), Wim Kieft
(Ajax), Willy van de Kerkhof (PSV).
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Eljero Elia came up with an amazing confession after Oranje's last training: "I've never been to
Oranje before." The press almost commented "we know you're a debutant" until they realized Elia
meant as a supporter... The Twente winger - developed at Ajax and maybe returning to Amsterdam - is
likely
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Oranje Under 17 had to make do with the second spot because the German sub Trings scored in the
extra time with a Sunday shot via the post. But, silver at the EC Under 17 is a tremendous result
and proof that youth football in Holland is doing well. One thing
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Elia, Schaars and Van Marwijk at training... Eljero Elia is looking forward to a peak week. The
Twente talent is part of Oranje's pre-selection and is likely to be picked for the definite group
as Afellay's replacement. The PSV player is recovering from injury and might not be fit in time
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Arjen Robben has been fit since December 2008. Five months without an injury is almost unique for
the Madrid winger. He gave Real extra impulses and shone in Oranje against Scotland and Macedonia,
but had to suffer a setback this week: a calf injury. Robben (25 years old) copped the injury
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At Ronald Spelbos' home, the phone keeps ringing. "Another tv producer who wants to cover AZ's
title festivities." The former center back of AZ (and Ajax and Oranje) is asked to comment on this
AZ versus "his" AZ that won the title last in 1981. That he's asked to analyze both
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Bondscoach Bert van Marwijk invited thirteen players for three extra trainings sessions with
Oranje. It's mainly to keep Eredivisie players fit for the two upcoming internationals against
Iceland and Norway, early June. The last competition round is on May 10 and players that won't have
to play playoffs are allowed to
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Column in VI. About Jari. A must read... "I quickly zapped across the global sports channels after
Oranje's win over Sctoland. The Brits drooled over our skills. The deciding assist of Suarez at
Uruguay - Paraguay. The French stumbling in Lituania, the endless victory-chariot of the Spanish, I
ate it all
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Lassana Diarra of France poses during his official presentation for Real Madrid at the Santiago
Bernabeu Stadium in Madrid, Monday Dec. 22, 2008. Diarra signed a 4 1/2-year contract after Madrid
reportedly paid Premier League club Portsmouth in the region of 20 million euros ($28 million) for
the 23-year-old France midfielder.
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Dutch football player Klaas-Jan Huntelaar is official presented as a new forward for Real Madrid at
the Santiago Bernabeu stadium in Madrid on December 4, 2008. Spanish champions Real Madrid, plagued
by injuries and poor form this season, have signed Dutch international striker Klas-Jan Huntelaar
from Ajax for 27 million euros.
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MLS Daily 21 September @ 11:46 PM EST
Ruud Gullit has kept his silence for the most part since leaving his post as head coach of the Los
Angeles Galaxy on August 11th, but is now speaking out about David Beckham and Major League Soccer
among other things. The former AC Milan and Oranje star took over the reins of the "Jewel of
MLS" in the most recent offseason, but left L.
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Last week Rafael van der Vaart said it was about time he'd score again for Oranje. He hadn't scored
again since the end of 2007, in the Belarus freezing cold. And see, last Wednesday he scored a goal
that would prove to be the winner. A goal that will end
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Dirk Kuyt sounds annoyed in his Sportweek interview. The striker is known to keep the dirty linen
inside, as we say, but he now expresses his frustration being a benchwarmer at Oranje. "I feel
I need to be in the team. I want to play and I think I should play.
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