As the dust finally settles after the World Cup equivalent of the Gunfight at the OK Corral another question surfaces – why was Ruud van Nistelrooy still on the bench while Dirk Kuyt started, and Jan Vennegoor of Hesselink came on as a substitute?
Has van Nistelrooy suddenly become so poor that he has plummeted below Kuyt and JV of H in the Dutch pecking order?
His record during the group stage was:
Serbia and Montenegro Started but replaced by Dirk Kuyt after 69 minutes
Ivory Coast Started and scored a goal but replaced by Danny Landzaat 73 minutes.
Argentina Started but replaced by Ryan Babel 56 minutes.
So how do you go from the first choice striker – albeit one who is replaced in the second half of all three group games – to not even seeing any action in a must one game against a side that at various times is up a goal but down a man?
Of course the issue is complicated by his fall out with Sir Alex Ferguson at Old Trafford and likelihood that RVN will be changing his place of business come the new season.
There has been mention of tactical situations but I’m not sure that the explanation holds water given the desperate nature of the game against Portugal. Maybe at the kick off, but when you have the kind of possession that the Dutch enjoyed late in the game, who would you want on the park Hesselink or van Nistelrooy? (For what it is worth did Kuyt show anything to indicate that he is worth the fee that has supposedly being placed on him?)
It would seem to me that one is beyond tactics and the only explanation is van Nistelrooy and Marco van Basten must have had “words” and severe ones at that. I had expected RVN to arrive at the WC ready to take out his club frustrations on other countries.
Apart from a decent first half against Serbia and Montenegro and the chance he put away against the Ivory Coast he looked out of sorts and lacking sharpness.
The Dutch midfield missed a match-fit Rafael van der Vaart and although the passed the ball nicely in midfield there was few penetrating passes into the penalty box – the kind RVN feasts on.
Whether it was tactics or a fallout that saw Ruud benched, Marco Van Basten failed today. Add him to a list including Domenech, Sven, Arena, ect of managers failing to get the most out of there players. A great player but clearly a not-so-great manager. Somebody call Dennis Bergkamp!
Perhaps the thing that is most regrettable is the exit of Edwin vanDerSar. He was excellent between the posts for the Dutch and made a breathtaking point blank save against pauletta today. He is world class.
it had to be something (an argument) in training that saw RVN to the bench. whatever it was van basten will come under intense scrutiny for this desicion. i feel so bad for RVN, getting the shaft from club and now country. Ruud, we would always love to have you in mls.
Now this is the real question, isn't it ? What could RVN have done so wrong to be benched the entire duration of such a decisive match, while his team was fighting for its life and losing ?
I don't believe for a second that just a simple "lack of shape" is a good enough explanation. After all, what could have gone worse with RVN in field than withouth him, say for the last 20 minutes of the match ?? There must have been some SERIOUS (and I mean REALLY SERIOUS) differences between MVB and RVN during the last few days.
Well, it was a bet that Van Basten took and lost, and might cost him his job. Particularly after such a pathetic show which was the second half. I don't remember ever seeing such a total lack of professionalism from a Dutch team, from 1974 onwards.
A long and very sad cry from the golden era of Gullit-Rijkaard-Van Basten indeed.
Theres an interesting parallel here. The brasilians also arrived in germany with a struggling out of form striker, who didnt have the best of seasons for his club. He also was pulled in the group stage games, but was fully suppoerted by his coach and team mates, and real allowed to work thru whatever problems he was having for the success of the team.
Compare that treatment to the one for RVN. I think thats the difference beteen champions and home after the 2nd rd. C ya MVB shame on you for not only RVN but how your team played. ####.
Last edited by riocharlie on June 26th at 2:16 AM.
I just read with interest that Fifa this morning said no further action would likely be taken against figo becuase it was dealt with on the pitch. What a joke! Im sorry Mastroeni red card, 3 game suspension, dell rossie red card 4 game suspension. These phuqin fifa clowns are hypacrites!
I can understand not starting RvN: his form in the first 3 games wasn't the best and Kuyt probably has more pace and can come back and receive the ball from the midfield better.
However, I don't understand not subbing him on for the last 20 minutes down a goal. There must have been a bust-up in the boot room.
I hope Marco van Basten's pride was worth not having their best forward on the field. But, I think it was an entertaining WC moment squinting to see the name "Vennegoor of Hesselink" in 2pt. font (because a larger font wouldnt have fit) crammed onto a soccer jersey. =)
the problem with RVN is that he wasn't a team player and Kuyt is. That said, Robben and Van Persie were greedy and trying to win the game on their own. Yes, they have ability but I was screaming "PASS!" at them at least 6 times during that game. VdV's unfit showing, and Van Bommel's Lampard-esque shoot-on-sight was also poor.
Kuyt looks the part but last night wasn't a good indicator. He should've scored the one-on-one but got little service in the Dutch setup. RVN didn't get much in the other games either due to those wide men ball hogs in particular!
From what i have heard, and i doubt its 100% accurate, is that RVN did have a verbal throw down with MVB. I think RVN's head has swelled so that he thinks hes bigger than the team. And thats why he was benched.
Bobby- great take. You are showing real promise as a blogger. How about keeping it going after the WC? Re: RVN/MVB, Marco certainly showed that he has control over the team. Willing to live with elimination rather than put a bad actor in the game, that's strong stuff. I guess now he'll find out just how much o####od he really is in Holland. I sure wish I could read Dutch this morning.
I think MVB is going to be treated a bit unfairly based upon this. Yes the Dutch played poorly and thugishly against Portugal. A game that really should have been a classic but wasn't. Yet his(MVB) youth movement was a smart move. The Dutch really looked a good side until the Portugal game when everything came unhinged. I wouldn't be surprised if there wasn't a huge bust up in the locker room. Maybe it went beyond MVB and RVN. The dutch looked like a dispirited team against Portugal.
RVN was given a bad deal. He didn't do to badly in the first to games. The distribution was poor. Kuyt has very poor touch and has difficulty shielding off defenders. I think MVB just lost some confidence in his players. The Dutch, as usual, disappoint all. They brought a young, inexperienced squad.
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