23 for 2010 – Holland: World Cup squad analysis Pt.1 (Keepers & Defenders)

23 for 2010: the Netherlands

Much has changed in the Dutch national team since Euro 2008. Marco van Basten is gone as national coach and after a failed stint at Ajax all but forgotten. His successor, Bert van Marwijk, is probably best known for managing Feyenoord (with whom he won the UEFA Cup in 2002) and Borussia Dortmund, and is a more conservative manager than Van Basten in that he is far less inclined to experiment with tactical formations and his selection of players.

Marco van Basten called up everybody and anybody – many of his choices truly baffling – and didn’t settle on a fixed formation until 3-and-a-half years into his reign. Van Marwijk did retain that formation, a 4-2-3-1 not unlike Spain’s, and found a few players who’d fallen out with Van Basten willing to play for the national team again.

Last week, Van Marwijk invited a total of 26 players to training sessions to be held this week. Missing from that list are players who still have something to play for at their club (most notably Arjen Robben, Mark van Bommel, Wesley Sneijder and Rafael van der Vaart) so in total there are over 30 players still in contention for a spot among the 23.

With many question marks still hanging over a number of players, Van Marwijk will have to make a couple of tough choices in the coming weeks, and the final 23 are still far from fixed.

You can find the full list of players invited to the training sessions at the end of this article, but let’s have a look at the players, position by position, to see who looks most likely to go to South Africa.

Goalkeepers

As goalkeepers go, Holland are in much the same boat as England. Following the international retirement of Edwin van der Sar, they are lumped with a few players who – though decent – fall just short of the level one would hope their goalies to have.

Maarten Stekelenburg (Ajax) is the undisputed number one. Famously – at age 20 – described by Edwin van der Sar as “better than I was at that age”, he hasn’t quite developed in the same manner. Now 28, he is a good, reliable shot stopper but lacks that little bit extra that wins teams matches.

Michel Vorm (FC Utrecht) and Piet Velthuizen (Vitesse Arnhem) are considered the bright young future of Dutch goalkeeping. Both have already made their debuts at international level, when Maarten Stekelenburg was injured. Neither of them is the finished article just yet, though at their respective ages (Vorm is 26, Velthuizen 23) there still is plenty of room for improvement.

Sander Boschker is the goalie of Dutch champions FC Twente. Despite turning 40 later this year, he still is one of Holland’s best keepers but has never made an appearance for the national team – even though he was selected for the squad on a few occasions.

Arguably the single best goalie in the Dutch league over the 08/09 season, his form this season hasn’t been quite as good, though his experience might make him a good addition to the squad.

Another player who might just be in contention is Kenneth Vermeer (Ajax). Having impressed at the U-21 European Championships in 2006 and 2007, as well as the Beijing Olympics in 2008, he looks to have a bright future. With tremendous reflexes and good positioning, his only drawback is that he is relatively short.

During the 2008/09 season, he was first choice at Ajax for a while, when Marco van Basten inexplicably benched Stekelenburg, which was a major bone of contention with the latter.

Van Marwijk is likeliest to choose: Stekelenburg, Vorm, Velthuizen.

Defenders

Yes, we’re rubbish at it, and we know it.

Giovanni van Bronckhorst (Feyenoord) is the first choice left back as well as the captain of the team. Model pro, great inspiration for the younger players and still performing admirably for the national side if not for his shoddily performing club team.

Joris Mathijsen (HSV) isn’t much rated by Holland fans, who seem him as a bit of a liability. Has good positioning, which puts him in the right place at the right time, but regularly fails to do the right thing once he gets there. But, surely, there must be something we’re missing; that many national coaches and Bundesliga managers can’t be wrong?

John Heitinga (Everton) is one of the most well-liked players in Holland, plus our best defender (which helps). Can play on the right, where he started his career, but has played exclusively in the centre for the national team for quite a while now.

Likely starter at right back Gregory van der Wiel (Ajax) has developed tremendously over the past year and a half. Originally a centre back, he was dropped into a poorly playing Ajax side by Marco van Basten aged only 20, in a position new to him to boot, but he has gone from strength to strength ever since. Reportedly wanted by Juventus, but I actually wouldn’t be surprised to see him at Arsenal before long.

Andre Ooijer (PSV) hasn’t had the best of seasons and may well be past it permanently. Yet it seems unlikely Van Marwijk will leave him out of the squad.

Most people who follow the English, Spanish or German league will likely be blissfully unaware that Khalid Boulahrouz (Stuttgart) is actually really rather good, as he plays far better for the national team than he has for any club. While even his most ardent fan (erm… that’d be me, actually) wouldn’t deny that  he isn’t all that conventionally gifted, he is respected and admired for his dogged tenacity, which is something that Dutch teams tend to be lacking in. His lack of playing time at club level is a concern though.

At club level he usually plays as a left winger nowadays but it was at left back that Urby Emanuelson (Ajax) originally broke through, and if he goes to South Africa at all it will be for that position that he is going to be selected.

For the spot of back-up left back he faces competition from Edson Braafheid (Celtic) and his young team mate at Ajax, Vurnon Anita. The sound of disgruntled Bayern and Celtic fans bemoaning Braafheid’s performances have apparently passed Van Marwijk by, seeing as he is invited for the training session.

For Anita, the invitation is the reward for a good season. Originally a right-sided midfielder, the 21-year old landed a spot at left back for his club out of necessity, but has done remarkably well. Neither however seems too likely to make the final 23.

Finally, Hedwiges Maduro (Valencia) has publicly made noises saying he should get a renewed look-in at the national team, which given the season he’s had seems justified. For the moment there are no indications he’s on Van Marwijk’s radar though.

Van Marwijk is likeliest to choose: Van Bronckhorst, Mathijsen, Heitinga, van der Wiel, Emanuelson, Ooijer, Boulahrouz.

Coming in Part II – Midfielders and Strikers.

(Photo via deVos on Flickr)

23 for 2010, Holland, Squad Analysis, World Cup 2010