Orange watcher points to former PSV man: “I can imagine he wants to keep him around.”
1 min readAfter more than a month and a half, the KNVB has finally found a new national team coach in Xavi Hernandez. Xavi was presented on Wednesday evening, to the surprise of many fans, by the KNVB after it long seemed that former PSV player Michael Reiziger and Louis van Gaal were the only remaining candidates.
Additionally, there is also already a bit more clarity about the staffing of the technical team. Former PSV coach Ruud van Nistelrooij will remain in place as assistant national team coach.
Van Nistelrooij was, during the World Cup in North America, already an assistant to Ronald Koeman and, according to Dutch football watcher Pascal Kamperman of ESPN, it would not be entirely illogical if Van Nistelrooij stays on. Kamperman reports this in the program ESPN Vandaag.
''Different names are making the rounds. I can imagine that he wants to keep Ruud van Nistelrooij, who was already an assistant and speaks Spanish. The name of Patrick Kluivert is also mentioned, which is also not illogical. He’ll have to deal with that first, and only then with the squad,'' says the reporter about the filling in of the technical staff.
Hans Kraay Junior mainly hopes that there won't be a Spanish invasion. ''I can only hope that Nigel de Jong said: you may become national team coach, but take one thing into account. Michael Reiziger will be assistant and Ruud van Nistelrooij is one of the assistants. So you take one yourself, but not a whole plane load. That won't work,'' Kraay said.
Then Kamperman responds: ''That will then also be his brother, whom he takes with him everywhere. In addition, he absolutely wants Dutch input in his staff. He has indicated that himself'', the Oranje watcher said.
Comments8
Tbh ik snap Pascal Kamperman wel, Ruud erbij houden werkt omdat hij al onderdeel was van de staff en de taal helpt. Al die losse namen rond Patrick Kluivert, prima, maar eerst selectie en daarna pas staf. Wens PSV-ervaring in de staf, geen blind projecteren van de clubbeleving.
"Ik kan me voorstellen dat hij Ruud van Nistelrooij erbij wil houden" same energy for continuity. just dont overdo it like Kraay said, 1-2 key guys is fine, but not an entire plane of assistants. what matters is who is actually coaching the intensity and press.
If Xavi wants to bring Ruud along, fair. But i do worry about the staff becoming too comfortable with the same communication style and losing Dutch tactical influence. Patrick Kluivert being mentioned is interesting though, that could add fresh eyes.
"geen vliegtuigen vol" is wel echt een mooi punt van Hans Kraay Jr 😂 Als Xavi Ruud pakt omdat het al loopt, oké. Maar als hij nu elke Spaanse naam uit de la trekt dan wordt het snel chaos voor NL.
Ruud van Nistelrooij aanblijven als assistent lijkt me gewoon logisch, hij kent het niveau en hij spreekt Spaans. Hopelijk is dit geen "meeneem-staf" circus, maar wel echte meerwaarde.
"Dat gaat niet werken" is such a good line from Kraay 😂 Please, KNVB, no extra headcount just for branding. Keep the balance, use Dutch input and let Xavi bring his ideas.
Pascal Kamperman's point about Ruud staying makes total sense. He was already an assistant during the Koeman period and that continuity could be valuable in that first month. Also, someone speaking Spanish is a practical advantage, not a gimmick.
tbh i like the idea of keeping Ruud. he already knows the setup and speaking Spanish helps the communication, not just the football talk. no need for a full "spain invasion" imo.