Van Nistelrooy Given Dutch Lifeline
by Richard Farley on Apr 6, 2010 11:20 AM EDT
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Netherlands coach Bert van Marwijk has a number of problems. He looks unlikely to have Edwin van der Sar in net, his back line is suspect, and he needs Robin van Persie to return to fitness if he is going to have an attack to compensate.
However, if Ruud van Nistelrooy can continue his return to form with Hamburg, van Marwijk will have a weapon that can mitigate those problems. Today, van Marwijk is admitting that van Nistelrooy has a chance to make a surprie trip to South Africa.
"Ruud wants to go there (to the World Cup) but he must be fit and in form. He says that himself and I agree," van Marwijk told Kicker.
Van Marwijk reiterated that van Nistelrooy must signal whether he really wants to return and that "I will then decide whether Ruud will go to the World Cup."
Van Nistelrooy started the season injured with Real Madrid, perhaps the only reason why he was still with Los Blancos when the summer transfer window closed. He played in four matches for Manuel Pellegrini, scoring a goal.
His final days at Real Madrid were ironically encapsulated in RMCF's 5-0 win over Deportivo Xerex in September. In that match, van Nistelrooy made his return from a near year-long absence, scored a goal off the bench, and re-injured his knee. It was a month before he re-appeared for Real Madrid.
In January he moved to Hamburg and has played a critical role in their Europa League success. He has five goals in eleven appearances for HSV since the move.
Van Nistelrooy initially retired from international competition after Euro 2008, where the Dutch were eliminated in the quarterfinals after winning their group. He did not participate in the country's World Cup qualifying campaign but has recently said he wants to be selected for South Africa.
If Robin van Persie is all-the-way back come June (healthy and fit), van Nistelrooy's poacher's instincts would be a valuable tool off-the-bench. If RvP is not ready, RvN might be BvM's best option.
I know, I know.
As a reader reminded me last week, the Group E preview didn't come out. Soon, I hope. Very soon.
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but will any of it matter?
van Nistelrooy can score goals this summer, but what can he do about the famous Dutch tendency for self-destruction? he may not be part of the problem this time (as he was in 06), but I don’t see him being part of the solution, either. Wesley Sneijder could be enough all by himself to untie this wooden shoe — handsome as it is.
