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De Zeeuw: "AZ have a better team
than Ajax"
Friday 09 January 2009
A disappointing 2007/08 season,
a terrible summer, no place in Oranje and a missed transfer;
AZ-midfielder Demy de Zeeuw didn 't feel very well for
months, but he fought back.
How can you tell that you're not
feeling well?
'I am more ontroverted at such times. I do not really
show it, but it shows in my performances."
How come during the preseason it
didn't work out with both you and Stijn Schaars in the
central midfield?
'I wasn't feeling well and Stijn came back from a serious
injury. He was supposed to be the new leaer and the
coach thought we would make a good couple in midfield.
By know he has been proven right, but at first people
put too much pressure on Stijn. Eventually he started
feeling better. Ever since David Mendes da Silva plays
on the right side of defense and the center back plays
in front of his defenders we have become more important."
What was the turning point?
'Mid september I had to play with the second team away
to Groningen. That doesn't cheer you up, but it didn't
seem like a good idea to play without any motivation.
That evening I told myself I had to change things. And
that night I found back to that drive I had been looking
for in the months before. In the week ahead of the game
PSV Van Gaal said he could no longer leave me and Niklas
Moisander out of the team. Among the players there also
was the feeling th at the team needed us. That was the
turn around."
Everything now seems to work out
for AZ.
"There's a lot of sides to the success of AZ. It's
incredible that the coach is still here. Niklas came
from the Jupiler League, but he had no trouble adapting
at all. Mounir El Hamdadoui scores goals and it's only
right he's put on a pedestal, but I also see the many
assists of Maarten Martens. We have a strong core that's
always there. Also when we don't play well we keep performing
our tasks."
De huidige ongeslagen reeks van
vijftien competitiewedstrijden is knap, want het is
bijna niet te doen om zó lang zó scherp
te blijven.
'Je zou een mooi boek kunnen schrijven over de afgelopen
drie jaar. Hoe iedereen op de proef is gesteld en in
mentaal opzicht is gevormd. Dat kan voor veel mensen
een inspiratiebron zijn. We hebben een constante lijn
te pakken. We kunnen slecht spelen, zoals tegen Heracles,
maar dan toch gewoon met 2-0 winnen.’
AZ bewijst dat je ook uit zakelijk voetbal plezier
kunt halen?
'AZ is al een paar keer vergeleken met PSV, maar ik
vind dat wij aantrekkelijker spelen. De goal van Wesley
Sneijder die Giovanni van Bronckhorst op het EK voorbereidde
tegen Italië; dát is meer onze stijl. Iemand
verovert de bal en je komt er met vier, vijf man uit.
We hadden Ajax-FC Utrecht uitgebreid geanalyseerd. Ajax
domineerde, maar kreeg vrij weinig kansen. Wíj
zakten tegen Utrecht wat meer in en schiepen zo onze
eigen ruimte. Dat resulteerde in de eerste helft al
in zes of zeven opgelegde kansen. Ik vind dat wij verder
zijn dan Ajax. Zij zijn erg afhankelijk van Luis Suárez;
wij hebben een beter team.'
Het volledige interview met Demy de Zeeuw is te lezen
in VI nummer 2, die vanaf woensdag in de winkels ligt.
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