Ibrahim Afellay ready for the top

Friday 24 April 2009

Ibrahim Afellay is the main flavour of PSV.

He is only 23 but has outgrown the level of the Eredivisie.

A foreign adventure seems imminent, so let's hear the opinions of some experts.

Every week scouts of teh biggest European clubs are in the stands to follow up on the development of the creative midfielder , who has been remarkably productive as well this season with 13 goals.

The man himself refuses to express himself about his future, as he stated earlier this month hat the subject is not on his mind at all: "Perhaps I'l stay at PSV another year."

Fred Rutten, the new coach in Eindhoven, of course hopesAfellay means that, as he could realy use the player in the build up process of the new PSV.

His contract expires in 2011 and at the moment any interested clubs will have to pay anything between 10 and 15 million euro to land him.

But what do the experts make of Afelay?

Dwight Lodeweges, caretaker coach at PSV
"His development has been spectacular. It almost seems as if he's flipped a switch and is he is really going for it. He has really matured, something you can really se during training. He used to hide at times, but that's a thing of the past. He opens his mouth, corrects team mates and coaches. He is more and more becoming a leader."

"He is a lot smarter during the game. Doesn't go looking for the ball all the time. He wanted to do too much before, but now he is looking for the right space more and more. It makes him a les slikely target for rough challenges, although he still has to put up with a lot of those. He has take a lot. Sometimes he doesn't react well to it, but he is learning fast. That is one of his talents anyway: he listens well and he is very keen to learn. It's not all so that he walks around with the idea that he already knows everything."

"Ibi is ready to take it one stepp higher. Get more resistance during training, more resistance during games. He can only get better. But he will have to pick the right club. Compare him to Robin van Persie. He made some major stepps after he moved to Arsenal. Next year it's the World Cup. In the coming he will have to secure his place in the squad. He can only do that when he plays enough games."

Bert van Marwijk, coach of the national team
"I have seen Ibi play a lot reently. He has grown in so many ways. Not just as a player, but also physically and mentally. He has matured."

"A creative, purposeful player like Afellay can not be maintained in the Netherlands. It will be good for his development when he me moves up a step or two. When he does that is up to him. I can not advise him on that. A man always makes his best decisions by himself."

"It's key though that he choses the right club. Say he leaves for a foreign club this summer, then it will be important that he goes somewhere where he gets enough playing time. At his age playing games is important. We all know the examples of players who have opted for an adventure abroad to soon."

"I don't only say this as a fan of the game, but also as coach of the national team. When we qualify for the World Cup it is important that the players who are coming along to South Africa play a lot games in the season ahead of the tournament. That doesn't only go for Ibi, it goes for all the players."

Timmy Simons, captain of PSV
"Afellay is a great player. He has got all it takes, but we've known that for a while. I'm not surprised at all that he is developing so well. It's also because he has become so much smarter as a player. And he is a lot harder on himself. It's no coincedence that he has played so many games this season. He used to sometimes take a by.

"I'm eaer to know whether he will still play for us next season. I will not interfere in the choice he makes. That's up to him. I wasn't ready for such a move at his age. If he leaves it will bring a lot of revenue for the club, but we will also lose a lot of quality."

Rob Jansen, Afellay's agent
"I'm not surprised that he has developed so well, so quickly. But just to tone down all the euphoria: he still has a long way to go and make it to the top of internatiol football. But fortunately there is still time, as he is still young."

"It's remarkable how well he has developed physically. He is becoming a man, off the pitch as well. He listens, thinks a lot and he gives the right answers. He is stable."

"It's hard to say whether or not Ibi will leave PSV this summer. It depends on a lot of things. When the right club knocks on the door or when we can create the right conditions, dparture is an option. No more and no less than that."

"I agree with Van Marwijk when he says that he shouldn't move to a club where he has just has to take his place at the end of the line. At his age he needs to play a lot to become a better player. That will be key for the further development of his talent."