UEFA Euro 2012 Poland & Ukraine
Group E - Qualifications
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Van Nistelrooy back with a smile
1 September 2010
Receiving a loud round of applause
from his team mates Ruud van Nistelrooy stepped onto
the training pitch in Katwijk yesterday. The striker
laughed and put his hands in the air. So there he was,
after two years, back with his beloved Oranje.
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| Van Nistelrooy received a big round
of applause when he entered the training pitch,
but made believe it was all for Khalid Boulahrouz |
Bondscoach Bert van Marwijk
appointed Van Nistelrooy as the boss of the rondo, with
which Holland start each training. The experienced stand-in
for the injured Robin van Persie resolutely decided
which players made a mistake and had to be the dummy
in the middle. Not one player argued with him. Van Nistelrooy's
word was the law.
During the different match variations
that were played during training the Hamburg-player
got every opportunity to show he can still find the
goal as easily as he did in his days at Heerenveen,
PSV, Manchester United and Real Madrid. At Hamburg he
has scored six goals this season, but yesterday he was
unable to find the back of the net. Yet he played with
a bog smile on his face and had two assists.
After the training session of an
hour and a half he decided not yet to talk to the press.
Van Nistelrooy first wants to sit down and talk to manager
Van Marwijk. Today he will be available for the press
and might explain how he sees his future with the Dutch
team.
Is he just helping out for the
next two games now that Van Persie is out? Or does he
want to end as a 36-year-old after Euro 2012? He is
only seven goals away from Patrick Kluivert (40 goals)
as the all-time top goal scorer of the Dutch team.
Judging from the training games
Van Marwijk let his team play yesterday Van Nistelrooy
will not be in the starting lineup against San Marino
on Friday. Klaas-Jan Huntelaar remains first choice
to replace Van Persie. Dirk Kuyt took the place of the
injured Arjen Robben. Eljero Elia played on the left.
In defense it's starting to look
as if Vurnon Anita (Ajax) and not Erik Pieters (PSV)
will take the place of the retired Giovanni van Bronckhorst.
In the center of defense Ron Vlaar (Feyenoord) will
replace the suspended John Heitinga.
Euro
2012 campaign - Results, schedule, standings
Head-to-head: Sweden
Holland
at European Championships
All
time European Championships ranking
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