Van Persie: "No redemption"

Saturday, 26 June 2010

Robin van Persie scored his first goal of the tournament in Holland's third game at the World Cup. A weight was taken off his shoulders. "But to call it a redemption is a bit too much," he said. No Dutch fan will have to worry they might now underestimate Slovakia. "We've grown wiser through the years."

Van Persie thanking Van der Vaart for a great one-two

In the catacombs of the Green Point Stadium was relaxed when he spoke to the press after having played one hour. "We had agreed I would play one half because of the yellow card I have to my name. But I felt good and the coach wanted me to continue. Those extra fifteen minutes were a bonus."

Before he scored his first goal, in the 26th minute, he had had a number of physical confrontations with the Cameroon defenders. "I knew that there would be room just behind them. That is often the case with African defenders, so I was looking for that room. And indeed almost every run created danger. We've trained that in the past week - keeping the lines to me open. You could see that. We tried it a lot."

Half a second
Within 15 minutes Giovanni van Bronckhorst created a good chance for Van Persie, by playing the ball behind the Cameroon defense. "That was a great pass. Perhaps I need a little more space, but it was a good chance. I took it well, but I could have aimed my shot a little better. At that point in the game I thought we were doing well."

Eventually the goal came after a one-two with Rafael van der Vaart and a smart dummy by Dirk Kuyt. "That sure took some weight off my shoulders, to be honest. In the first tow games I didn't reach my best level. Against Cameroon I did. I am happy about that. It felt well, and that is perhaps most important. It was great to see that certain things we had trained worked out in the game."

After the goal he celebrated it with Van der Vaart. "That one-two was great, and it was great of Dirk that he stayed off it, because he was in the way of the pass. With Rafael I know that nine out of ten times I will get the ball back when I set it up like that."

Center forward
After two poor games there was some discussion whether the position of center forward is right for Van Persie. Was the goal a redemption? "No that's a bit too much. I don't think to lesser games can determine whether you are right for a position or not. I understand the discussion, as I understand as I didn't deliver what I can deliver. But it's going too far to say I am not suited for the position of center forward. Because I think I have proven that I am. So for that matter it wasn't a redemption. I myself knew that I can do this. But it's always to good to score. I'll be honest about that. I'm a forward. I've had three chances and one went in. I hope I can maintain that average."

In the past Van Persie has been known to force on the issue of scoring. "But with me that has the opposite effect. When I start to really look for a goal, I don't score."

Still he attempted to shoot at goal from 50 meters. "Haha, well, the keeper was a long way off his line. If that goes in it will be fabulous goal."

Again it were the substitutes who decided the game. Against Denmark Eljero Elia broke the game open, against Japan it was Ibrahim Afellay who had an impact with two great chances and against Cameroon it was Arjen Robben who set up the winning goal.

Van Persie: "Yeah, we have a great bench, and a great team as well. We're doing this together. The staff are doing good work. Frank and Phillip are keeping us on a short leash. But indeed, Robben comes on and starts running at opponents immediately. Elia did so as well and Huntelaar scored a goal. We simply have a strong team."

Underestimate
With the group stages over, the tournament will now really start. Van Persie agrees. "But in a way it all started two years ago, with the qualifications. Now it's Slovakia. I saw pieces of their game against Italy, and they played well. They scored three goals and have some great players."

According to Van Persie people don't have to be afraid that they will underestimate Slovakia. "We don't underestimate them. Through the years we have become a lot wiser and learned that it doesn't matter. Look at Spain, Italy are out, England only just made it. There are no 'little' teams anymore.

Competition
Klaas-Jan Huntelaar scores, and he is competing for your position. How do you feel about that. "He's a center forward as well, so in that way we compete. Klaas is a great finisher, we've known that for years. That goal he scores is a hard one. There are plenty of strikers who miss a chance like that. That his specialty, he's very good at that. So we need him as much as we need any other player."

Van Persie regrets that he hasn't yet played with Arjen Robben, as he only came on after Van Persie had been taken off. "I am a fan of Arjen. He comes on, does his stuff. He almost scored a fabulous goal. He's simply a fabulous player. He also poked a great ball into the box that almost got us a penalty (foul on Huntelaar, df). He's one of a few who need no time to get into it."