A sigh of relief goes through the nation
Monday, 7 June 2010
On Saturday a nightmare scenario
seemed to unfold for the Dutch team, when the one thing
everyone had been afraid of happened: in the last few
minutes of the game Arjen Robben, the Man of Glass was
down, holding on to the back of his leg and looking
very worried.
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| Robben is for Holland what Messi
is for Argentina |
Especially the worried face gave
the nation a scare - players know best what's the case.
Robben's worried face spelled real trouble.
When he then told the medical staff
of the Dutch national team that he had heard a crack,
it seemed all over for Europe's best player of the past
season. His fellow players, coming out of the dressing
room after the friendly against Hungary (6-1), said
everyone in there was affected. The atmosphere had been
funaral-like.
All Sunday Holland waited for news
from Rotterdam, where Robben would undergo tests in
the Erasmus Hospital. When the Dutch FA then after the
tests declared they would issue a statement on Monday
there was more speculation that it indeed looked bad.
"If there would be good news, they would share
that immediately. Bad news would be postponed,"
said the pundits on Dutch TV.
But then later on Sunday night
the good news came: there was only a minor tear in his
hamstring, something that could heal in time for Robben
to play in the decisive stages of the World Cup. The
earliest second round game Holland could possible have
to play would be on June 28, leaving 22 days for recovery.
For a well trained, healthy athlete and the professional
treatment methods of present that should be more than
enough time.
A sigh of relieve went through
the country.
Robben is for Holland what Messi
is for Argentina, what Rooney is for England or Xavi
for Spain: a player that can't be replaced, because
there isn't anybody as good. Sure, Holland have Van
Persie and Sneijder, and their loss would be a massive
blow as well, but neither have the devastating qualities
of Arjen Robben, who can wreck an enemy's defense all
by himself. To play a tournament without that big gun
is a loss of catastrophic proportions - for a football
team.
Robben will start work on Monday
with physiotherapist Dick van Toorn in Rotterdam. "It
can all be okay in a week," Robben said last night
on Dutch TV.
"Van Toorn has helped me very
well previously. We'll work very hard, day and night
to fix this. Of course we have to wait and see just
how well the therapy sticks, but I know what Van Toorn
can do. It can all be okay in a week."
Robben said it seemed as the whole
nation was praying for him. "I got incredible amounts
of text messages today. That gave me a very good feeling.
We have a great squad and I want to be there when we
celebrate the World Championship title. With this group
we have a good chance to win it."
Of course in the many media there
was wide speculation whether he should have played at
all against Hungary, after having just recovered from
a hip injury that kept him out against Ghana. But Robben
thinks that is nonsense. "I was 100% fit. During
the entire recovery period I only missed one training.
It has nothing to do with that. I have consulted medical
specialists and they said it was because of this movement
I made. I over-stretched and that put too much strain
on that leg. They said even Dirk Kuyt would have injured
himself had he done that."
If only Robben would have the physique
of Dirk Kuyt. One wonders just how good this man would
be if he - like iron man Kuyt - would never be injured...
Robben said that the past 24 hours
had been hectic. "That shows how consumed everybody
is with this tournament. I've had so much support. That
gives me strength to take this thing on and get back
to joining the rest of the squad. That's all I can do."
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