|
Ooijer's plea to Holland: "Save me
for Blackburn Rovers"
Andy Cryer
Lancashire
Telegraph
Wednesday 19 November 2008
Andre Ooijer will plead for some
Dutch respite tonight after stressing the importance
of Sunday’s Premier League basement battle at Tottenham
Hotspur.
The Dutch defender has been included in Holland’s
squad to face Sweden in Amsterdam but admits he will
be asking boss Bert van Marwijk for a lesser role as
he looks ahead to Rovers’ weekend trip to White
Hart Lane.
Saturday’s 2-1 home defeat to Sunderland leaves
Paul Ince’s men lying in the drop zone, just one
point and one place above their next opponents, Spurs.
Ooijer revealed Satur-day’s second-half collapse
has hurt the entire club and admits things need to change
before Rovers find themselves in real trouble.
He said: “It is a team performance and we did
not do well, we know that.
“Everyone blames them-selves and the dressing
room was very down after the game.
“It is worrying, really worrying, but don’t
look at the table. It is a long way to the end of the
season and it is all about that.
“It is about being in a European spot then and
not about getting relegated.
“The fight is at the end but we have to do better.
We need some points quickly.
“I am away with Holland against Sweden on Wedn-esday
but I will talk to the manager and hopefully I won’t
play all game because Tottenham on Sunday is more important
than the international game.
“The season does not end at the weekend. But we
have to crack on and be on the winning side.We have
to hurry to get out of it or else we have real trouble.
“It has hurt everyone, the manager, the coaching
staff, us – everyone.”
Missed chances again proved costly for Rovers in a
dominant first half display on Saturday, after a second
half collapse, with Ooijer claiming their Jek-yll and
Hyde tendencies are becoming too much of a habit.
He said: “That game was unbelievable. If you look
back at the game it was like we played two different
games, but as long as know that we can do something
about it.
“It is not the first game. In a couple of games
now we have played well at half time and ended up losing
the game.
“It is about time we addressed it and got on with
it. It is always a difficult one though. It is not just
one person or one position it is a team performance.”
Ooijer was again played at left back on Saturday, with
Chris Samba and Zurab Khizanishvili starting in his
more customary central role.
The Dutchman insists he is happy to play wherever though
and admits it is a case of everyone sticking together
through some hard times.
He said: “I can play at left back. Centre half
is my best position but if I am needed to play on the
left side I will play on the left side.
“That’s just the way
it is.”
|
