Robben talking with PSV
Wednesday, 31 December 2003
Arjen Robben's father has revealed that his son is ready to commit his future to PSV Eindhoven.
Reports have linked the forward with a move to Manchester United, and PSV president Harry van Raaij fuelled the fire by suggesting Robben was close to the exit door.
Van Raaij was speaking after earlier talks failed to bear fruit but the 19-year-old's father has now claimed they are ready to return to the negotiating table.
Hans Robben was also at pains to stress that a move to The Red Devils is unlikely.
"There is nothing concrete going on between Manchester United and us," Robben senior told Dagblad van het Noorden.
"It's quite the contrary: we are speaking to PSV to see if we can get a better deal in Eindhoven than Arjen has at the moment.
"If PSV are willing to invest in new and experienced players, Arjen wants to think about a longer stay in Eindhoven."
The Dutch league is not lucrative enough for top clubs to keep all their best players on long term deals but their policy has generally been to sell just one per season.
Star striker Mateja Kezman is one of the most sought-after players in Europe and his sale from the Philips Stadion would lessen the need to cash in on Robben.
BOLDOG ÚJ ÉVET, BAJONKI AZANYAT, KUPAGYŐZELMET, UEFA-KUPA GYŐZELMET KAVÁNOK MINDEN PSV-DRUKKERNEK!!!
By Gerrit van Leeuwen
Manchester United are believed to be stepping up their interest in PSV Eindhoven teenager Arjen Robben.
Sources in Holland sugget that United are leading the chase for the highly-rated 19-year-old and have already held initial discussions about a move.
PSV have previously confirmed they have received enquiries from an unnamed club and it is believed that United were the mystery outfit in question.
Dutch daily De Telegraaf suggests that Robben could travel to England this weekend for further talks and to take in United's FA Cup clash with Aston Villa.
The Dutch Young Player of the Year has attracted the interest of a host of top clubs and United boss Sir Alex Ferguson is keen to secure a deal for the skilful winger.
Reports suggest that United are close to capturing Robben on a five-year deal with the option to loan him back to PSV for one season.
PSV are resigned to losing Robben and they will not be able to resist a big-money offer from United.
Any move looks unlikely during the January transfer window as Robben is ineligible for Europe having played in the UEFA Champions League this season for PSV, but United could be looking to secure an agreement with the player now to ward off interest from rival clubs.
Ajax and PSV lead the way
Friday, 26 December 2003
The Netherlands' traditional big three, AFC Ajax, Feyenoord and PSV Eindhoven, may have been relieved to welcome the winter break.
Mixed form
Ajax and PSV may be duelling for the title, but neither managed a goal in their final matches prior to the shutdown, which runs until 21 January. Moreover, only one Ereviside team remain in Europe, in stark contrast to recent distinguished performances.
Ajax stumble
Deposed as champions last season by PSV, Ajax currently lead the way. But whereas they began the season at a rate of knots, in the last month they have crashed out of the UEFA Champions League, finishing bottom of their group, departed the Dutch Cup at home to NAC Breda and ended the year with a 2-0 defeat by FC Twente. That followed a run where they had picked up 25 points from nine fixtures, but they are now level with PSV, albeit with a game in hand.
Summer changes
The summer losses of Cristian Chivu, Andy van der Meyde and Ahmed Hossam 'Mido' have weighed heavy, despite the additions of Wesley Sonck, Zdenek Grygera, Tom Soetaers and Julien Escudé. Reaching the Champions League quarter-finals was consolation for Ajax's failure to retain the title last season. This time, only the league crown will do for Ronald Koeman's side, but PSV are in no mood to surrender that honour.
Free-scoring run
Guus Hiddink's team were tipped to retain the championship having kept their squad together this summer. But despite Mateja Kezman's continued prolific form - 15 league goals and counting - they have found themselves trailing Ajax, despite being unbeaten away from home. However, prior to ending the year with a 0-0 draw at SBV Vitesse, they had embarked on a run of four straight league wins, scoring 17 goals, the highlight a 7-0 defeat of FC Volendam, when Kezman scored four times.
UEFA Cup chance
They are also the only Dutch side left in Europe, earning a UEFA Cup third-round tie against AC Perugia as a consolation for being pipped by AS Monaco and RC Deportivo La Coruńa in the Champions League. The return of Marc van Bommel from the hernia problem he suffered in early November will also be a boost, and they remain in the Dutch Cup.
New-look Feyenoord
Feyenoord, though, are facing their first finish outside the top three since 1997/98. They lie fourth, four points behind AZ Alkmaar, after a summer overhaul that saw Paul Bosvelt, Pierre van Hooijdonk, Bonaventura Kalou and Brett Emerton depart and Dirk Kuijt, Danko Lazovic, Peter van den Berg, Hossam Ghaly, Jean Carlos Dondé and Alfred Schreuder arrive.
Alkmaar impress
With only two Champions League slots, Feynoord already seem set to have to settle for another UEFA Cup campaign unless they can make up the nine-point gap on the top two. A more realistic challenge could come from Alkmaar, who sit five points off the top and are impressing under former Ajax coach Co Adriaanse. They boast prolific strikers in Ali Elkhattabi and Kenneth Perez, who have scored 12 and eight goals respectively.
European challenge
Feyenoord could even struggle for a UEFA Cup place as Willem II, SC Heerenveen, FC Utrecht and Twente are all eyeing a top-five finish. It is Twente whom Bert van Maarwijk's men face in the Dutch Cup quarter-finals in February. Holders Utrecht are also still involved, and were drawn at home to second division Heracles Almelo.
Relegation dogfight
Lower down the table, SBV Vitesse's financial troubles are beginning to tell on the pitch, and they face a relegation dogfight with newly promoted FC Volendam, ADO Den Haag and bottom club FC Zwolle.
Feyenoord, Sparta Rotterdam, Excelsior--Rotterdam
PSV, FC Eindhoven--Eindhoven
Ajax--Amszterdam
Hogy lehet az, hogy Amszterdamban a két profi osztály közül csak az Ajax az egyedüli csapat!
By Gerrit van Leeuwen
PSV Eindhoven have told Wilfred Bouma that they want to open talks over a contract extension.
The 25-year-old defender's contract runs out next summer but Bouma is in such fine form that he has played team-mate Kevin Hofland out of the Dutch national team in recent matches.
"I think I can grow further here," opined the stopper in De Telegraaf. "Therefore I will be open to a good offer.
"I am a boy from the youth academy and that has a good effect on players.
"For the financial part, it's important for me to know how the team will look in the future."
semmit, igazabol. Szerintem az amatörök csapat, vagy pedig a a tartalekosoke.
A Bundesliga 2-3 csapatanak van amatör csapata, akik a masod harmadosztalyban jatszanak.
aha, szerencsetlen varosba eppen akkor mentünk amikor ottletem masodik legondabb idöjarasa volt. A kikötöben egy kisebb hajo a felborulas ellen küzdött, mindenki meghökkenve nezett ki a fejeböl a parton.
Mondjuk a holland GDP nem hinnem hogy az örömlanyokra alapozna, persze a turizmus fontos...
Persze hogy vannak. Amugy a drog öl, (de Hollandiaban csak a fü legalis), de a cigi meg a sör nem? Az is karos, mint a fü, aztan megis mindenütt vannak kocsmak. Piros lampas negyed az EHV-ben 2 utca, de van. es a fü is, meg a kurvak is fele aron vannak, mint Amszterdamban. (mert ugye A'dam nagyon hires, minden amcsi turista odamegy, ezert magasak az arak.) amig pl. A'damban 100 gulden (ma szerintem 50 euro) egy menet, addig EHV-ban 50 gulden volt!
Voltam meccsen, es ami a legjobb, mivel 2000-ben voltam ott, sikerult kijutni egy EB-meccsre is.
Van ket poharam, van kis zaszlom, es ket mezem, sajnos nem beszamozva. Az egeszre 5 menet arat raköltöttem, de megerte!
Huha, megyek mindjart meglatogatom EHV-t, elkaptak az emlekek!
Philips nyomatja a pénzt, de azért játszott itt Ronaldo, Cocu, Zenden... most több nem jut eszembe.
Az Ajaxnak mondjuk az ABN-Amro és az Amstel.
Gondolom voltál meccsen is?
Eindhovenbem is vannak Coffee shoppok? Ezt az egyet nem szeretem a hollandokban, mert a drog öl!
És piros lámpás negyed? Amszterdam elég híres erről. (Ez se olyan +, de jobban csinálják, mint a magyarok!)
PSV erekjéjid vannak?
Persze, szep, meg modern is.
Szamomra meg a Feyenoord es Ajax az ösi rivalisok, de az Ajaxot szeretem a legkevesbe. Talan azert mert az Amszterdamiakban van olyan erzes, hogy a PSV amolyan boer- csapat, ami messze nem igaz. Jo mondjuk en meg elfogult vagyok, hiszen Eindhovenben eltem fel evet, nem pedig A'damban. :)