When Marco van Basten rates you as a centre-forward, does it really matter
who else does? When Van Basten was in his pomp at Euro 88, his back up was a
guy called Wim Kieft. A big, awkward customer who played for both PSV and
Ajax. It was Kieft that Holland would turn to on the rare occasions that Van
Basten’s ruthless elegance could not puncture the opposition’s defence.
While Van Basten’s volley to end all volleys in the final of the tournament
was the subject of endless replays this summer on its 20th anniversary,
there were no reruns of the ugly, yet vital, goal provided by Kieft against
Jack Charlton’s stubborn Republic of Ireland to take the Dutch into the
semi-final. Van Basten remembered it, though, and that was why he wanted a
Kieft in his squad at Euro 2008.
This modern-day Kieft is sitting across the table in the lobby of Celtic’s Ria
Park hotel, reflecting back on his country’s sudden exit from the tournament
to Russia and also contemplating the season ahead, when Celtic will try to
stay on their pedestal as Scotland’s champions. As befits someone with two
surnames, due to the union of two important Dutch families a few generations
back, Jan Vennegoor of Hesselink is a man of impeccable manners, even when
addressing the criticism that he is too static as a striker. That, he
explains, is like saying a postman gets up too early or a coal-miner gets
too dirty. Providing the central focus for Celtic’s attacks is precisely his
job.
“I am not a player who runs around all over the pitch or into the channel or
toward the corner flags. It is a role that you play in the team. I have a
job to do and have to do that in a certain way. I think you can’t compare me
and Scotty [McDonald] with each other, for example. If you get the backing
of your manager and the team then you know exactly what you have to do, and
always you have to work hard. Sometimes it is difficult if you are playing
against teams that are very compact but you have to do what you have to do,
what the manager wants you to do, and that’s what I am trying to do.”
T h e D u t c h w e r e o n c e described as a ‘team of generals’, yet
Vennegoor of Hesselink is a modest type, content to be a cog rather than a
chief. He went to Euro 2008 knowing his role in the Holland squad. He was
the break-glass-in-case-of-emergency option for his manager. “Like Kieft,
that’s exactly my role. That’s very clear in Holland, that my role is if
things are not going for us football-wise, just to be opportunistic in the
last 10, 15 or 20 minutes, to make something happen, to play a little bit
more with the long ball. Unfortunately, the three substitutes were already
through after 60 minutes in the quarter-final [against Russia] so it didn’t
happen. I thought, ‘maybe in the semi-final if we go through’, but then we
were out and it was very abrupt, very strange because you are five weeks
with each other every day, you have a big bond because you are with each
other from breakfast till night, and then it stops just like that and it’s
very strange.”
With Van Basten taking over at Ajax and being replaced by Bert van Maarw-ijk,
it could also be the abrupt ending of Vennegoor of Hesselink’s international
career, yet he hopes not. “I plan to continue forever if I can, but I don’t
know if the manager wants a player like that, in that role, but I will
always be available for the Dutch team. I hope to be involved and play
against ‘Scotia’ in March. That would be nice.”
In contrast, the situation at Celtic is reassuringly stable. Vennegoor of
Hesselink has a year left on his contract with an option for a further
season and sounds extremely content. With no Champions League qualifier to
negotiate, the club can focus on making a strong start to their title
defence. “You have four or five weeks to get into your rhythm. Not the
pressure that you have to peak on two games,” he says. “Last year, we did
that, and did it in a good way, but it also means pressure right from the
start. We can take more rest now and also be focused on the first league
game on August 10.”
Each year of success for C e l t i c , he argues, b r i n g s increased
expectation and makes it harder to maintain. “Every year you win it, the
more people want to take it off you. Every year, we put more pressure on
ourselves because people expect more. They expect the league again. They
expect some cups. It’s up to us to deliver that, but the most important
thing is always the league.”
Despite facing three or four games a season against the same opponents, the
novelty of playing in Scotland has not worn off for Vennegoor of Hesselink.
“It is only two years for me, so it is new grounds. It is the Accies now,
Hamilton Accies. I am very curious how that is. I know a Dutch guy who lives
in Hamilton, Artur Numan, but I am staying in the beautiful West End. So, I
am enjoying it, but let’s hope water-logged pitches are from the past and
they get everything sorted with the league.”
Rather it is in the Champions League where he would like some novelty after
facing both Milan and Benfica in each of Celtic’s last two campaigns. Celtic
will at least be spared them this time, as both failed to make the cut from
their leagues, but Vennegoor of Hesselink would like a different sort of
reunion. “The funny thing is FC Twente, that’s my team, are playing to
qualify as well with Steve McClaren as coach and it would be nice if I met
them in the Champions League because I played there, but I’d also like to
play some big teams and to progress again because the last two years we did
a fantastic job to get out of the group. I think people have to realise it’s
not normal to qualify every year for that. You have to be realistic, but if
you are focused and get to the second round, maybe we will progress. With
the financial stuff at other clubs, it’s difficult but I think the boys
learn every year from the Champions League and get more experience. I think
if you ask all the guys, the Champions League games are different class and
you want to be part of that. You learn so much from them and when you are
older you will watch DVDs and see yourself playing at Celtic Park against
Barcelona or Milan. Something you can show to your grand-children, something
to be proud of.”
He feels his striking partnership with McDonald can improve and has seen signs
of this during the training sessions in the Algarve, if not the turgid
matches in which he scored Celtic’s only goal over 180 minutes. “It can
never be good enough and you always hope to improve. Last year was our first
year together and also Sammy [Georgios Samaras] is there as well now, so
there’s a competitive side also, but that’s good because that brings the
best out of us. Maybe sometimes Scotty and Sammy go together, or me and
Sammy. Maybe someone else comes to the team, you never know how it is going
to be, but during these preseasons you can really focus on doing stuff
together and improve more.”
His predecessors as Celtic’s target man, Chris Sutton and John Hartson, found
the role gradually ravaging the backs of their bodies, which they used to
protect the ball and Vennegoor of Hesselink acknowledges this as an
occupational hazard. “That’s the Scottish game. The British
game, in general, is quite physical, and is going 150 miles per hour on the
highway all the time. You get knocks and, yeah, you have to protect yourself
from that and hope to be injury-free. The year before last I had a wee bit
of trouble and a short period off but last year was quite good. A few small
things but not really so bad, touch wood. You know you get bangs and you
have to get on with that and protect yourself in the way you do and, if you
get an injury, you have to get over that. It’s hard because sometimes you
have four, five, six defenders and it’s difficult to get space but it’s for
the good of the team and part of the job.”
It is a job that he does well for Celtic.
A busy week for SPL clubs
TODAY: FC Zwolle v Aberdeen
TOMORROW: Falkirk v Alloa, Newcastle Blue Star v Hamilton, Cowdenbeath v
Hibernian
TUESDAY: SV Wehen Wiesbaden v Hearts, Kilmarnock v QPR, Blackpool v St Mirren
WEDNESDAY: Rangers v Kaunus (Champions League, 2nd qualifying round), Vitesse
Arnhem v Aberdeen, SC Cambuur v Falkirk, Clyde v Hibernian, Motherwell v
Preston
THURSDAY: Rietvogels v Aberdeen, Vale of Clyde v Hamilton
FRIDAY: Tottenham v Celtic (Sky Sports 2, 5pm), Veendam v Falkirk
SATURDAY: GoAhead Eagles v Aberdeen, Plymouth v Dundee Utd, Heerenveen v
Falkirk, Hibernian v Middlesbrough, Burnley v Inverness, Kilmarnock v
Coventry, Hoffenheim v Motherwell, Rangers v Liverpool, Darlington v St
Mirren
