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