Jonathan de Guzman
He came, saw, conquered a starting place and seems already unimaginable not to be in the squad of coach Erwin Koeman.
JdG (18 years old), the revelation of Feyenoord, explains why PSV became champion and looks towards the play off matches.
PSV is the undisputed champion?
Yes, and I want to congratulate them sincerely with the title. This season PSV simply had the best team. Except for the away game against Olympique Lyon I thought they played quite well in the Champions League too. Then their strength was highly visible: it is a disciplined team that hardly ever gives away something defense wise. That's also why they are champion. Most of all PSV was the most constant team in the "Eredivisie".
Was that the big difference with Feyenoord?
Yes, and discipline wise PSV is further than us too. When they have a 1-0 lead, the door is locked and they make sure they simply win that match. We, with a score lead, still look for another goal and in doing so give away that much space, that the opponent levels the score. So it becomes 1-1 instead of 2-0, as recently at home happened against RKC Waalwijk. In addition to that PSV has with Cocu and Simons experienced guys that can influence the run of a game. That kind of players Feyenoord hasnot. With us it is mostly young and talented, but we have to acquire some of that smartness of PSV if we want to be champion in the future.
Possible?
Yes, by playing many matches and then for a change tow a 1-0 lead across the finish line. Than it has to be a little less attractive, but in the end it is all about results. This year we were close already, so with a few adaptions in the future it must be possible to win that title.
So now the play offs are what's left. What do you think of that?
I do not like it one bit!
Why not?
Because it's unfair. If AZ after the last match day is second, I think they over the whole season forced the right to play in the preliminary round of the Champions League. Is not it the way it should be? You play for something and when you force it , you should get the reward. This season even number five can qualify for the Champions League. Something within me says that that isnot right. On the other hand to Feyenoord it is favourable. We most probably finish third and in the end now still can qualify for the C. League.
Another added bonus is the suspense of the competition. Up till the last day something is at stake for most of the clubs. But when I add it all, I still think the play off system to be unfair.
By the looks right now, Feyenoord will face FC Utrecht in the play off.
A good team, of which we lost the away match, but whom we obliterated in the "Kuip". So that's doable. Well, actually I do not care who we will play against. You are hearing now that everybody is calculating: "If that one looses and that one wins, we will face in the play off this one or that one"
May be so, I'll wait and see.
I believe everybody tries to avoid Ajax. We've beaten them twice already this season. If Feyenoord gives everything it has every match we can beat any team.
The play off also means extra matches. Are you tired after your first full season with the Feyenoord selection?
Not really tired, but I do feel the season in my legs. I'm still young and have to get used to the intensity of the matches. No problem, I want to play everything. Every player has to endure minor injuries, but I think that a good pro has to be able to suffer pain. I am content about how I played. When I debuted this season nobody knew me and right away I received positive critics. But no man can reach constantly for a whole season an 8 or a 7, especially not young boys.
The coach prophecized that I would have a less favourable spell. That's not the way it happened. Though I sometimes wasnot as dominating as at the start, I did manage to retain my value for the team. Really out of form I havenot been. I learned that you should play simple when things are going less well and not look for complicated solutions.
Next season you're going to be approached differently.
The surprise is gone. People know me, know what I am able to and automatically are going to expect more from me. I once said I needed challenges. Well, this is one of them.
Next year you will not be the only Canadian in the Eredivisie.
SC Heerenveen has signed 2 Canadian players and Marcel de Jong of Helmond Sport made the change/leap to Roda JC. I think that that's a good development. Maybe that I've been a role model to them, that would be nice. I know that in Canada there are many good players, but most miss the drive to make it in Europe. You do see that now with Marcel de Jong. He has the ambition. I never spoke to him, but of course do follow him. With those two guys of Heerenveen, Marcel and me next season four Canadians play in the Eredivisie. This way things maybe can turn out into something with Canadian football.
Do you choose for Orange with the application for a Dutch passport?
It is right that I like to have a Dutch passport, yes. Besides being Canadian I have become feeling Dutch too. But I'm in no hurry. I am in the Netherlands for five years now and then as far as I know you automatically qualify for a Dutch passport. That passport makes it easier for me to move around in Europe, because then I have the nationality of a country that's a member of the European Union. In the future that could be easy too with a possible transfer and yes, then I could play for the Orange team.
That's not the most important reason to me, but it could be a nice sideline.
I can be yelling that I want to play for Orange, but I still have to prove everything.
Source : http://www.bigsoccer.com/forum/showthread.php?t=339495
Il fait toujours attendre les supporteurs canadiens de football avec son intention de jouer ou non pour le Canada.
