Football is changing. It is getting faster, more technical and dependant on technology.
“If you look back at films of the 70’s when I played and compared it to today, you would think we were walking,” said former Dutch international footballer Johan Neeskens. Considered one of the greatest Dutch midfielders of all time, Neeskens was on the Dutch team for both the 1974 and 1978 World Cup.
Neeskens and Stanley Menzo, a keeper who represented the Netherlands in a World Cup and a European Championship, are on St. Maarten to work with the national selection and help officiate the opening of the new mini pitch at Emilio Wilson Park.
“It takes a lot of hard work for a national team to qualify for a World Cup,” said Menzo.
“You really need vision and a plan that starts with the youth and builds up,” said Neeskens. He continued to explain that the plan has to be realistic.
“You have to realize today all the World Cup qualifying teams feature professional players. These athletes train every day. They play lots of games.”
Another big change in the game according to Neeskens, is money. Even youngsters are offered big contracts. Neeskens believes it may be better for an under 25 player to stay in a smaller club for a few years before signing with the big guns.
“Look at England,” said Neeskens. “They are struggling to field a 23-player national team. “They are the premier league.”
Neeskens recalls during his playing days a top-flight team was only allowed four international players and only three could be on the field at a time.
“These days everyone is under pressure to win. When a team goes out and spends millions on a player that guy will play all the time. Coaches will be wary of letting youngsters on the field.”
Neeskens and Menzo agree St. Maarten is a long way away from a World Cup. However, they are optimistic that the National Team can do well in the Caribbean and work toward bigger goals.
The National team will soon play a friendly. The pair will watch the game and provide the local football federation and coaching staff with ideas on what the team’s needs.
Yesterday in keeping with their philosophy that football must start at a young age, the pair were joined by members of the national team and Dutch State Secretary of Home Affairs and Kingdom Relations Raymond Knops to train a group of students from the Sister Magda School at the mini pitch.
