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Dutch Coach Bert van Marwijk Lambasts Nigel de Jong For Tackle On Stuart Holden
The coach laid into his player for a dangerous challenge.
Mar 9, 2010 12:52:00 AM
By Zac Lee Rigg
Dutch national team coach Bert van Marwijk has added his voice to a barrage of criticism -- mostly from this side of the Atlantic -- lambasting Nigel de Jong's tackle which broke Stuart Holden's leg. In the opening period of the friendly between the Netherlands and the United States, de Jong's studs-up lunge sidelined Bolton Wanderers midfielder Holden with a leg fracture.
At the time, the referee merely awarded a free kick.
"Nigel plays in England and that is the league where referees allow players to do so much more," said van Marwijk of his Manchester City midfielder. The coach went on to muse about how a similar tackle on one of his vast array of stars could undermine his team's ambitions in South Africa this summer. "A foul like that the one Nigel committed on Holden can cost us the World Cup."
The coach explained that he pulled no punches after the match when speaking to de Jong in private.
"As soon as the game was over, I got hold of him and I told him straight," van Marwijk told the Mirror. "Maybe he thought this foul was not even as bad as the ones in previous games, but he really must get this out of is system.’"
Holden, currently recovering in Houston, is expected back for Bolton in six weeks.
For more on Americans abroad, visit Goal.com's dedicated page
At the time, the referee merely awarded a free kick.
"Nigel plays in England and that is the league where referees allow players to do so much more," said van Marwijk of his Manchester City midfielder. The coach went on to muse about how a similar tackle on one of his vast array of stars could undermine his team's ambitions in South Africa this summer. "A foul like that the one Nigel committed on Holden can cost us the World Cup."
The coach explained that he pulled no punches after the match when speaking to de Jong in private.
"As soon as the game was over, I got hold of him and I told him straight," van Marwijk told the Mirror. "Maybe he thought this foul was not even as bad as the ones in previous games, but he really must get this out of is system.’"
Holden, currently recovering in Houston, is expected back for Bolton in six weeks.
For more on Americans abroad, visit Goal.com's dedicated page
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