Who is he? Where does he play?
The Netherlands will be hugely excited by the emergence of Feyenoord's 21 year old centre-half. The heady days of Jaap Stam and Ruud Kroll have been replaced by the mediocre times of Joris Mathijsen and Johnny Heitinga. But now, brace yourselves, because it's the time of the solid, imposing De Vrij.
So what does he offer at the back?
A remarkable positional sense that allows for a high interception rate and an impressive ability for man-marking such is his fine reading of the game. His intelligence has been the defining feature behind his quick rise through the Feyenoord youth set-up, being allowed to skip the under-16s before representing the under-17s immediately. Since emerging in the full-team in 2009, De Vrij is now club captain after Ron Vlaar departed for Aston Villa.
One for the future then?
Very much so, and now. Not only does De Vrij cut an extremely resolute and firm figure at the back, his 6ft 2 inch frame allowing him to be a major force in the air, but he is also adept at playing the ball out from the back, like all good Dutch centre-halves are expected to do. He can block, tackle, pass the ball effectively short and long and he has already represented Feyenoord 116 times, so he has experience to compliment his footballing qualities.
Almost the perfect-centre half then?
Luis Van Gaal certainly seems to think so, having called the centre-half up to the provisional Netherlands squad for last year's European Championship. After missing the cut, De Vrij returned to play in a friendly against Belgium before installing himself as the first choice centre-back in Van Gaal's current set-up. He also won the Thorbecke Lyceum Sports Talent award back in 2009, which we won't explain, we'll just let you read about it.
Feyenoord finished 3rd didn't they? Will he be off?
With Everton and Liverpool both interested, you probably would think so and a move did seem likely to happen before the 21 year old showed a decent sense of logic by signing a new deal with Feyenoord, allowing him another year in the familiar setting of the EreDivisie before next summer's World Cup. If his form continues, he will be in Brazil. Keep an eye out for this talented, complete centre-half.
If you can't wait until then, watch this video.
Showing posts with label Everton. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Everton. Show all posts
Monday, 3 June 2013
Tuesday, 29 January 2013
LEROY FER
Who is he? Where does he play?
He is Everton's new £8.6 million signing who the Toffees have sneaked under the transfer radar like a stealth bomber to take off the hands of FC Twente. He's 23, he's Dutch, he has a surname that looks like it has been cut in half and he's a dynamic centre-midfielder who came through the academy at Feyenoord.
Everton signing £8 million + plus on a player?
Yep, the normally tighter than the thighs on a fat girl Bill Kenwright has backed David Moyes quite handsomely with this capture after his manager reportedly spent the whole week in Holland trying to seal the deal. He is billed as the long-term replacement for the heavily sought-after afro-haired Marouane Fellaini and will add young impetus into a midfield that currently looks a little light.
What else will he add?
While Fellaini has been moved foward as an attacking midfielder to much success, Everton have looked a little light-weight (Darron Gibson/ Leon Osman), old (Phil Neville) or not-really wanted (John Heitinga) in the centre of midfield. Fer, whose strong, unforgiving displays at Twente have earned him the nickname "the bouncer" will restore some bite to the engine room if nothing else. He is big and physical and he is a comparison gold-mine, he has been likened to Patrick Vieira and Franck Rijkaard by Dutch national youth-coaches and to Sami Khedira and Yaya Toure by his modest self.
Vieira, Khedira, Rijkaard and Toure? Tough company..
It's the idea of promoting himself in that mould more than anything. Like Vieira, he can pick the ball up from deep and charge through the midfield like a traction engine in the vein of Toure before using the ball cleverly in the final third like Khedira. He can start attacks and finish them himself as a powerful, energetic box-to-box force and can pass well too, both long and short. He is a complete, robust midfielder who is primed for inheriting Fellaini's place. He currently plays in the double-pivot of a 4-2-3-1 for Twente, so expect him to drop in deep, perhaps alongside Leon Osman, first of all.
This sounds very exciting
It is and I don't think David Moyes and Everton would have been quite so persuasive with the bank manager if Fer, also impressing Dutch manager Louis Van Gaal as he has been given two caps in the Netherland's World Cup qualifying process, wasn't a good prospect. The young midfielder has aspirations of playing in Europe for Everton and with his signing, that may come sooner, rather than later.
He is Everton's new £8.6 million signing who the Toffees have sneaked under the transfer radar like a stealth bomber to take off the hands of FC Twente. He's 23, he's Dutch, he has a surname that looks like it has been cut in half and he's a dynamic centre-midfielder who came through the academy at Feyenoord.
Everton signing £8 million + plus on a player?
Yep, the normally tighter than the thighs on a fat girl Bill Kenwright has backed David Moyes quite handsomely with this capture after his manager reportedly spent the whole week in Holland trying to seal the deal. He is billed as the long-term replacement for the heavily sought-after afro-haired Marouane Fellaini and will add young impetus into a midfield that currently looks a little light.
What else will he add?
While Fellaini has been moved foward as an attacking midfielder to much success, Everton have looked a little light-weight (Darron Gibson/ Leon Osman), old (Phil Neville) or not-really wanted (John Heitinga) in the centre of midfield. Fer, whose strong, unforgiving displays at Twente have earned him the nickname "the bouncer" will restore some bite to the engine room if nothing else. He is big and physical and he is a comparison gold-mine, he has been likened to Patrick Vieira and Franck Rijkaard by Dutch national youth-coaches and to Sami Khedira and Yaya Toure by his modest self.
Vieira, Khedira, Rijkaard and Toure? Tough company..
It's the idea of promoting himself in that mould more than anything. Like Vieira, he can pick the ball up from deep and charge through the midfield like a traction engine in the vein of Toure before using the ball cleverly in the final third like Khedira. He can start attacks and finish them himself as a powerful, energetic box-to-box force and can pass well too, both long and short. He is a complete, robust midfielder who is primed for inheriting Fellaini's place. He currently plays in the double-pivot of a 4-2-3-1 for Twente, so expect him to drop in deep, perhaps alongside Leon Osman, first of all.
This sounds very exciting
It is and I don't think David Moyes and Everton would have been quite so persuasive with the bank manager if Fer, also impressing Dutch manager Louis Van Gaal as he has been given two caps in the Netherland's World Cup qualifying process, wasn't a good prospect. The young midfielder has aspirations of playing in Europe for Everton and with his signing, that may come sooner, rather than later.
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