Van Nistelrooy has a World Cup chance: the Netherlands coach
April 6th, 2010 - 9:49 pm ICT by IANSHamburg, April 6 (DPA) Ruud van Nistelrooy has a chance of making the Dutch World Cup squad if he is fit, the Netherlands coach Bert van Marwijk told Tuesday’s edition of German sports magazine Kicker.
Van Marwijk said he will watch the striker Van Nistelrooy Thursday when his club SV Hamburg plays a Europa League quarter-final at Belgian side Standard Liege.
Van Nistelrooy, 33, retired from the Dutch team after Euro 2008 but is now keen to return. The injury-ridden player even left Real Madrid in January for Hamburg in order to play matches.
“Ruud wants to go there (to the World Cup) but he must be fit and in form. He says that himself and I agree,” van Marwijk told Kicker.
Van Marwijk reiterated that van Nistelrooy must signal whether he really wants to return and that “I will then decide whether Ruud will go to the World Cup.”
While van Nistelrooy still has a chance, Van Marwijk has all but written off his Hamburg team-mate Eljero Elia over an ankle operation.
Van Marwijk said he does not expect the midfielder Elia to be fit in time for the June 11-July 11 World Cup in South Africa where the Dutch play Denmark, Japan and Cameroon in group E.
- Boerrigter new face in Dutch squad, Babel makes comeback - Nov 04, 2011
- Can the highly talented Dutch finally win World Cup? (Group E profile) - May 30, 2010
- Bert van Marwijk extend Netherlands' contract until 2016 - Dec 09, 2011
- Robben targets weekend World Cup departure; coach cautious - Jun 08, 2010
- Sneijder's sizzler helps Dutch beat Japan to top Group E - Jun 19, 2010
- Will Van Persie find scoring touch in World Cup final? - Jul 07, 2010
- Netherlands ambitious despite debate over poor play - Jun 20, 2010
- Robben set to fly to World Cup after final check-up - Jun 11, 2010
- Dutch football stars banned from using Twitter - Jun 11, 2010
- Robben back in training but unlikely to play against Japan - Jun 18, 2010
- Good wins for Juventus, Hamburg and Liege, Liverpool lose - Mar 12, 2010
- Dutch delight in boring Bert - Jun 17, 2010
- Netherlands wary of German challenge in Euro 2012 - Dec 03, 2011
- Netherlands romp soured by Robben's injury - Jun 06, 2010
- Dutch beat Cameroon and top Group F - Jun 25, 2010
Tags: 11 july, bert van marwijk, cameroon, club sv, dpa, dutch team, elia, euro 2008, german sports, hamburg april, kicker, real madrid, ruud van nistelrooy, south africa, sports magazine, standard liege, striker, sv hamburg, team mate, world cup squad