PSV Eindhoven

PSV needs a travel agent

Wed, 07 Jan 2009 22:07:28 +0000

Presumably PSV requires assistance in booking travel because while they noted Carlos Salcido was given permission by the club to stay longer at home in his native México, it was because they were unable to book a non-stop flight to Spain. Remarkably while doing a cursory search, it was rather simple to find available flights and with rumours continuing to swirl of the El Tri capped defender, it was further announced that he will be training with the reserves once he is back in Eindhoven. Thus stoking the fire, rumours abound that he is investigating options to leave PSV.

While Carlos training with the reserves is only suggested as a temporary event, Edison Méndez situation isn’t so understanding as he will now join the reserves as he failed to return from holidays in-time.

PSV heads to La Manga for training

Wed, 07 Jan 2009 03:30:28 +0000

In search of a competitive advantage, PSV will head to the tony confines of Club La Manga in Southeastern Spain on Wednesday morning and will return on Saturday. Saying they would be given “an opportunity to prepare as thoroughly as possible”, PSV’s General Manager Jan Reker also noted to PSV TV that upon arriving to the sea-side resort on Wednesday they will practice in their new surroundings, twice the following day and once before their friendly against Belgian First Division side R.S.C. Anderlecht. He also noted that the scheduled friendly against FC Den Bosch next Tuesday is doubtful.

As an aside comment, I wished to thank all the visitors to the blog. Since starting this blog last July it has been my pleasure to keep you abreast of the goings on with PSV and with this the one-hundredth post I thought I would offer my thanks.

7/13/#100

training in the winter wonderland

Tue, 06 Jan 2009 02:46:13 +0000

Following a hearty snowfall, PSV returned to training De Herdgang training centre in advance of their next match on Sunday, January 18 against Roda JC. Prior to that match they will take part in two friendlies, Anderlecht in Brussels on Saturday and then FC Den Bosch next week Tuesday. With only Carlos Salcido and Edison Méndez absent, to which the club did not comment on, the club went through practice broken in two groups. Huub Stevens has rewarded up and comers Funso Ojo and goalkeeper Jeroen Zoet call-ups to the first-team squad and while both will contribute to the reserves from time to time, we can expect to hear a great deal more of them in the future.

Mark van Bommel considers PSV the last resort

Fri, 02 Jan 2009 16:20:14 +0000

Although he attended the recent PSV - Twente match at Phillips Stadion, Mark van Bommel is not interested in returning to the Eindhoven club. Although he was a part of PSV for six season before moving on to Barcelona in 2005, the disgruntled Bayern München midfielder said to Sportsweek that he considers PSV the last resort:

“PSV are not at this point in my career my first option. Only when no other large foreign clubs call will PSV come into the picture.”

time to pull out the family album

Tue, 30 Dec 2008 04:55:53 +0000

Maybe its just the merriment of the holiday season but like most people, you tend to look through a number of family albums and remember those special moments in the past. And before this turns into a nostalgic post, this past weekend at the PSV - Twente match, the club kept its tradition of inviting former players for the final match of December. As you look through this photo you’ll see the following players including a number still working within the club:

Ruud van Nistelrooy, Mark van Bommel, Wilfred Bouma, Arnold Bruggink, Theo Lucius, Patrick Paauwe, Tommie van der Leegte, Björn van der Doelen, Edward Linskens, Rob Landsbergen, Jürgen Dirk, Patrick Lodewijks, Berry van Aerle, John de Jong, Luc Nilis and Twan Scheepers.

and now Francisco Rodriguez?

Tue, 30 Dec 2008 03:40:30 +0000

Since coming over from Chivas, Francisco Rodriguez has been relegated to a bit player, making rare appearances for PSV and seemingly rooted on the bench. The sturdy rear-guard, like his country mate Carlos Salcido has had a troublesome relationship with Hubb Stevens and the situation does not remotely look like it is improving. “Maza” is rightfully troubled about his future with the club and as his seen his position with El Tri vanish after earning forty-one caps. While Carlos Salcido has urged him to have patience in the matter, rumours swirl of him possibly moving onto La Liga’s Deportivo La Coruña or to the Hugo Sánchez led Almería.

problems continue with Carlos Salcido

Mon, 29 Dec 2008 21:55:28 +0000

While returning home to México for the holiday period Carlos Salcido was not shy in revealing a very strained relationship with PSV manager Hubb Stevens. While this is not a surprise to anyone and relates to some rather surprising issues of the managers contention of players being able to speak Dutch, the former Chivas-man did ensure PSV that he will return to the club. However talk of him returning to the legendary Guadalajara or possibly joining up with Hugo Sánchez who is now in-charge of Almería in La Liga will surely gain momentum if the situation isn’t cleared-up completely.

PSV held to scoreless draw by Twente

Sun, 28 Dec 2008 03:48:37 +0000

In PSV’s final match before the winter break, the defending champions played Steve McClaren’s Twente to a scoreless draw at Philips Stadion.

PSV’s best scoring chances happened early first with Nordin Amrabat effort seven minutes after the start being pushed away by Twente ‘keeper Sander Boschker. At the seventeenth mintue when Balázs Dzsudzsák’s corner was nodded on with force by Jérémie Bréchet but was cleared by Sander Boschker and off the post before breaching the score-sheet. Before Balázs Dzsudzsák struck the cross-bar with a free-kick at thirty-fifth minute Twente nearly took the lead as Austrian capped Marko Arnautović rattled the post from inside the area. Following the break, PSV showed very little soul, lacked the iniative of a champion and seemed content with a single point. Opportunities were minmized with the match a box-to-box affair and concluded in a nil draw.

With the draw PSV heads to the break in fourth position, nine points behind first place AZ. They return to return to the training grounds on January 5 in preparation for the next match on January 18 against Roda JC.

Twente match preview

Sat, 27 Dec 2008 00:14:04 +0000

As PSV heads into the winter break they face a major test against surging Twente. At present the Steve McClaren led squad is situated third in the Eredivisie table, only five points behind AZ and playing the type of Football that wins championships. The post Christmas match creates a number of training day problems and PSV has released highly limited information on the match, noting that Edison Méndez and Reimond Manco are not available but Carlos Salcido and Jan Kromkamp should be able to go. Twente possesses a lineup that has gelled under the former England manager with veterans Kenneth Perez, Theo Janssen and Blaise Kufo merging with young-guns Eljero Elia and Austrian international Marko Arnautović into one of most explosive attacks in the league, netting twenty goals in the last five matches. Solid defending and a patient attack will be the key for PSV and the sometimes sloppy defending this campaign cannot occur or Twente will fill the nets.

I will report on the match as it concludes.

PSV edges Feyenoord 1-0

Tue, 23 Dec 2008 20:51:32 +0000

PSV squeezed by Feyenoord by the narrowest of margins, winning 1-0 on the strength of Ibrahim Afelley volley with twelve minutes remaining. While Feyenoord has been struggling this campaign with a foul amount of injury problems, they put forth a stout display of marking, greatly limited PSV’s advances and came very close to converting a number of scoring opportunities. Balázs Dzsudzsák looked to have opened the scoring after the break but in a brow scratching decision, the referee ruled him offside. With the match staring down a scoreless draw, heroics were in-store for young Ibrahim Afelley as he volleyed home the winner with twelve minutes remaining. Without the equalizer, PSV took the three points and sits in fourth place behind Twente, who they play this Saturday.