Ron Vlaar is very pleased with Million Manhoef’s performance in the Conference League match with Dundalk. Vitesse barely managed to pull off a 1-2 victory in Ireland and thus qualified for the play-offs. The analyst is impressed by the play of the nineteen-year-old winger, who according to Vlaar is ‘the only one who played really well’. In the preview of the meeting, Vlaar also indicated that it is a ‘blessing’ that Oussama Tannane was not part of the match selection.
“The only one who really plays well is Manhoef. One in a million Manhoef”, says Vlaar on RTL7 joking manner. “But seriously. He really has a lot of guts, a lot of flair, speed and assumptions forward. It’s really enjoyable. I think he really stands out. Last week Bazoer was watched all the time, but he was actually invisible today,” said the analyst on duty.
Before the match, Vlaar was very critical of Tannane. The Moroccan international came in as a substitute in the first game (2-2), but he was kept out of the match selection by trainer Thomas Letsch due to the lack of fitness for the return in Ireland. Vlaar thinks it is a ‘blessing’ for Vitesse that the attacking midfielder is not there. “I think he’s a fantastic player, but the way he behaves now… He’s not top fit, comes back too fat and has no rhythm at all.”
The analyst therefore finds it no surprise that the attacking midfielder is not in the match selection. “He is not so good that he just decides a match for Vitesse from this point of view. But his teammates expect that from him,” suspects Vlaar, who cites the duel in Arnhem as an example. “You see the feeling in the other players, he’s coming in and he’s going to do it for us. That feeling is not there now. So they’re going to step it up a notch. That’s why I think they will come out better as a team,” concludes the former defender.
On a visit to Dundalk, the Arnhem team enjoyed a comfortable lead at halftime, which was still in danger in the second half, but was not given away anymore: 1-2. It was just enough to qualify for the play-offs after the draw in the first leg. Next Thursday, the Letsch team will meet RSC Anderlecht, which was far too strong for Albanian Laçi over two matches. The return against the Belgians will be completed on August 26.