Hans Kraay junior believes that teams in the Eredivisie should follow the approach of manager Erik ten Hag as an example. During the program Good morning Eredivisie from ESPN makes it clear to the analyst that he is disturbed by the ‘Dutch way of building up’. Kraay wonders why in the Eredivisie is not more often chosen a far kick from the goalkeeper and refers to the playing style of Manchester United.
In the broadcast, Kraay says that he is annoyed by the way various teams in the Netherlands are trying to build up. He believes that ‘the long ball’ should be chosen more often. In conversation with presenter Fresia Cousiño Arias, the analyst grabs his phone to read a message from Ten Hag. “This is absolutely not to impress with apps, but Erik ten Hag calls it ‘playing over the first pressing’. I had never heard of it.”
“Erik ten Hag is pre-eminently a trainer who wants to build up, but even he allows a far goal kick against Liverpool. Then it must be connected within six seconds. Playing over the first pressing… If they do that at Manchester United against Liverpool, then we can also do that at Volendam or Excelsior? He didn’t just text this, by the way, I had received this before. I had texted him, because I liked the fact that after two horrible matches he is now finally booking victories. I congratulated him, and then he texted back: ‘Fucking great’”, says Kraay.
Fellow analyst Marciano Vink has an explanation for Ten Hag’s choice to avoid the careful construction. “Of course he doesn’t have the football players with Harry Maguire, David De Gea, Luke Shaw. You also have to have footballers in the back who can do it. Now, with Varane and Martínez, he has two footballers who dare to take the ball and who dare to play the ball to the same color. So the fact that he initially skipped defense in the build-up against Liverpool comes from the fear of the first two games.”
“If you have good football players, there is of course nothing wrong with just building up and attracting,” continues Vink. “Cambuur does that too: that team lures the opponent and then plays the deeper ball. Building up isn’t always bad, but it’s about who builds up and which midfielder comes down to offer. So good footballers have to build up, but lesser footballers shouldn’t do that. That’s kind of the point.”