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Botman impresses at Newcastle and will be at Wembley tomorrow

Sven Botman, happy in Newcastle

NOS Football

Of course Erik ten Hag’s Manchester United demands a lot of attention, Sunday (5.30 pm) at Wembley at the final of the League Cup. But make no mistake, with opponent Newcastle United there is also a Dutchman working on a dazzling first season in England.

Sven Botman is part of the Premier League’s least passed defense. With 15 goals against in 23 matches, Newcastle, the current number five, keeps all top teams under control. The compliments are flying around the 23-year-old Dutchman.

Football is just too easy for you,” teammate Jacob Murphy once wrote under a photo of Botman on Instagram. Even opponent managers say they are impressed.

Analyst Ruud Gullit stated at a football talk show table that he would like to call national coach Ronald Koeman to get Botman in Orange for the upcoming international matches in March.

New, fancy nickname

In France, Botman was nicknamed ‘RoboCop’, referring to the action figure (half man, half robot) from the film series of the same name. In England it is now known as the ‘Rolls-Royce’, named after one of the most prestigious (and most expensive) car brands.

In short: the 23-year-old Botman from Badhoevedorp is hot in England.

Sven Botman blocks a shot from Manchester United striker Antony

It is therefore not without reason that Erwin van de Looi traveled to Lille at the start of the European Championship qualifying series in 2021, where Botman was still playing at the time, asking whether the central defender wanted to become the new captain of the Dutch Juniors.

“Sven was honored,” says Van de Looi about the meeting at the time. “I also thought it would be an interesting next step for him. He looks impressive physically, but I thought he could play a slightly more dominant role in coaching.”

Always the right club

Even before he had played an Eredivisie match for Ajax 1, the defender opted for a surprising move to Lille, with which he became champion and earned a transfer to the Premier League for around 40 million euros after two seasons.

National coach Erwin van de Looi at the training of the Dutch Juniors, Sven Botman in the background

“He has always chosen the right club and has a realistic image of himself,” says Van de Looi. “I have also asked him why he left Ajax. Then he said that they do not play the ideal football there for his type of defender.”

Botman is referring to the game with the ball. He has to rely more on his physicality, winning duels, eliminating opponents. Instead of dribbling in and taking care of the build-up.

His own path

That is why he left Ajax early, while experts often say that you must first have earned your spurs in the Netherlands before you try your luck in a stronger competition.

“There is not one right path,” says Van de Looi. “I try to pass that on to the players of the Dutch Juniors. Sometimes there is interest from beautiful clubs from abroad, but the question is whether you will play there.”

“It may be more convenient to go for a club of a slightly lower level, where you do play. That happened with Sven.”

Sven Botman as a player of Lille, where he became champion and played Champions League, in duel with Kylian Mbappé

Stable, stoic, they call it in England. Quiet, somewhat in the background, but merciless to attackers. As coach of the Dutch Juniors, Van de Looi keeps a close eye on his pupil in the Premier League.

“In the beginning I was still like: oh. He was sometimes short of hands and feet. But, and that is just a very great quality of Sven, he adapts quickly. Plus the team, just like before at Lille, fits good with his qualities. They defend grouped.”

Good head on it

The national coach sees Botman taking steps. “Not much happens to Sven… He knows what he can do and what he can’t do, doesn’t do strange things, hardly makes mistakes. And he now dares to touch the ball more. As a defender, you only do that if you have confidence.”

Sven Botman wins a header against Mo Salah of Liverpool

Botman hears it often: he has a good head on it. He knows what he wants and is not fooled. That was also apparent at the end of last summer, when he was pulled hard and he had to choose between AC Milan and Newcastle.

“He has had contact with other clubs while he was with the Dutch Juniors,” Van de Looi acknowledges. “He carefully discussed this with me. I think he handled it well, you didn’t notice anything about him. He continued to perform.”

“At that age, a lot of guys can get confused. Not him.”

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