The Amsterdam Hilton, where John Lennon and Yoko Ono once famously spent a week in bed in the company of the world's press, is probably quite an apt setting for any footballer set on revealing all, or nearly all. Mark van Bommel, Holland's midfielder of some subtlety, did that yesterday when he dropped the heaviest of hints that he will be playing his football at Highbury soon.
Speaking at the Holland press conference, Van Bommel, of PSV Eindhoven, suggested that while he has had no direct contact with Arsenal, his agent has. His agent is Rob Jansen, who represents Dennis Bergkamp.
"As for the future, you know my agent is Rob Jansen," Van Bommel said. "I don't know myself about any contact between Arsenal and Rob, all I said to him was that when it becomes serious to call me. Arsenal are a great club. I think my game is suited to England and I want to go to England. But there are a number of very good clubs there."
Van Bommel will be 25 in April and has one year left on his contract after this season. PSV will expect around £15 million for his services, a sum Arsenal will be able to afford if Patrick Vieira leaves for Real Madrid.
However, Alex Ferguson is also a Van Bommel fan and Manchester United will be able to offer him the carrot of playing with Ruud van Nistelrooy.
Holland's new manager, Dick Advocaat, still with Rangers too, did not name his team yesterday but Van Bommel should start.
Advocaat, appointed last month following Louis van Gaal's departure, said there was no problem in inspiring players for a friendly because of their failure to qualify for the World Cup.
"For a game against England you don't need to motivate the players," Advocaat said. "Plus, the players want to show themselves for the Dutch people. They lost some respect, no doubt about that. We can get it back with a good result and a good performance."
Sander Westerveld also talked about the importance of "respect". The former Liverpool goalkeeper, now in Spain with Real Sociedad, described Holland's non-qualification as "a massive disaster for Dutch football". He did not think it was down to a lack of quality.
"If we picked 22 players and fielded two teams," Westerveld said, "both could qualify for the World Cup. With all respect, Ireland will be happy if they come home after the first round. We would have been looking at the top prize.
"But while we perhaps have the better players, they had the better team. We have to hold on to the fact that in 1994 France did not qualify for the World Cup."
Knowing the answer, Westerveld then said: "And who was their coach then?"
It was Gerard Houllier, of course, though Westerveld's tone carried no malice.
"I've no idea what happened at Liverpool or why," Westerveld said. "Everybody says the same. I had just won five prizes, had my best pre-season, then suddenly I heard Liverpool were going to buy (Jerzy) Dudek. He's done well, but I was unhappy about the way I was treated at Liverpool. I went from being number one to number five in a week."
Guardian Service
