Opinionated Seedorf wins over Advocaat

Netherlands midfielder Clarence Seedorf (R) talks with his coach Dick Advocaat. First impressions can be deceptive as Advocaat discovered with Seedorf.

First impressions can be deceptive as Dick Advocaat discovered with Dutch midfield general Clarence Seedorf.

The Dutch coach almost said something he would regret after meeting the then Ajax star as a teenager because he found him so opinionated.

"When you first meet him you often find him to be annoying, and you have to control yourself not to say anything," said 57-year-old Advocaat.

However Advocaat added once you get to know the former Ajax and Real Madrid midfielder, who last year became the first player to win the Champions League with three different clubs, that impression faded and was what made him so important to the Dutch chances of beating hosts Portugal in Wednesday's Euro 2004 semi-final.

"Seedorf is a dominant personality in a positive way. He has a good heart and a very positive shine that you also notice in a match," said Advocaat, who has taken charge of the 'Oranje' in 55 matches over two spells.

"He is the man with the creative ideas and solutions in this team."

Advocaat discovered exactly how self-confident Seedorf was when he called him up to the national squad during his first spell in charge.

"I think he was 16 years old when we initially put him with the national team," said Advocaat, who naturally assumed that the youngster would take on board his advice.

"I remember discussing Jari Litmanen's role within the Ajax team. But he didn't agree and told me that as a youngster he had his own opinion, which was different."

Advocaat had come under extreme pressure from fans and press alike after the 3-2 defeat by the Czech Republic when they let slip a 2-0 lead and the coach was pilloried for bringing on the negative Paul Bosvelt for flying winger Arjen Robben.

However Advocaat, known as 'Napoleon' for his resemblance to the great French Emperor, credits Seedorf with pulling everyone together which is quite a different scenario to when he took charge of his first term and had such a run-in with Ruud Gullit over selection policy the playmaker walked out on the squad and a place in the team at the 1994 World Cup finals.

"Seedorf loves debating and arguing points out with other members of the squad and it is important to have that within the set-up, which has become possible because we have united as a group here and Clarence has been the main reason for that," purred Advocaat, who in his first spell as national coach guided the Dutch to the 1994 World Cup quarter-finals.

Rather more susprising was the soft words he had for another known troublemaker in several Dutch squads, striker Patrick Kluivert, who is the only outfield player not to have got on the pitch at some point of the tournament.

The 28-year-old Barcelona hitman, who is the Netherlands all-time leading scorer with 40 goals, hasn't helped his cause by first disagreeing with Advocaat's choice of playing Ruud van Nistelrooy as a lone striker and then saying that the coach deserved the rough treatment he received from the press.

However showing that there is no better healer than success Advocaat preferred to praise Kluivert for his behind the scenes support.

"It is the toughest thing in a tournament for a coach to keep up the morale of players who are not playing," said the former Rangers coach.

"However Kluivert has managed to stay positive and that is impressive."