That’s the immediate outlook for Aberdeen. The city has seldom seemed more European than during these opening weeks of July – even the weather played its part. First the sun shone over the King’s Links on a balmy evening of Europa League qualifying action, then the golfing elite entered the stage at a sun kissed Balgownie Links.
The golfers of the European Tour may have migrated south to The Open but another north east sporting summer highlight is about to kick off as the Dons’ European Tour continues.
Our last round saw the visitors’ agricultural approach swept aside by a Dons team reveling in a shirt sporting the retro club crest. Significantly, it displays the ball in the net, whereas the updated version, worn for the last umpteen years, shows it flying harmlessly past the post.
Tonight, exchanges should be more educated as FC Groningen arrive in the city of dolphins. Look out for their club’s new “Farmers on Tour” scarf and “we gaan naar Aberdeen” T shirts, coming to a stadium near ewe…
No less than three official Groningen tours were on offer for those who want to park the bus. Hopefully they’ll manage that, if not in the Latvian sense, but will the farmers be able to cope with sheep on fire?
Certainly the Oranje Elftal left a better impression at this summer’s World Cup, though their progress was halted a round earlier than in 2010. An unwanted third place play-off at least provided three goals and a consolation third spot.
Their progress in the competition, which started spectacularly with a 5-1 drubbing of world champions Spain, stuttered latterly to four hours of goalless action.
Their departure was in a manner hanselled by the Dons back in 1970, a tale of two keepers, one who also saved a spot kick not that long ago here at Pittodrie.
With the quarter final between the Dutch and Costa Rica heading for stalemate, Louis van Gaal thought inside the box, withdrawing keeper Jasper Cillessen and replacing him with third ranked Newcastle stopper Tim Krul.
Cillessen hasn’t saved a penalty while Krul had saved only two out of 20, one at Pittodrie. Van Gaal gambled on his greater reach and formidable height advantage and Tim proved the man of the moment, psyching out the Costa Ricans with gamesmanship at its best or worst, depending on your point of view. He may yet face FIFA sanctions, though not for his impressive shot selection, diving to the correct side each time and saving twice.
His substitution saw Krul become the first keeper in World Cup finals history to make his bow in extra or extra + 1’ time to be precise. Significantly he had been told of the plan by Louis van Gaal before kick-off. First choice Cillesen was not kept in the loop, for fear it may affect his performance. Ironically, the longer the game went on level terms, the more Krul felt nerves kicking in. There was to be no repeat substitution in the World Cup semi-final as Van Gaal used three outfield subs. A Krul exit proved exactly that.
As for Krul’s Pittodrie connection, 2007/08 saw the last Aberdeen run in Europe, from September to February, eight matches that were enough to take us to a last 32 meeting with Bayern in the Allianz Arena. Now it’s an eight match version of “Mission Impossible” just to reach the group stage.
Back then before looking out our passports for Munich, we were to encounter Krul on loan with Falkirk, drawn against the Dons in the Scottish Cup fourth round. Like tonight’s encounter, it turned out a tie to be played over two legs, Aberdeen drawing 2-2 at the Falkirk Stadium, setting up a January midweek Pittodrie replay.
A Jamie Smith double and a goal by Dutchman Jeffrey de Visscher paved the way for a 3-1 replay win, but for Krul it proved a bittersweet evening which marked the end of his loan spell with the Bairns. True, he saved Scott Severin’s 70th minute penalty, but dislocated his shoulder in the process ending his impressive season prematurely.
For those travelling to Groningen, a tip. As part of your preseason training, give the railway station a visit. Known as “the cathedral of the winged wheel”, it’s Rijksmonument No.18691, boasting leaded windows and ornately decorated ceilings, not to mention the Douwe Egbert tearoom. While this draw does not offer such a piece of cake on the field, the next round would be a mouth watering prospect.
This article originally appeared in RedMatchDay Issue 02
This article originally appeared in RedMatchDay Issue 02
