The Dutch Sleeper?

Sounds like something you’d only find in Urban Dictionary, right?

I have absolutely zero information to back this up (because my Dutch consists of occasionally doubling up my vowels in the English language), but I tend to doubt too many defenders get named Player of the Year in the Eredivisie. Last year’s PotY was Afonso Alves and for good reason – he scored lots and lots of goals, which tends to happen often in the Netherlands. Maybe I’m terribly wrong, but at least lately, that would seem to be the case.

But this year, after De Telegraaf compiled its math ratings across the season, it was decided John Heitinga of Ajax was the Eredivisie’s best player this year, just pipping keeper of the champs, Gomes, to the honor. (Also assuming Klaas-Jan “I Score A Brace Before Breakfast” Huntelaar who managed a meager 34 goals in 35 games.) At 24, that’s quite the honor; one which has earned him a (reported) 10m move to Athletico Madrid at the end of the year.

But before he laces them up for Athletico, he’ll almost surely be lacing them up for Marco van Basten in Swissaustria in what will easily be the Group of Death. John was on the bench for the last two games of qualifying, but managed to feature in the less-than-stellar showing against Austria a couple months ago. Given his obviously great form on the domestic scene, chances are that helped him get into the lineup and, perhaps, greater consideration when it comes to MvB’s starting XI.

At any rate, whichever two teams make it through from Group C will have to be hitting peak form at just the right time, and you’d have to think a defender just named PotY in his home league would be a ripe candidate to put up a few noteworthy performances against the likes of Luca Toni, Thierry Henry and Adrian Mutu.

We’re going to hear a lot about Fabio Cannavaro, William Gallas and Cristian Chivu as the “stalwarts in the back” come pre-tourny time. But you can’t discount a 24 year old who just won Player of the Year.