In an interview with Zach Lowy for RG, former Netherlands goalkeeping coach Frans Hoek explains the remarkable decision to substitute in Tim Krul for the penalty shootout at the 2014 World Cup.
- by Michael Statham
- Follow him on X @EredivisieMike
Hoek was a coach under Louis van Gaal in 2014. After a 0-0 draw in the quarter final against Costa Rica, goalkeeper Krul was turned to as the shootout approached.
“I started talking with Cillessen, Krul and Michel Vorm, and their own conclusion was they were not so good with penalty kicks,” Hoek said of his goalkeeping trio that travelled to Brazil.
“How can we intimate and provoke the opposing penalty taker, and how can make our chances of making the save as big as possible?’ And the conclusion was to wait and react instead of gambling. Then the World Cup comes around, Cillessen faces a penalty against Spain and Australia and gambles both times. That was the trigger for us to say he didn’t really improve, whereas Vorm and Krul actually improved in the training sessions. It was a matter of ‘Who can provoke the opponent best?’ and it was clear that it was Krul.”
Hoek went on to say: “Some people cannot provoke because it’s not in their blood, but Krul is from an area in the Netherlands where they are not afraid to do so, it’s natural. He also had an enormous reach and was always waiting and reacting. We discussed it with Louis and Danny and the conclusion was if we are to have a chance on penalties, we need to change. But if you tell this to Cillessen up front, he will not feel pleased. We didn’t tell anyone else except on the morning of the game, when I sat down with Krul and told him. I’m very happy that it worked out, but even if it didn’t, it was still the right decision at the moment.”
Hoek answers many more questions in a wide ranging interview, which you can read here:
“I Still Feel That I’m on a Mission”: Frans Hoek on Setting the Foundations for Goalkeeper Coaches
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Writer/interviewer/YouTuber for Football-Oranje. Massive Dutch football fan from the UK. Follow me @EredivisieMike & subscribe to Football-Oranje on YouTube.
