Feyenoord coach Bert van Marwijk has credited the elder statesmen in his team for the Rotterdammers' flying start to the season.
Van Marwijk takes his second-placed side to Vitesse Arnhem on Sunday confident they will have enough nous to overcome the fifth-placed hosts.
The former Borussia Dortmund boss invested heavily over the summer in experienced players such as Roy Makaay, Tim de Cler, Giovanni van Bronckhorst and Kevin Hofland.
And he believes their know-how has been behind the team's fine recent results.
"We have progressed more than I would have expected beforehand," he said.
"The team is getting better every week. Players like Van Bronckhorst, Makaay, Hofland and De Cler have a very good influence on the youngsters. They know how to make other players function better."
Van Marwijk will make a late decision on Chun-Soo Lee but is definitely without Tim Vincken, Andwele Slory, Dwight Tiendalli, Sherif Ekramy and Ron Vlaar.
Vitesse returned to winning ways after two defeats last weekend with an impressive 4-2 success at FC Utrecht.
Aad de Mos' men based their victory around a strong defensive display, a tactic he claims should be applauded.
"It is not a shame to defend. And of course we try to attack if we have the ball," he said. "We scored four times in Utrecht, that is not bad."
Mads Junker is likely to start in attack alongside Juan Lorca after a fine display in Utrecht with Harrie Gommans on the bench.
The visitors will be without the injured Santi Kolk and Cees Keizer.
De Mos insists his men go into the game as underdogs, adding: "Feyenoord are the big favourites, but we feel okay. Nothing is impossible in this competition. We will fight for it. It is a game between two teams which play the same kind of system."
05 October 2007
Hedwiges Maduro, Klaas Jan Huntelaar and Arjen Robben have returned to the Netherlands squad for the upcoming qualifiers against Romania and Slovenia.
The three players have been out of the picture in recent months. Huntelaar has not played for the national team since June, Maduro not since the 2006 FIFA World Cup finals, while a knee injury has kept Robben out of the squad since his last appearance in March.
Mario Melchiot, Robin van Persie and Wesley Sneijder are included despite being suspended for the game against Group G leaders Romania in Constanta.
The two countries are level on 20 points and are battling with Bulgaria, two points back but having played a game more, for the top two places.
Henk Timmer provides extra cover for goalkeeper Edwin van der Sar, who is doubtful with a toe injury, while Jan Vennegoor of Hesselink misses out with a hamstring injury.
Netherlands squad
Goalkeepers: Edwin van der Sar (Manchester United FC), Maarten Stekelenburg (AFC Ajax), Henk Timmer (Feyenoord).
Defenders: Khalid Boulahrouz (Sevilla FC), Wilfred Bouma (Aston Villa FC), Urby Emanuelson (AFC Ajax), John Heitinga (AFC Ajax), Kew Jaliens (AZ Alkmaar), Joris Mathijsen (Hamburger SV), Mario Melchiot (Wigan Athletic FC), Andre Ooijer (Blackburn Rovers FC).
Midfielders: Giovanni van Bronckhorst (Feyenoord), Nigel de Jong (Hamburger SV), Hedwiges Maduro (AFC Ajax), Clarence Seedorf (AC Milan), Wesley Sneijder (Real Madrid CF), Rafael van der Vaart (Hamburger SV), Demy de Zeeuw (AZ Alkmaar).
Forwards: Ryan Babel (Liverpool FC), Klaas-Jan Huntelaar (AFC Ajax), Dirk Kuyt (Liverpool FC), Ruud van Nistelrooy (Real Madrid CF), Robin van Persie (Arsenal FC), Arjen Robben (Real Madrid CF).
04 October 2007
Feyenoord midfielder Andwele Slory has put pen to paper on a new contract that will keep him at the club until June 2010.
Feyenoord also have the option to extend the contract for another year, and the club's technical director Peter Bosz was delighted to conclude the deal.
He told the club's official website: "The original contract was for two years. That's very short in the football world. Andwele is a typical winger and there aren't many of those in Holland or internationally. That's why we took this decision. He deserves it too."
Slory joined Feyenoord from Excelsior over the summer and admitted his delight at securing an extension so quickly.
He said: "It feels like real support. I am glad that I could immediately adjust to the level and that people are satisfied with me. It has all gone very fast lately. When Feyenoord offers you a contract, you don't hesitate for a second. We had a swift agreement and I am very happy with that."
