“He has all the conditions to become a very good striker in the future.” PSV O19 trainer Vincent Heilmann sees a great talent in Liam van Nistelrooij. The son of former international Ruud is the striker of the highest youth team of PSV this season and came into action on Friday evening during the international youth tournament Otten Innovation Cup. The Heeschenaar dreams of a career as a professional football player. “I do everything to become a better striker.”
At the Otten Innovation Cup in Eindhoven, PSV is the host and there are seven international top teams in the age category under 19, such as Atletico Madrid and Chelsea. PSV opened the tournament on Friday evening by beating Benfica 3-1.
A striking name among the people of Eindhoven was that of Van Nistelrooij. The striker started playing football at HVCH in his hometown Heesch and from the O10 he ended up at PSV. Liam played football for several seasons under the name Slaats, the name of his mother. There is now Van Nistelrooij on his back.
Last season he was a goaltjes thief in the O17, this season he has to provide goals in the highest youth team. “Normally you go up for a year in the youth education, now the step is two years. I notice that it is quite a big step. The players are physically stronger and the ball speed goes up. In the preparation I have noticed that I am going well. I hope to make a lot of minutes so that I can develop.”
Liam describes himself as a real striker with a nose for the goal. “You can give me a good pass on, I can be found in front of the goal. My qualities are in the final phase of an attack, I am a real finisher. Of course there are improvement points. For example, I have to become more balancing and in the structure it can also be better. I work hard on my strong and less good points.”
“My mother and sister are sometimes done with it.”
At home in Huize van Nistelrooij, it is not surprisingly about football. A lot. “My mother and sister are sometimes done with it, on television there is always football on. I watch all PSV duels, but I also like to see other matches. As a striker I think at PSV Ricardo Pepi is a very good one, but one of my favorites is Karim Benzema. A hero in Madrid, the city I was born at Real Madid.”
From a basic place at PSV 1 and then Real Madrid he can only dream. For a career like his father who caused a furore at PSV, Manchester United, Real Madrid and the Dutch national team, he still has to take big steps.
“He knows what it takes to reach the top.”
“My father is very critical of me, he wants to make me better. That is not possible by just saying what I am doing well. It usually goes a bit longer about the moments where it should be better. I don’t mind, he knows what it takes to reach the top in this world.”
Innovative rules
Just like in previous years, the Otten Innovation Cup is played with innovative rules, such as this year, among other things flying points, time penalty after a yellow card, 2×20 minutes of effective playing time, self-pass and the dribbel-in instead of a throw-in.
Vincent Heilmann, trainer of PSV JO-19, calls it ‘flying changing’ the best idea. “You can really take advantage of it. If, for example, you have a very good corner or a head strong player on the couch, you can also insert it. I also think it is suitable, with that you can keep the pace in the competition. I don’t know if the rules are actually applied, maybe only in about ten years.”
