Holland's leading man

Once a controversialist, Robbie van Persie has bloomed into one of the team's most influential players.

Robin van Persie, who plays for Arsenal in the English Premier League, is starting to assume a central role in the Dutch side, in more ways than one. A winger in Euro 2008, he is set to be Holland's sole striker today.Show less

Bert van Marwijk is accustomed to having his relationships scrutinised. Managing Holland, where a trait of independent thought and a habit of producing fiercely opinionated footballers can backfire, seems a task for a diplomat. Yet a coach who recalled his son-in-law, Mark van Bommel, from international exile is unafraid of making contentious calls. His World Cup campaign can be seen as a family affair.

As significant, however, is his rapport with a former foe. The Dutch side have provided something of a Rotterdam reunion for Feyenoord's former manager and a wayward talent. Robin van Persie was demoted to the reserves, sent home from the squad and eventually sold for a cut-price fee by a manager with a reputation as a disciplinarian and an intolerance for his attacker's idiosyncrasies. Feyenoord's loss proved Arsenal's gain. Four years apart provided a welcome break, but also a change. Van Marwijk, appointed by the Dutch in 2008, said last month: "Robin has become a man, a leader. Totally different to the Robin I worked with at Feyenoord."

Once a controversialist, Van Persie could captain Arsenal next season if Cesc Fabregas joins Barcelona. The Dutch armband resides with the experienced Giovanni van Bronckhorst, but Van Persie has emerged as one of the senior figures in the side. He is starting to assume a central role, in more ways than one. A winger in Euro 2008, he is set to be Holland's sole striker today. Similarly, after playing in deeper or wider positions earlier in his Arsenal career, he has been the side's spearhead when fit this season. Van Persie has always possessed a left foot that has enabled him to score majestic goals, whether free kicks, volleys or long-range shots. Now he has acquired the presence to lead the line.

It is a role that entails natural comparisons with Marco van Basten, the greatest of all Dutch centre-forwards. Lest that be pressure enough, Arsene Wenger described Van Persie as a hybrid of Arsenal's finest strike force in November. "He is a mixture," the Arsenal manager said. "He is less of a runner than Thierry Henry and he is not completely Dennis Bergkamp because he plays higher up the pitch. He is the kind of player, with the type of game we play, who is vital because when you play the ball to his feet his first touch is always perfect and that allows others to join in. It makes everybody dangerous. In the box he is clever and intelligent."

He is, in short, creator and finisher. Few seem to appreciate the Arsenal ethos, that style matters, more than Van Persie, and it can appear a superiority complex. False modesty is not a failing, as his weekend analysis of the Dutch displayed. "We should reach the semi-finals at least," he said. "That's a must for us, especially when you look at the 23 players and the clubs they play for." Four of them have special allure. Van Persie's advice to Van Marwijk, offered recently, included the nickname given to the quartet of Arjen Robben, Rafael van der Vaart, Wesley Sneijder and himself and illustrated a preference for artists over artisans.

"If we play with the fantastic four up front, I think we have a chance," he said. "I do believe that if you have four creative players for the forward spots, you need to use them. With all respect to Dirk [Kuyt]." The 'fantastic four', a moniker given in Holland, excludes the more workmanlike and less imaginative Kuyt. For Van Persie and Holland, flair rules. His conversion has allowed them to accommodate another inventor and, as a return of 14 goals in their last four matches shows, without rendering the side less prolific. One specialist goalscorer, Klaas-Jan Huntelaar, will be on the bench; another, Ruud van Nistelrooy, is not even in the squad. Kuyt may start against Denmark today, but because of Robben's hamstring problem.

Similarities with Van Basten go beyond a shared nationality and a wondrous left foot. The Arsenal man was sidelined for five months after damaging an ankle on international duty in November. An eventual return of nine goals in 14 Premier League starts would have been more impressive had he been available more often. Wenger wondered whether Arsenal would have been champions but for his extended absence. There was a time when Van Marwijk was perfectly happy to dispense with Van Persie's services. He isn't now.

@Email:[e-mail]