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'I would show my frustration… with a bad tackle!'

Dennis Bergkamp
Dennis Bergkamp

Dennis Bergkamp always expected the very best from himself and his team-mates during his time with us.

Speaking exclusively to our In Lockdown podcast, our former Netherlands international explained how he would punish players who fell short of his high standards.

 

"I couldn't stand [players who weren't motivated]," Bergkamp said. "It was so difficult for me to understand that people could play like that, be like that on the pitch.

 

 

"It's great that you can play football for a lot of money, you can play in full stadiums and everything is arranged for you. How can you not enjoy that? How can you just come to a training session giving 60 per cent or 70 per cent - I could not understand if players weren't motivated. 

 

"To be fair that's been a part of me from the start of my career. I always found it very difficult if players wouldn't give 100 per cent. 

For example, if they were doing other things off the pitch or they had a big mouth or they were doing things that weren't right in my mind then in training sessions I would take that with me. 

 

"There's been some bad tackles from me or some fouls, that was my way of showing it. That was my way… I wasn't the guy who would shout at people and say, 'What are you doing?' I would show my frustration in training."

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