Dirk Kuyt - The epitome of the term "working your socks off"

Dirk Kuyt – The tireless worker

He hasn’t got the fastest feet in the world, he is not the finest passer of the ball in the world, he was never the fastest player on the pitch, and neither did he have a huge price tag attached to his name. Ever wondered why this Dutch striker is an all time favorite among the Anfield faithful?

Dirk Kuyt signed for Liverpool in 2006, well knowing the fact that Anfield has seen its fair share of world class strikers like Ian Rush and Robbie Fowler sporting their colours. The Spaghetti haired striker however had one Dutch Player of the year award under his belt and was the top scorer of the Eredivisie in the 2004-05 season.

Unsurprisingly Kuyt immediately made quite an impact in his first season at Liverpool in terms of goals including the consolation goal for Liverpool against Milan in the Champion’s League final at Athens. The next season his goal scoring form dipped but the former Feynoord striker continued to find a spot in Rafael Benitez’s starting lineup. Now how did he manage to do that?

“The educated football fans” at Liverpool fans, just as the then Liverpool manager Rafa Benitez, saw in Kuyt his extraordinary dedication and work rate. Benitez moved to Kuyt to the right midfield flank. The Spaniard was no stranger to criticism and received a lot following this move of his. But eventually it did pay off.

One might argue and come up with several names of such players as Kuyt. But the ability to use hard work as a key to retain your position in the squad was what made Kuyt special. The position of striker is somewhere you don’t want to be when you are having a 13 game goal drought. Dirk Kuyt went 3 months without a goal and came up with the winner at Manchester City in 2008.

Dirk Kuyt left for Turkish side Fenerbahçe in 2012, to the disappointment of many Liverpudlians . Kuyt played an important role in Fenerbahçe’s Turkish Cup Victory and made himself at home. He has a goal tally of 16 goals with Fenerbahçe (as on 1-3-2-014).With a game style such as that of Kuyt’s it is hard to fall out of place in any team. There are very few sights in the game which are better to watch than that of a player working hard, running the length of the pitch and winning you games.

Kuyt is a regular member of his National team as well. He has represented the Netherlands in the two World Cups and two Euro cups. He was a part of the famous runner-up ‘Oranje’ team at the 2010 World Cup.

From the very first minute of the game to the last Dirk Kuyt can be seen doing the same thing with the same vigor, whether he is half away down his own half or on the wing contesting for the ball or making daring runs forward into the opposition area. His game style earned him the nickname “The Duracell Bunny” with reference to a character from a battery commercial, who “keeps on running”.

So where are those players who can put their body in line to go into a 50-50 challenge, who can endlessly work for 90 minutes playing their socks off? Is that something we really look for in players? Aren’t we all ignoring the commitment level of players? These questions might be worth thinking for a minute. Dirk Kuyt is just one such player with an exceptional work rate and is now 33. Until he hangs his boots he will continue to represent (at least in my mind) the few players with this rare quality.

These players may not be as fascinating to watch as a Cristiano Ronaldo or a Neymar, with their whole armory of tricks and skills equipped with speed, but such players work behind the scenes and can win you games! Playing one’s socks off isn’t a talent or a gifted ability; it is a matter of willingness and dedication. And yes, it is on the verge of extinction.