Van der Sar turns down international offer

Manchester United goalkeeper Edwin van der Sar turned down a request to return to international football it was revealed by national coach Bert van Marwijk on Wednesday.

The 38-year-old goalkeeper – capped 130 times – retired from international football after The Netherlands went out of Euro 2008 but did accept to return for two World Cup qualifiers last year in which he didn’t concede a goal.

Van Marwijk faces a goalkeeping crisis ahead of the next two World Cup qualifiers against Scotland on March 28 and Macedonia on April 1.

“I called him (van der Sar),” said van Marwijk.

“I find that normal given the alarming situation regarding goalkeepers in the Netherlands.

“I was pretty sure what his answer would be, but I tried anyway.”

Van der Sar’s replacement as number one Maarten Stekelenburg recently lost his place in the Ajax first team to young hope Kenneth Vermeer while Dutch number two Henk Timmer is often injured.