Danny Blind focusing on life beyond Euro 2016

blog WC2018
by Jan

We’ll look at the Euros a bit. But first this: Henk Fraser to coach Vitesse. Zjelko Petrovic to coach ADO Den Haag.

And Tonny Vilhena said no to offers from Italy (Inter), Greece, Turkey, Spain and England to stay two more years at Feyenoord! Yay!

Which probably means he’ll go next summer for a limited fee, but at least Feyenoord will get some money + one more season of his game.

Vilhena

While Albania, Slovenia, Wales and Iceland dazzle Europe, while Belgium feels the pressure and Italy surprises, while Zlatan will exit the Euros sans glory and Germany, Spain or France will snatch the title….our focus is on life beyond the Euros.

And this is the cool thing… Now, every Dutch fan will feel frustrated on a daily basis not being part of this tournament. But in three weeks time, this Euros is history and Holland will be able to start sharp and solid with the WC2018 preparation.

Forget about Bert van Oostveen’s 2026 plan. It’s a disgrace. Let’s just get to the WC2018 and like Van Marwijk and Van Gaal before, let’s just play our way into the top 4. Why not?

breuk

Brows are frowned in Holland with the appointment of Hans van Breukelen as the KNVB’s new technical director (and boss of Danny Blind, San Marco and Dickie). The man does communicate well, presents well and was a popular keeper… But that’s all one can say about him. Goalies traditionally are not too successful as coaches (Dino Zoff is the only one that comes to mind for me) and De Breuk has not had any significant accomplishments in football since he retired. Sure, he helped FC Utrecht and PSV in non executive board roles but what exactly did he do?

Blind and Co. couldn’t care less I’m sure.

For me the focus should be on the following 7 items:

1. Set the goal for 2018

Van Marwijk and Van Gaal made it clear to the players once they started their WC campaigns: We are going to the World Cup! So goal 1: qualification. And when we are at the World Cup, we will go for gold. Goal 2: try and win it.

bert beker

Blind needs to clearly articulate what this means for the players, in terms of conduct and focus. For instance: nutritional plans, updates on fitness levels and programs (in conjunction with clubs)… but also…the rules. If you don’t play for your club, forget about being selected. Codes of conduct are part of this as well. If you’re part of the squad, you will talk to the press and represent your nation. No mobile phones in the dressing rooms and no Xboxes in the rooms, only PS4s. Van Marwijk said in his first speech to the squad: I want to win the World Cup! Blind will need to make his ambitions clear and maybe come up with a slogan. “The March to Moscow” or something….

2. Use the negatives!

The fact that we are not at the Euros is currently viewed as a terrible thing. But, in true Johan Cruyff style: Every disadvantage has an advantage. Take Sweden. They’ll go home soon, pretty deflated I’m sure. Zlatan will say his goodbyes as will many other players from the squad, including their coach. They’ll have one week to prepare for the Holland game. New coach, new players, maybe some Euro hangover. We need to use this to our advantage. So that in September, after the game, everyone will say: “Wow, a good thing we didn’t go to the Euros!”

oranje team

3. No more world class players? How about a team?

World class players don’t win you the trophies. Look at C Ronaldo. Lionel Messi. Gareth Bale. Arjen Robben. None of these lads have won a Euros or a World Cup. But in terms of quality, they could have. But they didn’t… In 2004, a mediocre Greece did. In 1996, a mediocre Germany did. Leicester won the EPL. Atletico has done alright in the last years. What is the common denominator? Yes… TEAM!

???????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????

Spain has used the core of the Barcelona team to good effect. Germany falls back on Bayern and Dortmund. In Holland, PSV is the most solid team, with players like Bruma, Zoet, Van Ginkel, Willems and Propper. Add Wijnaldum, Memphis, Daley Blind, Janssen and some others and we might be able to use PSV’s core as the foundation for Oranje. Should Robben and Sneijder show up next season, great! The ingredients are there. Use the communication and automatisms that are developed at PSV and bring some additional talent and intelligence from afore mentioned players and we could be well on our way.

PSV team

4. Solid defence

One key element that stuck out in our Euro qualification games was the fact that we conceded first. In most games, we needed to fight ourselves back into it. Meaning we got more and more exposed at the back. Under Van Marwijk, we were solid (mainly due to two holding mids). Whatever system Blind wants to use, the focus should be on a solid defence. With players like Janmaat and Willems, Van Aanholt or Veltman being considered for full back spots, this means we need a cracking holding mid to shield the defence. Strootman seems to be the logical choice, although I really like to see him as the box to box man, personally… Clasie might be the man? Or will Fosu Mensah be ready for this already? Probably not, but he will definitely get himself on the radar in the coming years…

Jaap+Stam

5. A new hierarchy

For years, Van Bommel, De Jong, Van Persie, Sneijder, Van der Vaart, Van der Sar and Robben were the core players of Oranje. Of those, only Sneijder and Robben seem to have clout and respect in the current squad. Van Persie will need to regain this if he ever comes back. The way Blind used Huntelaar says enough to him as well, I’m sure. We need a new hierarchy. Whatever Sneijder and Robben can add, is a bonus. We need players to step up and assume this role. Danny Blind can’t just appoint them. That is not how it works… Of the new crew, Strootman surely has “it”. I don’t see any of our goalies at this stage as leaders, but Tim Krul comes close. Virgil van Dijk and Ron Vlaar as defenders, for sure. Clasie had it at Feyenoord, but at Southampton I don’t see it as yet. Van Ginkel, Fer, Wijnaldum, Klaassen, Propper… all devoid of that charisma. Maybe Bazoer? Very early days… Luuk de Jong has it at PSV, but too lightweight for Oranje. Vincent Janssen might have it. Daley Blind is developing nicely, but Wijnaldum isn’t so much.

leaders

6. The Manifest

Louis van Gaal loves discipline. He introduced a strict regime and Sneijder felt it most. He pushed the player to total commitment and Sneijder did well for us in Brazil. Hiddink used it to great success in 1998, after the Euro England drama. But this time around, Hiddink allowed things to loosen up. Danny Blind claims to want to get back to a more rigid approach, which works well with a man like Advocaat in the staff. Using younger players, it will be more easy for Blind to use his authority. A player like Memphis might want to watch his steps.

7. Technical Staff

With young Van Nistelrooy making way for old hand Advocaat, it seems the staff is stacked nicely. San Marco for the details. Dick for the mental aspect and Blind for tactics. These three games / 10 days in Portugal will have set the foundation for Oranje New Style.

dick dan

We will need to live through these next weeks to shake off the hangover of this Euros.

Then, after July 7, it’s a clean sheet for everyone.

And we will support our Oranje Lions on their next journey!

 

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108 comments

  1. Thanks Jan…….
    Bert van marwijk era was the most conservative period of dutch..its ture there was not many talents to be tested at that time..but still he made some horrendous decisons.
    He never caree about the future, even in friendlies he was playing with senior players…when Giovani left he had no one…He always kept Vaart and Hunter on bench.while RVP was underperforming with out a connectivity with kuyt-sneijder–Roben…2010 Roben+snijder+good defender carried him to final than his tactics…2012 he got humiliated for his mistakes for not grooming a LB,not playing Hunter,vaart.and strootman.
    LVG was just outstanding in 2014WC.that was awesome.if Mascherano didnt tored his A@@SS we would have been in final..He played to players strentgh for goals he relyed on RVP,Roben and sneijder….it was awesome and faultless Wc for WC..just a bad and certain injury cost us that Wc.he got almost 21/22 players right selection.
    Like that if Blind selects the right players, i think thats the basics of building a team..he can go far..From there onward he can teach,tactics,personality,spirit,mentality.etc etc

  3. Interesting to visit the blog – my blog! – after a spell and see so many negative posts…

    I have always said I would not want to ban anyone (unless they are truly hurtful to people) but it does seem to get to that point.

    What really scares me in this whole debate with Tiju is his lack of self doubt.

    If the whole football world reveres a player, say Kuyt, I cannot understand that anyone would be so thick to come into a blog of supporters and keep on assassinating the character of a Dutch player.

    Kuyt is a hero in Katwijk, Utrecht, Rotterdam, Liverpool and most likely Istanbul. Among his fans are Van Marwijk, Van Gaal, Gullit, Benitez, Van Basten, Hiddink. He was considered key for Liverpool by Steve Gerrard…

    I can not understand how someone then can have the audacity to repeatedly criticise him and think that is cool.

    Ibi Afellay has always been a tremendous Dutch talent. Barcelona signed him. I think that means something. Then he got two horrendous injuries. And never made it to that level. That is the story of Afellay. Mark Hughes thinks the world of him. Heard of Mark Hughes? Do you think he gets it?

    Many players make moves to clubs where they fail. For different reasons. Soldado > Spurs. Bergkamp > Inter. Van der Jar > Juve. Maher > PSV. Di Maria > Man U, De Bruyne > Chelsea. The list goes on and on and on… If you understand the dynamics of team sports and culture, you know that this can happen.

    We like people here to have some insights into football and some analytical skills. Not just venom. We like people here to inspire and to encourage.

    Not bang their ego drum all the time.

    I think it is time for some measures here….

    1. Jan seriously what you have mentioned above has been discussed here in details so many time. Its jus that Tiju is more skeptical about what is happening now and not what can happen in future. This goes to say if you go and dig out his old posts which of course will be waste of time and effort,you can easily ascertin how narrow his processing span is and his susceptible to see things from different perspective which jus shows he is jus a one dimensional thinker.

      You have tried so many times to rationalize the logic behind some of the crap he has being going for years but still he comes up with more and more crap.

      It makes more sense ridiculing him rather keeping up to his daily farting here on this blog.

      1. Its kind of understandable from where you are coming from,but in Tiju case,you can always expect it to cross the line at some point in time coz no matter what you say or do,the mentality ain’t gonna change simple as that.

      2. Wilson why dont you just mind ur own business???you have insulted Danny blind,Daley blind,LVG many times as i did for some players..So what is ur logical thinking…
        So far u put some ideas those are
        1–Chelsea has excellent academy which helped Bruma and Annholt,ake to develop in to world class players…
        2-Daley blind is pice of shit…
        3-Father Blind is idiot…
        4-Buttner is better than any one and he is class above others.
        5-De roon,Vormer are excellent players dropped by only stupid blind..
        6-Vrigil van dijk must cut his hair to increase his running speed..
        What else u brought in this blog?????????????Wilson…So why dont you just mind ur business crap??

          2. okay willson tell me ur reasons??
            1-Chelsea is grave yard for new players
            2-Daley is one of the top performer for MAnu.and NT.
            3-Danny is not and idiot as he doesnt make repeated es like Bert/ur hiddinkski did.
            4-Buttner will be signed by Real madrid or barca..
            5-De roon and vormer will be signed by mancity,PSG and Manu.
            6-Virgil cut his hair ,now he has more speed….is that the sucessful reasons u r putting forward.???
            what ever u advocated for is just opposite to reality.
            i mean REALITY and result.

  4. FYI……i put up line ups to test some players as i knew here every one here are on fantasy world.So i alos put many fantasy line ups…
    Some fantasied good about kuyt,and thought we have better team with Depay,kuyt,Afellay,Weil BMI etc….I dont agree with that and i will never agree that on this matter.Coz we have not acheived with anything even with exceptional talents like RVP,Roben,Vaart,Sneijder,Dejong,RVN,EDVS etc.
    then if you ask me whether i like kuyt or not..Answer is YES as he is very hardworker..
    If u ask me whether i would like seem him in dutch NT over RVN,Vaart,Hunter,RVP..my anwser is big emphatic NO….
    But unfortunately every dutch coach did do the opposite and now spain has 3 cups,italy 1…that really pissed me off..
    if he plays in any defensive position i am really okay with him in NT…
    But i dont like players with bad attitude Like Depay,Afellay..
    Eg-1–I am coming from Barca u r just PSV…..that really pisses me off …….who is this Afellay??
    Eg-2—do big guys play for fenerbache????Depay to RVP…who is is this Depay???i will ask him to watch RVP goals vs Ivorycoast in 2006…
    this is how it works with me….
    Some real racist guys wanted me to turn to villian on this blog…
    What wonders me is that when all is going wrong people are still living in fantasy..they think they are pundits.So be it….When reality comes you will understand who is wrong and who is right..

      1. DEar Goldstone….i remmber it very well i follow orange,MAnu,Ajax,PSV only ..i mean focused even the players i dont like also i watch them close….Then y r u bringing the result which i barely know about their psychology and team tactics about their players???i just participated for fun..so that is irrelavant..Just focus only on Orange..

        1. Forgive the correction, Tiju, but you keep telling us all to “mark your words.”

          You’re wrong more often than right, like the rest of us. We’re not prophets. And if you want to be treated like a prophet, then you’d better have the track record to show for it. You don’t.

          Taunts like this — “When reality comes you will understand who is wrong and who is right..” — are worse than nonsense because you’re so often wrong.

          1. why are bringing irrelavant things? which i dont understand..Debate/argument was on certain layers of orange and coaching staff..there was never an rgument about other teams..So y bringing in to just for the sake of data.I dont know hwo is playing for Albania,Switserland,Iceland etc..if u ask German + england yes i knowi am not prophet ..but i can see through certain players how they will end up i can predict…keep it only for orange…

  5. I understand the mixed feelings among those who comment on this site towards some of the more negative commentators (which probably includes me), but I also feel that thoughtful debate and competing viewpoints are helpful and should be encouraged. That said, personal attacks, profanity and other provocation will never serve to advance the discussion.

    Tiju’s viewpoints (while occasionally incoherent) are interesting to me. He has expressed a recurring dislike for Kuyt and Afellay / Memphis for opposite reasons. According to Tiju, Kuyt is hardworking and team-oriented but talentless, whereas Afellay and Memphis are immensely talented but selfish and individualistic.

    It seems to me that Tiju’s ideal Dutch player would be Dirk Depay — a combination of the better aspects of each of the players he caricatures.

    Obviously no player is ever as good or bad as we pretend them to be. We oscillate between extremes and every player is judged only by their most recent performances — look at the complete reversal of public opinion about LeBron James and Steph Curry in basketball.

    My primary concern with Dutch football is not about a difference of opinion as to the current Dutch players or what line-ups we should try, but instead about the direction of our play in general, and our seeming inability, for whatever reason, to continue to develop the type of creative attacking players that have historically defined us as a footballing nation.

  7. Hi guys, I haven’t watched football games for a while but yesterday and today I was able to watch some highlights on ESPN so I want to share my deep analysis with you.

    First, Spain has become headless chicken. The main mistake was that Spain underestimate Modric, even though he was not playing, he told the Croatia goalkeeper exactly where Ramos will hit its penalty.

    Second, Ronaldo scored a brace to rescue Portugal. He was supposed to fail because he is a body builder but for some reason, he scored. Rumors say that he gained his power through his bad attitude after he throwed reporter’s microphone into the lake.

    Last, Italy also became headless chicken after losing to Republic of Ireland. It is said that Conte listened to some random Internet troll and drop many players from his first team because the troll said that “if you drop all the players I mentioned, you will win the Euro”. Conte received the loss right after he did that. The troll then advice Conte to drop all his second team also and call up replacement to play next round. Italian Football Federation is trying to convince Conte not to do that because it is against the rule of the tournament. Conte told IFA to deal with the troll directly since he is gonna giving up under the pressure of getting messages every single minute about who to drop.

  8. I was glad to see spain tikifuka failing….they will be sent home soon by brilliant and efficient italy….
    Italy just had a relaxation game ve ireland as they already qualified ,while ireland had to win…Conte i liked him unlike bert vanmarwijk even in a compettive match he gave chance to other players like LVG did in 2012-2014…like LVG lost to belgium 4-2…its just begining of a beautiful run….its all Germany VS france VS italy….
    Ronaldo is 185 CM and still weight at 80 kg.unlike some real bodybuilders who weighs 1.75 CM and 85kg..with huge upperbody and heavy legs…Ronaldo has usual legs of 185 cm guy may be thinner and faster than many thought…its thinner than a short marc overmars,and robert carlos whom both were natural big thighs..unlike new puppets develop in gym thighs…After all CR7 is scoring and he is world class proven player..

    1. Spain will soon be sent home by brilliant and efficient Italy?

      There you go again, Tiju. It’s a relief to know you only predict Oranje. Thanks for clearing that up.

      1. i watched their matches…its based on that…on this particular case…also am not a spanish fan or italy,infact i dont like both teams..this is the first time am goin to suport italy in my life time as i dont want to see any more tikifkka arrogance….by Ineasta etc…

  10. 1- Zoet
    2- Bruma
    3- De Vrij
    4- Van Dijk
    5- Willems
    6- Strootman
    7- Depay
    8- Bazoer
    9- Janssen
    10- Sneijder (Wijnaldum and Klaassen will compete for this role and need to speed up their development)
    11- Robben

    With this squad we should be fine for the qualifiers and can blend young guns with the experienced lads left and Oranje will reborn…there is talent there with Janmaat, Tete, Van Aanholt, Clasie, Propper, Berghuis, Promes, Dost, Luuk de Jong…Van Persie and Huntelaar can be axed from now on and only returning if they return to their best, something I highly doubt it.

    Oranje has future and in 2018 and specially in 2020-2022 we will have a very very strong squad. And Oranje´s players are hungry to show the world that they had an accident but that Dutch football can reinvent itself relying in Michel´s-Cruyff´s principles.

    Hup Holland…by the way, can we ban Tiju for good?

    By the way 2, what a mediocre European Championship we have seen. Not because of Oranje´s absence but the level has been very average.

  11. I didn´t mention many more talents because we have them but they need to show it when it matters.

    And the eleven I listed is the players I rate higher now if they are in their best form. For example, if Depay plays at his best, he should start, if not Promes. And guys like Daley Blind have to regain their spot because I see better left backs, central defenders and holding midfielders at the moment. With the emerging Van Dijk, a returning De Vrij, an excellent Willems and the new combo of holding mids of Bazoer and Strootman´s recovery, I think that if Daley Blind is because of politics or because his father really wants him to be succesful. But right not Danny Blind should focus on getting results, not promoting his son, who by the way, already earns a lot of money.

    The Dutch National Team will never mealt down, it can have bad spells but I am sure the Euro failure will produce structural changes not only in the National Team but in the KNVB, the Eredivisie, youth development and so on.

    Johan Cruyff is watching from heaven or wherever your religions tell you. I also believe that Danny Blind with his new assistant Advocaat can leave a strong platform for the coach I see for the future of Oranje: Ronald Koeman, with him Oranje will win a trophy, mark my words. With his goal he gave Barcelona his firts Champions League and when he becomes coach of Oranje he will make Oranje champion of an Euro or World Cup.

    Regardless of that, I wish Danny Blind all the success in the world and in the last games the team improved quite a lot with some notable absences (De Vrij, Robben, Sneijder, Klaassen, and the poor form of Memphis).

    We have a new team and I am also positive in seeing many young Dutch ex internationals involved in managing and coaching in the Netherlands. Results will return, with or without Danny Blind.

    Oranje is much more than Belgium, Poland, Island and all those countries that will all merit, deserve to be in the Euro and where they are now. But all those countries together and many more do not have all the knowledge and a philosophy of football like in the Netherlands has been deployed and copied in clubs such as Barcelona with the help of many Dutch influencers.

    I have heard many stupid commentators say that now that Holland is out of the Euro is almost the decline and end of the Dutch total Voetbal. And they said the same after Cruyyf´s and Van Hanagems generation and then came the Gullit´s, Rijkaard´s, Koeman´s and Van Basten´s era, after that the some negative shit and we had Bergkamp, Kluivert, Davids, Van der Sar, Overmars and then when many thought the drought will start some guys like Robben, Van der Vaart, Van Persie and Sneijder ruled…these guys are almost gone but for sure some newcomers will make us proud of the Oranje again. I am betting my cards in guys like Zoet, Van Dijk, Willems, Strootman, Bazoer, Depay, Janssen and between Wijnaldum-Klaassen a new playmaker can emerge…and who knows, maybe there are more stars in the making like Justin Kluivert or guys that are 16-17 years old or less that will become our new heros.

    Holland will shut many mouths in the next years. Mark my words. The process starts with Danny Blind and then hopefully Ronal Koeman will take the reigns. Making their steps are Frank de Boer and Philip Cocu.

    We will have Oranje for many years to come. It is not about Van Oostven and his stupidity, it is about a philosophy that was designed in Holland and whoever is in charge the country and the blood of the players do not forget it. Sure, many things and decisions have been wrong, but Holland football has reinvented many times and this time will no be an exception.

    Perhaps Russia or Qatar are the destinations where this exciting football nation will reclaim what it deserves more than many world champs: lifting the FIFA World Cup. A tournament that has evaded Holland of gold but that has never left anyone unnoticed of the talents of the players wearing orange.

    My passion for Holland will continue and I could care less who wins this Euro. I will match some games because I love football but something tells me that in a few years we will be singing a lot, because Holland will be World Champs soon!

  12. I goy inspired visualizing that. Anyway, ban Tiju my dear friend Jan….we can see one comment and then he comes with ten more and all conversations are in a very low level. He should be banned and express his opinions in other forum.

    I liked him but in the last months / years he only says crap. He is not an Oranje fan and if he is, he is very wrong in his views. For me, he can sit in his living room watching Holland wanting them to lose to share his shit here.

    As a true fan of Oranje and Dutch Football, I ask for his axing / blocking of this blog.

    Good night from the Peninsula of Yucatan, Mexico and again: HUP HOLLAND!!!!

    1. @Mario Rosado…
      How did u conclude that i am not an orange fan???how did just i said some crap about some crap players??just coz of that…
      All these years i did say very few things
      those are
      Select right mix of players..
      Never play kuyt when u have RVN,Vaart,Hunter on bench in forward line.
      Drop Afellay,Weil,BMI,Depay
      when gets old and dip in form drop certain regular players this depnd on form …like RVP,Hunter,now etc
      now..
      I know still u r running arround Depay whom u sees as next mesiah which is a dellusion IMO..

      1. FYI…….You how outside other nationalities becomes fan of orange????any Idea???
        People became fan of orange due to the excellent players like Cryuff,neeskens,Gullit,MVB,Bergkamp,Roben,RVP etc etc….
        Its hard to get a new fan when you play Afellay,Depay,Weil,BMI etc on team ..infact people will start hating orange…you will not get a new fan…Most of the manu fans doesnt like Depay…he was a real flop in their history..in last 2 years Manu lost his some fans also true fans lost their hope but still supports..So what are you talkng about,,We really cannnt count on Roben and Sneijder both are 32..Injuries are really recurrent at this age…So if they are fit we are lucky..it should be counted as bonus..Not a guarentee..
        Danny Blind has enough enough proved we are better WINNING TEAM with out
        Affellay,Depay(both crap),RVP,Hunter(both aged).Weil,BMI(Weaklinks in defense)…
        YES we are better with out them
        THATS A FACT..

  16. Janssen——-Luuk Dejong
    Roben———Locadia
    Williams——Ramseelar
    Sneijder——Propper
    Bazoer——–Daley Blind
    Strootman—–Hendrix
    Mensah——–Annholt
    De vrij——-Kongolo
    Bruma———Virgil
    Kevin diks—-Tete
    Timkrul——-Zoet
    ====================================================
    Williams——Janssen——–Roben
    ————-Sneijder————
    —–Bazoer———–Strootman—
    Mensah———————-Kevin diks
    ———–De vrij—Bruma———–
    —————krul—————————
    ================================================
    Locadia——–Luuk———-Ramseelar
    ———–Propper—————–
    ——-Blind——-Hendrix————
    Annholt————————Tete
    ———Kongolo—Virgil———-
    ————–Zoet————————

  18. I’ve been watching some games of Euro 2016. It’s been a tournament where you can see some underdogs like Wales, Ireland, Iceland qualify.

    All those teams don’t have players with the skills Oranje’s players have but they are showing more fighting spirit.

    As Jan said we need to play more as a team. Leicester and Atletico de Madrid have been successfull because they play with balls, they help each other and that’s something we are lacking.

    Blind also has to focus on mentality. Our players are young and with the wrong approach they will be insecure but Blind and Advocaat need to work on making them mentally stronger.

  19. Tiju you should stop with all that negativity. When someone mentions your name you respond with a very negative answer.

    Stop with the Depay, Blind, Afellay are idiots.

    If your memory is wrong Depay scored against Australia and Chile in 2014. He is not going through a good period but he can come back.

    Afellay had nasty injuries but he is talented.

    Blind has done fantastically with Man U.

    Now I do believe they don’t deserve to be in the starting XI but I don’t say Depay is shit, Blind is shit and Afellay is shit because I have seen what they are capable of and I give them the benefit of the doubt.

    We are all Oranje fans and want you to act as one. I would never say I want Holland to lose so Blind gets sacked that’s something that if you’d say in Holland in a bar you’d get your ass kicked. And if you say negative things like that in a blog then everybody will hate you.

    So change your negative comments to positive comments and we will all get alot just well.

  20. Looks like it all starting to fall apart at Southampton with the departure of Koeman. Tottenham have completed the signing of Wanayama,while Lazio are on the verge off signing Pelle. Kind of hard to call how they will handle with these deptaures and under a new coach. Pretty much clasie will really have to work hard now,especially on fitness.I doubt he will get the same opportunity under the new coach as under koeman as he was slowly molding him with what ever he had in the tank.

  22. http://www.squawka.com/news/watch-memphis-depay-hits-the-gym-ahead-of-new-season-at-manchester-united-under-jose-mourinho/707463?
    Keep it up Depay…u can compete in WWE…
    Recently i saw Fosu mensah also doing in gym ..i wonder which idiotic physotherpist is hsowing guidelines to spoil these players…
    I am on research how much muscle George best and Cryuff required to dribble past opponent..who is teaching this stupidity to spoil natural abilities of the young players?

      1. Work out????Dumb bell??are they playing handball u fool????idiot dirt smelly farter…
        Idiot before u call other fool go and check how much muscle Roben and Messi has….Go and support ur chelsea academy and go be a barber for Virgil vandijk..

        1. Treadmills,weights,stomach crunches,is that bodybuilding??? You jus suck to another level.go and see a physotherpisthe will explain it better to you

          1. treadmills i have got no problem with it…
            weights ??? for what to imbalance upperbody balance??
            Stomach crunches is partially okay …
            Nowadays going to gym and building body is becomeing trend in football who ever does this stupidity looses their natural ability..the money grabing Physiotherapists and physical trainers doesnt have any other idea other than this stpudi gym training..

  23. It’s a shame Koeman won’t be training Van Dijk and Clasie but let’s hope he signs some Dutch players for Everton. I read he was interested in Wijnaldum that’d be great.

  25. That Croatia – Portugal game epitomized this year’s Euros philosophy of “Will play only when forced to”.

    Maybe they should begin knock-out games giving the higher scoring team up to that point a 1-0 lead to start the game.

    I’m sort of glad that we’re not a part of this right now…

      1. Jus in case you have forgotten Chelsea has the buy out clause in his contract when he moved to PSV and it might all come down to Chelsea, him and wolfburg who look set to sign him.

        1. buy out clause is business deal,like every corporate does ,i mean wicked unhuman deal..chelsea stole 3.6 m from PSV for nothing…from his sale…Bruma showed his A@@SS to chelsea..

    2. This is really good move, but unfortunately he will not be play even in Europa league next season due to his new club’s poor performance last season. 🙂

  27. I’ve watched about 95% of all games in every major tournament since 1990, and this euro is by far the worst of them all. I’m convinced it’s this stupid 24 teams format and third place nonsense, and remember hearing the same comment when they introduced that format in 1990. Now that Croatia is gone (not that they played attractively in their last game), we have one half of the draw where I’d happily see all teams eliminated at once.

    Speaking of last night, they should introduce a rule for stopping after 90 minutes when there is such a 0-0 draw, and force the teams to play again the next day, as they used to in the 1930’s 😉

  28. “”””Do you know what circuit work out is?””””””””.
    whether i know it or not doesnt matter at all..What is the use it bulks the players then they loose their natural footballing ability.??
    Older generations,bergkamps,stam,deboer Goerge best,cryuff none did this stupidity..
    now clubs hires lots of physical tariners and they are basicall job less as they encourage players to do this stupidity..
    i have seen Fosu mensah is doing it..i am more worried about fosu as we need him than Depay..
    in cricket there was stupid traditional thing that fast bowlers will do it like spell of 12 overs by same 2 opening bowlers…that was a stupid following of tradition..now even spinners starts the first over depening on batsmen weakness and pitch condition…

    1. Oi loose head,circuit workout programs is for stamina building and not body building. This is why I say you even don’t know what you are writing.you are jus proving what Aanvallen wrote about you in the previous blog.
      No club will be stupid to incorporate a body building program in a off season progam.its Jus you and your dump brain which after seeing the picture is illusionating about WWE and body building. I’m sure he is working out on his fitness and trying to stay put.if he gets sold or stays back its another story.

      1. @wilson if you like Annfoolens Butt just go ahead…u r SO BLIND TO SEE THE facts..So blind..am not surprised about it too as you support Buttner,vormer and u call them as world class players…
        clubs do not hire physio for bodybuilding,clubs thinks that their expertise will make players better..thats the expectation of an employer..
        In reality they helps the players to bulk up hence loose their natural footballing ability…
        instead of hiring these stupid job less physical trainers they should hire gymnastics coachs or athletic trainers who improves Agility and speed.
        Especially these English clubs….
        i will tell you clubs with good physios
        Barca
        Ajax
        dortumund
        Bayern …..etc…

        1. Quote pliz.dont open your hole without facts. Where did I say they were WOrld class.Its all about what they can bring to the game. Don’t think apart from robben there is any body who is world class in the current NT. I always rate players based on their performance irrespective of where they play.unless you give them chances you cannot jus write them off. You look at Janssen,do you think he would have got a chance if RVP,Huntelaar or Dost would have been in form. No.its all about timing and opportunity. You look at Willem’s and klaassen.they have played so many games for NT,what have they proved. With Big teams they are average at best.they will always stumble on the blocks if this culture continues.if a team like Italy can select a player like Emanuele Giaccherini who was flop at Sunderland and is on loan at Genoa,I can’t see why Buttner,Vormer,Chery can not be selected.

          1. if u say Buttner has something,i would say yes he has some thing…but like Drenthe some bad moves and poor coaches finished anything left in him.i mean buttner.
            But i dont see anything special with Vormer,Cherry etc…
            Danny blind and LVG has give chances to many players..Especially LVG who started his first game with plethora of changes VS belgium.
            while Danny just played the hiddink players in first maches only Virgil is called/Played..so Danny sucked..But he changed after that…now we dont even play with sneijder and Roben..even with out them we beat Poland,Austria etc…
            that would have been impossible had he continued with RVP,Hunter,Afellay,Depay with BMI,Weil ….
            except Hendrix and Ake every one got chance under Blind..hope he continues with same players with only Roben as bonus point if fit..

  29. no need to play second game…they should make one team winner who had at least hit the bar and had more shots on target…this will restrict defensive game..

  30. Unexpected U turn,as PSG has offered with a 2 year extension for Van Der Weil with the new incoming coach Unai Emery wanting the player to remain while the out going coach Laurent Blanc did not.

    As posted earlier,Weil is undergoing medical at Fenerbahce
    and it up to him now where he wants to play.

    Also Swansea has completed the signing of Mike Van der Hoon.

  32. Germany looks much more dangerous when they can threaten you with crosses as well as through balls. They seem to have recognized that there is still value in using a true striker.

    France, on the other hand, seems vastly improved when they play through Griezmann and use Giroud as a set up man.

    If those two make the semis and actually attack each other, that could be a very entertaining game.

    All in all though, I’d love to see someone from the other side of the bracket win it all…

    1. Sad part is they are the best teams of this euro and will meet before final…Hope either one wins it…Germany doesnt play with headless chikens and dribble masters upfront…
      Griemaan–Giroud—-Martial with payet thats deadly attack
      Draxler–Gomez–Muller with Kruz that deadly too…Germans are more brilliant i think,less dribbles but acurate passes and positioing that makes their team more potent…
      italy is not bad either..

      1. i am just imaging our EX line up..
        Depay—–OLd static RVP—-Narsingh they are no match for these kind of team…Depay would be busy with dribbles and finally ends up in loosing the possion with very ppoor work rate and no movements off the ball..
        RVP will have ideas and technique but u know ur body doesnt repond to ur mind after some age…
        Narsingh will be clueless as usual but will be helping defense..

  33. It looks like the cream is rising to the top in the Euro’s, another two big games tonight with Italy V Spain and England V Iceland, can Iceland become the Leicester of the Euro’s?
    I think Germany will loft the trophy, they have a habit of just getting better and better throughout a tournament , and I hope Italy beat Spain tonight so that we can put to bed boring possession football that Spain play!

    1. This is jus colossal for Southampton. Yet another depature on the cards as Mane undergoes medical at Liverpool.makes sense now why Koeman ditched them for Everton. Can expect a crunch merseyside derby. Koeman vs Klopp.Holland vs Germany.

    2. “””””I hope Italy beat Spain tonight so that we can put to bed boring possession football that Spain play!”””””””
      that will happen….i hope spain doesn’t score a lucky fluke goal in the beginning of the match..

  35. Another international disappointment for Messi after they lost in the copa final to Chile in PKs after a stale mate in regular 90. Stupid coaches,they always wanna make messi the focal point. Maradona,Sabella and now Martino. They keep forgetting Argentina is not Barca.I’m sure one player who must be laughing at them now is Trevez and saying this is what happens when you overlook me.

  36. When ever Arjentina face an organised team they are in trouble…On 28 th minute 1 chile player got redcard and eventually at 43 minute Rojos also got one..that was stupidity…Anyways i am happy had Arjentina won it friend would have finished me…I feel like Immanuel means God is with Tiju always..

  37. Spain and their Tiki fuka packed their bags….2-0 italy…
    Tata martino and Arjentina,whole world is moaning as messi lost…2010 he stole Ballen d or from Sneijder….due to populairty (Not his fault though).
    Best player in the WC2014 stole from Roben for What??i still dont get it..Had masherano didnt play that game Arjentina would have conceded more than 5 in that game…

  40. Great performance from Iceland. They’ve proved that with a HUGE fighting spirit you can win.

    They have a population of 330 thousand and they beat England who have a population of 53 million people!!!.

    You can have as a country a bigger population but on the pitch only 11 players are playing so it is 11 against 11!.

    I am so happy for Iceland they’ve shown us we didn’t deserve to be in the Euros.

    Our “stars” should learn from Iceland they are a real team, they want to help each other and want to win every freaking ball that’s amazing.

  41. Roy Hodgson has to be the stupidest coach ever.

    How can you bench Vardy after his amazing season? also Rashford should’ve played more or started!.

    Sometimes I get so frustrated with coaches who don’t start youngsters just because they are young. If they are ready why not start them?.

    It’s like Sneijder in 2004 with Advocaat he was doing great! and everybody thought he’d be in the starting XI but he didn’t play much during the tournament. Also Huntelaar with Van Basten in 2006.

    1. Add to list:

      – How can you make Kane take all free kicks when he has not shot a good one in 4 games?

      – How can you keep Rooney on field when he can’t control the ball in midfield?

      – How can you select Wilshere as a sub when he has played a grand total of 141 MINUTES the whole season?

  42. Iceland weren’t great. They are well organized defensively and thwarted a more talented England team that could not solve their defense. Incredibly boring game of a type we’ve all seen too many times, I’m afraid: It’s hard to score against a well-organized defense. We saw it in Spain v. Italy. We see it in about half of all football matches, I reckon. Makes me not like the game of football, frankly. Makes me think the game should have 9 field players and not 10, so that talented players have more room. Look at the Copa final–0-0. Who enjoys watching 1 hour or more of one team kicking it around the field but unable to beat 9 defenders and a keeper. Boring–and Iceland were lucky to get that second goal, which was a total flub by the English keeper, Hart, who is probably the worst keeper in the tournament.

    1. I tend to agree with Tiju below (wow, what a sentence ;-)). The English did not seem motivated. With the exception of the subs Vardy and Rashford, none of them were running. Seeing Hodgson with his head in his hands after 60 minutes or so was not helping them, tbh.

      To some extend, that lack of motivation was also present in Spain’s first hour, with a late surge of pride…

  43. Very boring championship.The format of 24 teams is not justifiable at all. Too many mediocre teams. The only team, which stands out, is Italy. Germany and Belgium also are getting there. France is so so. Too bad that Germany and Italy will meet in 1/4. I personally do not like Iceland. It is very boring and opportunistic team. Yes, they are fighters but this team completely lacks style and class. Regardless of how far they will go in this tournament, this is a team of one tournament like Greece 2004…. Very disappointed.

  44. For the Iceland players, these are the games of their lives. They will likely never play on a bigger stage. They can bring honor to their nation and will be remembered there forever.

    For the English players, it’s just another summer tournament in which they are expected to underachieve, after which they’ll return to their £200,000 a week wages and supermodel girlfriends.

    I’m beginning to think that success as a national team manager is 10% tactics and 90% ability to motivate…

    1. @JB…you cannt say England players were not motivated,even though coach failed to motivate,they themselves wanted to win it.so they were all motivated,playing for NT makes u more marketable player…
      Its all about stupid selection of their starting eleven
      First is Sterling over Rashford…that only fools can make such kind of repeated mistakes as sterling was just sterile in first 2 matches…but still sterling played?
      Kane over Vardy thats another blunder mistake..Kane was just impotent in first 2 matches was pathetic comapred to vardy and Sturridge….
      The moment i saw Kane and sterling on line oi put money on Iceland…Rose barkly is good player warming his A##s in bench….
      Finally every coach makes stupid decisions.who makes the least mistakes will win it…
      Player selection is very important ..I THINK THATS THE BASE OF UR TEAM..u build tactics,motivation everything based on individual players..
      Depay is our sterling
      Kane is our RVP /Hunter now..

      1. You can add to Hodgson blunders the fact that Kane took all their free kicks (and corners in the first game) without a single one being dangerous. Not. A. Single. One.

    1. Yeah 14 mills,kind of big sum for player who jus moved from Heerenveen to Atalanta jus one year a go.this is jus another example of how far some players have to go in order to prove their credibility. Good luck to him. As I always say it’s not jus about the club where you play but also what you bring to a team through your individually abilty . De Roon is a perfect example of this. I hope KNVB and
      Blind will realize this and open the doors to everyone based on their performance.

  47. Italy’s success on the backs of an all-Juve defense and GK lends further credence to Jan’s proposed PSV-centric side.

    There’s just too little time for an international manager to develop the kind of relationships and understandings that exist among players who play together every day at the club level.

    Whether at Ajax, Feyenoord, or AC Milan, our best national teams have typically been based around players with great familiarity and cohesion.

    It’s of course difficult to achieve this nowadays with Dutch players scattered everywhere at the club level, so perhaps the best solution may be, as Jan suggests, to start with the spine of a club team and build outward from there

  48. England could have won it had they started with
    Rashford—-Vardy——Lallana
    ——–Rooney—-Ali———
    ————Dier————-
    Rose—smalling-stones/cahill—-walker/clyne
    ————-butland/hart—————-
    Stupid sterling and overrated kane cost tehm most

    1. England had their chances, Kane hit two wonderful strikes only to be saved by keeper and crossbar, England created heaps of chances in the first half and had all the possession Deli Ali strike just over was unlucky too. However, for me Rooney was the headless chicken in this team he lost the ball continuously and just looked off the pace in all of the England matches. And as for their defence, well just woeful on the goals by Iceland.
      But England is a very young team and if they can keep this squad together they will only improve and be stronger at the WC18.
      So happy Spain lost!

      1. i didnt say Rooney was excellent,Sterling was crap in all games bar he just escaped as he drew a penalty..Vardy is effcetive than hary kane.i saw harry chokes in late totenham games when it matters.
        the thing is that one way or another way their will be stupidity…anyways i won my both bet against England and Spain..

  51. Ake loaned out again, to Bournemouth this time. Obvs not Conte’s decision as has not yet been at Chelsea, I really like Conte and would liked for Ake to have had the shot to prove himself to him.. Ah well, hopefullay let he gets good minutes!

    1. Ake will be developed in great CHELSEA ACADEMY,he has learned lot from it as he is 22 now…So he should not be loaned but still u know…how they developed Van ginkel,Bruma and annholt for dutch alone….then lewis baker,kevin de bruyne,Salah,Guadrado etc…They have the capability to develop good players…So we must encourage every our youngster to join this club or real madrid…

  53. I agree with most. Mediocre Euros. Bad pitches. Starts to look like CL foorball, with groups and calculations. England were dreadful. Agree with all the comments here re: Hogdson, Sterling, Vardy, Rashford. Wishere… Kane is out of form for weeks already.

    And a coach who goes into a tournament still guessing what the system should be, well…. you’ve been asleep, Roy.

    Time for Alan Shearer to do it :-).

    Italy highly impressive. Germany solid as ever. Belgium might have broken the spell now. Hope Dembele gets in.

    I hoped for Croatia to do something, they have a good team, but failed miserably yet again.

    Let is September soon!

  55. Raheem sterling is 48m player..cannot belive it though its truth and fact..Most of the English players are overhyped..they are creating harry kane like epitom of a striker…it was Vardy and sturridge were saving them for a while…not kane..i dont remmeber a good game played by kane for their NT….anyways its the prime example of selecting a misbalanced and misfitting pool of 11 players and finally how u can loose…this gets exposed when unluck affects some good players…

  56. Poland is a defensively organized team…with 2 good strikers…Portugal basically a one man team..I am not convinced oland midfeild they are too defensive..

  58. Not such a great Euro. Really bad games and some surprises because the quality of football has been so average that any team can be a strong rival. Not because of real talent, but catenaccion tactics.

    Almost every team priorizing defence above all.

    Island has done that too and have been extremely effective going forward. Like we experienced before with Holland. Anyway, I see Germany or Italy as champions, the team that wins that game can go all the way.

    I will follow some games but I haven´t liked much of what I have seen this European Championship. Hopefully for the good of the game Oranje will rediscover form and results from now on.

    P.S. I just see Tiju name and I skip to the next message. If the next is from him, like many times happen, I do the same. So dumb comments do not deserve a second of my day. Before I read some because it was quite fun or had something to say. Now he says pure shit. I support the idea to ban him from good from this blog. Who else thinks the same? I think 100% of the core bloggers of this page will agree. HUP ORANJE, HASTA LA VISTA TIJU BOY!

    1. I see Germany or Italy as champions, the team that wins that game can go all the way.””””””””ha ha after wacthing round 16 any kids will predict that….
      @Mario please skip my comment as i am writing it just for fantasy and frustration…Not for reading for you….tell me what bullshit i talked???????
      Over the the years i never came in to team tactics,coachi ng or so….i just repeatedly said certain players doesnt deseve orange jersy and certain player has got chances over world class players..which is sin in my book.
      And sin will be punished
      and now from 2006 onwards
      Italy 1wC
      spain 2 EC and WC
      Germany 1 WC and counting…..
      We are just in same mode and we lost our best to age Roben,Sneijder,RVP,Vaart…unfortunatley we had the most potent attack than any these nation at those times..Still we were scrwed by coaches and bad slection of final 11.
      i dont consider u as a pundit or so..So u are just another fanasy simple head who has no vision at all..now u came up with germany and italy…any schools kid would predict it…had u come earlier in turnament i would have had respect for ur opinions as u r blind to see future..

  59. I stopped reading this blog a few years ago because life got in the way and I was kind of depressed with the state of play in the Dutch team.

    I’ve just come back and I’ve been reading over recent threads. It’s so funny to see that the same things that used to be a source of frustration (Tiju’s negativity etc) is still a source of hot debate. Oh how I missed this blog! Looking forward to reading and posting regularly again!

  61. People got attracted to dutch team for their fantastic football and excellent brilliant world class players..Like Cryuff,Neeskens,van hengem,Gullit,reijkard,Vanbasten,Davids,bergkamp,kluivert,stam.Deboer etc etc and so many…
    I am dutch from 2008-2012 dutch would have got zero new fans from other country..this was due to unatrractive style deployed by bert and his biased,cowardious selection to defend more…
    Later LVG came and dutch got some new fans…
    Now wehn dutch plays with Promes,Depay,Weil,BMI ,Afellaywe dont get a new fan..populairty is decreased due low quality players…dutch cannt reach to new fans.As you see there is decrease in MANu fans as they play exciting football after Sir alex and his excellent players…Most of the manu fans doenst like Depay,De maria,Fellaini etecetc..
    Dutch and Manu are at same crisis..

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