Time now to stop bickering about whether Kuyt is a headless chicken, Memphis has thunder thighs (all that erotica!) and whether Tiju is a better coach than Van Gaal and Hiddink…
Time to swallow our pride and start this Euros 2016 experience with fond memories of our lads in past tournaments. The Euros are usually a hot and cold event for the Dutch. When expectations are high we fold, and when no one expects it, we perform…
The glorious World Cup wannabees at least won one EC trophy, although some of us here won’t have real memories of that day. Not yours truly though. He was there when we basked in glory. Partying with the players in Hamburg and Munich… But more of that later…
In the modern game, we played a fair number of exciting games and weather a few storms too… Let’s look at our past and share memories here.
Euros 1976 Yugoslavia
The first Euro tournament of note for Holland. On the back of a sensation 1974 World Cup, beaten by the Germans and more specific Sepp Maier, Oranje was ready for revenge. We had the bit in our mouths and the adrenaline pumping. The best forward in the world, the toughest playmaker ever and the bull running rampant in midfield (Messrs Cruyff, van Hanegem and Neeskens of course), with supporting role for Golden Dick Johnny Rep, snakeman Robbie Rensenbrink and Mr Cool Ruud Krol, we went to go, see and conquer. 
It didn’t go as planned though. Coached by new manager George Knobel. By then Nees and Cruyff played for Barcelona together. The team impressed with a 5-1 friendly win over a strong Sweden. In those days, qualification games and quarter finals were like today’s group games, but played in the run up, in a home and away game. The actual Euros were only played with four nations and started with a semi final. Holland was in a group with Poland, Italy and Finland. The squad was divided into two camps: the Ajax and Feyenoord players vs the rest (PSV and other clubs). The big name players of Ajax and Feyenoord (and Barcelona) were given some extra privileges. Due to their European club efforts, they were given the option to join Oranje later than the rest. PSV stars Willy van der Kuylen and Jan van Beveren objected to this special treatment and this resulted in the two icons to leave the squad. Van der Kuylen had scored a hattrick for Oranje in the win over Finland.
Oranje started really well but got beaten severely vs Poland away. Due to results in other games, Holland won the group and faced Belgium in the quarter finals. Robbie Rensenbrink and Johan Neeskens played a top game and Holland won at home for the first time since years in a 5-0 win. Three Rensenbrink goals sealed the deal. The away game was won 1-2 and Holland went to the Euro semis with high spirits. The semis against Czechoslovakia was supposed to be a formality. But things panned out differently.
The Czech provoked the Dutch, in particular with rough challenges on Cruyff and Rensenbrink. In typical Dutch style, Neeskens and Van Hanegem retaliated, resulting in cards and erratic referee behaviour. Cruyff in those days, used to talk to the ref a lot and when Neeskens got red carded and Cruyff was yellow-carded for debating, something shifted in the team. Rebel rouser Van Hanegem decided he didn’t want to come over to the ref when asked to do so.
“I’m not a dog” he explained later and he refused to kick off after the Czech’s scored as protest. Which got him a red card too. Holland ended the game with 9 players and lost in extra time. We played for the 3rd place and won it versus Yugoslavia in extra time 2-3 thanks to two Ruud Geels goals. Obviously, Van Hanegem, Neeskens and Cruyff were suspended.
In those days, Oranje players were considered serfs to the federation and the three Oranje starts were highly criticised for their behaviour. Cruyff and Van Hanegem lost interest in Oranje and would both not travel to the World Cup 1978, for different reasons. But one reason was the KNVB’s lack of support for their icons. Neeskens did go to Argentina.
Euros 1980 Italy
The big guns Cruyff and Van Hanegem had quit international football. The apprentices were supposed to take over. With some new names, most from European sensation AZ Alkmaar. Hugo Hovenkamp, Kees Kist, Pier Tol, Jantje Peters supplemented by Feyenoord defenders Wijnstekers and Van de Korput. Ruud Krol and Johan Neeskens and Johnny Rep were also still wearing their jerseys. 
Coach Jan Zwartkruis (John Blackcrotch)
Team manager Jan Zwartkruis (former Dutch Military team coach… this tells you how important Oranje was in those days) found himself in a group with West Germany, Greece and Czechoslovakia. Holland started vs Greece in a 4-3-3 with Martien Vreijsen and Rene van de Kerkhof on the flanks. The team didn’t create a lot and Dick Nanninga of Argentina 1978 fame replaced Vreijsen, who’d never play a game for Oranje since. A soft penalty was awarded to Oranje and Kees Kist (AZ Alkmaar) scored what was to be the only goal of the game.
The second game was against West Germany, with Hansi Muller, Rummenigge, Schuster and Stielike. Oranje with an insecure Piet Schrijvers in goal and with Rep on the flanks for Vreijsen. West Germany was boss with Klaus Allofs scoring a hat trick. A soft penalty yet again gave Johnny Rep the chance to score and late in the game Willy van de Kerkhof scored the 2-3 but it wasn’t enough. Holland couldn’t reach the finals anymore but could still get in the losers final. An early injury to Rene van de Kerkhof had Oranje playing with 10 men for a while and the Czechs scored in that phase of the game. Kees Kist came on and he scored the equaliser in the second half but it wasn’t enough.
Euros 1984 France
One of the best tournaments I’ve ever seen without Oranje (the World Cup 1982 was one of my faves too by the way). With the Danish Dynamite, France of course… Many good games. But no Oranje.
Euros 1988 West Germany
I’m sure most people will know this tournament well. The period between 1980 till 1988 we missed three big tournaments. I won’t bring the mood down by explaining what happened, but I can assure you I was very close to all these events. Nuff said for now. Still hurts…
But with a new generation players (Gullit, Van Basten, Rijkaard, Koeman, Vanenburg, Van’t Schip, Kieft) we were going for it with Rinus Michels as head coach. Michels was keen to play 4-3-3 again and like Van Marwijk was struggling to find a good spot for everyone. We have Gullit, Van Basten, Kieft, Gillhaus and Bosman fighting for the central striker role and we have a couple of good right wingers but no left winger of note. Van Basten was recovering from a bad injury which kept him sidelined at AC Milan. Gullit had a great season in Milan like Koeman, Van Breukelen and Vanenburg with PSV winning the Europa Cup that season. Wouters and Van’t Schip had a good period at Ajax. Van Basten was close to calling it a day when he noticed Bosman was picked ahead of him in the line up and he felt he’d be the third striker. Cruyff implored the headstrong striker to stay in the squad and make it hard for Michels.
Van ‘t Schip played relief left winger and Gullit played right wing. But in the first game vs the USSR, despite dominating and creating pressure, we fell in the knife of the Russian counter and lost, 0-1. Michels decided immediately to turn the team around, also taking into account our next opponent: England playing 4-4-2. Van ‘t Schip and Bosman were the sacrificial lambs with Michels re-enforcing our midfield bringing Van Basten for Bosman and Erwin Koeman – a midfielder – for winger Schip. 
Oranje got lucky vs England. An offside goal (one of three scored by Van Basten) and two balls on the post by the English helped us to the victory. The Ireland game was scruffy and it took Vanenburg’s hand to stop a header from going in, before sub Wim Kieft misheaded a deflected Koeman shot from an offside position past the Ireland goalie.
Next up, host West Germany. And we had an axe to grind with these guys. In what is probably one of the most memorable Oranje games ever, Oranje overcame a 1-0 score from a soft penalty vs Rijkaard by fighting themselves back into the game. With a MOTM performance by Jan Wouters, it was Koeman scoring the spot kick after a fair tackle by Kohler on Van Basten (who was as surprised as Kohler when the ref pointed to the post) and Van Basten scored the winner late in the game after a superb through ball from aforementioned Wouters. The party afterwards in the players’ hotel is still strong in my memory. This was the infamous game with Koeman wiping his arse with the Olaf Thon jersey, something he later regretted… Allegedly.
The finals was against USSR again. Oranje was buoyant but USSR was much better than us in the first half. They missed some opportunities and a cross in from a defended Oranje corner ended up on skipper’s Ruud Gullit’s head who’d score his first and only Euros goal in 1988 with a thundering header. The Oranje skipper looked tired the whole tournament and couldn’t repeat his hero role as he had for AC Milan that season. But he was the Oranje mascotte and lightning rod, allowing Van Basten (in particular) to take center stage. The former Ajax #9 would grab his definite place in football history with arguably the best Euros goal ever in the second half. Right in front of yours truly, enjoying the game live, the overcooked Muhren cross seemed wasted but Van Basten – who had no support – realised he could only do one thing. Dasaev never even stuck a hand out. 2-0 was the final score, also thanks to Hans van Breukelen who stopped a penalty, which he handed the USSR himself first with a rush of blood to the head dive.
The Party in Holland would go for days and many a house boat in Amsterdam is still recovering…
Euros 1992 Sweden
The World Cup 1990 was the biggest WC disaster ever, for Oranje. The Euro 1988 squad plus Richard Witschge on their way to glory in Italy. The story of what happened there is well-documented and I will again ignore it. But Beenhakker obviously was out so Rinus Michels, by then management at KNVB, decided to take the coaching role himself again for this tournament. Ironically, with Dick Advocaat as his assistant coach. 
Oranje had a good qualification campaign and Michels went back to a 4-3-3 system with Gullit and Bryan Roy on the flanks. Barca libero Koeman led the defence but brother Erwin missed this tournament, as did the injured Richard Witschge. His brother Rob Witschge had found his second wind at Feyenoord and played a starring role this tourmament, scoring vs Germany. Dennis Bergkamp played his first big tournie for Oranje, as did Frank de Boer. National team manager Danny Blind was stand in for Koeman and new Ajax coach Peter Bosz had a sub turn this tournament. Aaron Winter and Wim Jonk had cameos as well, as did former PSV striker Eric Viscaal (now in Belgium).
First game was vs Scotland and a late Bergkamp goal sealed the deal. The second game was against the former USSR, now called GOS, and a goalless draw meant Oranje had to get a result against Germany. Last tournament, Germany had ousted Oranje from the event, with the infamous spitting incident between Llama Rijkaard and Rudi Voller. It was Rijkaard who took revenge with an early goal, followed by two more goals. The aforementioned long distance strike by Witschge and a beauty by Bergkamp, created by Marco van Basten without actually touching the ball.
In the semis, Holland had to play Denmark. The beach team. The Danish didn’t qualify, but as Yugoslavia had entered a civil war, they were disqualified from competing and the Danes were called from the Spanish and Greek beaches. Twice Oranje conceded and twice they fought back through Bergkamp and Rijkaard. The extra time didn’t bring any goals and during the penalty shoot out, 1988 hero Van Basten was denied by Peter Schmeichel. The Danes would go on to win it.
Euros 1996 England
Like in 1990, the players yearned for the national team management by Johan Cruyff, but like in 1990 the KNVB couldn’t get “a deal sorted with the headstrong Cruyff”. In 1990 they never tried as Michels felt “the players can’t be given what they want, as they can’t think they call the shots”. In 1994, Cruyff had the audacity to claim the right to pick his own technical staff. Something which is pretty normal these days. But the KNVB insisted Cruyff worked with their assistant coaches. Cruyff said “you must be joking!” and said his goodbyes.
So Michels decided to push his former assistant Dick Advocaat forward for the World Cup in the US which didn’t end too well for Oranje. Lots of bad management decisions off the pitch and too much complacency when Advocaat came back after losing the quarter finals, claiming “it was a very good result”. Oranje needed a new strong coach and Guus Hiddink was selected. Oranje finished second in the qualifications and had to play a play off game vs Ireland, at Anfield. Patrick Kluivert sealed the deal with two goals.
This was the generation of Ronald de Boer, Edgar Davids, Danny Blind, Marc Overmars and Patrick Kluivert.
Like in 1992, Scotland was our first opponent. The usual central backs, Frank de Boer and Danny Blind were not able to play. Suspension for Blind and an injury for De Boer. Hiddink used Edgar Davids and Johan de Kock. Davids had played there successfully for Ajax at times and Guus picked Bergkamp as central striker, with Jordi Cruyff and Gaston Taument on the flanks. Ronald de Boer played in midfield with Richard Witschge and Clarence Seedorf.
Holland dominated and in particular Dennis Bergkamp had many opportunities to score but failed. Pat Kluivert came on but he couldn’t find the net either, resulting in a goalless draw: 0-0.
Against Switzerland, in the second game, Hiddink expected them to play the tall striker Grassi. Davids was considered to small for the role so Hiddink decided to play Seedorf as center back. Davids was benched. Witschge kept his spot and Ronald de Boer would take Seedorf’s central role in midfield with Aron Winter coming on for Davids. Cruyff played on the right this time around. After 26 minutes, Seedorf was subbed by Hiddink, who saw he had made a mistake. De Kock came on to play alongside Blind. Edgar Davids, on the bench, was highly tempted to knock the lights out of Hiddink and had to be restrained.
Jordi Cruyff scored for Holland and Dennis Bergkamp scored the important second, securing Oranje’s win. After the game, Davids was interviewed and said “the coach should do well to take his head out some players’ asses!”. Hiddink had to send the Ajax midfielder home. And a rift was born. The media made it about race. The coloured players (Kluivert, Bogarde, Davids, Seedorf, Reiziger) vs the white boys (De Boer 2 x, Blind, Van der Sar). A whole thing came off it. But the players were adamant it had nothing to do about race. But about culture. The food the KNVB had organised for instance, was typical Dutch food (potatoes, veggies, meatballs) while the players with a Suriname background preferred rice and more exotic food. But their preference was ignored. More importantly, it seemed all the coloured lads at Ajax had lower contracts than the white players… It wasn’t about race per se. But race did seem to have had an effect…
In the next game vs England, Hiddink again used Seedorf as central defender (he had De Kock and Stam on the bench) next to Blind. The strong England forwards had a field day. Blind conceded a penalty, Shearer converted. Sheringham scored two in the second half with Shearer adding a second, putting England 4-0 up. Holland at that time was out. Hiddink kept on making weird decisions, bringing De Kock as left back for Witschge and putting Winston Bogarde in midfield. Kluivert was brought in at the 72nd minute and he almost immediately scored a consolation goal. But that goal got us to the number 2 position in the group and we were able to play the quarterfinals. France was the opponent. 
With players like Blanc, Desailly, Karembeu, Deschamps and Zidane. Hiddink finally made some logical choices. Seedorf on the bench. De Kock in the center with Blind. Kluivert in the starting line up with Bergkamp as number 10. And Phillip Cocu still playing as left winger in those days, replacing Peter Hoekstra. A goalless game, yet again, over 120 minutes. Seedorf would come on and ended up on the list of penalty takers. Not for the first time, he failed to score, Blind, De Kock, Ronald de Boer and Kluivert did score, but all the French players did as well.
Exit Oranje. This is a documentary about the alleged racism situation, of the Suriname players vs the white players. The name of this group of Suriname players is De Kabel (“The Cable”).
Euros 2000 Netherlands & Belgium
This was to be the one. Hiddink learned from his drama in England. He made up with Davids and with him, Hiddink got close to reaching the finals in the World Cup 1998 in France. His assistant Frank Rijkaard was promoted to team manager (as suggested by Cruyff) and Holland was spared from playing qualifications as Holland and Belgium hosted the tournament. Rijkaard played a massive number of friendlies with Oranje, including three matches vs Brazil. One of these ended up in a red-card festival. In Rotterdam, they played a sensational game vs co-host Belgium, ending in 5-5 with a special Edgar Davids goal. With one of the best squads ever, Rijkaard was destined for glory.
Against the Czechs in the first game, Holland did need some referee help in the final stages when a soft pull on Ronald de Boer’s jersey was enough for a penalty, to be scored by younger brother Frank. Rijkaard used Co Adriaanse’s xmas tree system, 4-3-2-1 but Bergkamp kept on running inside while midfielder Seedorf didn’t use the right flank and the team seemed to choke the space out for themselves, leaving them toothless.
Against Denmark, Rijkaard went back to 4-4-2 with Zenden and Overmars as wide players. Kluivert scored the first, Ronald de Boer had a tap in for the 2-0 and a break with Reiziger presenting Zenden with a free shot on goal resulted in the 3-0. Denmark missed a penalty. In this game, the injured Stam was replaced by Bert Konterman, while Seedorf was benched. The third match was versus world champions France, but both teams had qualified for the next round. Coach Lemerre left most of his star players out (Zidane, Blanc, Deschamps) and in an open game, Holland won the match 3-2, with a stunning free kick by Frank de Boer.
For the quarter finals against Yugoslavia, Bosvelt and Numan played as full backs. Oranje was on fire, with Kluivert scoring four, although one goal was taken off him as a Yugo defender deflected the ball into the net. Overmars scored the other two. This got Kluivert the golden boot for the tournament.
Red hot favorites Holland played Italy in the semis. Probably one of the most memorable losses on a Euros ever by Oranje. We did everything right. Bolo Zenden was on fire. Zambrotta saw red in the first half, and Oranje created chance after chance (Bergkamp!) but failed to find the net. Late in the first half, Holland got a penalty. Frank de Boer saw his attempt blocked by Toldo. In the second half, Davids was impeded and Kluivert stepped up. To hit the post. Still 0-0. Italy defended, battled and stalled. And got to the penalty series. Toldo became the hero. Frank de Boer the zero. He missed again, Jaap Stam’s attempt is somewhere on the bottom of the river Maas and Bosvelt missed too. Straight after the match, a crying Rijkaard was filmed sitting in the bus and not much later he resigned in disgust and shame. 
Euros 2004 Portugal
After the deception of failing to qualify for the World Cup 2002 under Van Gaal, the KNVB decided to pick two “warm” coaches to bring Oranje back up to top level. Dick Advocaat and Willem van Hanegem, two friends, took the role, with Willem as assistant.
Holland started the tournament vs arch rival Germany. The Germans took the lead but a late Van Nistelrooy goal got Holland a draw. The Czech game was next up and via Bouma and Van Nistelrooy, Holland got an early lead 2-0. Jan Koller scored for the Czechs and with an hour played, Advocaat decided to “spare” the slightly injured but excellent Arjen Robben for the defensive midfielder Paul Bosvelt. One of the worst substitutes in Oranje’s history (Van Gaal does take the price for this with his Portugal away substitutions in the WC2002 qualifications game). Holland didn’t have any teeth left and the Czechs celebrated the sub by firing on all cylinders and ended up winning the game 2-3. After the game, Advocaat was universally ridiculed for his decision and assistant and friend Willem van Hanegem quipped at the press conference: “Next time if he starts to make silly sub decisions, I’ll simply knock him out!”.
Oranje seemed out of the tournament, but the Germans had a shocking draw against Latvia and when the Germans got in front against the Czechs Holland needed a miracle. And it happened, as the Czechs again turned the game around and won the match, giving Oranje a life line for their Latvia game. It was a tough game versus a defensive opponent but two Van Nistelrooy goals and a late Roy Makaay hit sealed the 3-0 win. Next up, Sweden in the quarter finals. In an even game, neither team found the net. The penalty series would end the Oranje penalty trauma. Despite Cocu’s miss, Holland won it with Van der Sar stopping a Swedish attempt, after Ibrahimovic missed his spot kick. 
The semi finals was versus host country and favorites Portugal, with a young C Ronaldo, Deco, Luis Figo and Maniche. The latter would score the winner in an even game. C Ronaldo scored Portugal’s first, while Andrade scored an og for Oranje. Greece would end up upsetting the hosts with their miraculous win in the finals. After the tournament, both Advocaat and Van Hanegem quit their jobs. The two friends wouldn’t talk to each other for years…
Euros 2008 Switzerland & Austria
Again, advised by Cruyff, the KNVB decided to go with a young, untested coach for the 2006 WC. Marco van Basten was John van ‘t Schip’s assistant at Ajax 2 when Johan Cruyff suggested to the KNVB to pick him as national team coach. Van ‘t Schip, who had agreed with San Marco to switch roles in the next season, took the assistant job. Van Basten lacked experience as a coach, but Cruyff was adamant that for a top player like him, this wouldn’t be a problem. “He has a good vision. All players respect him and he’ll let them play adventurous football.”. Van Basten saw the WC2006 as a development step with a new generation of youngsters (Robben, Van Persie, Sneijder, Heitinga) and hoped to peak at this Euros. The qualification series went well, but Holland finished second after Romania. This resulted in Holland having to settle in the group of death, with opponent Romania, France and world champions Italy.
Oranje played with flair and dazzle and beat a stunned Italy with 3-0. A contentious first Van Nistelrooy goal, seemingly off side but ruled in favour of Holland, due to an Italian player lying behind the touch line. No offside. Sneijder finished a tremendous counter attack, after a superb Van Bronckhorst pass and a nice little Kuyt cushioned header. Van Bronckhorst finished the game off with his goal in second half. The France game was exhilarating as well. Kuyt with a header from a corner, Van Persie with a good finish after a wonderful attack, but Henry put France back into the game. At that stage, France equalising seemed more likely, but Robben got Holland back on top with a sensational goal in the near corner, taking some of Barthez hair along. Sneijder scored another beauty in the dying seconds of the game, 4-1 win for Holland.
The Romania game didn’t matter anymore, but with the second-tier players in the line up, Holland won 2-0. A dramatic incident would have a lot of impact on the Oranje squad. The players in the squad were all close and they all had small children and babies at that time. After a win, players like Kuyt and Van Persie would proudly take their kids onto the pitch to celebrate. Khalid Boulahrouz’ partner was pregnant but was rushed to the hospital as the baby was about to be born prematurely. The little girl didn’t make it. Most of the players spent two days with Khalid in hospital and this disrupted the preparation and focus for the Russia game. Van Basten allowed the players to take their time and as he was also good friends with Boulahrouz, he allowed the former Chelsea man to decide whether he wanted to play vs Russia or not. The defender wanted to play, which sadly ended up in him getting a muscle injury in the game. 
So the next knock out game was versus Russia, managed by one Guus Hiddink. The sly fox knew how Oranje would play and had a tactical plan to frustrate our game. Despite some narrow chances for Holland, we never were able to score. The team looked sluggish and without focus. Most of the chances came off Rafael van der Vaart’s gifted free kicks. It was a weird game. In the second half, a Russia player was yellow carded for the second time. Inexplicably the ref decided to put the card back into his pocket, adding to the frustration of the Dutch players. Russia scored twice in extra time, sending the revelation of the group stages home.
Euros 2012 Poland & Ukraine
On the back of a glorious World Cup 2010, where Bert van Marwijk’s men grabbed silver (and almost gold), the expectations were high. Again, the qualification campaign was a smooth ride, with Holland dropping only 3 points. A tough group to face, with rugged Denmark, strong Germany and sly Portugal. We had some bills to settle with all three. In the run up to the tournament, Van Marwijk made Huntelaar and Van der Vaart believe they’d get a fair chance to get into the line up but the seasoned coach had his line up in mind and was only providing lip service. Erik Pieters was Holland’s left back after Gio retired but the defender had to undergo a foot operation. Lost for options, Van Marwijk decided to use 18 year old youngster Jetro Willems from PSV. In the first game vs Denmark, Willems gave his calling card by thumping a ball from 40 meters almost onto the cross bar.
The solid holding mids Van Bommel and De Jong were part of the plan, despite their dminishing speed and agility. The first game against Denmark went really well. Holland created chance after chance and Robben hit the post. But, the chances went begging. And Denmark in typical style scored a goal where everyone expected Oranje to score at least a couple. Several penalty shouts for Holland went unnoticed and stunned, the team left the pitch with the first defeat of the tournament.
Against Germany, Holland started on the front foot yet again, with Van Persie getting a glorious early chance to score. But he missed. First opportunity for Germany ended up in the net. 14 minutes later, the Germans repeated that feat. Holland fought back into the game, with a goal by Van Persie in the second half. With 15 minutes to go, Holland created more half chances but wasn’t able to get the draw. Second defeat and Huntelaar and Van der Vaart started to look more and more unhappy. 
This summed it up
Holland had a chance to qualify if they’d beat Portugal and if Germany would do its job. Van der Vaart got a start and in typical fashion scored the first goal for a strong Holland vs a counter-attacking Portugal. The former Real Madrid man hit the post quick after the goal but couldn’t become the hero of the day. Two sharp counter attacks later and Portugal grabbed the victory, with Oranje taking an early plane home. Three losses. Zero points. Lots of frustration and golden wonder coach Van Marwijk having to resign from the job.
Euros 2016 France
In a parallel universe, Oranje made it to the 2016 Euros. Blind went with a team of youngsters, with Memphis, Berghuis and Propper in the line up. Playing 3-4-3 in possession and 5-3-2 without. The starting line up:
Cillesen
Bruma Blind Van Dijk
Janmaat Propper Strootman Sneijder Willems
Robben Memphis
With Berghuis as super sub. Oranje sailed through the group stages and beat every big team they came across on their way to the finals. Belgum was our opponent. The game ended 5-5. Penalties needed to decide the winner. For Belgium, Hazard missed his penalty. Well, he didn’t miss it, but the silly Belgian took the penalty at the wrong goal and it was disallowed. Memphis took the final spotkick and delivered the Cup to Oranje…. (this is enough nonsense. End of post)
GREAT article Jan…
my favorire game was schooling of overrated italy in 2008 EC..just enjoyed..
http://www.goal.com/euro2016/en/article/roy-keane-still-at-war-with-a-world-he-cant-understand/1xmuhyq8cda431e47dacuxj3jd
I THINK ORANGE NEED An ASSITANET COACH LIKE THIS
Stop sniffing Jan’s butt. He doesn’t like you. I don’t like you. No-one here likes you.
Got it??
Butt-sniffer.
@YEs snifferist Aanfoolen
Great article. I do remember 1988 – was 13 years old. When Van Basten struck that ball I knew it was over and history had been written. Great memories!
Totally unimpressed by Belgium. Are Hazard and De Bruyne that special? They look average.
Its the defense.this is the same strategy van Gaal used at WC. Italy only looked good on counters.
Belgium had their chances.Likaku should have scored when fed through one on one with Buffon.Origi and Fellani missed a couple of good chances. The fullbacks could be an issue for the red devils as they are playing with make shift fullbacks.
agree, awful team performance.. I think more of a case of players poorly used than poor players.
Likaku was poor–his touch in the second half was consistently bad.
As for counter-attacking football: It is effective–lots more so than a gradual buildup against a 9-man + keeper defense that amounts to nothing 99 percent of the time. Italy is strong-minded and clever.
Wilmot should have also played 3-5-2 or 3-4-3 given no natural FBs.
Did any one catch Sweden and Northern Ireland since they are in the same group as NT in WC Qualifiers.I see they played 4-4-2.
Sweden looked weak, but I only saw about 30 mins.
sweden is good team…i mean team capable of scoring goals vs any team…its ireland made them look like weak IMO..
“”””Italy is strong-minded and clever.”””””..i felt the same…Blegium ha dphysically imposingh players like witzel,lukkau,Fellaini but their brain is too slow,body too..were no match of wicked intelligence of italian players.
‘brain is too slow’
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!
OH THE IRONY!!!!
Run along now, little child.
Here’s the thing about counter-attacking football: A few good “tactical fouls” can often deflate it.
Check out the yellow cards Italy earned on counters:
https://streamable.com/n0pt
Also noticed Marco Asensio is not in the Spain squad and nor its likely he will get to play for real Madrid with the current midfields. He jus needs to play one qualifers either for Spain or NT and he is locked down.
Marc wilmots is a clueless coach.like hiidnk for us.Witzel,Fellaini are below average players,Lukkau is brother of Depay,bascically far from class.too much overrated…
Italy was compact and intelligent..their inteligence was too much for Lukkau,Witzel,Fellaini…with slight mistake of toby their story finished…
Ireland was amazing they reminds of their own team in 2002 times…i think both ireland and italy will make it from that group…
Debruyne and Hazrad did everything they could,like Roben and sneijder does for us..but you know some days we need another player to step up…
Italy are just lucky as usual … had Belgium scored the 1-1 we would be speaking otherwise. However Belgium were disappointing in general, especially in finishing. Lukaku does not belong in that team, Origi might be a better option.
lukkaku,fellaini,witzel are headless chickens..
And Tiju wins “comment of the day”. I strained my back laughing at this.
‘headless chickens..’
You keep using this phrase.
I do not think it means what you think it means.
Then again, Italy could not hold the ball for 5 seconds in the second half. So let’s not shower them with undue praise.
There is a lot of talk in the news about Chong – a Dutch youngster just signed by Man Utd from Feyenoord at age 16. Do you know anything about him ?
Honestly this guy is over hyped nothing special so far..i rate Mensah 100 times better talent than him..Lets hope he is good…
yes Fosu Mensah is the real deal. He will become a great player for Oranje.
Or maybe for Ghana!
Sure, Fosu Mensah was very confident even first time playing for MU, i am sure even senior players in the team respect him so much at age of 18 he can dominate them that’s terrific. Another thing make him more impressive is , usually Teenagers are very eager for a debut at National team but he doesn’t care that much => He is very confident.I hope he is a good replacement for Nigel de Jong as a defensive midfielder.
He is a fast and skillful winger, just played a big part in the U17 euros where Oranje went out in the SFs to Portugal.
I think he can have a big future if he keeps his feet on the ground and obvs depending on completing his development.
Unfortunately he went to Man Utd (where he probably won’t get any chance until a next manager has to come to fix the club again) which shows he is not very bright haha but it’s ok he is still very young.. 😉
Here is a highlight reel..
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=6iUALmMBNJY
Afellay,Depay are fast and skillful too.While Thomas muller is not…but i prefer smart ones over headless chickens always..this doesnt mean i am calling chong in to that catagory..lets hope for the best…
Afellay’s already failed but Depay not yet , he ‘s still have some chances to change his life even if he has to leave MU for another club so at the end it’s up to him let’s see.
is it answer to sybe???…coz i have no words against what u said about both..Depay hav time i doubt that little…still lets hope….
‘Thomas muller is not’
Muller is not smart. You heard it here first, folks!
Top notch commenting there, brainmelch!
Of course, TIJU is smart. Really smart. Super intelligent. He is perfectly placed to judge other people’s intelligence, with that insanely high IQ of his. Hahaha. You are probably the dumbest troll on the entire internet.
Here is the provisional squad for the U19 Euros coming in July…
Its going to be an intense group! Croatia, England and France
GK:
van Osch – PSV
R de Boer – ADO
Nijhuis – Utrecht
D:
ter Avest – Twente
van Drongelen – Sparta
Lelieveld – Vitesse
Verdonk – Zwolle
Carolina – PSV
Doekhi – Exelsior
Knoester – Feyenoord
Floranus – Sparta
Troupee – Utrecht
Zeefuik – Ajax
M:
Eiting – Ajax
Duarte – PSV
Nouri – Ajax
Kongolo – Man City
Peeters – Madrid
Rosario – Almere
F de Jong – Ajax
Schuurman – Feyenoord
Paal – PSV
F:
Bergwijn – PSV
Lammers – PSV
Dekker – Ajax
Berden – PSV
Bacuna – Groningen
Grot – NEC
van der Heijden – ADO
Robertha – Feyenoord
Strange that Fosu-Mensah is not on the provisional list, as he played all of the qualifiers.
Maybe he still has the injury which kept him out of the senior side and the last couple Man Utd matches, hopefully it is not yet another sign that he may yet choose Ghana, which would be awful (for us and for him too).
Other notable absences from the qualifiers are midfielder Donny van de Beek (normally a starter, but will miss out since he is going to be with the Ajax first team training for their CL qualifiers) and forward Javairo Dilrosun of Man City (not sure why he is absent from the provisional squad when Kongolo is available, so maybe just injury).
Really hoping to see some good things from the future midfield:
DM – Eiting, Duarte
CM – F de Jong, Kongolo
CAM – Nouri, Peeters, Schuurman, Paal
Cant wait, these orange-less euros are making me crazy!
Yes I’m looking forward too 🙂
(Y),
Be honest, this year we are watching euro through tv but we can proud of our kids all levels, so far we have u17 has already booked a ticket at WC u17, u19 likely will be present at next WC U20, U21 is now playing quite well in group stage and hopefully they can qualify next Olympic.
Iceland keeper Halldorsson had the most completed passes of any Iceland player with 21/38. The only Portuguese starting player to have less passes than him was Patricio hahaha
At least we did not allow Iceland any goals created from open play, just forgot to score 🙁
Ridiculous that we failed to score against them in 180′ of qualifying, and allowed them 2 awful penalties and another one of those corner kick goals against.. I hope our players are watching this and I hope their shame only fires them up for the WCQs!
Digressing back to Jan’s query, best memories:
(1) In the US in 1988, the only broadcast of the semi-final was a tape delayed Spanish language which began at 11:30 pm. But also back then, there was no danger of hearing the result. I remember yelling at my TV at appr. 1:00 am when they gave the German penalty, and yelling again when they gave they gave the admittedly soft penalty which tied the matter. And jumping off my sofa when MVB converted that lovely set up from Wouters(?); I’m sure I woke the neighbors. I can still see MVB’s goal against Russia plain as day; thinking as he was winding up that it was going to be a wasted effort…extraordinary.
(2) In 2004, RVN’s goal to tie Germany in the opener. It came out of nothing; punctuated what a finisher he was.
(3) In 2008, the entire match against France. What a performance…
Honorable mention: I was living in Scotland during the qualifiers for 1984. NT had been in the weeds for awhile, but they visited Ireland in a qualifier, and the papers were talking about how they had a young, potentially dangerous team—naming MVB, Gullitt, the Koemans, etc.—but not much was really known. Ireland led 2-0 at halftime. In the 2nd half, the NT coach made moved Gullitt out of the back to a more forward position, and they came back to win 3-2, and Gullitt was on his way to becoming a household name…what a player he was.
Roma’s interesting on Wijnaldum move with a price tag up to £30, it’s very proud new and be honest with his hardworking & non-stop improving everyday, he deserve that. good luck to Wijnaldum.
Portugal 1 -1 Iceland.
there you go.those who were undermining Iceland and how NT lost to them twice.well there you go. They could have won the game vs portugal but were bit unlucky.to those who were pin pointing at players for the NT loss,this result just shows it not jus abouts players but it is also about how smart you can play as a team too. Ronaldo,Nani,Pepe,carvalho,Moutinho. Vs NT,Sneijder,Robben,RVP,De Vrij.
Again tatically they jus have the right players to play 4-4-2 formation which they mostly used in the qualifiers and what they used against portgual Well I don’t know how much depth they have on the bench but if nobody from their starting 11 gets injured,they could go long way. They also are using the same formation and the same players that beat NT and others in the qualifiers. They play 4-4-2 in attack and 4-3-3 in defense.
I always admire the presence of Gylfi Sigurdsson,whether its Iceland or Swansea. He is can be so deceive when ball at feet. Jus like Van Der Vaart to some extent.
Good post!
> Ronaldo,Nani,Pepe,carvalho,Moutinho.
expect Tiju to call them headless chickens when he wakes up.
As expected Koeman wants Tim Krul to be his first signing. Again he is trying to address issues where Everton needs reinforcement.also he has confirmed that he wants to build the team around Barkely.
Iceland is a Good team…i mean tough team to beat…Portugal is defensivly organised team if Pepe dont do any madness they are fine…they have electric paced forwards upfront CR7,NANi…
We Lost to Iceland due to a 3 crap players in first match those were Afellay,Weil,BMI with old static exmilitary RVP….we had a light weight midfeild in Klassen and Blind too…so we lost nothing new about it…We will still loose if we play the same 11..
Second match yetagain another crap 3 players Afellay replaced by Bodybuilder Depay.,BMI,Weil..then u know this kind of players are enough to loose against a good Iceland team…End of the story…
But it’s NOT the end of the story though, is it, clowntroll?
YOU will keep posting this utter nonsense OVER AND OVER AND OVER AND OVER AND OVER AGAIN.
The story never ends! You are like a broken record. And you convince no-one.
You just repeat and repeat and repeat in the vain misplaced hope that one day someone might actually agree with one of your idiotic comments.
NEVER GONNA HAPPEN.
No matter how many times you write something, it does not mean it will be true.
In fact, if you feel the need to write the same moronic brainmelts over and over again like a child, you are really only highlighting your own defeated viewpoint. Do you understand? Probably not.
I’m hoping jus like Van Dijk,Koeman will bring Buttner to Everton and put an end to his career riddled with club crisis. apparently Leighton Banies is also rumored to be on the move to LA Galaxy.Buttner was also linked to Everton under Martinez when Banies got injured and spent a lengthy spell on the sideline but it never eventuated. if stones leave it could be either Bruma or Van Dijk.Nathan ake could also fit the bill here given his versatility.
it has been confirmed that Stam is now head coach for Reading playing at Championship but with reputation of the club hopefully Stam can improve his management skill to become top class like de Boer, Cocu, Koeman. Also hopefully he also help to give our dutch talent more chances to develop like the way that Koeman ‘s doing. 🙂
Great news. It’s time for Stam The Man to rise!
Luc castaignos first season at Eintracht Frankfurt also seems to to be coming to a end after they narrowly escaped relegation.the management are now looking to re structure the squad with him deemed as a surplus . Italian newspapers have claimed Geona could well be his next destination.
Let’s imagine how good we are if de Boer come to Southamton as rumour we will have a new contingent in term of both coach & player at PM. Maybe it’s new era of dutch at PM.
I feel he will ruin what ever Koeman has built in jus one year. He will definitely try emulate Koeman by bringing hopeless players like Klaassen and other mediocre Ajax players.
Looking at Hiddink interim spell at Chelsea I would prefer him over FDB.
To be honest FDB is another Van Gaal in making when it comes to self centered and bossy type of coach. Doubt he will become a humble coach like koeman.
Hehe, @wilson
Leadership is not about true or false, sometime even with directive style you can get success but humble, it’s depend on situation. I don’t care even if FDB ruin Koeman’s players. He can do any way he want to help the team achieve their goal & his career path. Also we are hoping for dutch players so it’s good if he can bring someone like Klassen or Ghazi to Southamton. So at the end if he success that means the club’s happy and our dutch talents also been improve then done. 🙂
I said the above keeping in mind
What happened to Ajax in on the last match day of eredivisie. Really it’s unexplainable.
Also remember at Ajax, he has nothing to worry about as nobody is there to point fingers at him.PL is a different story my friend,he won’t last long if he does it any way he want. The fans also can be a pain in the ass.
Yeah but I do agree with your views on how it will help NT in long run.
Yes, FDB should take the responsibility on that match, but he did very good during season in term of building team & table ranking, football style, only one moment of that match failed, it’s hard to say, btw FDB has proven his level with 4 titles for Ajax. I know comparing between leagues PM and Eredivisie is nonsense but at PM some coachs with same style as FDB have successed such as Van Gaal as u mentioned above or Mou as he’s student of Van Gaal logically. If you are winner the people will listen from your philosophy i think.
whaaaaat?this is something new I’m hearing.Van Gaal and Mou succeeding using FDBs style. Hello both got sacked but I’m not sure they were using FDBs style or no.
Either way once again my views are particularly based on what has already happened to to some of the coaches/managers in PL who could not keep up job at hand with fans calling for more.Brendon Rodgers -Liverpool and Di Matteo- Chelsea.
My point is the widow of success and failure here is 50/50.if he messes up with the transfers jus like what Van Gaal did,he will be out if there in no time.
Thanks Jan for a stroll down memory lane! Your knowledge and insight is fantastic, thanks for putting in so much effort just so we can talk shite about Oranje here!
My biggest memory of the Euro’s is 2000, I just can’t get the image of Pat Kluivert out of my head, when he missed his penalty in the second half, I screamed at the TV while he just stood there with his hands on his head as the ball rebounded off the post. My brother in law rang me from Holland before the game and in true Dutch fashion they were already enjoying the silverware and the Heineken’s, all to be bundled out by those pesky Italians! Oh the pain!
I thought I would be ok to just sit back and watch this year but now I’m just getting frustrated about not being there. IMO, We are a better footballing nation than most of the teams there so it’s hard to take this medicine.
Good to see some different posters on this site both Old and New, it all adds to the quality of the discussions, keep it up lads!
Hup Holland
Oh. That 2000 game. Right after it, I drove up the nearest mountain and wandered aimlessly in the fields for two hours, in shock.
Come to think of it, the next day my italian friends were apologizing for their win…
Lol and cry at the same time!
Remember this one too.Pele also was in the stands. His reaction was ” can’t believe my eyes” that was after the second miss.
Thank you 🙂
I’d like to make some comments about stuff said here about bad teams being here and Oranje not able to beat them…
I would like to say that playing qualifications games is a totally different thing compared with tournament football.
Oranje always had hot – cold spells in qualifications. We actually shouldn’t have qualified for the World Cup 1974. We were so bad. But we dazzled at the WC.
We struggled a lot and I know other nations have had similar bad runs like Belgium, Portugal, France and Italy.
And for the Euros 2012 we had a tremendous run.
What people forget is that for Oranje a qualfication game vs Finland or Andorra or Latvia is usually a nuisance. Travel, bad pitch, 2 buses parked… It is usually the biggest game for Latvia and Finland so they’ll give EVERYTHING, whereas our lads are busy winning titles for their clubs.
At the tournaments, clubs calculate in the group stages.
The dynamics in these qualification games vs tournaments is so different.
Coaches don’t have time to gel a team together. They get 2 or 3 days to prep with the players available and then they need to (in our case) make the play.
It is silly to say “ah look at Turkey and look at how bad we are”… You don’t get football if you say things like this :-(.
Spain lost 5 points vs Ireland in the qualifications. Oooh Spain must be headless chicken body builders!!
Very correct … it’s a different story.
Still a football nation like Holland should never be in a position to miss the 3rd place in a qualifying group!! It is the worst performance ever … don’t forget, we came 4th, not 2nd or 3rd.
But anyway, Oranje for ever, and looking forward to cheer again for the lads in Euro U-19 next July and in WC Qualifiers in September. We are soon back in action 🙂
This is maybe what Tiju needs to understand before opening his mouth.
Holland has a great team I don’t doubt it. We’ll qualify for the WC our players will be up to it you will see.
We’ve a solid defense, good midfield especially if Strootman is playing and good forwards Janssen, Robben, but the best is MEMPHIS DEPAY ahahahaha Tiju I love you!
Koeman eyeing strootman.
Very interested on this new, hopefully it will be on right track 🙂
I’d be very surprised if he left Roma, they have really done everything they could to support him over the past 2 years, he kind of owes them, me thinks!
Middlesbrough also scouting Marten De Roon.
Should step up to better club don’t step-down, at least current team Atalanta is better than Championship side.
Middlesbrough is in the EPL this coming season and Karanka is a decent manager, so definitely a step up if it actually happens
Yes, i forgot they was just promoted after last season, but i think they don’t have strong team and join that club is too risky, as for sure they will be consider as a relegation for upcoming season. 🙂
Oh well. Those frigging french.
Apparently Wolfsburg will rival Tottenham for Vincent Janssen.
Hope he goes to Spurs!
AFTER watching as many games Germany looks like teh most potent team though they dont have the talents of france.French defense is little weak due absence of Varane..
Portugal,italy,Germany and france has the edge above others.any one of these will win it…most probably Germany..
No-one cares.
Go somewhere else.
‘AFTER watching a you tube highlights video…..’
FIXED FOR YOU.
Seems that even Mourinho wants Janssen badly…
I feel like the quality of these Euros has been pretty poor so far. It doesn’t seem like we are missing out on much at all.
Hopefully, it will improve…
I watched the Northern Ireland vs Ukraine game earlier today and found myself rooting for Northern Ireland despite their ultra defensive play. It didn’t look at all like a game being played at an international level.
Nerthlands,Denmark,Greece,Bosina.some usually names missing.
that game reminded me of my high school football. a lot of lofted passes, with many of them aimless. some terrific individual skills thrown into it (I remember one roulette done by N. Ireland player, nice one).
not international level, but still enjoyable.
http://soccersouls.com/2016/06/17/3-manchester-united-players-revive-careers-jose-mourinho-next-season/?
Let’s see 🙂
It’s shame, currently we don’t have any player cost over than £50, look around from small to top teams such as France, Portugal,Wales,England, Belgium, Germany, Italia, Poland, Croatia, Spain, Slovakia, Turkey, Armenia
Our player’s cost is too cheap, haizzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz!!!!
Ruud …..Latin populationa dn turkish population is high and English/Germans has worldwide fans…So mediocre players from those team get better payments…
Look at Renato sanchez i dont think he has anything extra than our lost diamond Drenthe….60M..
If Pogba is 50M then stroot should be 60M..
But one of our player got very lucky and became world famous,i mean become huge global name that happend due to his move to MANU with 35M thats Memphis the flop…
‘But one of our player got very lucky and became world famous,i mean become huge global name that happend due to his move to MANU with 35M thats Memphis the flop…’
Jealousy of the success of others is no measure of, or basis for, critical analysis.
Try again.
Even Austria with David Alaba, haizzzzzzzzzz
that means the people & especially big clubs in europe underestimate dutch players, haizzzzzz
cannot believe Vicent Jannsen in form,a top soccer , typical striker still young but cost just around £12 – £15,even compare with Portugal or France mediocre players it’s still so much different.
watched Germany Vs Poland ,N ireland Vs Ukraine……
Northern ireland was real fighters,damn fighters,they deserved the victory..lets hope they make it to next round,they Look hard to beat.they would be tougher than Sweden for us in upcoming WCQ2018…
For me orange with out EC is futile,gutted and supporting Germany…
Germany Vs poland was a chess game,not much chances..i am glad that we beat a strong poland team with out RVP,Hunter,Depay,Afellay,BMI,Weil these are the weak points when we played at ECQ2016..Hope Blind sticks with current team with Roben for promes…in coming matches…
France,Nerthlands,Sweden,Bulgaria,Belarus,Luxembourg. Group A.WC qualifers.
Northern Ireland???
i didnt checked the group…i knew that we had france and sweden…here some one said Northern ireland is in our group will paste that comment…its based on that..
ha ha its bummer…..wilson its you who posted it earlier..on same article….i really didnt want to see N ireland games but after reading that comment i just wacthed the ir game…as i belived what u said is true..
“”””””””””””””””””””””””
wilson June 14, 2016 at 5:09 am
Did any one catch Sweden and Northern Ireland since they are in the same group as NT in WC Qualifiers.I see they played 4-4-2.””””””””””””””””””
This jus proves how stupid you are and how small you mentally is. Follow blindly.
Northern Ireland was a mistake.got mixed up Republic of Island and Northern Ireland.
Sweden played Republic of Ireland.As for the word “they” it was reference to Sweden because there are in the same group as NT in the WCQ. Shame you don’t know that .that’s why I always say before you open your hole,thinnnnnnnnk.
Quote Jan “I would like to say that playing qualifications games is a totally different thing compared with tournament football.” Spot on. When it comes to tournments,its becomes a different ball game.
I see there are still people here whose perception after the Poland and Austria game is that NT would have been on another level if they would have qualified given they beat them in those friendlys.well after seeing Germany and Poland I hope they will realize how things can change in terms of approach for the teams when they enter the tournments.
There were some other big teams who also lost in the warms ups prior to the Euros,but then again warmups are particularly for tiring up lose ends,it shouldn’t be taken seriously.
‘watched Germany Vs Poland ,N ireland Vs Ukraine highlights on you tube, using my McDonalds wifi login.’
FIXED.
‘and supporting Germany…’
because you are not a NEDERLAND fan. You are not Dutch. You will never be Dutch. You treat our great National Team like a club. I’m sure the Germans will be so happy now that you support them. Maybe you could disappear off to the Germany WorldCup Blogspot and ruin that site too.
‘Germany Vs poland was a chess game,’
No, it was a football game. Perhaps you were watching the wrong highlights footage on you tube, clowntroll.
@Stupid idiot wilson..
“”This jus proves how stupid you are and how small you mentally is. Follow blindly.
Northern Ireland was a mistake.got mixed up Republic of Island and Northern Ireland.
Sweden played Republic of Ireland.As for the word “they” it was reference to Sweden because there are in the same group as NT in the WCQ. Shame you don’t know that .that’s why I always say before you open your hole,thinnnnnnnnk.””””””””””””””””
it shows my openness to see and follow even ur stupid blind statement..dont twist arroud with rep island and northern island..Both are not in WCQ groups…..i dont care who we face at WCQ FYI….So did nt checked or i checked long time ago…only team i rembered was france and sweden as i consider them as strong rivals.
Stop stupidity and move on…just live in pradaise of
1-Excellent chelsea academy
2-Just follow World class talent of Afellay,Deroon,ruudvorer,Buttner etc…
3.Also stick on ur opinions on Blind is crap and LVG is crap.
‘@Stupid idiot wilson..’
The ONLY stupid idiot here is you, moron.
Jan, is there some way to implement a button to block TIJU’s posts from displaying?
This is beyond a joke now.
The clown humiliates Dirk Kuyt for 6 years, then assumes we will all forget, after he is humiliatingly proved wrong.
No apology by the way, did everyone notice that?
The clowntroll never said sorry once. 6 years of abuse, and then he just hopes we all forget it ever happened.
And then he lies about ever making the comments in the first place!!! Hahahahahahahahahahahaha!!!!
And now it’s all about Afellay, Affelay, Afelay, Affley, Afeflay – choose your spelling….
or Menphis, Mempis, Memphis, Deppay – choose your spelling….
and who can forget the time he TRIED TO CONVINCE US THAT Sneijder was actually spelled Znyder!!!!? Hahahahahaha You couldn’t make this up if you tried!!!
I mean, how do you deal with sheer idiocy like this???
It’s like conversing with a child. It just cannot understand. It lacks the reasoning power to appreciate its own actions – it has absolutely no sense of reality.
And let’s talk about the racism.
Firstly, the clowntroll is lightning quick to pull the race card whenever his national allegiance is questioned. Hilarious, as it doesn’t even understand the difference between a race and nation!!
But look closer at the clowntroll’s posts – repeated references to South Americans and Africans being stupid, incompetent, ignorant and incapable. This IS racism, by the way.
Is it any wonder that great people have left this website en masse?
Carlos, Paul, DRB, Dante, Steve, Alex… the list goes on and on.
No-one wants to make an intelligent comment here – what is the point when clowntroll will post 30 negative responses in the proceeding half hour???
It’s embarrassing.
Most of those guys post somewhere else now – i will not name the site out of respect for Jan – but how long do you think TIJUTROLL would last there??? Hahahaha 10 seconds?? He’d be banned instantly, and rightfully so.
I said it before. The best this website ever got was when McTIJUTROLL THE FAILCLOWN disappeared for 3-4 months, after he got his butt kicked in a particularly heated debate. Good times! Remember them??
PLEASE JAN, we implore you, we beg you, give us a way to silence this poisonous idiot – at the very least a button to hide his repeated posts. He brings nothing but hate and negativity. Enough is enough.
@Aanfoolen..u r arrogant dumb that i ever met in this blog….u r a fool just coming here to troll….live in ur delusion idiot u r a racist idiot.u untolerable..
what is ur intelligent comment MEMpiss is CR7???or Orange is the only one nation who knows football??or r u the only one master in football????shut the F#$$k up and humbly remmber u r schooled with arrogance in Ec2012 and ECQ2016..live with it u fool…..
Is that it?
Is that the best you can do??
Here it is, folks, if ever you needed evidence – this clueless moron is NOT A FAN at all.
It’s a troll, plain and simple.
If you are not a fan of Dutch football, and you have clearly established right here that you are not, then why do you come here?
No-one likes you.
No-one respects you.
In fact, EVERYONE WISHES THAT YOU WOULD LEAVE.
You contribute nothing but cluttered thoughts and hideous spelling – intermixed with occasional racism and personal insults.
Why are you here?
Why do you do this to yourself??
Hahahaha!!
Does your manager at McDonalds know that you spend all day using their McWifi, clogging up this great site with your impotent rage!!??? Hahahahahahahahaha!
LOSER!
“”””””I said it before. The best this website ever got was when McTIJUTROLL THE FAILCLOWN disappeared for 3-4 months, after he got his butt kicked in a particularly heated debate. Good times! Remember them??”””””””””
u guys got buttkicked in real life…cannt stop laughing the humilaitaion of EC2012..
First go and learn to spell and write,then put a stopper so that you can’t fart.
‘u guys got buttkicked in real life…cannt stop laughing the humilaitaion of EC2012..’
Ignoring the truly toe-curling spelling and grammar…..
Would a fan make a comment like this???
THINK ABOUT IT.
Notice the terminology it used: ‘u guys’
Quite specific, wouldn’t you say?
McTIJU, you don’t seem to understand, so I shall attempt to explain it to you using small words, ok child?
This is a fan site. You are not a fan. You are not welcome here.
Got it?
I’ll repeat it for you. Haha! You seem to like repetition.
This is a fan site. You are not a fan. You are not welcome here.
Understood now?
—–
(the word ‘welcome’ contains two syllables and seven letters, so the idiot may struggle to comprehend that one. we’ll just have to see)
—–
HAHAHAHAHA! As usual, it cannot reply to the comments made against it; it lacks the reasoning power and the social skills to do so, thus it resorts to IMPOTENT RAGE once again, attempting to humiliate and denigrate. Predictable and pathetic. The vacant mind of a simpleton.
This is FAR too easy. Do you have anything else to add? Or are you done? It seems like you’re done, but hopefully you’ll reply with even more insightful thoughts! I look forward to it!!
Live in ur own self delusion …keep going keep beliving Memphis is next CR7..Orange has won every trophies with kuyt upfront…keep doing it..belive kuyt is better than Vaart and RVN so he should play always ahead of them upfront..Keep strootman on bench when Boommel cannt even finish 60 minutes….Call back Neeskens to play now…So keep going with ur arrogance,untill butt kicked from turnament or even qualifiers…Keep going with arrogance…So for no Wc s and just 1 EC…
Be less arrogant u ignorant dutchfan..stay grounded if u want to win anything…
>u guys got buttkicked in real life…cannt stop laughing the humilaitaion of EC2012..
Wow, tiju. After all these years, finally, the truth.
You’ve been laughing at us “in real life” when we get our butts kicked.
Dank u wel. That’s some pretty heavy trolling.
@Vanfoolen in ur life time u will never be able to spell or speak my language…
Why would I want to, idiot (or, should I say Mudhan)?
You don’t seem to understand what’s happening here, do you, child? Hahahaha!!
Let me explain.
You know nothing about me. Nothing at all. You are disadvantaged.
On the other hand, I know quite a lot about you.
You come from South India, probably Kerala (or Tamil Nadu perhaps).
You are a very small, very thin, feeble, physically weak man with little-to-no-experience of playing sport.
You find larger, more muscular men imposing and threatening.
You live in an Arab nation – probably Dubai – where you work in the service industry (obviously), most probably at McDonalds.
You have barely any friends – certainly no real friends. You find it incredibly difficult to make relationships – and this fuels your impotence and your hatred.
You started supporting our great Nation because we played a unique, eye-catching brand of football in the early/mid 90’s when you were most influenced. You were probably attracted to our National Team by the bright colours! Haha! Simpleton.
At the same time you started supporting Manchester United – not because you are from Manchester, oh no, but because they happened to be the winning team at that time! That’s what you do. You join bandwagons. You follow the herd, like a sheep. You assume that if you support a winning or desirable team then you will not be easily bullied. You rely on it, because you have no other defence, physical or mental.
You actually think Roy Keane is a great footballer – hahahahahaha I LOVE this one hahahaha!!
Am I getting close yet, child?
You believe in your imaginary god, and you pray to your imaginary jesus, because this is what you were told to believe in.
You lack the ability to think critically and rationally.
You get an idea in your tiny, empty head and you look only for evidence to support it – this is called ‘positive reinforcement’, and is in itself evidence of your inability to use logic and reason.
You ignore science, not because of any natural distaste for it, but because you simply lack the brain power to understand it.
Am I getting closer, moron?
You think you understand football. You do not.
You think that by repeating the same comments over and over and over and over and over again you can convince people of their veracity (accuracy). This is not how the world works. Grow up! You impress nobody. You embarrass yourself.
You have the mental age of a pre-pubescent teen. As a psychologist (and Doctor of Psychology) I would estimate your intelligence quotient to be between 70 and 80 – far, far below average.
Your memory is poor, hopelessly poor – whether recalling facts or spelling names.
You words and thoughts spill forth like a torrent of nonsense. You type faster than your brain can think (which is not difficult), and you do not check your work, because your own multiple errors do actually embarrass you. They are indeed another catalyst for your obvious and apparent self-loathing.
You are a racist. Truly, a racist. Your comments about Africans and South Americans are disgusting – and would have gotten you banned from any other website except one run by as generous and patient a man as Jan.
You do not understand or appreciate the term ‘racism’ – because it has always been your reflex response to antagonism. It’s an easy way out, and you like easy ways out. They suit your simple nature.
Oh, and your parents didn’t love you enough. That must have hurt.
‘in ur life time u will never be able to spell or speak my language…’
I speak 7 languages – 5 of them fluently (I’m told) – and English is my third language (which I speak and write a lot better than you do). Which language do you wish to continue this in???
Still reading? Good.
Because there is going to be a lot more to read.
You see, when you spent 7 years humiliating Dirk (and now Ibi or Memphis – yes, I use first names as we are on first name terms) you opened a can of worms.
You see, for the next 7 years, McTIJU THE CLOWNTROLL, I am going to humiliate YOU.
Every post. Every comment. Every day. I will be waiting for you.
I am going to use your own words against you.
I am going to make your life a living hell, here. You believe in Hell, don’t you, idiot? Well, I’m going to show you what you imagine it looks like.
You see, you are done here. You are finished. It’s over. Understand? You want to know what trolling is, well allow me to demonstrate it properly.
You can expect this hate, this negativity that you throw at others, this level of childish anger to be directed at you now. I will not back down. I will never go away. I am here to stay, and I am here to ruin your already miserable existence on this once glorious website. I was here long before you, and I’ll be here long after you’ve crawled back under whichever hardened pile of foul-smelling excrement you came out from.
You brought this on yourself.
All by yourself.
You will now reap what you have sown, you deluded little child.
Now, get back to work.
Don’t you have a McToilet to clean out, maggot?
Perfect. See Tiju I hope you realize how easy and predictable you are jus from what you write.Jus perfect. Not only me,now there are others here who share the same sentiment about you as me. I also hope you realize why I call you by names.its not that Im hypocrite who likes to make fun of other people.its all about making sense,not jus opening you mouth, what ever comes into you mind. I will except that some things I also do that based on my own perception or What I like to see in the NT,but I always try to reason it out and if I’m indeed of the record then I don’t mind accepting it or being corrected.
@Wilson stop butt licking of Aanfoolen first…I dont care a shit about what u said for long time..u r just yet another delusional fart i found over here.perhaps the worst in this blog constantly bashing well performing players and supporting non performing players..also supporting an academy which is actually a grave yard for young players..just keep goin with ur fart ur ideas not goin to work and u failed it miserably.
SO STAY THE F#$%%k out of this..
@Aan foolen….
You are nothing for me
you are just a groin hair for me.
You will NEVER be able to do a shit against me.
you are retard who looks down the Asians.
You are typical western fool of supremacy of western fool who thinks there is no God and WITH A MENTALITY OF i know everything””
You are pathetic fool to understand about God and his Works own with ur Pathetically poor brain with ur so called IMPOTENT RATIONAL thinking…
You think that you know everything about football and others do not..thats symptom of typical fool.i mean symptom of low level IQ of 70-60…
Speaking 7 langues is good to bark as it helps you bark effectively..i appreciate it.
FYI i am coming form country which has more than 24 languages and 1000 varites of tasty foods..We are not limited to just mere Mcdonald..May be you would have seen some stupid philipine working for MCdonald like you.
I am sure soem one from MCdonald BUTTf%^ked you thats why u r pointing that a lot.
Last but least…
YOU ARE THE real clown just coming here to troll…
You are so arrogant dumb that if dare just play with ur favorite players YOU WILL BE SCHOOLED….
aND U TALK LOT SHIT ABOUT RATIONAL THINKING…
fyi
You have never won anything with kuyt up front.
You have never won antyhing with Afellay
You have never won antything with Depay
All i remmeber is tears coming out RVN eyes after Protugal match in 2006..
My 6 six year rants against kuyt will never equal the tears of RVN had in 2006 hamburg due to arrogantly egositically dumbed by the coach for a lesser player..
FACTS
yOU ARE SCHOOLED AND BUTf##$KED IN 2012ec…
yOU ARE REALLY bUTtHURT NOW AS DUTCH IS NOT PLAYING IN EURO2016…
LIVE WITH THAT FACT…U IDIOT
@Aan foolen….
You are nothing for me
you are just a groin hair for me.
You will NEVER be able to do a sh&^&**it against me.
you are retard who looks down the Asians.
You are typical western fool of supremacy of western fool who thinks there is no God and WITH A MENTALITY OF i know everything””
You are pathetic fool TRYING to understand about God and his Works own with ur Pathetically poor brain with ur so called IMPOTENT RATIONAL thinking…
You think that you know everything about football and others do not..thats symptom of typical fool.i mean symptom of low level IQ of 70-60…
Speaking 7 langues is good to bark as it helps you bark effectively..i appreciate it.
FYI i am coming form country which has more than 24 languages and 1000 varites of tasty foods..We are not limited to just mere Mcdonald..May be you would have seen some stupid philipine working for MCdonald like you.
I am sure soem one from MCdonald BU^&&TTf%^ked you thats why u r pointing that a lot.
Last but least…
YOU ARE THE real clown just coming here to troll…
You are so arrogant du%%^mb that if dare just play with ur favorite players YOU WILL BE SCHOOLED….
aND U TALK LOT SHIT ABOUT RATIONAL THINKING…
fyi
You have never won anything with kuyt up front.
You have never won antyhing with Afellay
You have never won antything with Depay
All i remmeber is tears coming out RVN eyes after Protugal match in 2006..
My 6 six year rants against kuyt will never equal the tears of RVN had in 2006 hamburg due to arrogantly egositically dum%%^bed by the coach for a lesser player..
FACTS
yOU ARE SCHOOLED AND BUTf##$KED IN 2012ec…
yOU ARE REALLY bUT$#$^^HURT NOW AS DUTCH IS NOT PLAYING IN EURO2016…
LIVE WITH THAT FACT…U IDIOT
@Aan foolen….
You are nothing for me
you are just a groin hair for me.
You will NEVER be able to do a sh&^&**it against me.
you are retard who looks down the Asians.
You are typical western foo&&l of supremacy of western fool who thinks there is no God and WITH A MENTALITY OF i know everything””
You are pathetic fool TRYING to understand about God and his Works own with ur Pathetically poor brain with ur so called IMPOTENT RATIONAL thinking…
You think that you know everything about football and others do not..thats symptom of typical fool.i mean symptom of low level IQ of 70-60…
Speaking 7 langues is good to bark as it helps you bark effectively..i appreciate it.
FYI i am coming form country which has more than 24 languages and 1000 varites of tasty foods..We are not limited to just mere Mcdonald..May be you would have seen some stupid philipine working for MCdonald like you.
I am sure soem one from MCdonald BU^&&TTf%^ked you thats why u r pointing that a lot.
Last but least…
YOU ARE THE real clown just coming here to troll…
You are so arrogant du%%^mb that if dare just play with ur favorite players YOU WILL BE SCHOOLED….
aND U TALK LOT SHI&^%%T ABOUT RATIONAL THINKING…
fyi
You have never won anything with kuyt up front.
You have never won antyhing with Afellay
You have never won antything with Depay
All i remmeber is tears coming out RVN eyes after Protugal match in 2006..
My 6 six year rants against kuyt will never equal the tears of RVN had in 2006 hamburg due to arrogantly egositically dum%%^bed by the coach for a lesser player..
FACTS
yOU ARE SCHOOLED AND BUTf##$KED IN 2012ec…
yOU ARE REALLY bUT$#$^^HURT NOW AS DUTCH IS NOT PLAYING IN EURO2016…
LIVE WITH THAT FACT…U IDIOT
@ vAN Aan foo&&*%$^len….
You are nothing for me
you are just a groin hair for me.
You will NEVER be able to do a sh&^&**it against me.
you are retard who looks down the Asians.
You are typical western foo&&l of supremacy of western foo&%#l who thinks there is no God and WITH A MENTALITY OF i know everything””
You are pathetic foo#$%l TRYING to understand about God and his Works own with ur Pathetically poor brain with ur so called IMPOTENT RATIONAL thinking…
You think that you know everything about football and others do not..thats symptom of typical fo#$%$%ol.i mean symptom of low level IQ of 70-60…
Speaking 7 langues is good to bark as it helps you bark effectively..i appreciate it.
FYI i am coming form country which has more than 24 languages and 1000 varites of tasty foods..We are not limited to just mere Mcdonald..May be you would have seen some stupid philipine working for MCdonald like you.
I am sure soem one from MCdonald BU^&&TTf%^ked you thats why u r pointing that a lot.
Last but least…
YOU ARE THE real clown just coming here to troll…
You are so arrogant du%%^mb that if dare just play with ur favorite players YOU WILL BE SCHOOLED….
aND U TALK LOT SHI&^%%T ABOUT RATIONAL THINKING…
fyi
You have never won anything with kuyt up front.
You have never won antyhing with Afellay
You have never won antything with Depay
All i remmeber is tears coming out RVN eyes after Protugal match in 2006..
My 6 six year rants against kuyt will never equal the tears of RVN had in 2006 hamburg due to arrogantly egositically dum%%^bed by the coach for a lesser player..
FACTS
yOU ARE SCHOOLED AND BUTf##$KED IN 2012ec…
yOU ARE REALLY bUT$#$^^HURT NOW AS DUTCH IS NOT PLAYING IN EURO2016…
LIVE WITH THAT FACT…U IDIOT
@ vAN Aan foo&&*%$^len….
You are nothing for me
you are just a groin hair for me.
You will NEVER be able to do a sh&^&**it against me.
you are ret@#$^%^ard who looks down the Asians.
You are typical western foo&&l of supremacy of western foo&%#l who thinks there is no God and WITH A MENTALITY OF i know everything””
You are pathetic foo#$%l TRYING to understand about God and his Works own with ur Pathetically poor brain with ur so called IMPOTENT RATIONAL thinking…
You think that you know everything about football and others do not..thats symptom of typical fo#$%$%ol.i mean symptom of low level IQ of 70-60…
Speaking 7 langues is good to bark as it helps you bark effectively..i appreciate it.
FYI i am coming form country which has more than 24 languages and 1000 varites of tasty foods..We are not limited to just mere Mcdonald..May be you would have seen some stupid philipine working for MCdonald like you.
I am sure soem one from MCdonald BU^&&TTf%^ked you thats why u r pointing that a lot.
Last but least…
YOU ARE THE real clo@#%^wn just coming here to troll…
You are so arrogant du%%^mb that if dare just play with ur favorite players YOU WILL BE SCHOOLED….
aND U TALK LOT SHI&^%%T ABOUT RATIONAL THINKING…
fyi
You have never won anything with kuyt up front.
You have never won antyhing with Afellay
You have never won antything with Depay
All i remmeber is tears coming out RVN eyes after Protugal match in 2006..
My 6 six year rants against kuyt will never equal the tears of RVN had in 2006 hamburg due to arrogantly egositically dum%%^bed by the coach for a lesser player..
FACTS
yOU ARE SCHOOLED AND BUTf##$KED IN 2012ec…
yOU ARE REALLY bUT$#$^^HURT NOW AS DUTCH IS NOT PLAYING IN EURO2016…
LIVE WITH THAT FACT…U IDi##$%5ot
News:
Ajax signed Casierra from Colombia. 5 year deal. Anyone know anything about him?
Twente’s appeal was granted. They are staying in the Eredivisie.
It’s been very interesting to watch these Euros completely as a neutral with no rooting interest whatsoever. I find myself generally rooting for the underdogs like N Ireland and Iceland, but I’m beginning to prefer Croatia from a pure viewing standpoint.
That was until their fans started throwing flares at people…
that flare-throwing incident was said to be caused by some of their anti-FA movement group.
the team was clearly affected and distressed by that incident. their pace became slower, although that handball was unlucky and unrelated to that earlier incident…
but I agree that their style of play is enjoyable to the neutrals (or even their enemies).
I agree. Up until the 60 something minute, Croatia was really pleasant to watch. To bad for them they stopped playing after being 2-0 up. So silly to take out Modric at that point…
I find the whole tournament rather dull so far. Maybe I’m getting old or it’s because we are not there, but I think the new format, with the best third place nonsense, is responsible: most teams play not to lose…
Modric was taken off just for precaution. He may even not playing part in next game vs Spain.
Roma are on the verge of securing Wijnaldum on loan from Newcastle which could suit both parties as
Benitez doesnt wanna sell all his top players,keeping in mind for a return to top fight after the upcoming season.its kind of hard to see Wijnaldum in that 10 role at Roma unless they play two strikers on top and Wijnaldum at the back of them.4-3-1-2. In a typical 4-3-3 I can’t see him fitting in that #10 as he is not that creative.Looking at the Roma Midfield,De Rossi is going ever green,both Strootman and Nainggalon are guaranteed a start now with Pjanic on his way to Juventus which could be the order of the day.if nobody is injured. Also florenzi was restricted to full back and his avaliabilty on the wings could make his chances even less again
Another scenario is Him on the wings and given if both Salah and El Shaarways loan is made permanent the competition could be big time if Florenzi moves up and Wijnaldum,Salah and El Shaarway fighting for that left wing. Again he will lose out here.also remember here Roma is also in the market for a RB which will allow Florenzi to move up. Van Der weil is heavily linked for a switch from PSG as the negotiations are still going on. I can see Van der weil perfectly fitting there with the midfield trio of Rossi,Strootman and Nainggolan jus like at PSG where he has performed expectionally well when going forward and the midfield covering him when he is caught out.
Possibilities.
El Shaarway- Salah
Wijnaldum
Strootman- Do Rossi- Nainggolan.
Or
Wijnaldum – Dzeko- Florezi
Strootman- Do Rossi- Nainggolan
Looking at PL Koeman has a strong desire to bring strootman to Everton and only a very big sum will prevent him from luring him to Everton.maybe in region of 50- 60 million pounds which might be deemed not worthy for a player who has just come out of a major injury.
I reckon Wijnaldum to Everton will suit him better especially on the wings where there lack quality and with Barkley at 10.also he has already adopted well to PL which wouldnt be problem if he moves from Newcastle.
Aslo Everton will face Tottenham on match day 1 of PL which should be interesting clash.looking forward to seeing whom Koeman will bring in to the Toffees.
“”””goldstone June 18, 2016 at 12:51 am
>u guys got buttkicked in real life…cannt stop laughing the humilaitaion of EC2012..
Wow, tiju. After all these years, finally, the truth.
You’ve been laughing at us “in real life” when we get our butts kicked.
Dank u wel. That’s some pretty heavy trolling.”””””””
@Goldstone….there are decent bloggers out here i own an apology to them any ways its aginst who trolled against me..
owe
What’s even more disappointing than our recent international performances is to come to this site and have to sit through this vitriol back and forth attacking each other’s race, heritage, religion, judgment, etc. Jan wrote a great retrospective about our experiences in the Euros over the years, and rather than contribute to the discussion with our own personal Euro memories or feelings about this current tournament, and really build a shared online community of Dutch fans with a meaningful exchange of ideas, this whole discussion has devolved into just immature and petty personal attacks.
I may be in the minority here, but personally, I don’t care whether Tiju comments or not. He’s entitled to come to Jan’s site and share his opinions just like the rest of us, and we can discuss the merits (if any) of his arguments. That said, although I believe I may share a religion with him, it’s certainly hard to defend his behavior and the language and attitude he frequently uses. I’d prefer a more civil and substantive discussion myself. At the end of the day, however, Tiju is what makes Dutch football great. He’s not Dutch by heritage, but he’s attracted to our style and history. He’s made a qualitative judgment to follow the national team and its players, and it’s a testament to our quality and success worldwide in the sport that we can claim such a diverse fan base. We should be welcoming fans from other nations who admire Dutch football, not trying to silence them.
If you feel like his views are misguided, I’ll-informed, disloyal, etc., then feel free to offer some substantive counter-arguments (as Jan has often done). Or just ignore him. But to engage in such petty and disparaging personal attacks back and forth only serves to this diminish this great site as a whole and is more likely to repel new or somewhat infrequent visitors that may have something valuable to add to the discussion here.
Let’s try to keep the commentary here respectful and on topic rather than just offering another location on the internet to anonymously spew hate and garbage.
From JB: “Let’s try to keep the commentary here respectful and on topic rather than just offering another location on the internet to anonymously spew hate and garbage.”
Well said.
Amen.
How about individuals having a “mute” or “block” button, Jan? Is that possible?
I’ve assembled a small collection of jerseys over the years — I’ve got a long-sleeve home jersey from the 74 WC (autographed by JC), a 95 Ajax away jersey that I bought in London that year, home and away jerseys from Euro 2008 (Sneijder and VDV), a 2010 WC away jersey, and a 92 Barcelona away (Dream team) jersey. But my absolute favorite was a replica of the 1988 Euros jersey that my parents got me for my 16th birthday that summer. It was heavy on the polyester, ill-fitting and had a ridiculous collar, and bore only a slight resemblance to the actual team jersey, but I wore that thing everywhere. No idea where it is now 🙁
I always wear the 2012 “black” away shirt when I go running. It is really good looking;-)
My daughter took my blue away jersey from 2014. I miss it.
I’ve got the WC 2010 signed and framed on the wall next to my Spurs 11/12 (Vaart) full signed also, if only they won it in 2010.
Happy Father’s Day, Tiju!
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/ClUlXpmUgAEb0gc.jpg:large
Great ….kuyt the lucky man…
The harder Kuyt worked the luckier he got. 😉
I read a few articles the other day comparing the quality of the Copa America tournament with the Euros. One author was suggesting that the Copa had better attacking play because the majority of the world’s creative, “flair” players (Messi, Sanchez, Suarez, Aguero, James Rodriguez, etc.) are South American, and that the majority of European players are really just supporting role players on their club teams who service foreign stars. Another author suggested that most of the nations participating in the Copa America are tactically naïve, and don’t have any sophistication or understanding of cohesive team play, leading to frequent defensive breakdowns and thus higher scoring games. A third author argued that the Euros have been less attacking in style due to the opportunity for teams finishing third in their groups to still advance to the knockout rounds, and that such scenarios thus discourage more adventurous play.
I’ve watched a number of games from both sides of the world this summer, but neither tournament has really impressed me so far. It may be fair to say that most quality European teams are inherently better structured and perhaps less individualistic than the top teams in the Americas, and that when it comes to international play (where there is less time to develop cohesive team play and not all nations have international level talent at all positions), moments of individual brilliance can often carry the day, which would suggest that the South American teams should generally produce more attacking and higher scoring games.
That said, the funny thing is that our traditional Dutch style of play, at its greatest moments, has been a remarkable fusion of cohesive team play and individual brilliance. Nowadays, however, our most recent coaches and current generation of players haven’t really been able to generate either consistently.
this is well said truth…times of latin teams are over…2002 Brazil got lucky that they got only one good team that was England at QF…
Orange was not there
Ireland was unlucky
Portugal had some issues
Holland,England.Irleland,Portugal were the best at europe with Cezc at that point of time..Germany and italy were joke.that point of time..
the more structured team team with intelligent coaches will prevail.i mean coach consider very micro details of game will succeed in future…
So far, only Koeman, Stam is big move confirmed this window transfer.
am i missing any cases, guys?
A lot is going on though nothing is finalised yet:
Wijnaldum > Roma
Janssen > Tottenham, Man Utd, Wolfsburg
Promes > Arsenal
Strootman > Everton
also Van Gaal and De Boer being linked with Milan.
Sadly, the days of Sneijder to Inter, Robben to Bayern, VDV to Tottenham seem so along ago, but those were moves that (at least to some extent) arose out of the 2008 Euros, paved the way for our 2010 WC run, and made those players stars again after languishing at Real Madrid.
Very few of our players are transferring to (or from) clubs of that quality these days, nor are any of them currently playing in a major international tournament.
Whose jersey do we buy now?
I feel like we’ve hit a lull, both in our international performances (which LVG masked with his tactics to some extent) and our ability to produce high-quality players generally. As we’ve discussed, there are many possible reasons for this, but in my view the current players in their late 20s are the victims of this failure and have not themselves demonstrated any ability to star in the world’s best leagues or to carry the national team to success.
I’d prefer once again to move on and make a commitment to our youth (Memphis age and younger) and let them learn to develop and play together. They are the future
Good news for the 2018 WC qualifying process as Zlatan announced he will retire from international football once the Euros are finished. Sweden is really nothing more than an average/below average team without him.
Croatia on the verge of a famous win. The funny thing is Croatia rested most of their big names.
Talk about depth in the Croatian
Squad.
I’m very happy to see Spain lose and Croatia win.
I was so pissed after Spain scored in the first half and started playing their stupid boring tiki taka without end. Hope they get sent out fast by Italy. Supporting Italy in that game will definitively be a first for me;-)
After the WC I sort of thought they have become minors but this season has been good for most of their players who have been on form for their clubs.
Mandzukic – Juventus
Rakitic – Barcelona
Modric- Real Madrid
Persic- wolfburg
Brozovic- inter
Kalinic- Fiorentina
Strinic- Napoli
Lovern – Liverpool
Kovac- real
Correction perisic is at Inter now.