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Holland Euro 2012 Squad Profile
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Having reached the World Cup final against Spain in 2010, there is much optimism in the country about Holland’s chances at Euro 2012.
That World Cup campaign represented something of a shift away from the Dutch tradition of expansive, passing soccer in favor of a more defensive approach. ‘Total Football’ it wasn’t.
Bert van Marwijk’s side had their detractors, and the sight of Nigel de Jong almost decapitating Xabi Alonso with a chest high tackle in the final represented, for many, this new win-at-all-costs mentality.
However, the Dutch scored 37 goals in 10 qualifying games, with Klaas-Jan Huntelaar and Robin van Persie netting 18 between them. Van Persie, who has enjoyed his best ever club season with Arsenal, was not on top form at the World Cup finals.
There is a belief among many commentators that Van Marwijk needs to make Van Persie more of a focal point in attack; while the striker disappointed in South Africa, he was seldom given much to feed on by Arjen Robben and Wesley Sneijder who can be overly selfish at times. Indeed, Van Persie loathes Sneijder. The feud goes back to a late tackle by the Arsenal man on Sneijder at a Euro 2008 training session and it continued later in the tournament when Van Persie took a free-kick that Sneijder felt was his. The Dutch tradition of infighting is alive and well.
Holland will need every bit of that resoluteness that saw them concede just one goal at the group stage of the last World Cup. It will be important to give little away in a ‘Group of Death’ consisting of Germany, Portugal and Denmark, although Dutch fans are expecting a little more flair at the other end in Poland and the Ukraine.
Quick Facts:
Best World Cup Result: Runners-up (1974, 1978, 2010)
Best European Championship Result: Winners (1988)
Record Scorer: Patrick Kluivert (40 goals between 1994 and 2004)
Most Capped Player: Edwin van der Sar (130 caps from 1995 to 2009)
Coach: Bert van Marwijk
Captain: Marc van Bommel
36-man Holland Euro 2012 Training Squad:
Goalkeepers: Maarten Stekelenburg (Roma), Tim Krul (Newcastle United), Michel Vorm (Swansea City), Erwin Mulder (Feyenoord), Jasper Cillissen (Ajax).
Defenders: Vurnon Anita (Ajax), Khalid Boulahrouz (VfB Stuttgart), Wilfred Bouma (PSV), Urby Emanuelson (Milan), John Heitinga (Everton), Hedwiges Maduro (Valencia) Joris Mathijsen (Malaga), Alexander Büttner (Vitesse), Nick Viergever (AZ), Ron Vlaar (Feyenoord), Stefan de Vrij (Feyenoord), Gregory van der Wiel (Ajax), Jetro Willems (PSV).
Midfielders: Ibrahim Afellay (Barcelona), Mark van Bommel (Milan), Nigel de Jong (Manchester City), Adam Maher (AZ), Stijn Schaars (Sporting), Wesley Sneijder (Internazionale), Kevin Strootman (PSV), Rafael van der Vaart (Spurs), Georginio Wijnaldum (PSV).
Forwards: Klaas-Jan Huntelaar (Schalke), Ola John, Luuk de Jong (both Twente), Siem de Jong (Ajax), Dirk Kuyt (Liverpool), Jeremain Lens (PSV), Luciano Narsingh (Heerenveen), Robin van Persie (Arsenal), Arjen Robben (Bayern Munich).
The Coach: Bert van Marwijk
Having guided Holland to the 2010 World Cup with eight wins out of eight, Van Marwijk oversaw nine wins out of 10 in the last set of qualifiers as Holland comfortably made it to Poland and the Ukraine. Had Robben put away a one-on-one with Spain goalkeeper Iker Casillas in the 2010 final, there is a fair chance the former Go Ahead Eagles, AZ and MVV boss would have led Holland to their maiden World Cup.
Player to Watch: Robin van Persie
The feud with Sneijder has not undermined Holland as it may have done. Van Persie reflects what Dutch soccer is all about; exquisite technique, smooth interchanges with team-mates and the sort of spectacular finishing that was missing at the last World Cup. This is a man at the peak of his powers and Euro 2012 may just be Van Persie’s tournament.
Group Matches:
Saturday, June 9, 2012 v Denmark (18:00 CET in Kharkiv)
Wednesday, June 13, 2012 v Germany (20:45 CET in Kharkiv)
Sunday, June 17, 2012 v Portugal (20:45 CET in Kharkiv)
Prediction: Final
A repeat of the 2010 World Cup final should not be ruled out. The Dutch are well capable of finishing above Germany in this group, and therefore avoiding Spain (favorites to win Group C) in the quarter finals. Van Marwijk will need to balance a more attacking outlook with caution at the back, and if he can do that, an appearance in the final against the Spanish is more than possible. |
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Post time 16-5-2012 04:44 PM
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