EURO 2012 Focus - Netherlands
Credit:
As the EURO 2012 approaches, Extratime.ie will take an indepth look into each participating team. Chris McNulty looks at the EURO 2012 Group B side Netherlands.
Jump To:
Where they are staying, where they are playing
Three interesting facts about the team
The players selected by van Marwijk are:
Goalkeepers - Tim Krul (Newcastle United), Maarten Stekelenburg (AS Roma), Michel Vorm (Swansea City)
Defenders - Khalid Boulahrouz (VfB Stuttgart), Wilfred Bouma (PSV), John Heitinga (Everton), Joris Mathijsen (Malaga), Ron Vlaar (Feyenoord), Gregory van der Wiel (Ajax), Jetro Willems (PSV)
Midfielders - Ibrahim Afellay (FC Barcelona), Mark van Bommel (AC Milan), Nigel de Jong (Manchester City), Stijn Schaars (Sporting Portugal), Wesley Sneijder (Internazionale), Kevin Strootman (PSV), Rafael van der Vaart (Tottenham Hotspur)
Forwards - Klaas Jan Huntelaar (Schalke 04), Luuk de Jong (FC Twente), Dirk Kuyt (Liverpool), Luciano Narsingh (sc Heerenveen), Robin van Persie (Arsenal), Arjen Robben (Bayern Munich). (Xinhua-ANI)
Put simply: in some style. The Dutch won nine of their ten qualifying games and were the top scorers in the qualification series, hitting a staggering 37 goals and they booked their spot in the finals with a game to spare too.
Their 3-2 defeat to Sweden in Stockholm was their only defeat - coming on the final day of the qualification campaign with a place in the summer's tournament already confirmed.
Last September, the Dutch shot to the top of the FIFA World rankings, overtaking Spain - who defeated them in the 2010 World Cup final in South Africa - in the process.
Since taking over from Marco van Basten following Euro 2008, Bert van Marwijk's tenure has been remarkable. That 3-2 defeat to Sweden was their first defeat in 18 qualifying games - having recorded wins in all 17 previous qualifying games under van Marwijk.
He has managed the Dutch now for 46 games and has been beaten on just four occasions - making him the most successful coach in their national team's history and vindicating the decision of the KNVB to give him the nod.
"The key is to understand that there’s never any guarantee of winning your next match," van Marwijk said after securing a spot at next month's finals.
“Taking the easy way out and being overly confident are classic Dutch traits. That was the first thing I had to battle against in this job, right from the start.
“I just concentrate on our football and the mindset of my players. That’s all I’m interested in. This team’s biggest enemy is itself.”
During a magnificent qualifying campaign, the Oranje recorded their biggest ever international win, an 11-0 trouncing of San Marino in Eindhoven last September. Their outstanding player, Arsenal's Robin van Persie, hit four goals in the rout, with a brace each from Klaas-Jan Huntelaar and Wesley Sneijder and goals from Dirk Kuyt, John Heitinga and Georginio Wijnaldum.
Huntelaar was the top scorer overall in qualifying, hitting 12 goals and scoring in seven of the Netherlands' ten games. The 28-year old Schalke hitman has scored 31 goals in 50 international appearances.
Netherlands were pushed all the way in qualifying by Sweden, but they were helped by a 4-1 win over their rivals, which ultimately helped render their final game as meaningless from a Dutch perspective.
They conceded just eight goals in qualifying, keeping a clean sheet in a 5-0 win over San Marino in Serravalle which started the campaign as they would continue.
The Dutch had a superb disciplinary record in qualifying with none of their players booked more than once over their eight games, while right-back Gregory van der Wiel and centre-back Joris Mathijsen were the only players to play in all ten games.
KEY PLAYER TO WATCH OUT FOR
Robin van Persie is in sumptuous form with Arsenal and the gifted striker is set for a profitable finals next month if club form is
anything to go by. Van Persie is the main, some would argue the sole reason that the Gunners remain in the hunt for Champions League football next season as the Premier League enters its final weekend.
He has recently won the PFA Players' Player of the Year and the English Football Writers Association (FWA) Footballer of the Year awards, and was an undisputed victor for both following an outstanding campaign.
He has scored against 17 of Arsenal's 19 opponents in the Premier League this season and has rescued his club on so many occasions this year we've lost count - his second-half brace in Saturday's 3-3 home draw with Norwich a case in point.
Van Persie is the top scorer in the Premier League with 30 goals in 37 League appearances this season; in all competitions he has netted 37 goals in 47 appearances for Arsenal.
Were van Persie to replicate that scintillating form in Euro 2012, it's fair to say that the Dutch won't be fair away from collecting the Henri Delauney trophy.
Spurs' Rafael van der Vaart, Man City's Nigel je Jong and the gifted Internazionale midfielder Wesley Sneijder are others to look out for, as is Klaas-Jan Huntelaar - who hit 12 goals in qualifying and is set for a deadly partnership with van Persie in what is a really testing group containing Denmark, Germany and Portugal.
WHERE THEY ARE STAYING, WHERE THEY ARE PLAYING
Netherlands are based in the Sheraton Krakow Hotel, Krawkow, the Polish city which is well-known to Irish fans, many of whom were based there for the away game against Slovakia in Zillian in October 2010. The Dutch will use Krakow's Municipal Stadium as their training base for the duration of the tournament.
Despite playing all three games in the Ukrainian city Kharkov, the Dutch are staying in Krakow for the duration of their Group campaign.
Like England, who are also playing their group games in Ukraine, the Dutch will be based in Poland. These decisions have been met with harsh criticism by Ukrainian officials. Netherlands will be based some 1,300km from their games at their Krakow base.
At the Metalist Stadium, Kharkov, they play Denmark on June 9, before taking on Germany on June 13 and Portugal on 17 to complete their Group B campaign. Their's is the real Group of Death for the tournament for sure - and victory over Denmark will be needed to avoid some panic setting in.
THREE INTERESTING FACTS ABOUT THE TEAM
- Netherlands qualified for the European Championship finals for the first time in 1976. The Total Football side of the 70s, which was beaten in the World Cup finals in 1974 and 1978, finished third in '76. They didn't get past the group stage in 1980, while their sole success in the tournament was in 1988, the only time Ireland previously qualified - when they beat Ireland 1-0 in the group stages thanks to an 82nd minute Wim Kieft goal - and they've been beaten semi-finalists three times since: in 1992, 2000 (when they were co-hosts with Belgium) and 2004.
- Netherlands will be hoping not to have to contest a penalty shoot-out during the tournament as their previous record is
forgettable in the 12-yard lotteries of the past. Between 1992 and 2000, they exited four major tournaments thanks to
penalty shoot-out defeats, The Dutch exited the 1998 World Cup thanks to a 4-2 shoot-out defeat to Brazil, with current assistant manager Phillip Cocu one of those to miss a spot-kick.
Netherlands bowed out of three European Championships in a row, 1992, 1996 and 2000 after shoot-out losses; Eventual winners Denmark trumped 5-4 in '92 with van Basten the guilty party; Clarence Seedorf missed at Anfield in Euro '96 as France prevailed; and the co-hosts were beaten by Italy in Euro 2000 with Frank de Boer, Jaap Stam and Paul Bosvelt all failing from the spot. In that game, the Dutch also missed two penalties - de Boer and Patrick Kluivert having no luck - in normal time.
Netherlands did win their last shoot-out at a major finals, overcoming Sweden at Euro 2004.
- It could be said that the Netherlands camp is a real family affair. Team captain Mark van Bommell is the son-in-law of the team manager Bert van Marwijk. The AC Milan midfielder (35) is married to van Marwijk's daughter Andra and the couple have three children: Thomas Ruben and Renée.
There are family ties also in the form of the de Jong brothers, Luuk and Siem. Striker Luuk, who plays for FC Twente, has won seven caps, while older brother Siem, two years his senior at 23, has been capped just once. They are no relation to Man City's Nigel de Jong, who is also a member of the Netherlands squad.
THEIR LAST FIVE GAMES FORM
Netherlands have won just two of their last five games. At Wembley in February, Arjen Robben scored twice, including a late injury-time winner, as they overcame Stuart Pearce's England 3-2. Their previous game was a 3-0 loss to Germany in a friendly in November, four days after they were held scoreless by Switzerland in Amsterdam. Their qualifying campaign ended on a losing note, beaten 3-2 away by Sweden, who needed the win to secure a play-off spot with Netherlands already qualified, an automatic berth guaranteed after Huntelaar netted in a 1-0 home win over Moldova on October 7.
About Chris McNulty
Chris McNulty is one of extratime's Northwest correspondents, covering Finn Harps and Derry City. Has worked as a sports writer with the Donegal News since 2007. View Full Profile