Hup Holland! (3 Viewers)
- Thread starter Slagathor
- Start date
++ [ originally posted by Matto ] ++
Yeah, monster score lines when the Scots face the French, Spanish, Portuguese or Italians
Suzanne - the press is now publishing rumours that the KNVB (FA) will sack Advocaat even if he DOES make it to Portugal. We'll see I suppose.
Yeah, monster score lines when the Scots face the French, Spanish, Portuguese or Italians
Suzanne - the press is now publishing rumours that the KNVB (FA) will sack Advocaat even if he DOES make it to Portugal. We'll see I suppose.
I'm off to Amsterdam later on this afternoon so I'll either be happy or crying coming back on Thursday!!!!!
Dutch in disarray as Ruud sticks the boot into gutless team-mates
First Published: Nov 18, 2003
Ruud van Nistelrooy has launched a scathing attack on his Holland team-mates and bluntly admitted he fears their lack of guts could cost him the chance to play in the finals of a major tournament.
In an outburst ahead of Wednesday's Euro 2004 play-off second leg, van Nistelrooy blamed a lack of passion for the 1-0 first leg defeat which has left Holland on the brink of another humiliating international failure.
"What really annoyed me is that we didn't show the passion of the Scots," van Nistelrooy fumed Tuesday.
"I have always said that the Scots because of their nature, play the game with fire inside them and it all came out at Hampden Park.
"But that passion is lacking so much from the Dutch team. In our team we have too many people who are not prepared to go the extra yard -- people who want to win at all costs."
The Manchester United star went on to reveal that he had made his feelings plain in the dressing room after Saturday's defeat in Glasgow.
"I told them I wanted them to be as unified as the Scots. I know they will never be the same but I want them to go out there and play with venom."
Holland's rich collection of talent means they remain favourites to overturn the single goal deficit and avoid a repeat of their failure to reach last year's World Cup.
But there are clear signs that the pressure is beginning to get to both the players and coach Dick Advocaat, who will quit if his side fail in Ajax's Amsterdam ArenA on Wednesday night.
The former Rangers manager has been savaged in the Dutch press for his tactics on Saturday, particularly the decision to play Patrick Kluivert alongside van Nistelrooy despite their well-established inability to forge an effective partnership.
Advocaat responded to the criticism with a tirade that can have done little to inspire a sense of common purpose between him and his squad.
"There was nothing wrong with my tactics, it was the players who did not carry out my instructions," he fumed.
Van Nistelrooy is currently playing the best football of his life for the English champions but he admits he is haunted by the fear that he could miss out on the chance to play in a major finals at the peak of his career.
"This could be a nightmare," he confessed. "I'll be 30 by the time the next World Cup comes around and I've yet to play in a major championships.
"If we don't win on Wednesday then what does that tell you about me as a footballer or as a person?
"I still believe in myself too much to think this will happen but it is very important that we do not concede a goal.
"If we do then we have to score three and that is going to be very hard."
Advocaat refused to divulge his thinking about how he would reshape his team but van Nistelrooy is widely expected to get the nod over Kluivert, who was anonymous at Hampden, with Ajax playmaker Rafael van der Vaart deployed just behind him.
With centreback Jaap Stam suspended, Advocaat is expected to bring in Wilfred Bouma of PSV Eindhoven to plug the gap in defence.
Bouma's team-mate Arjen Robben could also start as Marc Overmars, who was almost as ineffective as Kluivert in the first leg, is doubtful with a knee injury.
First Published: Nov 18, 2003
Ruud van Nistelrooy has launched a scathing attack on his Holland team-mates and bluntly admitted he fears their lack of guts could cost him the chance to play in the finals of a major tournament.
In an outburst ahead of Wednesday's Euro 2004 play-off second leg, van Nistelrooy blamed a lack of passion for the 1-0 first leg defeat which has left Holland on the brink of another humiliating international failure.
"What really annoyed me is that we didn't show the passion of the Scots," van Nistelrooy fumed Tuesday.
"I have always said that the Scots because of their nature, play the game with fire inside them and it all came out at Hampden Park.
"But that passion is lacking so much from the Dutch team. In our team we have too many people who are not prepared to go the extra yard -- people who want to win at all costs."
The Manchester United star went on to reveal that he had made his feelings plain in the dressing room after Saturday's defeat in Glasgow.
"I told them I wanted them to be as unified as the Scots. I know they will never be the same but I want them to go out there and play with venom."
Holland's rich collection of talent means they remain favourites to overturn the single goal deficit and avoid a repeat of their failure to reach last year's World Cup.
But there are clear signs that the pressure is beginning to get to both the players and coach Dick Advocaat, who will quit if his side fail in Ajax's Amsterdam ArenA on Wednesday night.
The former Rangers manager has been savaged in the Dutch press for his tactics on Saturday, particularly the decision to play Patrick Kluivert alongside van Nistelrooy despite their well-established inability to forge an effective partnership.
Advocaat responded to the criticism with a tirade that can have done little to inspire a sense of common purpose between him and his squad.
"There was nothing wrong with my tactics, it was the players who did not carry out my instructions," he fumed.
Van Nistelrooy is currently playing the best football of his life for the English champions but he admits he is haunted by the fear that he could miss out on the chance to play in a major finals at the peak of his career.
"This could be a nightmare," he confessed. "I'll be 30 by the time the next World Cup comes around and I've yet to play in a major championships.
"If we don't win on Wednesday then what does that tell you about me as a footballer or as a person?
"I still believe in myself too much to think this will happen but it is very important that we do not concede a goal.
"If we do then we have to score three and that is going to be very hard."
Advocaat refused to divulge his thinking about how he would reshape his team but van Nistelrooy is widely expected to get the nod over Kluivert, who was anonymous at Hampden, with Ajax playmaker Rafael van der Vaart deployed just behind him.
With centreback Jaap Stam suspended, Advocaat is expected to bring in Wilfred Bouma of PSV Eindhoven to plug the gap in defence.
Bouma's team-mate Arjen Robben could also start as Marc Overmars, who was almost as ineffective as Kluivert in the first leg, is doubtful with a knee injury.
++ [ originally posted by Matto ] ++
Yeah, monster score lines when the Scots face the French, Spanish, Portuguese or Italians
Suzanne - the press is now publishing rumours that the KNVB (FA) will sack Advocaat even if he DOES make it to Portugal. We'll see I suppose.
Yeah, monster score lines when the Scots face the French, Spanish, Portuguese or Italians
Suzanne - the press is now publishing rumours that the KNVB (FA) will sack Advocaat even if he DOES make it to Portugal. We'll see I suppose.
++ [ originally posted by Man utd ] ++
you're joking right? PVH better than Becks?!(in free kicks)
you're joking right? PVH better than Becks?!
(in free kicks)
Not only is VH's ratio of attempts/goals quite likely to be better, his shots are harder to stop than Beckham's.
Beckham's shots stay in the air too long, dipping and wasting time getting a lot of horizontal spin, giving the goalkeeper more time to react.
I'll use my dodgy mspaint skills to illustrate the two players' (typical) free kicks
Evidence part 2: PVH can beat Buffon
DUTCH FRIENDLY CALENDER
AMERICANS COMPLETE SCHEDULE
The Netherlands will play the United States in Amsterdam on 18 February after their scheduled match against Germany was cancelled following the draw for UEFA EURO 2004™.
The Dutch were due to meet Germany as part of both nations' preparation for Portugal, but the game was always in doubt after they were pitted together in Group D along with the Czech Republic and Latvia. The Royal Netherlands Football Association (KNVB) and its German counterparts now plan to play the friendly fixture in 2005, although no date has been agreed.
The Netherlands have met the US twice in friendly internationals, winning 2-0 on each occasion.
Friendly schedule
18 February v United States (Amsterdam)
31 March v France (Rotterdam)
28 April v Greece (Eindhoven)
29 May v Belgium (Eindhoven)
05 June v South Africa (Amsterdam)
©uefa.com 1998-2003. All rights reserved.
AMERICANS COMPLETE SCHEDULE
The Netherlands will play the United States in Amsterdam on 18 February after their scheduled match against Germany was cancelled following the draw for UEFA EURO 2004™.
The Dutch were due to meet Germany as part of both nations' preparation for Portugal, but the game was always in doubt after they were pitted together in Group D along with the Czech Republic and Latvia. The Royal Netherlands Football Association (KNVB) and its German counterparts now plan to play the friendly fixture in 2005, although no date has been agreed.
The Netherlands have met the US twice in friendly internationals, winning 2-0 on each occasion.
Friendly schedule
18 February v United States (Amsterdam)
31 March v France (Rotterdam)
28 April v Greece (Eindhoven)
29 May v Belgium (Eindhoven)
05 June v South Africa (Amsterdam)
©uefa.com 1998-2003. All rights reserved.