Well, it’s that time again where Holland break my heart and
disappoint me following another international tournament. Usually that would be
the case, but this summer, instead of feeling gutted or sad at watching my
beloved Oranje fall short of winning a cup again since 1988, I felt disgusted,
revolted and numb. What was supposed to be the tournament for Holland to follow
up from their impressive World Cup two years ago became the nightmare that
imploded all the hopes and dreams of success.
Holland’s three losses in the group stage were not only shocking;
they were also demoralizing. Holland’s track record of advancing to the knock
out stages since the 1980 European Championship finally came to an end this
summer. This was the first time that Holland failed to win a group stage match
for the first time in their history in this tournament.
What was the cause for this calamity? Was it the Oranje
players’ egos ugly hear that we have been accustomed to seeing from the past?
Was it a manager who lost control and failed to strengthen obvious weaknesses
stemming from 2010? Was it a case of lack of luck regarding being picked in the
group of death? All of the above would be the correct answer.
Group of Death
Obviously being in the group of death of the umpteenth time didn’t
help Holland in Euro 2012. However, they have been in a group of death for the
umpteenth time. They encountered similar groups in the past and not in the ancient
past. In Euro 2000, they were in a group with then World Cup champions France,
Denmark and the Czech Republic. In Euro 2004, they were in a group with
Germany, Latvia and Czech Republic again. World Cup 2006 had Holland grouped
with Argentina, Serbia and Ivory Coast and just four years ago, they were
grouped with Romania, Italy and France. Every single time, Holland managed to
make it of their group. So this excuse on its own doesn’t hold much merit.
Players are also to blame.
After the final whistle blew in their group match against
Portugal, reports started coming out about the team being divided with egos
being the driving wedge between teammates. There was talk that there was a lack
of respect between players and manager and between the players themselves. There was a divided group between the Robin van Persie camp and Wesley Sniejder
camp. Allegedly one group wanted to play football a certain way and another group wanted to play a different style of football.
When a sad and disappointed Gregory van Der Weil spoke to the media
following Holland’s elimination, he mentioned how his teammates shunned him on
the pitch and did not allow him to play to his strengths and that his relationship with his teammates was disastrous. Additionally, it was alleged that a member of the Oranje staff told Huntelaar to zip it or face getting thrown out of the team's hotel.
Unfortunately for all of us Oranje fans, the team’s amazing
run to the 2010 World Cup final affected the players’ psyche. I guess the
players forgot that they lost that final to Spain but their performance in the
qualifiers leading up to Euro 2012 showed us that this team was confident and
courageous. However, when Euro 2012 kicked off, the old habit of players’ egos
getting in the way of the team reared its ugly head again.
What makes this more saddening is that eventual champions,
Spain, faced similar divisions in their team. Yet, the Barça and Madrid players
set their differences aside and thought of only one thing; representing their
country as one united team. Which begs the question, why couldn’t the Oranje
players do the same thing? Was it poor leadership by the veteran leaders? Why
didn’t the manager come in and nip this issue in the bud?
Manager is also to blame.
Speaking of the manager, some of the blame has to be pointed
at him. He dropped the ball in a major way when he obviously lost control and respect
of some of his players. That happens to some of the best of them. However, he
could have also taken control and made all the players realize that the wrong
of their ways. Del Bosque had no problem making the Spanish players patch
things up for the good of the team and their country. Bert van Marwijk could have
tried the same.
However, he fouled things up with his tactics and lineups. I
never considered van Persie as an important player for the Oranje. If people
think Messi underachieved for Argentina, then what do you say about van
Persie’s performances for Holland? He played hurt in World Cup 2010 and after a
superb season for Arsenal, he could not carry that form for Holland last month.
I was a firm believer that Huntelaar should have started
ahead of van Persie in Euro 2012. Huntelaar started the majority of the
qualifiers and did a superb job on scoring a huge tally of goals for the
Oranje. It seemed like the team had a perfect system. Nevertheless, the manager
opted to use van Persie over Huntelaar for the first two games and when he
started both in the final group match against Portugal; it allowed Holland to
suffer defensively.
Speaking of suffering defensively, it was no secret that
Holland needed help in the back four prior to the start of World Cup 2010. The
manager had had two years to improve the back line. Holland was in dire need of strong center
backs and a left full back. Sadly, he opted to experiment and play players out
of position. As they say, the rest is history. As journalist Ernst Bouwes said, Roel Brouwers of Borussia Mönchengladbach was voted, alongside Mats Hummels as center backs in the Kicker XI of the Season, yet he was not even selected.
It didn’t take long for the KNVB to fire van Marwijk. Even
though he was the first manager to guide the country to a final for the first
time since Rinus Michels, he completely lost the plot two years later. One poll had a majority of 57% voters believing that he should be removed as manager while
43% believe in keeping him for the upcoming World Cup in Brazil. Unfortunately,
the sport of football can be a cruel one where you are more remembered for your
most recent disaster than you are remembered for your great achievements, i.e.,
Frank Rijkaard with FC Barcelona.
Of course, Rijkaard’s was among the many names thrown out by
the media as possible replacements to manage Holland along with Ronald Koeman,
Ruud Gullit, Frank de Boer, Guus Hiddink, Louis van Gaal, Co and
Adriaanse. Frank de Boer seems destined
to be the next Oranje manager but that is only after he has completed his
project with Ajax Amsterdam. He seems to have the pedigree to do it and if he
can have the likes of Bergkamp, Kim Jonk and twin brother Ronald de Boer on his
staff, then hopefully the 90’s stars can show the current and future Oranje
players on how it can go all wrong when a team is divided and how to overcome
those issues to become a great team again.
Sadly, the KNVB opted to give the job to Louis van Gaal
again. I thought he was only suited for club football and disagree with this
appointment. The pain of Holland failing
to qualify for the 2002 World Cup still stings to this day and I am not sure he
is the right man for the job. How can you trust a manager who allows someone
like Lucio to walk away and opt to start Demichelis instead?
A lot can happen in two years. Euro 2012 is living proof of
how things can go sour real quick. Let’s hope the Oranje players learned a
stern lesson from this humiliating experience and regroup for the 2014 World
Cup in Brazil. But first things first, let’s hope van Gaal can steer them to
qualification first and not suffer a repeat of the same fate that he
experienced in the run up to the 2002 World Cup.
Hup Holland as always.
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