It has often been said that imitation is the sincerest form of flattery. But that’s unlikely to offer any solace to the Dutch football team who lost out to Spain in the 2010 FIFA World Cup Final in South Africa.
Apart from attracting nine yellow cards from referee Howard Webb, the Dutch players, generally, did not have a good game at Soccer City Stadium in Johannesburg. Some die-hard Oranje fans lamented: “If only the team had played like the Dutch football giants of old. Where are the Johan Cruyffs, the Louis Van Gaals, and the Frank Rijkaards?”
The answer it seems is in Spain where they’ve been coaching Spanish football players in how to play Dutch-style football. Many Spanish players grew up with these coaches as their guiding light. And younger Dutch players today still have a significant presence in the Spanish league playing for teams like Barcelona and Real Madrid.
Boring play
De Haan remains patriotically schtum when it comes to whether today’s Dutch team deserved to lose for playing boring football. But he agrees that there is an irony in that today’s Spanish players have developed a flair for Dutch pace and technical excellence that seem to have elluded the Dutch squad on Sunday night.
“The way Holland plays now is what we call ‘results football.’ Before that we liked to play good football, we liked to win. In this tournament things seem to have changed.”
Advice
Coach De Haan has some particular advice for the Dutch defence.
“We have a few very good players, but not good enough. If you want to play good football then you need to have good players in the back line, in defence. That’s where the build-up to the game starts.”
But not all is really lost despite the 1-0 score. De Haan has great hopes for the future and a return to the game loved by Cruyff and his ilk.
“We have a few very good young players and in the future I don’t think we will have a problem. We have to renew ourselves and then it will be Holland like it was before.”
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i supported the dutch all the way .they didnt play great football.but we werent lucky if robin had got the goal in holland would have won the world cup. spain were not great either they could not score in normal time and they lost there first match. .i say hup oranje and fair play for coming second
Well said Jasmin!
Both teams are world champions! Holland is world champion in yellow cards and Spain is world champion in soccer!
The Netherlands' coach, Van Marwjick, was very gracious in defeat. He insisted the referee was on Spain's side, took off his medal after it was awarded before pulling a handgun demanding to be given the cup. Ha, ha. Good try, Holland. Now maybe if you clean up your act and go back to the philosophy of the original oranje, good luck next time.
Congratulations with the silver medals.
Howard Webb made many mistakes, the biggest was; not to give DeJong the red card.
Bommel should also have shown the red card. I understand the frustration abouth the corner to the dutch, before the spanish goal......
but you were lucky playing with 11 men for so long
Ah, but you are an Englishman, Paul Anstiss. Wonder what you feel about Howard Webb, also an Englishman..
But Paul Anstiss, beautiful football kept them away from finals for 32 years. And where were these Masters of football for 32 years,-- in Spain, teaching them nuances of Dutch football? How patriotic! I have all respects for your legendary heroes like Cruyff, I kept reading his anti-Oranje comments during the tournament but wondered why hasn't he able to bring laurels to his home country for 32 years!!! Most of your good coaches coach foreign players in foreign clubs for money, wonder if anyone thought of the Oranje! Now here is a modest man Lambertus van Marwijk, who unites your team and brings out the killer instinct to reach the finals after 32 years, and now all your masters are lambasting his way, his technique,.....If you want lovely and benign football, then stay contented to where you always have been for 32 years--in the group stage...Please do not be ungrateful to a man who brought you back into limelight and finals....I hope Oranje shine and overcome their weak points. Thanks Bert & Boys for a wonderful journey of football. Wishing the team all the best!
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