Team: NETHERLANDS

[Daniel24]

Injured Van Persie given all-clear: Van Basten

ROTTERDAM, The Netherlands (AFP) - Injured Dutch striker Robin van Persie has been given the all clear to join up with the national squad at their Euro 2008 training camp, coach Marco van Basten said Sunday.

"Robin feels good and strong. He is ready to rejoin the group on Wednesday. The training sessions next week at Lausanne will tell us if he is able to play in the opening match against Italy (June 9)," he said.

Van Persie's last two seasons at London club Arsenal have been hampered by injury, with him only managing 13 Premier League outings last season.

It seems as if Van Persie will play this Euro. More power to Holland.

[Mighty T.A.L.]

Shame Babel is out. He needed this experience.

[The Rule]

Babel is a big loss IMO, he would have given them some balance in attack. But with VDV, Sneijder, Van Horseface, Van Petulant, Robben and Huntelaar i think they'll still advance.

[Daniel24]

Yes I agree with above. Babel is a big loss. This tourney could have given him experience in the big time level. He could have been used very greatly on the attacking front but I still think The Netherlands will do well without his presence.

[Trim]

Van Persie Can't Last 90 Minutes

Arsenal and Netherlands forward Robin van Persie has conceded that, as he is still recovering from injury, he is not yet able to play a full 90 minutes of competitive football...

With the countdown to Euro 2008 drawing ever closer, the Netherlands will know they have a job on their hands to even make it out of the group stages, having been drawn in the Group of Death alongside 2006 World Cup finalists France, winners Italy and Romania.

Many believe the Oranje will fall short due to their weakness in defence, where they have failed to produce such greats as Frank de Boer or Jaap Stam from previous generations.

Up front, there are no problems whatsoever - if anything, they are spoilt for choice - which means that injury prone Robin van Persie's continued love affair with the treatment table does not come as a major blow to their aspirations.

That said, coach Marco van Basten - who will leave his country to coach Ajax after this summer's showpiece - has always been a great admirer of van Persie and, despite emphasis on fitness and only calling up fit players, made an exception for the Arsenal forward.

So far, the 24-year-old has not quite justified his selection, but having been labeled an incredible prospect for many years now, injuries have constantly hampered the talented left-footer's progress.

Having trained alone for the past two weeks, he has now joined up with the rest of the squad as the Austria-Switzerland showdown draws nearer.

Speaking before his side's opening match against Italy in Berne on Monday, Robin admitted: "I can say right now that I am ready for it, but it might be tough to play the full 90 minutes."

Goal.com - Netherlands - Van Persie Can't Last 90 Minutes

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Van Basten Drilling Dutch For Penalty Precision

Netherlands coach Marco van Basten is keen to cure the Dutch disease of failing in penalty shootouts, forcing his squad to practice spot kicks during training…

The Oranje have lost four times on penalties in their last seven major tournaments, only ending the rot at EURO 2004 against Sweden in the quarterfinals.

The likelihood of shootouts occurring has increased drastically following a recent change in UEFA regulations, which could see final group positions decided from the spot.

If two teams draw in their final group game to end up level overall on points, goal difference and goals scored, then a shootout will decide who finishes where.

Van Basten has attempted to ensure the Dutch overcome their poor penalty record by making each player practice from 12 yards until they score to end each training session.

But while their shooting from the spot may need work, keeping them out has proved decidedly less of a problem for the Dutch in recent times.

Good Hands

Veteran keeper Edwin Van der Sar became a Manchester United legend in Moscow last month when he saved Chelsea striker Nicolas Anelka’s penalty in Moscow last month to secure the Champions League trophy for the Red Devils.

It was the second time in 12 months the 38-year-old had triumphed against the Blues during a shootout, having denied Claudio Pizarro, Frank Lampard and Shaun Wright-Phillips to clinch the Community Shield in August 2007.

Reserve shot-stopper Maarten Stekelenburg also has a reputation for saving penalties, having kept out all four he faced last season for Ajax in the Eridivisie.

At their first training session since arriving in Switzerland, Celtic striker Jan Vennegoor of Hesselink missed four consecutive penalties against all three Dutch keepers – the third being Feyenoord’s Henk Timmer.

Tough Task

“The second one was crucial as Van der Sar made almost the same save he did in the Champions League final and after that it all went wrong,” Vennegoor told reporters.

“But I don’t worry, I took several penalties for Celtic and scored so it will all work out.”

Liverpool forward Ryan Babel was the only other member of the squad to miss more than one penalty that day, but the 21-year-old has since been ruled out of the EUROs after tearing an ankle ligament.

Van Basten will hope his side can pass the group stage without resorting to shootouts, which will be a tough task as they are pooled in the so-called Group of Death alongside Italy, France and Romania.

Goal.com - Euro 2008 - Van Basten Drilling Dutch For Penalty Precision

[Dragoen]

With the win against Italy the Netherlands now are surely one of three favourites for the title.

The three favourites are sorted by groups: Portugal, Germany and the Netherlands.

[Trim]

Originally Posted by Dragoen

With the win against Italy the Netherlands now are surely one of three favourites for the title.

The three favourites are sorted by groups: Portugal, Germany and the Netherlands.

Yeah, agreed, those are the favourites thus far.

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Löw Plays Down Dutch Victory

Germany coach Joachim Löw has been the first to suggest that the Netherlands' emphatic victory over Italy was nothing to get particularly carried away with...

The Oranje were emphatic 3-0 winners over world champions Italy in their opening game of Euro 2008 yesterday evening, and though the scoreline was perhaps a touch flattering and little things did go their way, the performance put in was exceptional.

However, Germany coach Löw does not believe that Marco van Basten's men have set the standard and took a shot at the Dutch by suggesting his side would never speak of being potential favourites after having only won one game (which they did, 2-0 against Poland on Sunday).

"They played a good match but let's refrain from saying it's a yard-stick that other teams must be measured by," insisted Löw.

"Other teams have won their first game, you know. Portugal played very well and we ourselves had a satisfactory start to the tournament.

"It's not even as if Holland dominated the game 100 percent. Italy had several good chances and if they had equalised it might have been a different game.

"You won't hear Germany talking about being favourites after winning only one game. We know there are two more group games to go and it's early in the tournament."

Goal.com - Euro 2008 - Löw Plays Down Dutch Victory

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Van Basten Is A Genius – Netzer

Being the national side boss is never easy, especially in a football-mad country such as the Netherlands. Marco van Basten knew that when he was appointed, but perhaps would not expect his coaching skills to be praised this much by one of Germany’s truly greats.

Van Basten has had his share of criticism since he took over on July 29, 2004, especially during the final phase of the previous World Cup and concerning his relation with certain world class footballers such as Ruud van Nistelrooy, Mark van Bommel and Clarence Seedorf.

Having agreed to assume duties as the Ajax coach at the end of the European Championship, Van Basten doesn’t need to worry about being axed by the KNVB due to poor results. But of course results have been anything but poor so far in this tournament, earning him recognition from all around – even Germany.

“Simply ingenious”

“We have rarely enjoyed such a performance in international football before,” the legendary Günter Netzer (pictured on the right) praised Van Basten. “He won the game with his changes. They [the Dutch] were under heavy pressure by the French, but he kept on introducing forwards. That’s incredible, simply ingenious.”

Now at 63 years of age, Netzer was one of the most talented playmakers of all time on both domestic and international level. After a 15-year-long career with Borussia Mönchengladbach, Real Madrid, Grasshopper and of course the West German national side, which he won both the World Cup and the European Championship with, he became a decorated football expert in his native country with the ARD public broadcaster.

“Van Basten convinced me of his abilities as a coach in the France game, as he took some high risks. He reacted to the pressure by replacing defensive midfielder Ollie Engelaar with winger Arjen Robben at the restart. Playmaker Rafael van der Vaart was withdrawn to his actual position, Wes Sneijder moved right behind the outstanding Ruud van Nistelrooy. And then, 10 minutes later, Robin van Persie also came on to whirl down the right instead of Dirk Kuyt,” Netzer explained.

Van der Vaart agrees

“Our coach is a great specialist and tactician. He always makes the right substitutions,” Van der Vaart praised Van Basten’s courageous alterations, which immediately yielded fruits leading up to a comfortable victory.

Van Basten himself said that he only did what he had to. “The changes were necessary. The two wingers (Robben, Van Persie) provided back-up to our attack, which raised its tempo. But we were also lucky to score at exactly the right times.”

Goal.com - Euro 2008 - Van Basten Is A Genius – Netzer

[__-SNAKE-__]

I know this has nothin to do with the Euro but....

Euro 2008 - Boulahrouz trains after tragedy
Eurosport - Thu, 19 Jun 1500 2008
Netherlands defender Khalid Boulahrouz has returned to training with the Dutch squad after the death of his prematurely-born daughter.

The defender went home on Wednesday to be with his wife in hospital, but has now returned to the Netherlands' base in Lausanne.

Boulahrouz is now in contention for Saturday's quarter-final against Russia in Basel, having started all three of the Netherlands' group victories so far in the tournament.

Despite an unsuccessful season at Chelsea, and making just six appearances for Sevilla since moving there on loan last season, the versatile defender has been an integral part of the defence that has conceded just one goal in the tournament so far.

Euro 2008 - Boulahrouz trains after tragedy - Yahoo! Eurosport UK

[__-SNAKE-__]

My condolences to Khalid and his wife.

May God bless you and your wife and I hope you can rebuild your family.
May she Rest In Peace.

[Podolski]

I don't think she's dead is she..? just in hospital

[__-SNAKE-__]

The wife is fine, the baby sadly died.