|
 |   |
|
EVENTS Fantasy Central Inside Game Multimedia Central Statitudes Your Turn Message Boards Email Newsletters Golf Guide Cities Work in Sports
CNNSI.com GROUP
COMMERCE |  |
Dutch test self-belief Buildup for co-host provides more questions than anwers
Posted: Friday June 09, 2000 02:47 PM
Of the two co-hosts of Euro 2000 there's no doubt that the Netherlands has by far the best pedigree. Winners in 1988, the Dutch have made the quarterfinals or better in four of the five tournaments in which they've played. However, despite starting as favorites for this championship, their buildup has produced as many questions as answers. In the 15 matches since their semifinal loss to Brazil at the last World Cup, Holland's record reads: played 15, won 2, lost 2, drawn 11. Striker Patrick Kluivert, however, says people shouldn't read too much into friendly results. 
"We drew many games, but they were games with no prizes," he said. "But I think in the end we played well and are in good spirit for Euro 2000. The most important thing is we play at home and have the audience behind us. We know what we can expect from each other." Such a positive attitude is a rarity in the Dutch squad, which has been notorious throughout the years for constant power struggles between coaches and star players. The disharmony among the current generation of Dutchmen reached a head at Euro '96, when midfielder Edgar Davids quit the team on the eve of the competition. Two years on, the players appear a lot more contented under coach Frank Rijkaard's new more relaxed regime, as Frank de Boer of Holland and Barcelona explained.
"After the European Championship in England, we put our heads together," he said. "Since then, it's one group who always have fun. And it's important for a team that you want to work for somebody, because in '96 we had a lot of trouble and that's why we had some bad results." But if the disappointment of '96 is not to be repeated, de Boer says Holland must not only win the title at Euro 2000, but win it well. "You must always win, but you must always play attractive football also. In Ajax, in Barcelona, you must not win 1-0 but 3- or 4-0, so it is the culture of the Dutch players. But I'm used to it and finally it's the results that always count." So, once again, Holland begins a championship with two major points to prove -- that big stars can gel together to make a great team, and that winners can also play stylish football. Can they withstand the pressure to succeed? Dutch legend Ruud Gullit believes they can. "It doesn't make any difference to the Dutch," he said. "The most important thing is to know you're good. And just cope with that, it's not difficult. Maybe if you would put Belgium in a winning role that would be different because that's not part of their mentality." And that self-belief will be put to test in the group phase against Czech Republic, Denmark and world champions France.
Terry Baddoo is co-host of World Sport, the international sports show that airs live on CNN/Sports Illustrated and CNN International. Baddoo is part of the World Sport crew that is in the Netherlands and Belgium covering Euro 2000.
| ||||||||||||||||||||||
