Getting to know… Netherlands
Let’s start with their names. First, yes, it’s ok to call Netherlands “Holland,” and “Hup Holland Hup!” is one of their most used slogans. They’re also called oranje, which may seem confusing for a country with a red, white and blue flag. William of Orange organized the Dutch revolt against Spain, leading to an independent state - and perhaps putting the national team’s first 2014 World Cup match in a bit of perspective. But if you don’t need a bit of history with your team nicknames, go ahead and call them the Flying Dutchman, as that’s much more fun anyway.
Those of you paying attention in 2010 will remember Netherlands as the runners-up, the team that lost to Spain after a rather brutish display in the final. Supporters would likely prefer you remember the team that way. It means you weren’t watching Euro 2012. In Poland/Ukraine, the team were but a ghost of their former self, collecting zero points from matches with Germany, Portugal and Denmark. Coach Bert van Marwijk quit almost as soon as the team reached Schipol Airport.
But back before their was Spain and their tiki-taka, we had Holland’s Total Football. The team of the 1970s, lead by playmaker Johan Cruyuff, revolutionized the sport with their novel approach: the idea that players should be able to adapt to play any position throughout the match. That adaptability lead to two appearances in the World Cup finals, in 1974 and 1978, but Netherlands has never won the tournament.
Record in qualifying
Breezed through UEFA qualifying, collecting nine wins and a draw - to, perhaps surprisingly, Estonia. Much of Holland’s group was well-matched, with Romania, Hungary and Turkey all battling for second place. That meant the oranje finished nine points clear at the top of Group D, with a +29 goal difference. They also allowed just five goals from ten matches.
Group B
After their failure at Euro 2012, Holland slipped down in the rankings, leaving it outside the top seven teams. Without being seeded, Holland found themselves drawn into one of the Groups of Death. Group B looks rather gruesome: Spain, Chile, and Australia. Spain are almost a certainty to continue on, and Australia are likely not to threaten all that much. But Chile could provide a scare: they’re technically accomplished and quick to attack. Will Holland’s aging squad mean the Flying Dutchmen will wing their way home early once more?
Game schedule
Friday, June 13 at 3 p.m. ET: Spain vs. Netherlands (Arena Fonte Nova, Salvador)
Wednesday, June 18 at 12 noon ET: Australia vs. Netherlands (Estadio Beira-Rio, Porto Alegre)
Monday, June 25 at 12 noon ET: Netherlands vs. Chile (Arena Corinthians, São Paulo)
Star player
Klaas-Jan Huntelaar. A bit of a surprise pick, perhaps, what with Arjen Robben of Bayern Munich and Robin van Persie of Manchester United certain to be included in the squad. But you never know when van Persie will break, and you can’t count on Robben not completely whiffing a shot at exactly the wrong moment.
Enter Klaas-Jan Huntelaar. The Schalke forward missed half of the season with a knee injury, playing only seventeen Bundesliga games. He marked his January return with the opening goal against Hamburg, and his recovery also sparked Schalke’s revival. By the end of the season, Huntelaar had twelve goals, and Schalke were in third. If he can perform in a similar fashion for Netherlands, advancing won’t be a worry.
(READ MORE: HOLLAND’S 23-MAN ROSTER FOR WORLD CUP)
Manager
Many Premier League fans already know plenty about Louis van Gaal, as the media had loads of time to fill us in while waiting for Manchester United to officially appoint him as manager. But van Gaal needs to get Holland through Brazil before he can head off to England.
Aloysius Paulus Maria van Gaal has an impressive resume: schooled in Total Football at Ajax, he went on to coach at the club (twice) before moving on to Barcelona (twice) and Bayern Munich (just once). However, his first stint with the Netherlands national team did not go so well. Under van Gaal, Holland failed to qualify for the 2002 World Cup, for the first time since 1986. His resignation in January 2002 prompted the first rumors of a move to United.
Secret weapon
Memphis Depay. Netherlands boast a lot of aging players up front: van Persie, Robben, and Huntelaar are all 30, Dirk Kuyt is 33. Then there’s Depay, an exciting young talent who plays with the swagger of a man who knows he’s on his way to greatness. The 20-year-old has a wonderful nose for goal, scoring 12 for PSV this Eredivisie season. He’s also extremely fast, something that could come in handy when van Gaal looks to change up a match and his old guard are limping around a bit.
Prediction
While van Gaal may have a clear, tactical approach, it’s unclear he’s got the personnel to carry it off. His squads vary from game to game, and many of his players have already been ruled out with injury (Kevin Strootman, Rafael van der Vaart) or are often one sneeze away from succumbing (van Persie, Wesley Sneijder). If they emerge from Group B in second place, they’ll face Brazil, so I say: out before quarterfinals.
Do you agree?
