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World-Dutch must look to the past and the future
ROTTERDAM, May 20 (Reuters) - Dutch coach Bert van Marwijk needs to learn lessons from his predecessor's troubles when he takes his side to South Africa.
Marco van Basten twice steered the Netherlands through tough group phases, at the 2006 World Cup and the 2008 European championship, only to see them fall in the first knockout round.
In 2006, the Netherlands qualified second in their group behind Argentina but were then knocked out by Portugal in a bad-tempered match.
Two years later, in the European event, they brushed aside World Cup finalists Italy and France to finish top of their group but fell to Guus Hiddink's Russia in Basel.
Van Marwijk took over after the disappointing 2008 campaign and brought his team through qualifying with eight straight wins, and he knows he must keep his team sharp and in form with one eye on the knockout stage.
Mental strength was important too, Van Marwijk said, with the team needing to have more belief in their abilities.
"I have tried...to drill a stronger self-belief into the players but it is a process," the coach said earlier this year.
This time, the Dutch will face Denmark, Cameroon and Japan in Group E. The lack of strong resistance in a qualifying group featuring Iceland, Scotland, Macedonia and Norway gave Van Marwijk little idea about the possibilities of his side.
With a team bursting with big names, the Dutch, runners-up in 1974 and 1978, should be one of the strongest sides in the world.
Van Marwijk is spoilt for choice in attack where Arjen Robben, Dirk Kuyt, Rafael van der Vaart, Wesley Sneijder and Robin van Persie will vie for places.
Hopes that Ruud van Nistelrooy might return from international retirement vanished when Van Marwijk said there was not enough time for the striker to regain fitness after a knee injury.
The coach has former internationals Phillip Cocu and Frank de Boer -- who both have experience of the World Cup semi-finals -- as his assistants and plans to stick to the 4-2-3-1 formation that Van Basten put in place.
World-Factbox on the Netherlands
May 20 (Reuters) - Factbox on the Netherlands who are competing in Group E at the 2010 World Cup in South Africa:
Colours: Orange shirts, black shorts and orange socks
Nickname: Orange
Previous World Cup appearances: 8: 1934, 1938, 1974, 1978, 1990, 1994, 1998, 2006
Best World Cup performance: runners-up in 1974 and 1978
Coach: Bert van Marwijk
Most capped player: Edwin van der Sar 130
Top goalscorer: Patrick Kluivert 40
Talking points:
The position of central striker is the most discussed matter in the Dutch team. In Dirk Kuyt and Klaas-Jan Huntelaar, Van Marwijk has two obvious choices, though Huntelaar has not played regularly this season despite a move from Real Madrid to AC Milan, while Kuyt fills in the right wing at his club, Liverpool. However, Robin van Persie has also made clear that he wants to act as central striker, though he may be more useful as winger or playmaker.
Player to watch:
It would be easy to name Arjen Robben, Wesley Sneijder or Van Persie, but Van Marwijk's son-in-law Mark van Bommel might be the natural playing captain for the Dutch. The 32-year-old defensive midfielder has shown outstanding class during Bayern Munich's treble-chasing season, becoming the club's first foreign captain to lift the Bundesliga trophy.
Netherlands coach Bert van Marwijk has announced his 23-man squad for the 2010 World Cup. The Dutch gaffer cut four more names from his provisional roster after the 2-1 friendly win against Mexico on Wednesday.
Defenders Vurnon Anita (Ajax) and Ron Vlaar (Feyenoord), midfielder Orlando Engelaar (PSV) and attacker Jeremain Lens (AZ) have all just missed out on this summer's tournament.
Anita made his official Oranje debut against the Mexicans, but failed to impress in Wednesday's game, just like Engelaar. Vlaar isn't fully match fit due to hamstring problems, while the uncapped Lens lost the battle for a spot in the final squad to Liverpool's Ryan Babel.
Netherlands have to deal with Cameroon, Denmark and Japan in the group phase of the World Cup. They start the tournament with a match against Denmark on June 14.
Goalkeepers -
Maarten Stekelenburg Ajax
Michel Vorm Utrecht
Sander Boschker Twente
Defenders
Gregory van der Wiel Ajax
Khalid Boulahrouz Stuttgart
John Heitinga Everton
Joris Mathijsen Hamburger SV
Giovanni van Bronckhorst Feyenoord
Edson Braafheid Bayern Munich
Andre Ooijer PSV
Midfielders -
Demy de Zeeuw Ajax
Wesley Sneijder Inter
Rafael van der Vaart Real Madrid
Ibrahim Afellay PSV
Mark van Bommel Bayern Munich
Nigel de Jong Manchester City
Stijn Schaars AZ
Forwards -
Arjen Robben Bayern Munich
Dirk Kuyt Liverpool
Klaas-Jan Huntelaar Milan
Robin van Persie Arsenal
Ryan Babel Liverpool
Eljero Elia Hamburger SV
Trainer
Bert van Marwijk Played Goals Red Cards Yellow Cards
Goalkeeper
22 Sander Boschker
16 Michel Vorm
1 Maarten Stekelenburg
Defender
5 Giovanni van Bronckhorst
13 André Ooijer
4 Joris Mathijsen
12 Khalid Boulahrouz
3 Johnny Heitinga
15 Edson Braafheid
2 Gregory van der Wiel
Midfielder
6 Mark van Bommel
23 Rafael van der Vaart
10 Wesley Sneijder
8 Nigel de Jong
14 Demy de Zeeuw
18 Stijn Schaars
20 Ibrahim Afellay
Forward
7 Dirk Kuyt
11 Arjen Robben
21 Klaas-Jan Huntelaar
9 Robin van Persie
19 Ryan Babel
17 Eljero Elia
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