In the catacombs of the OPAP Arena in Athens, Mats Wieffer says it dryly, just after midnight on Tuesday. This international match there were “a lot of new boys” in the Dutch national team, says the midfielder, who himself made his debut in March. “I think we handed out six bunnies last week. That says a lot.” The tradition at Oranje is that debutants are awarded a pin – a ‘hare’ – in the shape of a bunny, although the reason for this is unclear.
With a narrow 1-0 win over competitor Greece on Monday evening, the Dutch team is almost certain to participate in the European Football Championship in Germany next summer. A win over Ireland (home) or Gibraltar (away) next month is enough to secure second place in the group and thus qualify.
Relief
Many boys have “not yet experienced a European Championship,” says Wieffer. The Feyenoord midfielder no longer remembers exactly where he was during the last European Championship in the summer of 2021 – he still played in the First Division with Excelsior that season. “You notice that many boys are eager to make it. There was a real sense of relief in the dressing room.” For Wieffer himself, “it would really be a dream,” he says, “to be able to stand there.”
The match in Athens is a reflection of the difficult qualifying series of the Dutch team. Although it is better and more dangerous than the Greeks on Monday evening, it remains stuffy until the final phase. A converted penalty from captain Virgil van Dijk in extra time helped the Dutch team to the redeeming victory. It follows a mixed year so far with many setbacks, injuries, tactical adjustments and sometimes dissatisfaction with the players’ attitude.
It has been a struggle from day one, for national coach Ronald Koeman, who returned at the beginning of this year. International football is under pressure due to the full football calendar. The lack of rest causes many muscle injuries, Koeman said last week. Before his first match, at the end of March in Paris against France, several important players were absent due to injuries. On top of that came a viral infection the day before the match. That messy start, the Dutch team lost 4-0, haunted Koeman for a long time.
The Dutch team has no reserve of top players, which makes it so delicate when several basic players are missing, as happened repeatedly with playmaker Frenkie de Jong and striker Memphis Depay – both absent in Athens. Strikers Luuk de Jong (33) and Vincent Janssen (29) thanked them partly because of the busy playing schedule for the Dutch team. In addition, three of the most important players – Van Dijk, Depay, Georginio Wijnaldum – are no longer as decisive as before. Wijnaldum left for the Saudi competition last summer, a much lower level than the major Western European competitions where he previously played. Although Koeman says he has not written him off yet.
For example, there were problems on all sides for Koeman, where almost everything went well in his first period between 2018 and 2020. This meant that in the four international matches so far this year – eight matches – he was only able to build a renewed, permanent team towards the European Championship to a limited extent. In his previous period, players were fit and the team had “minimal changes”, says Koeman. “That is conducive to performance and level, to automatism.” Koeman said last week with a grin: “The idea once was to work with a permanent group after the summer, but that didn’t quite work out.”
But for the players leaving, he did get something in return. Koeman was forced to give younger, inexperienced players a chance. Multifunctional midfielder Tijjani Reijnders may have gotten playing minutes a little earlier against France on Friday and against Greece on Monday than he would normally have, due to the absence of striker Cody Gakpo.
“It’s great how Reijnders is developing,” says Koeman in his press conference in the OPAP Arena. It doesn’t matter whether he plays as an attacking midfielder, like against France, or as a controlling midfielder like against Greece, he says. “He walks so easily, he is so fit. With him I have the idea: he can play ninety minutes again tomorrow morning.”
First goalkeeper
Just like goalkeeper Bart Verbruggen made his debut, now that there is no undisputed first goalkeeper for the Dutch team. At 21, he exuded confidence against Greece in his saves and on the ball. Koeman, enthusiastically: “See how [Quilindschy] Hartman plays, and let’s hope so [Brian] Brobbey continues to develop. Plus others who are not there at the moment, then there is still a lot of room for improvement in this group.”
Also read
a profile of Tijjani Reijnders
Although, based on the – mediocre – level of main competitor Greece, he believes that it is “normal” that the Netherlands will soon definitively qualify for the European Championship. Things still need to “improve to have a chance of going far at the European Championships,” he says.
Such as halfway through the second half against Greece, which increased the pressure in that phase with attacking substitutions. Koeman is busy gesticulating on the sidelines. He believes that right back Denzel Dumfries should play more controlled. “Especially in the situation where you lose control of the match.” The coordination – who picks up which opponent – with attacker Donyell Malen was also wrong. “These are all tactical things that I sometimes think: you should know that. If that doesn’t happen, others need to see it. There is still so much room for improvement.”
Just as the Dutch team is also looking for a player with good kicking technique. “One must be born who can take free kicks and corners very well, because we have a lot of head power,” says Koeman. “But unfortunately we don’t have a specialist.”
Last Friday, against World Cup finalist France (2-1 defeat), he saw that they can play a top country “reasonably”. “That can only get better if we become even more prepared and complete the group. Then there is definitely music in it.”
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