Author Rachael Warham Holland's crushing exit at the qualification stage of the FIFA World Cup finals in Russia this week has sent shockwaves around the planet. Quite why their descent has stunned the masses is anyone’s guess but it really shouldn’t have done. As unthinkable as it is that the country who brought the world 'total football' with the great sides of the 70s and 80 are going to be absent from the tournament this summer, their plight into the footballing doldrums has been a long time coming.
The oranje failed to make it to the European Championships in France in 2016 and in 2012 lost all of their group games. Yet, in the midst of all that disappointment they managed to finish third in Brazil in 2014, and in 2010 they were the finalists in World Cup South Africa, only to be beaten by Spain – consistent they are not! Who's to blame? With ten out of 11 players in the starting line-up for Holland against Belarus in their penultimate fixture of the qualification campaign either currently playing in England's elite competition or having played in the EPL at some point in their career, it begs the question: could the Premier League be to blame for this Dutch demise? You only have to look at the dross dished out biennially by England's national squad to see the similarities between them and the Netherlands. Yes, England qualified but it wasn't convincing and had they had more testing opposition they could have seen their World Cup dreams slip away too. The problem is that top flight English clubs are ruining the talent of youngsters, both at home and abroad - particularly Holland. Not content with stocking up and turning the youth academies into puppy farms of the brightest names in English football, Premier League teams are searching further afield and snatching the up and comings of the Eredivisie into their youth set ups - Tahith Chong going to Manchester United from Feyenoord is one of the most talked about ones. It's an issue for sure, especially when you consider that had these young starlets remained at the likes of Ajax, PSV, Feyernoord they would almost certainly be getting first-team league and European action - essential to a player's development. Like our own home-grown stars of tomorrow these Dutch youngsters are gaining little to no game time and end up stagnating in the youth system or being thrust from team to team. Patrick van Aanholt is a prime example – joining Chelsea as a youngster in 2009, only to be loaned to Coventry City, Newcastle United, Leicester City, Wigan Athletic and Vitesse before signing for Sunderland and latterly Crystal Palace – you really need to ask why bother signing him in the first place Chelsea? Their persistence to stick with the 'total football' ideology The problems began in the 2010 World Cup finals, when Bert van Marwijk opted to play a defensive midfield duo of Marc van Bommel and Nigel de Jong. It was a decision he was criticised for by Oranje legend Johan Cruyff who labelled the decision "anti-football." "Anti-football," it may have been but van Marwijk was adapting to the way the game was changing as more and more teams were choosing to play two defensive midfielders, he followed suit. In 2012-2014, under Louis van Gaal's regime, van Marwijk's work was all undone; albeit not unsuccessfully, as Manchester United's former manager reverted to the Dutch preference of 'total football.' What it did do though was highlight an erraticism in the managerial style that has been one of the failures within the KNVB (Dutch football's governing body), as well as an inability to evolve with the times; they have been left behind by changing tactics and ideologies of other nations. Lack of talent and managers Apart from Arjen Robben, Holland's starting line-ups for World Cup qualification wouldn't exactly have had you quaking in your boots; more a who are you than a who's who of footballing talent, and the future isn't looking any more promising with Robben's retirement. Where are the Dennis Bergkamps, the Patrick Kluiverts, the Clarence Seedorfs, the Edgar Davids' of tomorrow? Let's face it; Tonny Vilhena, Ryan Babbel and Davy Propper aren't cutting the mustard. Then there's the managerial issue. Should Dick Advocaat be shown the exit by the KNVB, it poses the question who do they replace him with? Aside from Ronald Koeman, there are no stand-out candidates. Whether the Everton manager would be interested in leaving an up and coming Everton side to take on a nation in chaos remains to be seen. As much as the talent has dried up on the football pitch, so too it seems to have done on the side-lines. Of course, the Oranje have endured spells like this in the past; failing to qualify for consecutive championships in 80s but even then, there were the likes of Ruud Gullit, Marco van Basten and Ronald Koeman to appease the anxieties. Now they have defenders; Lutsharel Geertruida and Kik Pierie of Feyenoord and Heerenveen respectively, as the stars of tomorrow – not quite as exciting as the new Marc Overmars. Russia will be sad without the bright orange strips of the Dutch The Dutch were always a side to fear and capable of moments of greatness – think of World Cup 1998 vs Argentina, when Dennis Bergkamp plucked the ball out of the air, and in three mesmerising touches flicked the ball into the top of the net with the outside of his right boot... magic! It's unlikely the Netherlands will see anything like this again for a long time but at least they have a very good women's team! Rachael runs the football blogging Facebook page where you can read other football blogs |
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