Holland vs. Portugal

[Filho]

Personal vendetta or not Van Basten looks like a fool for not giving Van Nilsteroy a run especially since they were down.

He put Van something of somewhere on instead. Ridiculous. 

Venegoor of Hessilink is his name and he is a top striker at PSV Eindhoven. He was put in to win headers in the last few minutes as Holland resorted to the long ball in the dying minutes...he is a tall big striker. Great at headers and he won just about all that came in his direction, but the Portuguese defense stood firm. Van Basten had publicly said he was not happy with Ruud's performances in the group stages, so he was looking at Kuyt to probably replace him...which he did. Kuyt is a harder working, more mobile striker and interchanged well with Robben and Van Persie, but he is not as good a target man as Ruud...but that is what Van Basten was looking for in his team. Everyone is asking where was Ruud cause that is the easy question to ask without thinking. Ruud had already warmed up and was about to come on when Holland got its first red card and so Van basten changed his tactics and brought on Van der Vaart and then Heitinger instead. Ruud had 1 goal in his three games so far. I didn't think he was playing badly but he was not lighting it up...Just because Ruud playes for ManU, all the pundits act like he is Hollands greatest striker. The Dutch cocahing staff disagrees...and so do some of the Dutch fans who wanted to see 'the HUNT' Huntelaar, probably more than any striker at the WC. To say Van basten is a fool for leaving him out is a typical knee jerk reaction. We can all play that game with hindsight. But based on past performances, there is also the chance that Ruud may not have done much, especially in the weird situation that had developed.

[Bitter]

Plenty people saying the ref was crap. But what more could he do?
The first kick on Ronaldo. Who wouldn't give a card for that? Some of the fouls in that game were rediculous. in 1978 the ref will wave play on, but on 2006? Card.

The players know that and still handsin ball and stamping man. So who is to blame?

[Savannah boy]

Blatter say de ref shoulda get a yellow card himself.  Dat man go endanger dat Russian ref.  He and Jack have de same foot in mouth disease.  The two of dem cut from de same cloth oui.

[SweetParkie]

worse match I have seen to-date! Holland had so many opportiunities to score and didnt and then things jes got out-of hand...
Oh well. All games cannot be MEX and ARG

[jose]

poor ref,the game was jus to big for him,he could not handle it

[Coop's]

This is quite amusing, with all the hype i usually hear about Dutch Football and their Coaches,this game just prove my point over the years that Dutch Football is not what it's made out to be.

When i looked at Dutch Football over the years,yes they may have had great individual players but nothing they have done has proved to me they are the powers people makes them out to be,check their record/history they are the only so called power house to have never won a World Cup there must be reasons why and one is their attitude.

The writing is on the wall for Dutch Football and they are being exposed for who and what they are,how Van Basten becomes a good Coach what has he done to prove that,not because he was a good player means he is a good Coach,Gullit still has a better track record than him,coaching is not only knowing Football but also knowing how to deal with players(Benie),everybody has been giving Sven a had time with the decisions he has been making but we can say it's luck,so far he is proving everyone wrong.

I will conclude here that i think the better team won,it's a pity Ronaldo had to leave the game else they would have suffered more.

[dutchman]

This is quite amusing, with all the hype i usually hear about Dutch Football and their Coaches,this game just prove my point over the years that Dutch Football is not what it's made out to be.

When i looked at Dutch Football over the years,yes they may have had great individual players but nothing they have done has proved to me they are the powers people makes them out to be,check their record/history they are the only so called power house to have never won a World Cup there must be reasons why and one is their attitude.

The writing is on the wall for Dutch Football and they are being exposed for who and what they are,how Van Basten becomes a good Coach what has he done to prove that,not because he was a good player means he is a good Coach,Gullit still has a better track record than him,coaching is not only knowing Football but also knowing how to deal with players(Benie),everybody has been giving Sven a had time with the decisions he has been making but we can say it's luck,so far he is proving everyone wrong.

I will conclude here that i think the better team won,it's a pity Ronaldo had to leave the game else they would have suffered more.

Find this a very easy post.
Of course the better team won, if you don't win you aren't better.
vBasten was 2years unbeaten, quite well for a coach.
What you mean... who and what they are ?
We dutch are EUROPEAN CHAMPIONS UNDER 21 take that!
So portugal was better yesterday, shit happends good for them.
We just have to work harder for euro 2008 but finally with a brilliant striker.. KJ Huntelaar.
2d lesson ... never again do friendlies with australia right the week before WC.
( got 3 injuries from that and cocu never got 100% back)
_{edit: further I do regret that the entire vBasten team has not more experienced members, I also do realize he misses this against the portugese top coach, good hope he learns fast though}

[Conan]

This is quite amusing, with all the hype i usually hear about Dutch Football and their Coaches,this game just prove my point over the years that Dutch Football is not what it's made out to be.

When i looked at Dutch Football over the years,yes they may have had great individual players but nothing they have done has proved to me they are the powers people makes them out to be,check their record/history they are the only so called power house to have never won a World Cup there must be reasons why and one is their attitude.

The writing is on the wall for Dutch Football and they are being exposed for who and what they are,how Van Basten becomes a good Coach what has he done to prove that,not because he was a good player means he is a good Coach,Gullit still has a better track record than him,coaching is not only knowing Football but also knowing how to deal with players(Benie),everybody has been giving Sven a had time with the decisions he has been making but we can say it's luck,so far he is proving everyone wrong.

I will conclude here that i think the better team won,it's a pity Ronaldo had to leave the game else they would have suffered more.

Holland stood 2 times in the finals of the WC.
In 1998 Brazil knocked us out by penalties.
In 2000 Italy knocked us out with Penalties.
In 1994 we had bad luck with de Goey as a goalie, 'cause we played a great match against Brazil.

Knowing how to deal players? Gullit had a hard time 'bout that.
Beenhakker had a hard time dealing with players.
Why? Because he's good as a Technical Manager and as a National team coach, but all players eventually get sick of him and he's talks.

Guus has shown the world that he's one of the best coaches ever. Cruijff did that.
Rijkaard & Ten Cate have shown with Barça what football is about.

Co Adriaanse made Porto champions with attacking and atrtactive football instead of always defending.

Louis v. Gaal won a lot of prizes and finished second this year with AZ.

And I could continue, but that would take way too much time.

The Dutch never had an attitude. They're always confident, but wouldn't you be with such great players?

v. Basten has showed us again that he's a good coach.
Without any experience he lost his first official match in 2 years yesterday.

Now I ask you, what more do you expect?

And talking about better teams yesterday, Portugal wasn't.