Divided Dutch depart Euro without a point
Source: AFP |
June 19, 2012, Tuesday
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THE Netherlands' players hinted that their Euro 2012 campaign had been undermined by changing-room disunity after their participation in the tournament ended with a 1-2 loss to Portugal.
A team that arrived at the competition as one of the favorites after finishing runner-up at the 2010 World Cup and plundering 37 goals in qualifying will travel home dejected after three consecutive defeats.
The draw that placed the Dutch in the finely balanced Group B was not kind, but no-one could have predicted the tame losses to Denmark, Germany and Portugal that followed.
Cristiano Ronaldo was the axeman in their final game on Sunday, scoring twice to cancel out Rafael van der Vaart's opener in Kharkiv and leaving Bert van Marwijk's side rooted to the foot of the table without a point to its name.
"We lost three times. It's a difficult thing to accept," said Bayern Munich winger Arjen Robben. "We have to dare to look at ourselves in the mirror: we all failed. It's hard to find explanations. Sometimes things are impossible to explain.
"In the match (against Portugal), we started the match well but we quickly forgot to keep developing our play."
Tellingly, he conceded that, behind the scenes, all had not been well. "Things happened in the squad, but we'll keep that between us," he said.
The cracks had appeared earlier, however, with outbursts from several players hinting at discord among a national squad with a historical reputation for feuding and in-fighting.
Van der Vaart and Klaas-Jan Huntelaar both complained about being left out of the starting line-up, while Robben reacted petulantly to his substitution during the 0-1 loss to Germany.
Captain Mark van Bommel, van Marwijk's own son-in-law, said the coach's choices were "questionable", but Wesley Sneijder still believes he is the right man for the job.
"Should we continue with Bert van Marwijk? Why not? I say yes," said the Inter Milan playmaker. "Two years ago, at the World Cup, it worked very well. This time, no. But I still think he has a clear future in charge of the Oranje.
"He has demonstrated his qualities by resolving internal problems in the right way."
In his post-match press conference, van Marwijk said the issue was not up for discussion.
Van der Vaart, who captained the team against Portugal on his 99th appearance, was unable to disguise his disgust at Holland's premature exit from the competition.
"It's very simple: we weren't good enough," he said.
A team that arrived at the competition as one of the favorites after finishing runner-up at the 2010 World Cup and plundering 37 goals in qualifying will travel home dejected after three consecutive defeats.
The draw that placed the Dutch in the finely balanced Group B was not kind, but no-one could have predicted the tame losses to Denmark, Germany and Portugal that followed.
Cristiano Ronaldo was the axeman in their final game on Sunday, scoring twice to cancel out Rafael van der Vaart's opener in Kharkiv and leaving Bert van Marwijk's side rooted to the foot of the table without a point to its name.
"We lost three times. It's a difficult thing to accept," said Bayern Munich winger Arjen Robben. "We have to dare to look at ourselves in the mirror: we all failed. It's hard to find explanations. Sometimes things are impossible to explain.
"In the match (against Portugal), we started the match well but we quickly forgot to keep developing our play."
Tellingly, he conceded that, behind the scenes, all had not been well. "Things happened in the squad, but we'll keep that between us," he said.
The cracks had appeared earlier, however, with outbursts from several players hinting at discord among a national squad with a historical reputation for feuding and in-fighting.
Van der Vaart and Klaas-Jan Huntelaar both complained about being left out of the starting line-up, while Robben reacted petulantly to his substitution during the 0-1 loss to Germany.
Captain Mark van Bommel, van Marwijk's own son-in-law, said the coach's choices were "questionable", but Wesley Sneijder still believes he is the right man for the job.
"Should we continue with Bert van Marwijk? Why not? I say yes," said the Inter Milan playmaker. "Two years ago, at the World Cup, it worked very well. This time, no. But I still think he has a clear future in charge of the Oranje.
"He has demonstrated his qualities by resolving internal problems in the right way."
In his post-match press conference, van Marwijk said the issue was not up for discussion.
Van der Vaart, who captained the team against Portugal on his 99th appearance, was unable to disguise his disgust at Holland's premature exit from the competition.
"It's very simple: we weren't good enough," he said.
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