Funny it seems we’re back to some sort of cold war situation, aggravated by the fact that these days there aren’t two clear blocks like in the past.
…BREAKING NEWS…
Qatar will no longer be hosting the World Cup.
It will now be hosted by ISLAMIC STATE instead!!!
[size=18pt]OVER AND OUT [/size]
So the story is over for good old Guus Hiddink as coach of the National Dutch team.
This second period as head coach of Oranje was clearly one bridge too far for one of the most successful coaches in the history of footbal. What he had in mind didn’t work and when he noticed that it didn’t work, his mind went blank. Or so it seems.
He took the decision to succeed Louis van Gaal as coach of Oranje before the World Cup of 2014, apparently because he thought Danny Blind was not yet ready for the job. It was decided that Hiddink would lead Oranje to France and that Blind would take over afterwards, to lead Oranje to the World Cup in Russia 2018.
But things did not go as planned …
One of his problems was that Holland did so well in Brazil. Nobody had expected this result from a team that was considered one of the weakest national Dutch sides in history. But the unpredictable Louis van Gaal concocted a new, more defensive tactical plan that somehow seemed to work, and Van Gaal also had the luck that the one formidable player Holland still had, Arjen Robben, reached his very best form during this tournament. Van Gaal tactics and Robben’s brilliance almost brought Holland to the final …
When Hiddink took over, he decided that Holland should return to their traditional more offensive tactics. This most probably was a mistake. He also had the misfortune that Robben was not available for some of the most crucial games. Without Robben Oranje was struggling and lost to both Czech Republic and Iceland. Oranje is now in danger of missing the tournament in France, which would be a disgrace. It has been decided that Danny Blind will take over. Blind is one of the most successful club players in the history of Dutch footbal (he virtually won every price with Ajax), but he has hardly any experience as a coach on the highest level.
Dutch football is in big trouble …
That’s a shame, I really like Hiddink, seems a true genuine character.
He’s a great guy, but it didn’t work. Was it age? i don’t know, he probably just overestimated the quality of this group of players. If Robben had been top fit from the beginning, things would have been different. Just imagine Holland playing the last World Cup without Robben. They probably wouldn’t have survived the first round.
On the other hand we seem to have a new generation of players that seem to work as a team they lost the under 21euro final, but beating Germany 5-0 is more than ok to me.
Hiddink had a great run, but he blew it on this one. I do think it is his age. He came across almost senile in some post match interviews. Nevertheless I have great respect for what he did in '88 for PSV and his second spell in the mid 2000’s wasn’t too bad either. But now it’s time for him to retire and enjoy those tens of millions of bucks he made. Btw, I have no faith whatsoever in his successor Danny Blind. Based on what did he get that job anyway?
Agreed on all point. Don’t understand why they gave the job to Blind either, a good assistent imo, no more than that. Great career as a player, no career whatsoever as a coach.
Goal of the season of the Dutch League, no doubt.
Den Haag goalkepper did it, simply amazing
Don’t remind me
Didn’t like it all …
Introducing 16 year old Reece Oxford, who ripped Arsenal FC - and in particular, Mesut Özil - to bits at the weekend. 
Let’s hope for a[size=14pt] great[/size] [size=18pt]West Ham[/size][size=14pt] sea-son[/size].
And don’t forget: like a football game, a football season consists of two halves
After getting loads of shit from Gooners about the 2-2 draw with Swansea on Saturday it made the Hammers 2-0 win even more pleasing 
Wow, it looks pretty bad for the Netherlands in the EC qualification.
A disgrace, Stanton. The coach should be sacked if he doesn’t qualify, and so should the guy who appointed him, as the appointment made no sense whatsoever.
I hope they still make it. Turkey isn’t good either.
It would be a pity to have the EC without the Netherlands.
I watched the two last matches, against Iceland and Turkey, 180 minutes of shame. A true disgrace to the football nation we once were.
We have only one great player left: Arjen Robben, and he was replaced after twenty minutes in the first game (Iceland) because of a groin injuy, which meant he couldn’t play the second game, a sort of all or nothing game against Turkey.
Without Robben, Oranje looks pretty harmless. Sneyder and Van Persie are way over their peak and there hardly any “nachwuchs”. We only have Memphis Depay and Klaassen, but they lack experience.
Sad times for AC Milan supporters. >:(
And scherpschutter, with his unhealthy passion for Athlone Town, Club Brugge KV, Pisa and Atalanta colours, rejoices… ;D
[quote=“JonathanCorbett, post:2339, topic:527”]Sad times for AC Milan supporters. >:(
And scherpschutter, with his unhealthy passion for Athlone Town, Club Brugge KV, Pisa and Atalanta colours, rejoices… ;D[/quote]
I mosy certainly do
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