KNVB director Bert van Oostveen has denied that the Netherlands national team are going through a crisis and has backed coach Danny Blind.
- By James Rowe
Netherlands 3-0 defeat to Turkey on Sunday means the Oranje are set to miss out on the European Championships for the first time since 1984. Only wins over Kazakhstan and the Czech Republic, coupled with Turkey losing one of their remaining matches will guarantee Netherlands a play-off place.
Interviewed by NOS reported Joep Schreuder, KNVB director Bert van Oostveen denied that Netherlands and Dutch football in general is in a crisis.
Van Oostveen said, “No It is not a crisis .But the situation is worrying .If you hope to get 6 points from two crucial qualifying games and you get none that is not good
Joep Schreuder, “It is not a crisis in Dutch football?
Van Oostveen, “It is easy to say crisis when you have lost two times. The fact remains that it is historically bad if anything to do with Dutch football is something for the experts to discuss and at the same time we had hoped after the change of manager that it would be better.”
Schreuder, “There was a Dutch football congress (Last December) There is now a national debate coming regarding what we must do with football. You also want to play a part in that?
Van Oostveen “We play a role in it. You can remember that in May 2014 I suggested that we have a congress and after a fantastic world cup that was laughed at. In December ( last year ) everybody was agreeing that it must happen because the congress made a few points that now need to be implemented. Maybe our national team follows club football where things are not good. But I think it is not going to far to say that it is a structural problem. If you look at the quality that we have in this country.”
Schreuder, “Is it not time to recognize that we have become a second rate football country. Is recognition not the first step?”
Van Oostveen, “At this moment in time is there disappointment and reality and recognition is the next phase. Recognition is also that 15 months ago we achieved Bronze and 3rd place at the World Cup. Did we peak at the correct moment? with near enough the same players. We have to discuss things together and that we have a debate is understandable because football is the number one sport in the Netherlands.”
Schreuder, “Do you still have confidence in Danny Blind”
Van Oostveen, “Absolutely”
Schreuder, “Having spoken to many experts this morning they say there is a lack of clarity and that’s how the players become unsure and make personal mistakes. Do you not feel it’s right to ask the question where do we want to go with Dutch football .What do we want with our national team?
Van Oostveen, “In general you must ask the question where do we want to go with our national team and where we want to go with Dutch football. You mention lack of clarity. I also speak to the staff inside of the squad and they say that there was a lot of clarity. I hear conflicting reports.”
Schreuder, “Many Opinions”
Van Oostveen “Yes that is why football is so great. I have in nicer instances arrived and stood before the press here at Amsterdam Schipol airport.”
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Apparently he didn’t understand or see how serious the situation is as many Dutch fans. I think the director Bert van Oostveen should be fired. Please rewind your tape to see your ridiculous appoinment of 2 coaches in a row (almost like FIFA rewarding 2 WC), how the team played under Hiddink and now Blind.
There is one clear way to solve the problems in Dutch football. Johan Cruijff needs to take over and given a five year contract as KNVB director or national coach.
The word crisis is one of those overused words in football but in this case I think it to be a fitting description of the current state of the national team.
Personally speaking I foresaw this coming and the seeds where sewn several years ago. The successful U21 side that won the tournament and played some exhilarating matches was never given the opportunity to mature. Most of that side would now be in their prime but due to many making unwise and ill-informed club choices directly after the tournament and in subsequent seasons. Some of the prominent names I would include in this list are Drenthe, Pieters, De Ridder, Rigters and Maduro. These are players that showed immense promise, played with no fear and demonstrated vibrancy alongside tenacity in their displays. Just take a look at some of the other names from the squad of 2007 and you’ll see a few familiar players that have graduated to the Oranje but there still seems a feeling to me at least of a golden generation lost. The trouble is even back in 2008 and 2010 our over- reliance on Robben, RVP and Sneijder was clear and has never been addressed in subsequent years culminating in the disastrous campaign and highly unlikely qualification for next summer’s Euros.
I would also add to my critique that Huntelaar has been under-used by a several managers, all unable to find a place in the starting line up to include one of Europe’s elite strikers. None of the managers seemed flexible enough in their approach and were unable to see past RVP as the central striker when surely they could have accommodated Klaas in the formation but we have seen a rigidity from the likes of Van Marwijk, Van Basten and Van Gaal. At 32 he has peaked and I believe he was not given the opportunities particularly at the last three international tournaments which might have seen us progress further or even gain that elusive trophy.
I now see dark times for the Netherlands. The age group is too stretched. Only Depay shows glimpses of anything like growing into a world class player whereas many of the other youngsters have a long way to go before they can compete with the top international teams. Not only will we miss out on France but also given our extremely qualification group for the next World Cup I would not be too optimistic. Even domestically speaking the picture is much the same. Ajax, PSV and Feyenoord continue to make little or no impact on the European stage and the inept appointments of manager also cause concern at Blind was clearly the wrong choice, part of the previous regime’s unsuccessful run and why he was promoted to no.1 is something I cannot understand and having seen his in-game management combined with some bizarre selections in the starting line up and substitutions I would be an advocate of removing Blind immediately.
So is it a crisis ? Yes I believe so for the factors I have cited above and the future also looks difficult, not just the qualification campaigns but also the numerous domestic issues to address along with a lack of foreseeable talent emerging. Football often moves in cycles. Perhaps this will be a repeat of post 1978 when the team went into decline and we had to wait until another generation of stars emerged.
Van Gaal should at least be involved on some advisory level with the staff for the next World Cup. I think Van Persie may not be totally fit right now but I do not believe he is past his prime.
I don’t feel confident with Blind as manager yet do not see an easy LVG replacement. Even Van Marwijk is appointed to another country. Of course I’m sure people are looking at Cruijff for an answer.
If Van Brockhorst had more experience I wouldn’t mind seeing him in Blind’s place.
Van Marwijk! The moment he was appointed national coach should be seen as symbolic of, and registar as, the beginning of the road along which the current decline manifested itself. For this the KNVB has to take the blame and typifies the thinking that continues to this day.
I was there in 2010 sitting alongside many other dutch fans in Sth Africa watching and thinking and saying the same thing, witnessing a betrayal of our beloved footballing heritage.
2010 was a response to losing to Russia in 2008. It was the wrong response but the KNVB hasn’t learnt from it.
Dutch football was ahead of the curve with total football and the academy system. Simply put, it produced great football and great players. Cruijff, Michels and co. were a major factor in breaking down the staunch conservatism of Dutch society. They found the means to generate expression and freedom in stifled confines,on and off the pitch. The will to compete and win provided the focus and over time the academy system honed and sharpened it.
What we are seeing is a gradual return to conservatism, on and off the pitch. The academy system and the KNVB officials have been trying to preserve and maintain the advantage. In doing so they are gently strangling the life out of Dutch football.
Its not say there aren’t many good ideas and approaches still out there. But if you continue to sharpen the focus it eventually becomes blurry and you lose sight of what’s important, what works.
The benefits of the Dutch system have been exported for a while now and many are catching or have caught up. Added to this the ridiculous amounts of money floating around, football slavery and the opening up of markets and we see a much more globalised elite group of players.
The KNVB need to take a step back.
The current legacy and essence of Dutch football is in Barcelona and Spain. Dutch football is not a failure, its just frustratingly manifest itself over there, not so much in the Netherlands
But there’s no use chasing this. De Boer, Cocu and co are doing what they can with what they’ve got.
Simply put, the Spanish player is more suited to playing modern Dutch football. They play with play with more expression.
Its the mixture of expression/freedom, intelligence, strength and heart that is needed.
Dutch football needs to go to the streets as much as they need men orchestrating players about the academy pitches.
It needs to discover how to get in front of the curve again, the dutch way, through freedom, expression, heart and skill.
In the meantime, Cruijff needs to come back into the fold. The selections need to be much wiser. And strong, intelligent and skillful young players need to step up and lead, like Crujff and Neeskens, Gullit and Rijkaard, Stam, Davids and De Boer.
(but not Van Marwijk’s sense of strength)
What does he mean by it is not a crisis?
Since gus hinddink took over …….it was a downhill for oranje and since blind took over we are at the bottom of the hill….should we are not in france next year then we will be underground of the hill….
I am disappointed with blind. He should have done much much better since he was the asst to van gaal and hiddink before. He should know better of the team.