One of the trends of the current European Championship is the crystallization of new heroes and new interesting teams. For Spain, Lamin Yamal and Nico Williams are in charge. Julian Nagelsmann has renewed Germany and Jamal Musiala and Florian Wirtz now occupy the leading roles. The Austrian national team surprised Ralf Rangnick. The Turkish national team proved that it can be not only a confusing collection of talents, but also an organized and patient team. More and more new things are being unlocked.
The Dutch national team can probably not be considered a discovery in the full sense of the word. This is a highly respected team, it is often highly valued. But even so, in recent years, even if the Netherlands can be classified as one of the best national teams, it is only with serious reservations.
Before Euro 2024, the Dutch’s last major success was bronze at the 2014 World Cup. The Netherlands missed Euro 2016 and also the World Cup in Russia. At Euro 2020, the “orange” gang was eliminated in the round of 16. A strong World Cup took place in Qatar, with the Netherlands losing to eventual champion Argentina in the quarter-finals only on penalties. But still, the quarter-finals are not a title or even a medal.
At Euro 2024, the Netherlands reached the semi-finals and took home a small bronze. They were certainly not the best team in the game. The Dutch alternated important games, such as against Romania and France, with frank melancholy, such as the encounter against Poland or 70 minutes against Turkey. Against England, there was also sadness in the second half, but that was probably not the case with the Netherlands. England sucks the life out of every game and every opponent.
Dutch players after England’s goal
Photo: Dan Mullan/Getty Images
However, the Dutch showed the most potential at this Euro. No intimacy: it’s strictly about football! Power is skill, the ability to do something. So the Netherlands have shown that they are capable of a lot with this generation. They reached the semi-finals with Ronald Koeman. Can you imagine what could have happened if the coach was not the frankly mediocre Koeman, but someone more serious?
The Netherlands have some great young leaders in every position. In goal is Bart Verbruggen, who at 21 is already good in the Premier League and had a great Euros. On the defensive flanks are Champions League finalist Jan Matsen, Inter’s Denzel Dumfries and Jeremy Frimpong, who was an important piece in the puzzle of the unbeaten Bayer.
Yes, Matsen didn’t play at the Euros. But perhaps Virgil van Dijk, who is already 33, will soon be out of the national team and then Nathan Ake will be able to move from left to centre and Matsen will be on the flank. Or Ake will stay on the left and Tottenham defender Mickey van de Ven will move to centre. He is also young (23) and also very good.
We deprived ourselves of a cool new version at the end:
England did not let us recover our 2010. And Holland: an opportunity for the long-awaited revenge
In addition to a strong coach, the Netherlands lacked leaders in midfield at the Euros. Frenkie de Jong and Thoen Koepmeijners missed the tournament due to injury. Even without them, the Dutch pivot looked good. First of all, thanks to Teyani Reinders, who played “eight” and was successful literally everywhere. But imagine how great it would be if Frankie and Ten were added to Teyani. This would be a completely different level.
Finally, the Netherlands has produced a new crop of attacking stars. Javi Simons, Cody Gakpo and Donyell Malen are the true axes of evil for the Dutch rivals. They are fast, intelligent, technical and can assist and score. Malen is the most controversial figure in this set-up. But at the Euros he showed himself to be very organic, scoring two goals against the Romanians in the round of 16.
Memphis Depay was not very organic. In the Dutch attack, he often looked like a basketball tape on Depay’s head, like a cheap and not very appropriate show-off. Memphis is slow, he never misses an opportunity to show how technical and skillful he is. This is detrimental to the team: Depay completely kills the pace. And this neutralizes his advantages in the form of, for example, an excellent shot and the ability to make a complex and non-standard pass.
Memphis Depay after Austria’s goal
Photo: Dan Mullan/Getty Images
But here too the Netherlands have a solution. Bologna have produced an excellent striker: Joshua Zirkzee. He is a very specific player and needs adjustments to be as productive as possible. But it seems that in combination with Simons, Gakpo and Malen, Zirkzee cannot develop worse than at the club.
Questions about preparation should be directed to the trainer. And this is where the main problem of the Dutch team arises.
Ronald Koeman has a good CV if you look at the institutions he has coached at. But if you study how he coached, the gold dust immediately disappears from his CV.
Koeman is a coach without ideas. His teams do not play below a certain level, but they do not exceed a certain ceiling either. And the ceiling of the current generation of the Dutch national team is definitely higher than what Koeman’s teams usually reach.
Ronald Koeman with his team
Photo: Dan Mullan/Getty Images
The young and talented Dutch national team needs a strong coach. We need someone who can unleash the full potential of the Dutch team. But the problem is that, in the context of a great generation of footballers in the Netherlands, there are no strong coaches left.
There are Erik ten Hag, Arne Slot. There are many questions about their top status, but at least they are visible. Ten Hag spent two years in the Premier League, Slot performed well at Feyenoord (especially in European competitions) and also moved to England. Who else? Where are the new Guus Hiddink, Dick Advocaat, Louis van Gaal?
Phillip Cocu never became a great coach. Ruud van Nistelrooy did a good job as a manager, but will now be ten Hag’s assistant. Peter Bosz had a great season with PSV, but he can’t be considered a great coach. And he can’t be called a young coach either.
There are also thoughts on the British:
England in the Euro 2024 final: Is this even legal?
The Netherlands has always been a leading country when it comes to football thinking. But now the Dutch are having problems with this. We need new coaching brains! If they don’t appear, we risk losing an excellent generation of footballers.
But if a coach is found, the Netherlands can become a top team in the coming years. And there are no reserves at the top.
