The Netherlands team has exactly one month left until it makes its European Championship debut in Germany on June 16 against Robert Lewandowski’s Poland.
This Thursday Ronald Koeman announced the provisional list of 30 players for the Euro Cup, a tournament he is facing for the first time as a coach after participating twice as a player.
The memory of the Euro Cup was won in 1988
Koeman led the Netherlands to its only international title at senior level at the 1988 Euro Cup, 36 years ago, when the last tournament was also held in Germany.
“My best memory despite winning the title against Russia (the former USSR) in the final (2-0), was the semifinal against Germany,” Koeman recalled in statements to RTVE. The ‘oranje’ came back in that match (2-1) and won with goals from Ronald himself, from a penalty, and Marco van Basten in the last quarter of an hour.
“It’s important to have a coach with that kind of experience,” highlights Koeman who, four years later, In 1992, he also participated in the Euro Cup with Sweden as its headquarters. The ‘oranje’ could not retain the title after falling on penalties in the semi-finals (2-2 and 4-5) against Denmark, who would become champions.
Spain, not even in painting
Now Koeman dreams of making history again and repeating the success he achieved as a player, but he wishes: “If we play against Spain, let it be in the final because of the quarterfinals or the round of 16, I think Spain doesn’t want to play against Holland and doesn’t want to play against Spain either.”
Koeman has included Frenkie de Jong on its provisional list, despite the fact that he continues to recover from the sprained right ankle he suffered on April 21 in the Real Madrid-Barcelona match.
Frenkie de Jong and Barça
For the Dutch coach De Jong is basic in his method and did not enter his mind that ‘his’ Barcelona, where he gave the European Cup in 1992 with his famous goal against Sampdoria at Wembley (1-0) and where he coached in between 2020 and 2021, could move him, as thought.
“I don’t understand it because Barça is a big team. If you sell your best players it means you don’t want to be better,” said Koeman.
continued Xavi
In the same interview with RTVE, the former Barça coach also appreciated the continuity on the bank of Xavi Hernández, the coach who must have calmed him down: “It’s strange, I don’t know why they changed their minds, Barça people have to convince them that he’s the best.”
Source: La Verdad
I’m Rose Herman and I work as an author for Today Times Live. My expertise lies in writing about sports, a passion of mine that has been with me since childhood. As part of my job, I provide comprehensive coverage on everything from football to tennis to golf.
