Anthem?

NETHERLANDS Koninklijke Nederlandese Voetbalbond Woudenbergseweg 56-58 3700AM Zeist They DO NOT HAVE an official website!! but try this one

I really don't want these to do well - but I think they will.

SQUAD

Goalkeepers Edwin van der Sar Sander Westerveld Ed De Goey

Defenders Frank de Boer Bert Konterman Arthur Numan Michael Reiziger Jaap Stam

Midfielders Ronald de Boer Philip Cocu Paul Bosvelt Giovanni Van Bronckhorst Edgar Davids Marc Overmars Clarence Seedorf Aron Winter Boudewijn Zenden

Strikers Dennis Bergkamp Patrick Kluivert Pierre Van Hooijdonk Roy Makaay Peter Van Vossen

GROUP MATCHES
Amsterdam 11.6.2000 (20.45) Holland v Czech Republic 1-0	Rotterdam 16.6.2000 (20.45) Holland v Denmark 3-0	Amsterdam 21.6.2000 (20.45) Holland v France 3-2

HOLLAND QUALIFY FOR THE QUARTER FINALS (win 6-1 over Yugoslavia)

AND FOR THE SEMI FINALS! (lost 1-3 on pens to Italy. 0-0 aet)

29 June 2000

Rijkaard quits after semi-final loss

Rijkaard has ended his two-year spell as Dutch coach

Dutch coach Frank Rijkaard announced his resignation within minutes of his team losing on penalties to Italy in their Euro 2000 semi-final.
"I set myself one goal when I started as national coach and that was winning the European Championship," he said.

"I failed and I think now it's time for a new coach. I just want thank all the players for their support."

Rijkaard had been coach of the Dutch team for the two seasons leading up to Euro 2000.

His decision to quit leaves the Dutch FA looking for a new national coach ahead of the qualification campaign for the 2002 World Cup, which begins in September.

Blame

Dutch captain Frank de Boer says Holland only have themselves to blame after losing to Italy on penalties in their Euro 2000 semi-final.

De Boer had two penalties saved - one in the first half, and another in the dramatic shoot-out which clinched Italy's place in the final on Sunday.

His failure from the spot in normal time was followed by a second miss by Patrick Kluivert, allowing 10-man Italy to take the match into a goal-less period of extra time.

"Because we missed two penalties in normal time, the Italians started the penalty shootout with a psychological advantage," said De Boer.

"It's very sad it's over. I think the chance of becoming European champions put unbelievable pressure on us. In the end we can only blame ourselves."

"I think we deserved to get to the final but even though we trained penalties at every session, it was not our destiny to go through on a penalty shootout."

Rijkaard added: "I think this game is a disaster for the whole tournament. It was a missed chance for us.

"Despite the fact that we really dominated the first half, we were not able to finish it off.

"Something happens with the team when you play well and don't score and you get a lack of self-confidence setting in.

"We practised penalties every day and this match shows that taking a penalty is always something special and that it's not our forte.

"I think the Italians played really cleverly. Their organisation was really good and they did a terrific defensive job."

(BBC)

ORANGE FEVER: TEN WAYS ALL HOLLAND HAS GONE MAD OVER EURO 2000
28 June 2000 - London

by Steve Anglesey
REMEMBER the footy-fuelled euphoria which swept England during Euro 96? Every face was painted with the cross of St George, every chest proudly bore the Three Lions and those who failed to learn all the lyrics to Skinner and Baddiel's opus were strung up from the nearest lamp-post. Ah, glory days. It was a tidal wave of national pride - but one that looks like a mere drop in the ocean when compared to the Orange Fever currently gripping Holland.

While it's all quiet back in the homeland of semi-final opponents Italy - "we've not got excited so far because we've only played Turkey, Sweden, Belgium and Romania," explains Eurofinals365 reporter Enrico Martinelli - the low country usually renowned for its reserve is going absolutely barmy over Frank Rijkaard's army. Here are ten examples:

1) Durex have produced commemorative orange condoms (for the ladies, Amsterdam sex shops are selling orange 'marital aids', if you know what we mean).

2) Huge sheets of orange sticky-backed plastic (as used, presumably, on the Dutch children's TV show Orange Peter) have been applied to the frontages of bars and cafes all over the country, turning them into instant "supporter HQs".

3) Thanks to gallons of food colouring, the fountains in Rotterdam's Hofplein Square will spurt orange-coloured water for as long as Holland stay in the tournament.

4) Respected daily newspaper De Volkskrant, renowned for taking a realistic and usually critical view of Dutch football, suggested on Monday that Rijkaard should now be ranked alongside legendary coach Rinus Michels, who invented the 'Total Football' system.

5) The shops have long since sold out of orange T-shirts and trousers and stocks are of the rather unflattering orange overalls usually sported by the country's car mechanics are running low.

6) The nation's pets have been roped in. Animals which have been dyed orange so far include dogs, cats, hamsters and parakeets. Fans travelling by train between Rotterdam and Amsterdam report sightings of a field full of orange cows.

7) Last week, Dutch TV carried pictures of a wedding in which a bride wearing an orange dress got hitched to a groom with dyed orange hair.

8) The nation's prostitutes are reporting - ahem - slack periods as customers prefer to watch football than participate in the other beautiful game. Many are taking a three-week holiday, while others are working only in the afternoons. "Footballers and ladies appear to compete against each other," explained the manageress of Amsterdam's Kama Sutra brothel.

9) Each urinal at Apeldoorn bus station contains its own miniature set of orange plastic goalposts, through which customers with a good aim can 'score'.

10) Not that they're confident or anything, but the Dutch have already announced details of their proposed victory parades - on the River Maas in Rotterdam the day after the final and on Amsterdam's canals the next day.

Perhaps mindful of how Germany - with a little help from Gareth Southgate - managed to burst England's bubble at the same stage four years earlier, the Dutch squad are trying to play down expectation. "I feel great for the fans, but we haven't won anything yet," said Patrick Kluivert on Wednesday, while Rijkaard moaned of the hype: "It's not right, and it's not good."

At least they seem to realise that a nation painted orange could be left with red faces on Thursday night.
365

Kluivert buoyant after rout
Sunday 25th June 2000
Patrick Kluivert spoke of his joy after rewriting history with a four-goal blast against Yugoslavia. "I still can't believe it," he said, while coach Frank Rijkaard praised a "fantastic" team effort.

Kluivert added: "We were ruling the game. We played a good game from the beginning till the end. It was amazing, fantastic. First we have to reach the final and win the final. We go for that prize. But Italy will be a very tough game. We’re growing."

Rijkaard said: "After such a game I can only be very satisfied. I must pay a very big compliment to my team.

"There are a lot of possibilities in this side. You are always waiting for the moment when everything you expect comes together and this was the moment.

"It was a fantastic team effort. At half-time we were still not certain we would win because the Yugoslavs were getting irritated and provoking things.

"When it's like that you only have to make one mistake and you can have a lot of problems. We had to start the second half like we finished the first but after the third goal I think the match was over."

Dutch legend Johann Cruyff added: "It was a great game. Bergkamp did almost everything right, he was always there on the ball. He was involved in a lot of goals. The best player in the match, very creative.

"The third goal gave the players comfort. After 2-0 you don't know what will happen. There was an enormous class difference between Holland and Yugoslavia. It was good coaching from Rijkaard.

"But there is no success without sacrifice. You have to work very hard to achieve this and get the maximum out of the quality available. The Italians can never beat us, but we can lose to them."

Yugoslavia coach Vujadin Boskov said: "I think our team succeeded overall at the European Championships as we are, theoretically and practically, among the eight best teams in Europe. Holland are definitely one of the strongest sides in this tournament."

Midfielder Dragan Stojkovic added: "We started to play very well until the first goal from Holland. Just before this first goal, we had a great opportunity to score but Van der Sar made a great save.

"And after the first goal from Kluivert, they started to play very, very well. They absolutely deserved victory. We were in shock."

"They played better than us," midfielder Vladimir Jugovic admitted. "It's a shame that they scored six goals. Maybe we could have done a bit better, not to lose so many goals."

(onefootball.com")

24th June (The Times)

THE Dutch are arguing among themselves again but, for once, the target is from outside the camp. Johann Cruyff has stirred up the debate by criticising Dennis Bergkamp and Patrick Kluivert, as well as wondering, like the rest of us, why Edgar Davids "cannot keep his mouth shut". Frank Rijkaard, the coach, believes it will unite the "big family", as he calls his team, and tomorrow night in Rotterdam they will hope that it is the Yugoslavs who continue to display indiscipline. With three men sent off and seven goals conceded in the group stages, it is unlikely to be dull.

11th June

Dutch Coach Rijkaard said:

“We were very lucky in the second half that the Czechs didn’t score. It seemed like we had a little angel sitting on our goal-line.

He added: “We gave their strikers too much space to receive the ball and turn. We have got to change that during the tournament.”

HOLLAND ; Undeserved winners of three points they undoubtedly will learn
something from that narrow escape. Exactly what they do learn, and then act
on, is always open to question with this collection of players. The
collectivist crowd will need to harness the individualists; not always easy,
as has been seen in the past. France 98 was a success in that regard, but
there were early disquieting signs in the Czech Republic game. For instance,
as the cross by Overmars at the end was heading to Ronald de Boer at the far
post, the TV camera clearly caught Patrick Kluivert whining and gesturing at
Overmars for ignoring his near post run, instead of immediately turning
towards the center of goal for a rebound or a knockdown. Typical of him, I
am afraid; talented yes, but still one of the most annoyingly immature
players in the game today.

(Seamus Malin, www.fuxito.com)