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Dutch press destructive after “extremely boring” game of Orange against Gibraltar | International football

It should have been a new start for the Dutch national team. But after 2 matches under (new) national coach Ronald Koeman, the Orange made a mediocre impression. The Dutch media also sees this, which is not tender for their national team: “It was really dramatic.”

On Friday, the Netherlands still had no chance against France, it was sent home with a 4-0 defeat. Then the shame was already on their cheeks, but the strength of the opponent and the missing of some important players were still seen as extenuating circumstances.

Yesterday, the Orange got the chance to regroup against Gibraltar, the number 200 in the FIFA ranking. In De Kuip in Rotterdam, the number 6 “only” won 3-0, and according to the Dutch media that was not enough.

The newspaper AD summarizes the Orange victory as follows: “It was water cold and extremely boring in the Rotterdam stadium, at an international match that can hardly bear the status of a serious football match.”

Also the Volkskrant has the same opinion. It describes the match as a joke, a match that doesn’t matter. Only the result counts, and the newspaper found it too low:

“Above 5-0 is nice, less is bad. So it was moderate, that 3-0, also because Gibraltar played more than 40 minutes with 10 men. And no matter how high the profit was, it does not outweigh the defeat anyway 4-0 against France last Friday.”

So what goes wrong with Orange?

“Players out of shape and lack of commitment”

In Football International some ex-internationals gave their opinion. According to Rafael van der Vaart, they lack commitment: “I had a lethargic feeling about it, they don’t look as if they are as hungry as they were in the first period under Koeman.”

The team is also blamed for the lack of creativity. According to Van der Vaart, this is to be expected since many players are out of shape at their club and do not get enough playing opportunities.

His colleague Pierre van Hooijdonck agrees with him and especially remembers the bad aftertaste after the painful defeat against France.

“It was not washed away at all after this match,” said the former striker. “I think the players and national coach only feel worse.”

Van Dijk is not good football tactically and technically. You need another gentleman on the field. He makes noise, but he says nothing.

Mark van Basten

Van Dijk is criticized, Wieffer as a bright spot

One man is the head of Jut according to ex-players Marco van Basten and Ruud Gullit: Liverpool defender Virgil van Dijk. The duo even questions his role as captain.

“In the dressing room he is good, football tactically and technically not. On the field you need another gentleman. This has nothing to do with that injury, this has to do with leadership. He makes noise, but he doesn’t say anything. That’s true. This is in you. This is wanting to win at all costs,” the duo write.

NOS and the Volkskrant found 1 bright spot in the disappointing match. Debutant Mats Wieffer caught their eye. The young Feyenoord player was allowed to start in midfield and did so properly.

“Wieffer was immediately given one of the most important tasks in the team by Koeman, as a link in the build-up from the back. The debutant therefore had the ball more than anyone else and did good things with it.”

23-year-old Mats Wieffer made his debut for the Dutch against Gibraltar.

National coach Ronald Koeman was also positive about Wieffer and indicated that the midfielder had made an impression on him “as one of the few”.

The national coach was also mainly negative. He indicated that he was shocked by the level of his squad and described his first training camp as “a shitty week”.

The Dutch national team has little time to recover. In the next international period in June, it will organize the UEFA Nations League Finals with Croatia, Spain and Italy. It will play on June 14 in De Kuip against Croatia, the 3rd of the last World Cup. Then follows the (small) final.

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