Peter Swallow (@ccfooty) takes a closer look at a Netherlands side that looks capable of sealing World Cup glory this summer in Brazil.
1974 was the year, the World Cup was the event, and those who can recall witnessing the tournament insist that a new variant of Football was born. The team who pioneered this new approach were The Netherlands and their now famous Orange kit remains a symbol of free form, flowing football, or as it became known ‘Total Football’.
Led by their charismatic and stylish star Johan Cruyff the Dutch revolutionised the sport, and gave real credence to the term ‘The Beautiful Game’. The World Cup in 1974 was supposed to be their tournament, the affirmation of Dutch greatness on the biggest stage of all.
Football however, rarely provides us with the magical Fairy tale script and Sunday July 7th 1974 was no different. That afternoon, determination triumphed over flair, hard work over skill, and efficiency over wonder. Four years later in 1978, the last time a World Cup was held on South American soil, the Dutch’s came so close to redemption but ultimately finished as they did in West Germany, 2nd best.
It would be 32 years until the Netherlands would once again be so close to glory, but unlike in the 1970s, this was a drastically different Oranje.
They did have similarly great players, those capable of winning football matches in the most majestic of manners. Wesley Sneijder was at the peak of his powers having been a pivotal part of Inter Milan’s Champions League success. Arjen Robben and Robin van Persie were also pivotal members of the side and capable of producing sublime moments of inspiration.
Yet this was a Dutch side built on distinctly different foundations. Mark van Bommel & Nigel de Jong were symbolic of that. If Cruyff and Rep were the football equivalent of the Dutch Masters, painting their genius out of the football pitch, then van Bommel and de Jong were labourers. Honest and hardworking in their approach, but rarely capable of brilliance.
Under Bert van Marwijk, the Netherlands had diverted too far from tradition, unrecognisably so. No longer a side capable of mesmerising passing displays, they became annihilators, content with destroying the beauty that their predecessors had helped create.
Four years later however, and under the stewardship of Louis van Gaal the Netherlands appear to be an intoxicating mix of history, incorporating the best of the nations football past; with characteristics of both the guile and magic of the famous teams of the 70s, and the dogged determinism of the much-criticised 2010 team.
The result is something quite startling; this side features Arjen
Robben in his pomp and a Robin van Persie who is far more capable of devastation than the one, which graced South African turf.
Wesley Sneijder may have lost some of his astounding playmaking abilities; but he still has the requisite quality to pull his side back from the brink of disaster (as demonstrated by his 85th minute equaliser against Mexico), Memphis Depay meanwhile, remains a useful attacking outlet from the bench.
They’re also a far more flexible unit these days, with the squad just as comfortable playing in a 5-3-2 formation as their tried and tested 4-3-3. In this regard van Gaal has emphasised not only the tactical flexibility of himself, but his entire squad, and while some of the Dutch old guard remain in abject defiance at the tactical change of face it is a needed facet of the modern game.
The main cause for concern however was with the plethora of home based players in the squad, with many correctly pointing out the Eredivisie’s subservient nature in comparison to its European rivals.
However the assumption that these players are second rate as a result is simply untrue. The transformation of a player from decent to world class usually coincides with a seminal event such as a great domestic season or major tournament. With that being said, the perception of those Eredivisie players will be greatly enhanced following their largely successful tournament, with few observers pointing out the quality of their clubs as a derogatory manner.
Having narrowly overcome Mexico in the round of 16, there is real belief that this Dutch side can accomplish something even the famous side of the 70s couldn’t and win the FIFA World Cup.