Brazil-Holland, 4th June

Ah yes the Uruguay argument. I already typed down hours ago it would be brought up, but my computer shut down by some windows update before I could post it. I wasn't bothered to retype it. Uruguay does not provide anything of hope or inspiration for the small country's out there IMO. I used to think that but I have changed my mind. It was before the world went professional on the sport or the sport really became the world sport it is nowadays. As far as I can see it, they are only used by people from succesfull big country's to nullify the importance of a certain critical population mass a country needs in order to win the WC, as it feels like it takes away from their glory otherwise. Bringing in China' s lack of succes in football is pretty much taking a piss at the posters here. We all know there are other factors, like gdp, enthousiasm for the sport under the general population or popularity as you will, top facility's, expertise and know how, top trainers, top sport climate, schools that accommodate learning and sporting etc. Apart from the first factor we can bring it under the umbrella term of a football culture. I think the Netherlands is one of the country's that has tweaked and tweaked all those factors as much as they could. That resulted in the fact that the Netherlands is the smallest country in the world to have ever played 3 WC finals. I personally think the Netherlands is the country who is pushing the limits of what is possible. No smaller country will win the WC ever again. If Uruguay wins it again I will eat my words, but as it stands now after 60 years that hasn't happened, it is totally unrealistic to have the expectation that a small country can win it just as good as a country of 200 million people who also happen to have a great football culture. Now understand me well. I'm not complaining. I enjoy everything about international football, but I will try to manage the proper expectations here.

 

When Uruguay won it the set up of the tournament was nothing like how it is now, you could hardly call it a WC even. More like an Earth open gha.

I had so much love for their current squad up until those WUM's posted here lol. Uruguay lost their friendly in Germany and I have to say.. the Germans were all over them throughout the game.

Oranje players are nearing their holiday while the South Americans are preparing for a tournament, it's a totally different mindset so I can't really blame our players for pulling out after the season they had and nothing to play for.

With only a month off before they are expected to be back at their clubs, it's actually highly understandable..

It's also convenient that we have our excuses ready should we lose.

 

of course
big mouth before the game, even bigger after the game when we win...or having excues when we lose hahha

 

Hi Parel,


Called today, got the owner of the bar who asked to call be back in an hour, so he could check out. After that called maybe 4 or 5 times, but 4 times I got voicemail and 1 time he took up the phone put me on hold and then canceled the connection. Haha. These French people are to predictable. Anyway I will try again tomorrow. Also one thing about the number. It's 0033 1 42 71 43 13. So the 0 before the 1 as I have wrote before gets canceled out. Maybe you have more luck coming days with these guys.

Great story's to hear about tennis. Sounds like you make yourself heard on the court, which is often a good thing. You can really put up a one man show at tennis and make it look like you are all doing it to support the guy playing. Often that is the case, but sometimes is satisfying your own need to be funny or have a good time, isn't it . I screamed my lungs out at a match between Mikhail Youzhny (like the guy) against Fernando Verdasco. From the moment I started to dominate the stadium his form dropped dramaticly and even lost the game in a weird fashion. That has learned me to just play it cool sometimes if you really want your favourites to win.


cheers

 

But one should look at the popularity and development of football in one country. The number of kids highly dedicated to playing football in Brazil is significantly higher than the number of China, where football is a relatively new sport.

Although football might be equally popular in Holland and Brazil, the population size of Brazil is much larger than that of Holland and therefore size does matter. Besides, luck plays a role as well in winning the World Cup.

Anyhow, you seem to be like a troll hungrily waiting to be fed. Let me tell you something, you english keep on bragging about this one world cup you won some 45 years ago, but you haven't been much ever after. Considering you (arguably) have the strongest football competition in the world, it's rather embarrassing. Even more embarrassing is the fact that you guys always make yourself favorites, but time after time fail to even reach the quarter finals of a tournament. In fact, you have achieved nothing during any EURO tournament and you basically live on on past results, correction: result.

Not denying that Brazil is generally and logically speaking a better football nation, but you better take a look in the mirror, chap, before coming to troll here. Germany-England: 4-1, ouch that must hurt.

___________
Ontopic: I am hoping for a victory, but Sneijder, Van der Vaart, Stekelenburg and Van Bommel are of too significant importance to this team to claim it's a likely result. I think Brazil will win tonight, they want revenge.

Hopefully, Van Marwijk will play with on the midfield and offense with De Jong, Afellay, Van Persie, Robben, Huntelaar and Kuyt.

 

Thanks again - I think I've found a place to watch Brazil vs Holland tonight. Had an amazing time attending the men's semis yesterday btw (especially Federer vs Djokovic was awesome!!). There were at least 6 Dutch people within a few seats radius of where I was sitting lol...

 

Don't worry about it. Just realize that we Dutch generally don't rate football prior to WC '70.

 

Hehe, no it's all good, keep posting. Only be aware there is a sensitivity after we lost our third final. Also to put a certain burdon of expectation on a small country like the Netherlands instead of looking at it from another point of view (smallest country to have ever played 3 finals) is maybe not fair, but we have been there alread, so let's move on.

 

Not fair?

Wij waren de besten.

God knows the reason people are getting touchy is Denilson is just asking the question millions of Dutch men ask themselves every night while they lie in bed. My uncle is not a big football fan, but I felt really bad for him when Iniesta scored. Poor man.

 

the worst part was that it was Iniesta's diving that caused Heitinga to get two yellows. he single handedly makes it harder for me to like Barcelona

 

Hello guys, I'm interested to know whether Tim Krul will be starting or not tonight?

 

According to vi.nl the following players will start, the formation is my own guess:

---------Van Persie
Kuijt------Afellay-----Robben
------De Jong----Strootman
Pieters--Mathijsen-Heitinga-VdWiel
--------------Krul

 

Thanks. If he plays I'll be watching, hope he copes alright - he's a talented shotstopper but far from the finished article.

 

Personally I'm most interested in seeing Strootman play. From playing in the second division of Dutch football 6 months ago to starting for Oranje against Brazil today.

 

ugh, u was seriously hoping that Huntelaar and Elia would be starting instead of Kuijt and Van Persie. I'm predicting two goals for us, one from Afellay, and one from Robben

 

Apparently Oranje got whistled at when they practiced.... it's an absolute honor to be hated by the Brazilians

http://nos.nl/video/245896-brazilianen-fluiten-oranje-uit.html

 

Haha, I have quite a few posts before the WC where I praise the guy. Yeah, you will not find a single one of those in my posting history after the WC

Fair in respect to population size. Other country's far bigger and crazy about football, like for example Mexico (start to like Mexico, so no disrespect only stating) never played a final at the WC. When the expectation does not descend from a view that nation size does not matter, but look pure at what quality the Dutch NT has had on the three occasions, I agree it's strange we haven't ended up with at least 1 WC.

If we were better than Spain is debatable, but we definitly had the best chances. Robben 2 times and Spain has never been able to score against us against 11 men. Puyol should have had red IIRC. Web should have given a corner but he gave a keeper's ball and seconds later it was 1-0 for Spain. Dutch players were still busy claiming the corner. Iniesta flopped and scr*wed Hetinga giving him a red card. We were lucky with de Jong kung-fu kick, must be honest about that. The many yellow cards were ridiculous. 2 or 3 were for nothing and it was bad for our public image around the world. Uch, been so sick about it for so long.

 

Well honor would give them to much credit, but it is quite entertaining.

 

You're not the only one, I really made a joke of myself in Italy with the Germans. Oh dear god, they'll never forget me in their entire life.

 

i know, every time i think about it i feel shitty again. Everyone makes a huge deal about de Jong not getting a red card, but i saw someone commit the exact same foul this season (i forget what game it was) and no one seemed to care that he didn't get a card. also, you didn't hear anyone complaining about the Uruguayan player not getting a red card for bicycle kicking De Zeeuw in the face

 

No offense, but the Dutch defense looks like a joke right now. Amazing they haven't conceded.

 

Robben you selfish bastard.