Advocaat advocates experiment
Wednesday, February 18, 2004
Article summary
Netherlands coach Dick Advocaat can begin fine-tuning his team with the match against the United States.
Article body
By Berend Scholten
Netherlands coach Dick Advocaat is looking to fine-tune his squad ahead of UEFA EURO 2004™ starting with Wednesday's friendly international against the United States in Amsterdam.
No margin for error
With Germany, the Czech Republic and Latvia waiting in Group D, Advocaat has no margin for error, and admitted ahead of the match that his final squad for Portugal is not yet settled. "This friendly campaign will be used to get to a definitive selection," Advocaat said. "In the coming months we will have the time and opportunity for that."
Heitinga chance
AFC Ajax defender Johnny Heitinga could make his debut while Mark van Bommel and Jaap Stam return to the squad, but Giovanni van Bronckhorst and Paul Bosvelt are among those left out. Nevertheless, Advocaat had an assurance for those not involved. "I have an extended list of possible candidates, so the selection can, and probably will, be different for each friendly match," he said. "So players should not be too worried yet."
Formation question
However, the coach is convinced that now is the time to experiment. "We have to watch carefully to see how the youngsters develop. For instance, Wesley Sneijder and Rafael van der Vaart did very well together in the team against Scotland, but we have to keep on evaluating those options constantly. We also have a number of players who are able to play in different formations with different tactics and playing styles, so we also take our time to select the best possible formation."
De Boer place secure
Advocaat will still be calling on experience for these games, though, including the most-capped player in Dutch history. "Frank de Boer has been selected because he is still one of the best left-footed defenders around," the coach said. "As long as Frank de Boer keeps on playing the way he is at the moment, he will stay in my team."
US tactics
The US are a formidable outfit, with eleven players currently with European clubs. Ajax's John O'Brien is especially well qualified to comment on the Dutch, and the midfield player admitted: "We are just going to have to hope we can stop them scoring and then hope we can counter. They may get stretched when they are trying to pass the ball around, if you can pick it off and then go forward, maybe you get a quick goal."
