Dutch master shines bright

By Greg Demetriou in Ostrava

Forward thinking
However, to make such a judgement would be to ignore the efforts being made to prepare a very youthful team for the years to come. Heading to Ostrava, respected coach Vic Hermans was well aware his team were not yet at the level of Italy, Spain, Ukraine or Russia and knew the only way to compete in years to come would be to give his young players a chance.

Full of confidence
He has done just that with none of his new guard shining brighter than ZVV Hilversum star Zaid El Morabiti. The 20-year-old has caught the eye with his natural ability and willingness to try things out in the middle of games - even if there are high risks involved. More often than not, his confidence has paid off.

'Long-term view'
Speaking to uefa.com, Hermans revealed the likes of El Morabiti, along with such talents as Dick Hulshorst and Abdellah Idlaasri, would be a real force at future championships. "My players have learned a lot in these first two days," he said. "I think it is good for Zaid's experience to play. He is not afraid and I think in a couple of years we will have a very good team. I calculated that we wouldn't go all the way at this tournament but took the long-term view."

Tight contests
Certainly, the No4 has not looked out of place during the 5-3 defeat by Russia and the 4-1 loss to Ukraine; both tight contests despite the final scores. Yet for all his outstanding vision and perfect positioning, one first-half moment in the second fixture summed up El Morabiti's endeavour.

Great moment
He picked up the ball deep in opposition territory and tried to elude Valeriyi Zamyatin with a neat bit of skill. However, he was dispossessed and the Ukrainian No9 surged away towards the Dutch goal. Rather than give up, El Morabiti turned and chased his opponent over the length of the pitch before ultimately winning the ball back with a well-timed block.

High hopes
"I am enjoying this tournament very much," El Morabiti said. "It is great that many people are watching and I want to do my best in each game. I like playing and everyone is giving their all. It is a nice competition to be part of." If he carries on, there will be plenty more competitions for the youngster to enjoy.