Doubts surround Van Bommel

By Berend Scholten

The Netherlands' final preparations for UEFA EURO 2004™ officially began yesterday as Dick Advocaat's 23-man squad met in Noordwijk. On Saturday the Dutch will face neighbours Belgium in the first of three final warm-up games ahead of their tournament opener against Germany on 15 June.

Van Bommel worry
The main worry hanging over the camp concerns midfield player Mark van Bommel's achilles tendon injury, but Advocaat remains upbeat that the PSV Eindhoven player will be fit enough to travel to Portugal. "I am pretty positive it will be alright," Advocaat said. "There is still some time for him, as we have to deliver our definitive squad on 2 June."

Medical advice
Van Bommel sustained the injury in PSV's final game of the season on 9 May against ADO Den Haag and, on the advice of the national team's medical staff, underwent a scan in Amsterdam yesterday. The results showed no major damage, but Van Bommel will undergo further treatment and a full fitness test on 1 June.

Quartet stand by
"This is also why I made a reserve list, which might still come in handy," Advocaat added, although he would not be drawn on which of this quartet - comprising Paul Bosvelt, André Ooijer, Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink and Mario Melchiot - would be called on in the event Van Bommel does not recover.

Good news
Better news was the confirmation that winger Arjen Robben has recovered well from the torn hamstring that has sidelined him for two months. The 20-year-old is fit to join the rest of the squad on the training ground, Advocaat said, "although he still has to do some extra training to make his leg stronger".

Different systems
With Robben not considered worth risking at this stage in his recovery and wingers Marc Overmars and Andy van der Meyde having not played regularly recently at club level, Advocaat is likely to utilise a 4-4-2 system against the Belgians - although he is considering different systems for Portugal.

'Preparation period'
"In the preparation period this team has already proved they can play different styles and systems," he said. "That is why it is so great that we can really train in the weeks to come. We have some things on our minds that we now can try out for real."

Captain Cocu
Advocaat also revealed that Phillip Cocu will captain his side, unless Frank de Boer is in the team in which case he will take the armband. The announcement on Monday that Cocu, Patrick Kluivert, Michael Reiziger and Marc Overmars were being released by FC Barcelona surprised the coach, but he added that it might spur the quartet to greater performances in Portugal.

Prove themselves
"I have not spoken to them yet, but I can understand it must have shocked them," he said. "Now in Portugal they can prove themselves fit to play for a top club. So maybe that will work out well for the Dutch national team."