Dutch raise home hopes

By Berend Scholten

Foppe de Haan's Netherlands squad, which will try to win the FIFA World Youth Championship on home soil, is composed largely of players from two Eredivisie clubs - Amsterdam giants AFC Ajax and UEFA Cup semi-finalists AZ Alkmaar.

Seasoned youngsters
The team, who started their preparations for the finals with training camps at Hoenderloo and Oisterwijk, is packed with talented youngsters including Arsenal FC striker Quincy Owusu-Abeyie and Fulham FC forward Collins John, who both have useful experience in the English Premiership.

National fringes
Along with Alkmaar's Ron Vlaar, Ajax's Hedwiges Maduro and Ryan Babel are already on the fringes of Marco van Basten's senior national side - a mark of the quality available to De Haan. However, Feyenoord's Ivory Coast-born striker Salomon Kalou will not be joining them as he has yet to receive a Dutch passport.

Moroccan parents
Nonetheless, the Dutch are boosted by the news that PSV Eindhoven midfielder Ibrahim Afellay will be among their number after choosing not to play for his parents' home country, Morocco. "I knew that if he received a call for the Netherlands, he would prefer that," De Haan commented.

Goalscoring form
De Haan's men have been in excellent form as they showed with a 5-0 win against Dutch second division outfit FC Zwolle a few weeks ago, to the delight of the coach and his assistants, Wim van Zwam and Aron Winter. "Last September people said the tournament in the Netherlands was coming a few years too soon, since this is not such a great generation," said De Haan. "Now they are thinking differently."

Forward armoury
As that result suggests, the Dutch are particularly good going forward with Feyenoord's Tim Vincken and FC Utrecht's Prince Rajcomar jostling for positions with Afellay, Owusu-Abeyie, John and Babel. De Haan is almost spoiled for choice when it comes to seasoned attackers.

Useful experience
"In general I have a very mature squad," he said. "Certainly, compared to the one that went to the World Championship in Argentina four years ago, this is a pretty experienced team. It is very positive that these players get first-team experience with their clubs at the highest level.

Good attitude
"This is something that has suddenly started to happen in the last six months," he added. "I don't know why exactly. Maybe it is because clubs are more willing to give youngsters a chance, because Van Basten also gives youngsters a chance in the Dutch national team."

Wise mentors
De Haan also noted that his players have learned good habits from older professionals. "I notice that the players are mentored well at their clubs," he said. "At PSV for instance, experienced players like Phillip Cocu and Mark van Bommel have been busy helping with Afellay's development."

Great opportunity
All of which adds up to a great opportunity for the Netherlands - both to bed in a future generation of internationals and to win a major tournament on home soil. "We have a decent team and we are playing at home," said De Haan. "Those two factors will probably not coincide for another 100 years."

Title target
The Dutch have been drawn in Group A, alongside Australia and Benin, and will start their campaign with a game against Japan in Kerkrade. De Haan hopes it will be the first victory of many. "We definitely want to reach the semi-finals at the very least," he said. "But our goal is to go for the championship."