Spring back in Vlaar's step

Netherlands captain Ron Vlaar is looking to put a disappointing club campaign with Feyenoord behind him by leading the Jong Oranje to success at the UEFA European Under-21 Championship.

'Positive'
The 22-year-old centre-back was a key member of the side that won the competition in Portugal last summer, and now hopes to repeat the feat. Vlaar missed the first half of the season with a broken foot and when he returned, he could not arrest Feyenoord's slide as they finished out of the European places. The disappointment felt in Rotterdam, though, is in stark contrast to the mood in the Jong Oranje camp. "We have not had a good year at club level so everything was viewed negatively," he told uefa.com. "Here everything is looked at from a positive angle, and you experience a completely different atmosphere which makes you feel and play better. At Feyenoord I was swept along in the negative spiral."

Hard work
Vlaar, capped twice at senior level, is one of just six players from the 2006 vintage still involved. The squad might have a new look, but Vlaar is confident the holders can live up to expectations on home soil. "Last year we had more individual qualities I think and now we have to rely more on team spirit. We have a lot of quality and we are really prepared to work extremely hard for each other. You can see in our matches that we really fight hard for each other, although we haven't been playing at our top level yet. But on Sunday against Israel we have to peak, it has to happen."

Experience
One of the most experienced members of the group, Vlaar is coach Foppe de Haan's eyes and ears on the pitch and enjoys the added responsibility. "I try to coach the other players as much as possible," the former AZ Alkmaar defender said. "If they are in the right position, it makes it much easier for myself. Maybe without realising it, I coach the players more here than for my club, but I should also be doing that when things aren't going so well. I don't think it has to do with wearing the captain's armband here. When things go badly at your club, you are more concerned with yourself."

'Goosebumps'
For now, Vlaar is only worried about the first Group A game against Israel, though he admits the bonus that comes with reaching the semi-finals is a real incentive. "Ron Zwerver [a member of the Netherlands' 1996 Olympic gold-medal winning volleyball team] gave us a presentation on Thursday, when he talked about winning the gold medal as a team. When you look at that atmosphere and the moment they won the gold medal, I have to confess I got goosebumps all over. It would be fantastic to do the same, and of course you think about the possibility of participating in that. But for now only the first match counts and we have to perform very well in that."