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2008…1988…it’s happening again!
Comments(12)
In 1988, the Dutch fans weren’t too sure their team would do that good. The qualifications weren’t a big success. Michels was struggling with his system… Well, it has been said here before, you know all the stories. Let’s see how 1988 stacks up vs 2008, because my crystal ball sees numerous similarities.
Time and Place: the EC1988 was in the summer and so is this one. And in ‘88 the hosts spoke German (and still do) and so do the current host countries (they do speak three more languages in Switzerland, but Austria tips the scales I’d say…)
Year: they both end with an 8! In numerology, that’s important.
20 years difference: The Beatles sang: it was 20 years ago today… How profound is that…
Coaches and systems: then and now, we have a coach who never won a prize with Oranje yet (Michels then, Van Basten now) and both coaches were struggling with their systems till just before the tournament. Michels played 4-3-3 even in the first match, before he switched to 4-4-2 against England.
Top strikers injured: Van Basten came back from a huge injury in 1988. Now Van Persie doesn’t seem to flash. The fresh Milan striker made the EC1988 his tournament. The rest is history. We’ll see Robin do this too! Or Arjen for that matter. Or Ruud!
Goalies couldn’t fail: Van Breukelen had won the EC1 with PSV, being the penalty-killer. Sar is our current Breuk! He will be unbeatable on the EC, like he was against Chelsea (two balls on the woodwork, one ball off target when he slipped…give Chelsea a break!!!!)
Sar will deny Portugal their goal from the spot in the 2008 finals!
Club successes: In 1988, all our big boys did very well with their respective clubs (PSV winning the EC1 trophee). I can’t remember much of the specifics of the other players, but I do remember most players were on some sort of high. Ajax winning in 1987 of course… Milan winning the scudeto in 1988.
This time around, Madrid won the title, PSV won the title, Sar won two big prizes, HSV got into Europe, Feyenoord won the national cup and yesterday our own Jan Vennegoor of Hesseling scored the 1-0 making Celtic the new Scottish champs! (well done Long John!).
Big names bailing out: Now, of course we have Seedorf chickening out, then we had…what’s his name…see…I can’t even remember who that was…
Questionable defenders: In 1988 Michels selected Koevermans and Suvrijn as defenders… The nation shivered. Now, we’re discussing our lack of big name defenders but at the end of the EC, we won’t care. We didn’t need them then, we won’t need them this time around.
Jerseys: Then we wore Orange, now we wear Orange!
Van Basten: Then we had Van Basten’s magic, now we will have Van Basten’s magic
(note from the blog-management: we have decided to release Jan from his editorial duties. We’re sorry but we trust his family will take good care of him).
Good idea. I guess nu.nl and ad.nl will have those. I have “broadband” here in Oz, which is comparable to dial up in Europe and the Pony Express in the US and Japan, so it doesn’t work too well on my system. YouTube does, but the rest is horrible. So, I’ll point you to the right places, but don’t expect me to watch a pre-tournament clip coz the tournament will be over once I finished watching 
.
Posted from 
Australia
I love your optimism Jan.
Posted from 
Canada
Hey Mike, just to be sure: is it you. My former Master?
Posted from Australia
197 8
198 8
199 8
200 8 ?????? nahhhh
Posted from 
Netherlands
“(note from the blog-management: we have decided to release Jan from his editorial duties. We’re sorry but we trust his family will take good care of him).”
^What’s that? Are you getting fired Jan?
I like the comparisons in your article… some of them so frivolous, but that’s what makes them fun They are both in the summer… has the EC ever been held in any other season?
Actually, I have to say I don’t feel too bad about this EC. I think we’ll do pretty well. Alot of our players are on highs and have been performing well lately. I’m especially thinking of our Madrid trio. Robben has been on fire in all of his last matches, Sneijder really got into it at the end of the year and played a fantastic final game. I was a little worried about Ruud coming back from his injury, but his final game was great too. Scored one, and got screwed out of 1 or 2 more by bad calls.
Hup Holland!
Posted from Canada
note from the blog-management: we have decided to release Jan from his editorial duties. We’re sorry but we trust his family will take good care of him).”
whats that???
Posted from Netherlands
then you all wake up and realize that italy and portugal always have the dutch number, what was it 20 yrs since you’ve beaten portugal… dream on!!!
Posted from Canada
The comment about the blog management is just an attempt at a lame joke, guys . I’m sorry. You should have been there.
@Skeeter: welcome and thanks for the warm words
Posted from Australia
By the way, most of the above is tongue in cheek my friends. An attempt to humor you all. But there are some similarities. though. As I pointed out. I won’t do it again here. I’ll refrain myself.
Posted from Australia
@skeeter; then you wake up and realize youre on the wrong blog… please go to the hand-bag-blog….you will make lots of friends
Posted from Netherlands
Skeeter – what was it, 20 years since portugal won the EC? Oh wait! That was Holland!
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@jan
man you’e making me have a nice dream, i see van persie lifting the cup june 29th!!! and he is the top scorer also of the euro 2008:). this is soooooooo exciting!
by the way guys i remember during the worldcup 2006 i used to find some short videos of the training sessions of the orange on a dutch website, i don’t remember where i found it, and it was funny because i don’t understand dutch, but still i enjoyed watching a few minutes of the training, so jan and the other guys if you find those on the web, please let the (non_dutch)dutch fans like me know how to get that:)
Posted from
United States