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Van Basten tips Spain!

June 7th, 2008 | By: Jan | 32 Comments »

The EC managers have all been asked which teams should be considered as candidates for the title.

This is the result:

Joachim Löw (Ger): Germany, France, Italy
Slaven Bilic (Cro): Germany, France, Italy, Holland, Spain, Portugal
Luis Aragonés (Spa): Germany, France, Italy, Spain
Karel Brückner (Cze): Germany, France, Italy

Marco van Basten (Ned): Spain
Roberto Donadoni (Ita): Germany, France, Italy
Raymond Domenech (Fra): France
Luiz Felipe Scolari (Por): Germany, France, Italy

Victor Piturca (Roe): declined to answer
Guus Hiddink (Rus): Germany, Spain, Holland
Leo Beenhakker (Pol): declined to answer
Otto Rehhagel (Gre): Germany, France, Italy

Fatih Terim (Tur): Germany, France, Italy
Lars Lagerbäck (Swe): Germany, France, Italy
Jakob Kuhn (Swi): France,
Josef Hickersberger (Aus): Italy

So, what do we learn here… Well, for starters, Marco van Basten should go home now. That’s one conclusion. Secondly, Germany is favorite by a stretch, with France and Italy. Spain is mentioned some times as well and of the “small” nations it’s only Holland and Portugal that get mentioned.

No pressure on Guus and Don Leo and his Romanian colleague refused - like grumpy old men - to play the game…

Marco? What were you thinking mate?!

Tags: Beenhakker, Euro 2008, Hiddink, marco van basten

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Comments

Displaying the most recent 25 comments from a total of 32 comments.

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By Matt C. | June 7th, 2008 at 12:03 pm

Well…looks like my wish to see Huntelaar is shaping up pretty good. Just wish it didn’t mean Babel and Robben getting injured.

By finnster01 | June 7th, 2008 at 1:02 pm

How bad is Robbens’s injury? This is terrible news.

Posted from United States

By richard | June 7th, 2008 at 1:08 pm

Is this true about Robben? Good grief. How do you get injured a day and a half before your first game? Between all the injuries and the often unfair results–the swiss outplayed the czechs today–football is a frustrating sport.

By goose | June 7th, 2008 at 1:10 pm

Doenst look too good for Robben, he wont play the Italy match for sure…we have no left winger left now//terrible news.. looked like Robben was in great shape

just seen the swiss and the czechs…why cant we be in a poule with them??

Posted from Netherlands

By goose | June 7th, 2008 at 1:11 pm

@Cojo; is Rumania (in dutch Roemenie)

Posted from Netherlands

By richard | June 7th, 2008 at 1:15 pm

No Robben, van Persie or Babel? I realize this is a sport that is physically demanding, but these guys are china dolls–always getting hurt, and they’re in the early 20s! Robben is always hurt–he’s just been healthy for a stretch for the first time in two years or longer, and now this. Bring in the piano player…

By Marc | June 7th, 2008 at 2:43 pm

maybe affellay could fill in… seems a promissing talent on the left winf and i would give him a chance..

Posted from Switzerland

By Marc | June 7th, 2008 at 3:11 pm

is there a chance that van persie miht play for italy game… i hope so.. hed be our savious since this is horrible news..

Posted from Switzerland

By stephen | June 7th, 2008 at 3:28 pm

I’m mixed about this, obviously robben is a huge talent, but Robben seems to be about only Robben when on the pitch, especially for Oranje. Maybe vBasten goes to 4-4-2 with Hunter and Ruud up front, with Wes, VdV, Engelaar and Afellay/Kuyt in mid. This should be interesting.

By richard | June 7th, 2008 at 3:41 pm

Too bad we can’t play turkey–gawd, are they bad.

By dirk v.d.berg | June 7th, 2008 at 3:47 pm

I think Robben might just be out for opener, probably back for 2nd game. If not we just put Dirk Kuyt on right wing, move v d v to centre, and throw Sneijder on the left.

Posted from Canada

By lars | June 7th, 2008 at 3:49 pm

na van basten wont change the formation! i reckon he will go with kuyt right wing, sneiider left wing and van der vaart through the centre with van nisterooy upfront on his own!

Posted from United Kingdom

By ferenc | June 7th, 2008 at 4:29 pm

i’m quite sure that after robben’s injury marco will take the risk and titularize robin.

Posted from Hungary

By Ryan | June 7th, 2008 at 4:40 pm

What the hell are we doing in training?! Why do our players continue to get hurt…we have a day and a half before the kick and he pulls up lame?

This is not shaping up well for the start of the tourney.
I was really excited to see us play, but now I am indifferent.
What team is going to show up when they haven’t played together at all?

What starting lineup would you go with? I hope we can at least get 1 point out of the Italy match.

Posted from United States

By Marc | June 7th, 2008 at 4:58 pm

i wnat all 3 with kuyt on the right i see no creativity but i see lots of effort running from hiom and recuperating the ball.. maybe if he came back as holding mid and sneijder and v vaart with affeay as the creators..

Posted from Switzerland

By dirk v.d.berg | June 7th, 2008 at 6:17 pm

I think we shud considering canceling training camp for the rest of the tournament, it seems to be doing us more harm than good.

Posted from Canada

By Rob | June 7th, 2008 at 6:24 pm

With Robben injured I don’t think we’ll get out of the group any more.

Posted from Japan

By Jan | June 7th, 2008 at 6:39 pm

Gee, I just logged on… Didn’t want to be surprised by reading the first day results (I’m watching it now…). And Robben is out? I’ll check the news reports, but that is not good. Italy losing Canna and Paruzzi - defenders - and we lose Persie and Robben - attackers. Interesting.

I’m not to worried though. We have Afellay (surprise, technical skills, depth) and we have Kuyt (workmanship, mental strength). Robin will get a chance to play in the second half no doubt. I can’t see Ruud and Hunter play together. It’s never been tested, they’re too much of the same. If we go 4-4-2 I’d rather see Ruud and Kuyt up front.

Posted from Australia

By Ramy | June 7th, 2008 at 6:43 pm

me neither..

I feel like cursing.

I read somewhere that Melchiot was not looking too great either.. “Recurrence of a groin injury” ???

Posted from Canada

By ejb | June 7th, 2008 at 6:46 pm

really robben. come on, way to tease us.Even if hes out only one game, he still wont be 100%. RvP better get his ass in gear, since we lost the one guy up front who can dribble

By Carlos | June 7th, 2008 at 6:55 pm

hmmmmm…not sure if this is good or bad news,Robben is one of those players that can make a difference with his runs, but agree he is very much his own player not one to set up Ruud.
I believe Marco may just start Affelay and thats good well at least it’s interesting.We really do have depth without Babel vP and Robben.

I would put Kuyt on somewhere after 60 minutes if we were leading, he would run as much as 2 players and may even score by popping up when no one expects him to get there.
Can’t Wait !!

Posted from Singapore