Is this time a turning point for Dutch football?

NIMAN

Hollands failure to qualify out of a pretty ordinary Euro qualifying group got me thinking about the state of Dutch football.

OK, so they have been in finals in recent years, but most of their latest crop of top stars are nearing the end, and do they have anything like the quality coming up in youngsters?

As someone who can remember watching the great Dutch sides of the past (my 1st memory was in WC78), and seeing their club sides at the very top level, recent years have been very lean for them in the CL.

Plus, their league used to produce quality players who went on to bigger and better things at the very top. Players like Fat Ronaldo and Romario etc. Their latest stars who excelled in Holland, like Klass Jan Huntelaar, Depay, Wilfried Bony, Vertonghen, Daley Blind etc haven't really cut it at the top level. With the exception of Suarez.

So are we seeing the end of the Golden Age of Dutch football, with its youth coaching system that the rest of the world used to go and study? Will they become also rans in years to come?

Dirty Dingus McGee

NIMAN wrote: »

Hollands failure to qualify out of a pretty ordinary Euro qualifying group got me thinking about the state of Dutch football.

OK, so they have been in finals in recent years, but most of their latest crop of top stars are nearing the end, and do they have anything like the quality coming up in youngsters?

As someone who can remember watching the great Dutch sides of the past (my 1st memory was in WC78), and seeing their club sides at the very top level, recent years have been very lean for them in the CL.

Plus, their league used to produce quality players who went on to bigger and better things at the very top. Players like Fat Ronaldo and Romario etc. Their latest stars who excelled in Holland, like Klass Jan Huntelaar, Depay, Wilfried Bony, Vertonghen, Daley Blind etc haven't really cut it at the top level. With the exception of Suarez.

So are we seeing the end of the Golden Age of Dutch football, with its youth coaching system that the rest of the world used to go and study? Will they become also rans in years to come?

Huntelaar has had a great career.If he was playing in the 1990's he'd have been much more appreciated but penalty box strikers like him have gone out of fashion.

Did Holland really produce Romario or Ronaldo. I'd argue that regardless of what league they moved to first in Europe they would have been great players.

There's not enough money in Holland (and any league outside of the top 5) to keep great players there long term so their club teams are never going to be as successful as they were in the past.

NIMAN

Re: Ronaldo and Romario.

I mean these guys were fantastic and came to other countries and were still fantastic.

Whereas recent guys who were great in Holland couldn't quite cut it at the very top level, perhaps showing a decline in the standard of the league.

Wilberto

Memphis Depay has had a half a season outside Dutch football and already you're writing him off?

NIMAN

Wilberto wrote: »

Memphis Depay has had a half a season outside Dutch football and already you're writing him off?

Yes, he looks average!
Then again, maybe Van Gaal and Utd are dragging him down.;)

CSF

Wilberto wrote: »

Memphis Depay has had a half a season outside Dutch football and already you're writing him off?

I think there might be an attitude thing there (from a Dutch player, who would believe it) If he cuts that loose coupled with another years experience in the physical pinball that is English football he may well still do just fine.

keeponhurling

In short, yes they do have good young players, and they will be back.
Ajax, PSV and Feyenoord all have decent players coming through (it helps that experienced players move in for more money). PSV are in the knock out stages of Champions League.

The Dutch didn't qualify for WC 2002 either, but back came back from it.

Although they didn't qualify this time, and results don't lie, there were an exceptional number of silly individual errors, giving away penalties and red cards etc. rather than not being good enough players as such

Huntelaar, Blind, Depay are mentioned in the OP, but these would still walk into most teams who will be at Euro 2016

Is be more surprised if the likes of Ireland x2, Albania, Iceland, Romania, Hungary etc. were entering a period of sustained success and become regulars at big tournaments, and less surprised to see the Dutch come back strong.

Wilberto

keeponhurling wrote: »

The Dutch didn't qualify for WC 2002 either, but back came back from it.

!!

Love it!


/Thread Derailment :pac:

inforfun

Holland will not qualify for the next world cup either. Tough group and a clown as manager.

You guys thought Staunton was bad... i think i would still pick him over Danny Blind. Name is appropriate.