After WCup final,Dutch want Euro win

Both styles have proved effective and pushed the Netherlands into major finals. Only the sweet passing and finishing game that has become its trademark,though,has won the Dutch their only international trophy — the 1988 European Championship – and legions of fans around the globe.

Two years after coming out the loser in the most card-ridden World Cup final in history,the Dutch travel to Poland and Ukraine on the merit of yet another sparkling qualifying performance.

It will count for nothing at the opening kickoff,however,especially since Group B play immediately puts it up against Germany,Portugal and Denmark in the toughest of the first round groups.

Heading into the final month of preparation,Oranje has more question marks than usual. It can play with the poise that dumbfounded England at Wembley this spring with a 3-2 win or succumb to the defensive frailties it showed during a 3-0 loss to Germany early in the season.

“We want to be back on a more stable footing,” Netherlands coach Bert van Marwijk said after the victory at Wembley.

That stable footing was on show at the World Cup in South Africa when a workmanlike team,only occasionally sparked by the creative genius of Wesley Sneijder and Arjen Robben,lost to Spain 1-0 in extra time in the final.

On paper,the Dutch could pretty much do it all over again. Ten of the startling lineup at the World Cup final are expected to travel to their base in Cracow,Poland. Their creative quartet,which also includes Robin van Persie and Rafael van der Vaart,is intact and is even fully standing with only a month to go before the opening kickoff against Denmark on June 9.

Two years ago,though,the crunching backbone of that midfield was provided by Mark van Bommel and Nigel de Jong. Beyond intimidation,that also counted for experience. This year it might count for age since Van Bommel has turned 35.

It is still too early to call the Dutch old,but for a team that so often has thrived on precocious youth,it is starting to have the look of a mature team. Even if De Jong is only 27,he has faded somewhat of late,starting in barely half of Manchester City’s Premier League games.

Not that De Jong is one to doubt himself.

“You have to find the right balance,and (Van Marwijk) wants to go back to what we had at the World Cup,” De Jong said.

Tough to disagree with a man who brought the Dutch so close to their first World Cup.

Like two years ago,the defense looks like an enigma. Again low on easy name recognition,there is talk it is too weak to withstand the best and not savvy enough to feed the midfield and attack. But if anything,the world wants to see attacking flair.

If anything,it might be Van Persie’s year.

So far,the Arsenal striker has not carried over his promise in outstanding performances at the World Cup or Euros,but this season,he has been in a league,a Premier League,all his own.

And last month,he got the ultimate accolade when his peers voted him player of the season for a stunning array of goals throughout the season.

With the last round of games this weekend,Van Persie reigns with 30 goals,four ahead of Manchester United striker Wayne Rooney.

In the German Bundesliga,Klaas-Jan Huntelaar of Schalke has already wrapped up the goalscoring title with 29,beating Bayern Munich striker Mario Gomez by three. Little wonder every one of the nation’s 16 million coaches is wondering which of the two will get the center forward job for the Netherlands.

Every Dutch player,though,wants to be in the shoes of Robben,the mercurial Bayern Munich winger who almost gave the Dutch the World Cup two years ago with several good breaks.

Robben is notoriously injury-prone,but has survived this spring to help lead Bayern Munich into the Champions League final against Chelsea on May 19.

Even if he has an on-off relationship with Bayern,he always feels at his best with the national team under Van Marwijk.

“It feels so good to play with a coach that trusts you,” Robben said.