The Road to South Africa

Holland did not have the hardest group – Norway were the biggest threats – but they made very short work it. They won every game and conceded just twice, once in Macedonia and once in Iceland. No team was taken apart – 4-0 win over Macedonia in Rotterdam was the largest margin of victory – and the goals were shared around. Perhaps the one criticism you could make was that Holland were not tested enough but in football you can only beat what is put in front of you and that is precisely what the Dutch did.

The Star Players

Maarten Stekelenburg (Ajax) This is a man with big gloves to fill. For 14 years Edwin van der Sar was the undisputed Dutch number one and for many years the best keeper in the world. Stekelenburg has understudied Van der Sar for four years and this will be the arena where true comparisons are made.

Klaas Jan Huntelaar (AC Milan) Despite being hailed as the successor to Ruud van Nistelrooy, Huntelaar is a man who at 26 has not achieved as much as was hoped for him. After leaving his spiritual home, Ajax, Huntelaar spent only half a season at Real Madrid and has been kept out of the Milan attack by Marco Bariello.

John Heitinga (Everton) A product of the famed Ajax youth academy, De Toekomst, Heitinga has been an integral part of a Dutch defence that has never quite received the credit it deserves. Heitinga has appeared more than 50 times, mainly at right-back for Holland, whose reputation for clean sheets has now matched that for attacking flair.

The Coach

Bert van Marwijk Because of player power, infighting and the presence of so many great talents in a single dressing-room, managing the Oranje has never been a straightforward business. However, this is a Dutch squad that may be short on true world-class talent but is big on team spirit and is something that Van Marwijk has been able to foster. The surprise has been that he should have done so well. Since winning the Uefa Cup with Feyenoord in 2002, he suffered some barren seasons with Borussia Dortmund before returning to the De Kuip to win the Dutch Cup.

Honours

World Cup: Finalists 1974, 1978. Semi-finalists 1998.
European Championship: Winners 1988. Semi-finalists 1992, 2000.

Analysis

If the group is straightforward, then what follows is not. It would be a shock if the Oranje did not finish first. Aside from the opening game against Denmark in Johannesburg, their next two matches are on the coast at Durban and Cape Town. Their most likely opponent in the round of 16 is Paraguay. Fortunately for Holland, they again steer clear of high altitude since the meeting will be by the Indian Ocean at Durban. However, it is not beyond the bounds of possibility that it could be Italy, rather than Paraguay they encounter. However, unless something extraordinary happens, waiting for them in the quarter finals in Port Elizabeth is Brazil.

Verdict

Squad (4/5)
It may lack the individual sparkle and brilliance of Dutch squads in past World Cups but this is more of a team that most.

Coach (3/5)
The one problem with Bert van Marwijk is that, apart from a Uefa Cup eight years ago, his record in terms of silverware is still pretty modest.

Attack (3.5/5)
Assuming Van Persie is ready, the array of strikers and attacking midfielders available is a wide one, although they may be relying on a forward in Huntelaar who plays rarely for his club.

Defence (3.5/5)
Those who watched this team qualify in Amsterdam and Rotterdam would not have seen the Dutch back four concede a goal. But do they have the class to come through a tough knockout stage?