The Dutch national team has not yet managed to convince Joop Böckling. The former star player of HFC Haarlem does see progress and certainly gives the Orange a chance in the knockout phase. “We are the favorite against America. Now we have to accelerate and show how good we are,” says the 67-year-old former professional football player.
Initially, Böckling is critical of the Orange when he looks back at the group stage at the World Cup. “Of course we want to see good football and win 4-0. That could certainly have been done in this group,” says the current head coach of fourth division Haarlem-Kennemerland. “It seems like laziness. Look, those guys want to do it themselves, but they play the ball around all the time without it yielding anything. They had so little urge to go forward against Qatar, while I think they have more gas should have given.”
Grow in the tournament
At the same time, Böckling sees progress with the Orange towards the decisive phase of the tournament. With seven points from the first three games against Senegal, Ecuador and Qatar, he thinks the Orange is growing in the tournament. “I did see an upward trend. What struck me is that Virgil van Dijk was coaching much more against Qatar to sharpen things up. You can tackle each other.”
“He’s with me to learn? Then I think: stop it. Throw that boy in.”
According to Böckling, the pain point of this Dutch national team is in midfield. Böckling saw Marten de Roon play a dramatic first half hour. “He played everything to the wrong color.” The midfielder of Atalanta Bergamo took the place of his teammate Teun Koopmeiners. De Castricummer started against Ecuador in the starting line-up, but Böckling does not think that the former AZ player has now been served for the rest of the World Cup.
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Böckling found it completely incomprehensible that Xavi Simons did not get the chance against Qatar. The born Amsterdammer seemed to be able to prepare for a substitute, but remained on the bench for the entire match. “He is there to learn? Then I think: stop it. Throw that boy in. Then he throws in Taylor and Koopmeiners. If Simons does not come in now, he will not come later in the tournament. This was the possibility. “
The United States is the opponent in the eighth final on Saturday at 4 p.m. “A good draw,” says Böckling. “I give the Orange a good chance to advance to the quarterfinals. This is another match that you have to accelerate. We are not there for nothing, so show it now.”
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