In Konya, after the 3-0 defeat, the Dutch team descended even deeper into the depths of European football.
Monday Afternoon Memo: Football
September 2015. The Dutch team loses to Turkey and almost certainly misses the European Championship. National coach Danny Blind opted for young, talented prospects. The experienced veterans watched from the reserve bench, or even from their three-seater sofa at home. We know the outcome; Blind backed down.
It would have been a good thing if he had taken full responsibility for that. Instead, Blind lashed out uncontrollably at the players. About player Bruno Martins Indi - I had never heard of him before, but I am no yardstick - Blind shouted that he did not understand what possessed Indi to lose his self-control like that. About Georginio Wijnaldum he said: "He was given a great chance. You have to take that at this level." He also mentioned "personal mistakes that immediately make you lag behind." I assume he does not mean his own personal mistakes.
I am not a football expert. I don't know much about Danny Blind other than that he seemed like a nice guy to me when I was younger. Too bad he doesn't see what you and I know by now: talent is great, but success is achieved with perseverance and focus. In addition to missing the street football culture, these twenty-somethings suffer from wealth confusion.
With sporty regards,
Hans Ruinemans