EM 2024 - Bad mood at Oranje: doubts about coach Koeman remain high
Over this EM-constellation, everyone in the Netherlands was happy about a week ago. The European Champion of 1988 overcomes the challenging Group Stage with Vice-World Champion France and favorite Austria and faces Romania in the Round of 16 on Tuesday, 18.00 hours/ARD and MagentaTV.
And if that also goes well on Tuesday in Munich, the so-called tournament tree with Orange continues to progress: In the Quarterfinals, the possible opponents were again Austria or Turkey. "Now begins a new tournament," said striker Cody Gakpo from Liverpool on Monday. In the Semifinals, it would be against hesitant English or Switzerland. No one, before whom the great football nation Netherlands needs to hide its own claim, needs to.
Is Ronald Koeman still the right one?
This claim is now apparently part of the problem. For before the start of the Knockout Stage, trainer Ronald Koeman is reminded every day that he has one of the most challenging jobs in football. Since the 2:3 loss against Austria in the last Group Stage game, the initially optimistic EM mood in the homeland has turned in the opposite direction.
Even at the press conference after this weak performance, Koeman was directly asked if he was still suitable as Bondscoach. "I don't think that's a question for now," said the EM hero of 1988 in response. "It's only the Group Stage that's over. We still have a chance. If that doesn't work, you can ask the question again."
The Netherlands now go into the decisive phase of the tournament. And the question is: Where does this great pressure come from? Why did Orange go through eleven different national trainers in the past 25 years, of whom Koeman, Louis van Gaal, and Dick Advocaat experienced several tenures? And why does the mood turn so easily for a team that has had players of the quality of Marco van Basten, Dennis Bergkamp, or Arjen Robben for a longer time?
Frank Wormuth headed the trainer education of the German Football Association for ten years before he moved to the Netherlands in 2018. There, he trained the First League clubs Heracles Almelo and FC Groningen and still lives near Nijmegen today. After the EM 2021, he was also in the running for the new Bondscoach position. Instead, it was the third time for van Gaal.
Injury of Frenkie de Jong hurts
Wormuth comments on the expectation level in his home country: "Yes, there is criticism in the Netherlands about the disorganized play. That there is no team on the pitch." But he can understand that.
"This team is good," says Wormuth: "Van Dijk plays in Liverpool. Aké plays at Manchester City. Gakpo also plays at Liverpool. And Frimpong is the new German champion. If they played as a team and ran for each other, they would definitely be a candidate for the best four of the tournament. Or even for the final." However, the mood of the fans and the lackluster performances of the team at this EM so far create a strong contrast.
"We had to go hard into court," said Koeman on Monday. "I think that was a positive process. But you can only prove it by playing a game." The 61-year-old returned to the city of a great success. In Munich, he became European Champion in 1988. "It was a great time and I'm happy that we won this tournament," he said. In the Olympic Stadium, his selection defeated the Soviet Union back then with 2:0.
First, the team needs to get a handle on the strong fluctuations. And they have two reasons for Wormuth: a purely sports one and a social one.
"The real challenge is the absence of Frenkie de Jong," he says about the injured midfielder of FC Barcelona. "De Jong is a kind of Kroos from Holland, the playmaker par excellence."
Players discuss a lot, says Wormuth. "They want to express their opinion constantly," he continues. "That has socially many good sides. But when there are too many people talking in football, it becomes difficult." He had underestimated that in the Netherlands "at the beginning a bit. Even the physiotherapist wanted to tell me what to do." But the discussions can sometimes make things seem bigger than they are.
Captain Virgil van Dijk has accepted the criticism after the EM round of matches. "If we keep going, we have nothing more to find here," he said before the Romania game. "But we still have the feeling that we can make something really special from this tournament. I believe in this team. We have a lot of quality. We just have to show it."
- Despite the current criticism towards Ronald Koeman, he remains hopeful about the Netherlands' chances, having experienced triumph in Munich during the 1988 European Championship as a player.
- In the preliminary round group, the Netherlands faced challenges from both Vice-World Champion France and favorite Austria, but managed to progress to the Round of 16.
- On Tuesday, Ronald Koeman's team will face Romania in Munich at 18:00 hours, broadcasted on ARD and MagentaTV.
- Frenkie de Jong's injury has been a significant blow to the Netherlands, with many considering him the Dutch version of Toni Kroos due to his playmaking abilities.
- Despite the injury, Virgil van Dijk, who plays for Liverpool FC, has accepted the criticism and remains confident in the team's ability to make a special impact in the tournament.
- Even the coaches in the soccer world hold high expectations for the Netherlands, with Frank Wormuth, who has coached in the German and Dutch leagues, previously in the running for the Dutch national team's coaching position.
- As the Netherlands move forward in the tournament, the question remains: Why does the team, with such talented players, struggle to achieve consistency and avoid fluctuating performances?
- Should the Netherlands continue to struggle in the knockout stages, the question of Ronald Koeman's future as coach will undoubtedly resurface, as it did following the team's weak performance against Austria in the Group Stage.
