Koeman criticized: Oranje's EM mood is overturned

European Football Championship - Koeman criticized: Oranje's EM mood is overturned

Over this EM-constellation, everyone in the Netherlands was looking forward to it a week ago. The European Champion of 1988 overcame the challenging group with Vice-World Champion France and hidden favorite Austria and faces Romania in the Round of 16 on Tuesday, 18.00 hours/ARD and MagentaTV.

And if it goes well on Tuesday in Munich, the so-called tournament tree with Oranje continues to look good: In the Quarterfinals, the possible opponents were again Austria or Turkey. In the Semifinals, it would be against faltering England or Switzerland. A nation like the Netherlands, which doesn't need to hide its great football ambition from itself.

Is Koeman still the right one?

This ambition is now apparently part of the problem. Before the start of the knockout stage, coach 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 game, the initially optimistic EM mood in the homeland has turned in the opposite direction.

Already at the press conference after this weak performance, Koeman was directly asked if he was still suitable as the coach. "I don't think that's a question for now," said the EM hero of 1988 in response. "We've only just finished the group stage. We still have a chance. If that doesn't work, you can ask the question again."

The Dutch team is now entering the decisive phase of the tournament. The question is: Where does this great pressure come from? Why have the Dutch gone through eleven different national trainers in the past 25 years, with Koeman, Louis van Gaal, and Dick Advocaat all having multiple tenures? And why does the mood shift so easily for a team that has had players of the caliber of Marco van Basten, Dennis Bergkamp, or Arjen Robben for longer?

Expert Wormuth

Frank Wormuth led the coach education of the German Football Association for ten years before moving 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 himself in the running for the new coach position. Instead, it was the third time for van Gaal.

About the expectations in his adopted homeland, Wormuth says: "Yes, there is criticism in the Netherlands about the disorganized play. That there is no team on the pitch." But he can understand that too.

"This team is good," says Wormuth: "Van Dijk plays for Liverpool. Aké plays for Manchester City. Gakpo also plays for Liverpool. And Frimpong has just become the 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 swings of the fans and the pedestrian performances of the team at this EM so far create a strong contrast.

De Jong's injury hurts

These extreme fluctuations have two reasons for Wormuth: one sports-related and one societal. "The real challenge is Frenkie de Jong's absence," says he about the injured midfielder of FC Barcelona. "De Jong is a kind of Kroos from Holland, the playmaker par excellence."

And then he describes it from his own experience: "There is no pronounced hierarchy in the Netherlands, as we know it in Germany." Not in everyday life and not in a football team either.

Players talk a lot, they always want to express their opinion, Wormuth states. "This has many socially good sides. But when there are too many people talking in football, it becomes difficult." He had underestimated this at the beginning in the Netherlands. The physiotherapist also wanted to tell him what to do. But these discussions sometimes make them seem bigger than they are.

Captain Virgil van Dijk acknowledged the criticism following the EURO group stage. "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 special from this tournament. I believe in this team. We have a lot of quality. We just need to show it."

The Netherlands, as the European Champion of 1988, overcame the challenging group in the Round of 16, facing Romania at 18:00 hours on ARD and MagentaTV in Munich during the European Football Championship.
If they win against Romania, the Netherlands could potentially face Austria or Turkey in the Quarterfinals, and England or Switzerland in the Semifinals, as per the tournament tree.
Dutch coach Ronald Koeman has been under pressure following their 2:3 loss against Austria, with critics questioning his suitability for the job.
Virgil van Dijk, the Liverpool defender and captain of the Netherlands, acknowledged the criticism post-group stage but expressed belief in the team.
On the coaching front, Frank Wormuth, a German expert who previously trained Dutch clubs, believed that the Dutch team's disorganized play is causing criticism in their soccer nation.
While acknowledging the criticism, Wormuth also pointed out that the Dutch team has players of high caliber like Van Dijk and Frenkie de Jong.
However, Wormuth mentioned the absence of the injured de Jong as a significant challenge to the Dutch team's performance in the Round of 16 of the European Football Championship.
Wormuth, implying that Dutch players are always eager to express their opinions, described the communication within the team as a potential hindrance to their cohesive performance.
With Switzerland and Romania launched into the preliminary round group ahead of the Netherlands in EM 2021, the Dutch soccer nation will closely follow the team's progress in the knockout stages.
As the European Championship progresses, the entire soccer world will keep an eye on the Netherlands, hoping to witness a grand performance from their celebrated team, Oranje.