Holland Squad Announced to Face Scotland in Qualifier

Holland play host to Scotland on the 28 March at the Amsterdam Arena in the first of a double header, four days before Scotland play host to Iceland at Hampden. Dutch manager Bert van Marwijk trimmed his initial squad of 25 to just 23, leaving out Celtic’s Jan Vennegoor of Hesselink and Orlando Engelaar.

Ibrahim Afellay, Giovanni van Bronckhorst, Khalid Boulahrouz and goalkeeper Michel Vorm are called up once again having missed last month’s friendly against Tunisia. Defensive duo Edson Braafheid and Gregory van der Wiel have the chance to win their second caps after making their debuts against the Tunisians.

While the Dutch are a major test for Scotland, they are certainly not invincible. Given our performances in the EURO 2008 Qualifiers against France we can certainly take the game to our opponents, despite overwhelming pressure.

With the Dutch strike force and midfield one of the best in European Football let alone World Football, the Dutch have a weakness.

In fact they have two—their defence and their goalkeeper, such is the opinion of the current crop of goalies, Manchester United’s Edwin van der Sar was asked to change his mind over retiring—which he refused.

Despite experienced players in the Dutch defence with the likes of former Rangers and Barcelona defender Giovanni van Bronckhorst, Blackburn’s Andre Ooijer, and Khalid Boulahrouz of VFB Stuttgart, one thing is certainly clear: they aren’t a world class defence.

If we can take the game to them, and restore some pride after that humiliating 6-0 defeat in Holland some six years ago under Berti Vogts.

One thing that may work against us though is that dodgy French referee that is to take charge, despite being suspended by his own FA for incompetence, only time will tell.

Holland squad

Goalkeepers
Henk Timmer (Feyenoord)
Maarten Stekelenburg (Ajax)
Michel Vorm (FC Utrecht)

Defenders
Giovanni van Bronckhorst (Feyenoord)
Andre Ooijer (Blackburn)
John Heitinga (Atletico Madrid)
Khalid Boulahrouz (Stuttgart)
Edson Braafheid (FC Twente)
Dirk Marcellis (PSV Eindhoven)
Joris Mathijsen (Hamburg)
Gregory van der Wiel (Ajax)

Midfielders
Mark van Bommel (Bayern Munich)
Wesley Sneijder (Real Madrid)
Ibrahim Afellay (PSV Eindhoven)
Nigel de Jong (Manchester City)
Demy de Zeeuw (AZ Alkmaar)
Arjen Robben (Real Madrid)
Rafael van der Vaart (Real Madrid)
Stijn Schaars (AZ Alkmaar)

Strikers
Klaas Jan Huntelaar (Real Madrid)
Dirk Kuyt, Ryan Babel (both Liverpool)
Robin van Persie (Arsenal)