What Has Gone Wrong for World Cup Semi-Finalists Netherlands Under Guus Hiddink?

Netherlands are one of the most iconic nations around when it comes to international football tournaments: blazing orange shirts, raucous fans and a litany of top-class players who have graced pitches around the globe—not to mention a thousand near-miss stories in trying to grasp glory.

The recent 2014 FIFA World Cup was almost no different, other than the fact that Netherlands went into the finals with perhaps the lowest expectancy ever surrounding them, and this time they went as far as finishing third place.

Since then, though, it has been one backward step after another, leaving new head coach Guus Hiddink with plenty of work to do to save face and rescue the team's Euro 2016 qualification hopes.

"

Dutch media are very critical of Hiddink this morning. Ronald de Boer has even said Hiddink's vision is 'outdated'.

— Elko Born (@Elko_B) October 14, 2014"

Post-World Cup Positivity

A new crop of talented, if not top-quality, young players, a flexible tactical approach and goals galore: All was well with the Dutch national side after their third-place finish at the World Cup. Having been losing finalists in 2010 as well, this two-tournament run is their best showing since being back-to-back runners-up in the '74 and '78 World Cups.

Buda Mendes/Getty Images

Hiddink took over from Louis van Gaal, though, and since then it has been three defeats in four.

A defeat to Italy in Hiddink's first match in charge was settled inside 10 minutes; two goals down in that time, Netherlands had also had Bruno Martins Indi sent off inside that period. They didn't recover and couldn't challenge Italy technically or physically to get back in the match—but it was only a friendly.

The first Euro 2016 qualifier, however, was not—and Czech Republic beat Netherlands too. A comeback win at home to Kazakhstan hardly inspired confidence last week, but the big shock must have been the defeat to Iceland on Monday night. It leaves Netherlands third after three games, already six points behind both Iceland and Czech Republic in a group the Dutch were expected to walk.

"

The Netherlands lost 2 - 0 to Iceland last night, and these stats do not make good reading for Guus Hiddink. #SSNHQ pic.twitter.com/GHQ5jOykBK

— Sky Sports News HQ (@SkySportsNewsHQ) October 14, 2014"

Lack of Attack?

In the World Cup itself, Netherlands put five goals past Spain as their rocket really took off (and Spain's died at the same time). Seven more goals followed in the groups and knock-out games, before three more against Brazil in the third-place playoff—15 goals scored in total, in seven matches.

Since then, Netherlands have drawn blanks against Italy and Iceland, and only managed three in the last 25 minutes of the game against Kazakhstan, saving themselves from huge embarrassment.

Peter Dejong/Associated Press

Aside from the treble in that match over lowly opposition, the only goal of the Hiddink reign so far is a Stefan de Vrij header off a set piece against Czech Republic. Even against the Kazakhs, Klaas-Jan Huntelaar's goal was offside, not given, Ibrahim Afellay's was heavily deflected and Robin van Persie's was a disputed penalty.

Unconvincing all around.

Meanwhile, defensive errors from the likes of Martins Indi and Daryl Janmaat have cost dearly.

Qualifying Campaign Ahead

With still seven matches to play in Group A, all is far from lost for Netherlands. The top two go through automatically, with third place getting a play-off spot at worst.

Even so, it appears time is becoming short for Hiddink after an awful start to his spell in charge.

"

Dutch FA secretary-general Bert van Oostveen will evaluate current proceedings as soon as possible with Hiddink and staff. (via @TPOnl)

— Michiel Jongsma (@JongsmaJongsma) October 14, 2014"

"

Hiddink's days might be numbered - KNVB's Van Oostveen:'We'll evaluate quicker than usual and will also be more critical and sharper.'(NOS)

— Michiel Jongsma (@JongsmaJongsma) October 14, 2014"

It is unfathomable that they could go through much of the rest of the qualifying group without beating smaller sides—they face Latvia at home in November, with Turkey also to play twice—than themselves. It is also extremely likely that, as good as they have been at the start of the campaign, both Iceland and Czech Republic will drop points here and there.

Hiddink didn't have to do a rip-up-start-again job coming into the job; far from it.

What he has managed so far though is to oversee the complete disintegration of the tactical discipline and attacking swagger that the side accumulated through the World Cup. They need to get plenty of that back not only to qualify for Euro 2016 over the next 14 months, but also to make another big impact on a major tournament.

Follow @karlmatchett