One headline blasted: ‘Legoland beat Egoland’.
But that only hints at the much bigger problems in and around
the Holland squad, which include:
- Arsenal’s Robin van Persie and Manchester
City’s Nigel de Jong refusing to talk to the Press.
- Klaas Jan Huntelaar being jealous of Van
Persie for playing ahead of him and refusing to talk too.
- Dutch fans bombarding phonelines calling
for Van Marwijk’s head.
- Players claiming their under-fire boss is
blinded by family loyalty as he refuses to drop son-in-law Mark van
Bommel.
The situation became too much for Holland playmaker Wesley
Sneijder to take ahead of tonight’s crucial Group B clash with
Germany.
Defeat could see the Dutch become the first casualties of the
Group of Death.
Sneijder blasted: “It is time we let these pathetic egos go. If
somebody is creating a mess, I will stand up against them now.
“We don’t need a psychologist with the Dutch team, we are
grown-up men. The ones who have a problem with other players or the
manager should tell them face-to-face. That is the only psychology
we need.
“We have to stop living on little islands. We must all go for
the same goal, be united or face the consequences.”
One player who is suffering most from Van Marwijk’s loyalty to
Van Bommel is Tottenham midfielder Rafael van der Vaart — and no
one can buy his silence.
Holland’s most-capped player, 29, said: “I have the right to
speak out with 97 caps behind my name. If Holland want to win, the
coach has to play me in the starting line-up.
“I am no longer prepared to deny I am finding this role really
tough. Do you know how frustrated I feel?
“I am in the best form of my life and I train so hard but I get
the impression the team selection is not going to change in my
favour.
“I don’t want to cause a mess that would have a big effect on
the others but it does not look like my position is going to
change.
“Hardly any changes have been made to this team since the 2010
World Cup and that is great when you are in the starting line-up
but it’s crap when you’re on the bench.
“I feel like a young dog that is dying to get out but is caged
in.”
When asked if he was waiting for an explosion to erupt within
the camp, Van der Vaart added: “I hope for that every day.
“I knew from the first minute how things would go with this
Dutch team.
“My family think I have been crazy for staying silent for so
long.”
