If the competition was won on the qualifying stats we'd all have the winner Quandram, yes there is a Liverpool bias but i wouldn't throw my money in for that reason alone. The stats make them look poor that you've shown but they did qualify with a game to spare and never looked in trouble at anytime.
Van Basten is an Oranje legend and he finishes as manager after this tournament, i'm sure they are all going to raise their game now they are there.
Babel and Kuyt both scored in their 3-0 friendly win over the Ukraine at the weekend too.
And from the camp...
Quote:
Fresh from helping Manchester United FC win the UEFA Champions League, Edwin van der Sar was in "good spirits" as he met up with his Netherlands team-mates.
Late arrivals
Van der Sar and Real Madrid CF midfielder Wesley Sneijder were the last two players to join up with Marco van Basten's side as they prepare for UEFA EURO 2008™. The goalkeeper is still glowing from the penalty shoot-out save from Chelsea FC's Nicolas Anelka, calling it a "[Hans] van Breukelen" moment, in honour of the famous former PSV Eindhoven and Netherlands goalkeeper, who 20 years before won his club the European Champion Clubs' Cup in similar spot-kick stopping style against SL Benfica.
Positive outlook
Van Breukelen was a UEFA European Championship winner later that summer, and the 37-year-old Van der Sar would love to also emulate that achievement. He feels that the mood in the Dutch camp is positive, saying: "I'm here in good spirits, and it's not just me – a lot of the boys have performed well in their leagues and won things, so now we just have to push very hard in the right direction together to create a successful team."
'Not happy'
Coach Van Basten said last week that the Dutch public were right to have high expectations for the Oranje at UEFA EURO 2008™, and Van der Sar certainly feels that none of their Group C opponents – Italy, France and Romania – will be looking forward to playing them in Bern. "Several boys play in other leagues and have developed further," Van der Sar stated. "That gives us hope and also makes opponents start to think. They are not happy to be in the same group as The Netherlands."
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I think Italy not progressing will be the shock of the first round.