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Babel Out Of Euro 2008

Just days after being included in the final Dutch squad for Euro 2008 (kicking off this coming week), Ryan Babel has been forced to withdraw from Marco Van Basten’s side after tearing ankle ligaments in training earlier today. As a Liverpool fan I would be hoping there’s no long-term damage to Babel’s ankle given his performances for the club this season gone.

No replacement has yet been announced though is expected over the course of the weekend (or at least after the Welsh friendly game in Rotterdam).

Holland find themselves in Group C for this summer’s competition alongside France, Italy and Romania. Babel, however, will have to settle for watching the games from the stands. Here’s to a speedy recovery.

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Dutch Squad Announced For Euro 2008

Marco Van Basten knows he’s packing his bags after Euro 2008 but that’s not stopping the focus on Euro 2008 by any means, with Van Basten naming a strong side for next month’s competition.

Chelsea’s Khalid Boulahrouz misses the cut for the 23-man squad with the likelihood that Mario Melchiot will be well mended by the time the first game kicks off. It’s good to see Liverpool’s Ryan Babel and Dirk Kuyt confirmed in the squad, Kuyt making his way back into the international fold while Babel has had a relatively good debut season for the Reds. Celtic’s Jan Vennegoor of Hesselink should be firing on all cylinders too having lifted the Scottish league title recently.

The Holland boys can look forward to friendlies this week against Denmark (Thursday) and Wales at the weekend.

The Dutch squad in full for Euro 2008 reads as follows…

Goalkeepers: Edwin van der Sar (Manchester United), Maarten Stekelenburg (Ajax), Henk Timmer (Feyenoord)

Defenders: Wilfred Bouma (Aston Villa), Tim de Cler (Feyenoord), John Heitinga (Ajax Amsterdam), Joris Mathijsen (Hamburg), Mario Melchiot (Wigan Athletic), Andre Ooijer (Blackburn Rovers)

Midfielders: Ibrahim Afellay (PSV Eindhoven), Giovanni van Bronckhorst (Feyenoord), Orlando Engelaar (Twente), Nigel de Jong (Hamburg SV), Wesley Sneijder (Real Madrid), Rafael van der Vaart (Hamburg), Demy de Zeeuw (AZ Alkmaar)

Forwards: Ryan Babel (Liverpool), Klaas Jan Huntelaar (Ajax), Dirk Kuyt (Liverpool), Ruud van Nistelrooy (Real Madrid), Robin van Persie (Arsenal), Arjen Robben (Real Madrid), Jan Vennegoor of Hesselink (Celtic).

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Trezeguet Wouldn’t “Bet A Euro” On Playing

David Trezeguet has said he wouldn’t “bet a euro” on appearing at Euro 2008 as he feels Raymond Domenech doesn’t have any faith in him.

Trezeguet currently leads the Serie A goalscoring charts with 15 goals to his name but Domenech has let his feelings speak through his tactical decisions of late, including the last World Cup where Trezeguet played no more than a bit part.

How strong the Juventus man’s opinion is was highlighted recently when he turned down two callups for France, first against the Congo and against Spain, both fixtures due this coming week as he felt he would be used on the ‘A’ team against Congo instead of the full team against Spain.

There are plenty of players who would give their left leg to represent their country at the European Championships, so why Trezeguet is carrying on in this manner is beyond me. Sure enough, it can be hard to change Domenech’s mind, if you’ve had a falling out with him you’re a marked man, but one would have to question Trezeguet’s overall drive to play any part of the French lineup.

Quoted on Saturday he said he “would have gone to the end of the world 10 years ago, but not now at 30, after everything I have done and continue to do.”

Such a pity too…

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Mexes Backing Italy For Euro 2008?

He’s not exactly a regular fixture in the French side for Raymond Domenech but Phillipe Mexes is backing Italy to come out of the ‘Group Of Death’ and go on and win the European Championship this summer.

Mexes would be a starter in almost any European side but he’s only played international football for France on eight occasions, largely due to his controversial move to Roma.

If France are to make a claim for the trophy I genuinely think that Domenech should be considering Mexes for his squad for the summer tournament, if not, it will likely take a change of manager to get Mexes back in the fold for France at a major tournament.

Controversies aside (if you can say that), Mexes thinks that Italy “are going to do the double, like France did in 1998 and 2000″, Italy looking as strong as ever after they beat France in the World Cup final in Germany in 2006. Of course, all that depends on what France and Holland have to say, both of whom can stop Italy coming out of the group stage.

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Five Friendlies For Netherlands

The Dutch Football Association have announced that the Netherlands will be playing no fewer than five international friendlies in advance of Euro 2008 next summer.

For their troubles, they’ll be taking on co-hosts Austria, Croatia and non-qualifers Ukraine, Wales and Denmark.

Netherlands will play Croatia first on February 6th, followed by Austria on March 29th. The remaining three fixtures will be played over the week May 24th to June 1st 2008 with Wales being the final match. They’ll be kicking off their actual Group campaign for Euro 2008 on June 9th when they take on Italy in Berne before meeting France on the 13th and Romania on the 17th.

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Niculae Sure Of Romanian Call Up

After finally finding his scoring touch at the weekend, bagging two goals for Caley against Hibernian in the Scottish Premier League, Marius Niculae is plotting a course for Euro 2008.

The 26 year old Romanian moved to Inverness from FSV Mainz over the summer and but hadn’t managed to score in fourteen league games until now. He’s hoping the change of scoring fortune will put himself in line for a call up for Romania’s Euro 2008 squad. One thing going against him is his failure to play any part in Romania’s qualifying campaign, last lining out against Colombia before the World Cup.

His failure to appear for Romania also limited his chances of a work permit in the summer, Inverness fans signing a petition to aid the striker’s arrival. Yet despite only now scoring for Caley, Niculae has scored almost a goal every second game for Romania.

Quoted in the Inverness Courier, Niculae suggests “I fight to give good performances for Inverness and to score some goals and I’m sure the manager of Romania will call me“.

If he hasn’t featured for Romania since last May, I reckon it will take more than just two goals this weekend to assure him a place in Romania’s squad for their Group C encounters with France, Italy and Netherlands. Lord knows they’ll need their strongest squad possible.

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Van Basten Will Quit After Euro 2008

I mentioned earlier today that Marco Van Basten’s future would be decidedafter a meeting with the KNVB - and now it has.

Going into the meeting with the Dutch FA this afternoon, Van Basten had already said he had his mind made up about his future but he wouldn’t be going public until discussing his plans with his employers. Come the end of Euro 2008 next June, Marco Van Basten will no longer be head coach of the Netherlands senior team. Van Basten’s assistant, John van’t Schip, is also leaving his role with the Dutch side.

Van Basten is calling it “time for a change of scene”, the former AC Milan man having been in the job four years come the end of next summer’s tournament.

Credit to him, it was likely a tough decision to make, moreso if the Netherlands advance out of Group C into the knockout stages of the competition. A lot of talk has been aired on radio lately too in relation to the length of contracts on offer to international managers - look at Steve Staunton on a four year contract, booted out after two. Steve McClaren booted from England after less than a year in the job yet these nations are looking for long term solutions, going four years and beyond.

While it was likely a tough decision for Van Basten to make I view it as the right one. He’s enjoyed a good run with the national side but after four years, successful or not, it is time for a change. Bring in a new coach with new ideas, connections to new players and developing squads.

What are the odds of Gus Hiddink getting a phone call from the KNVB to step into the fray and lead the Netherlands to South Africa in 2010? I reckon club football beckons for Van Basten…

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Van Basten’s Dutch Future Decided Today?

Netherlands coach Marco Van Basten’s managerial future will be made a bit clearer today with the former AC Milan player set for showdown talks with the KNVB (Dutch Football Association) this afternoon. According to Van Basten, he has already made up his mind about his future but will wait until talks conclude with the KNVB before going public with his decision.

Van Basten guided the Netherlands through their qualifying campaign only to land in the “group of death” alongside Italy, France and Romania. The Dutch FA have already hinted that regardless of what happens at Euro 2008 they want Van Basten as the man to lead the national side to the 2010 World Cup in South Africa.

Whatever happens, he’s still under contract and will be around to see the Netherlands through their Euro 2008 campaign, though we’ll know more clearly this evening whether Van Basten is in it for the long haul or changing jobs in July.

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