In a match the Netherlands needed to win in order to have a chance to go through to the knockout phase, their performance against Germany came up short. The Germans won the game 2-1 but the differences between the teams does not show in the score with the German team coached by former Stuttgart manager Joachim Loew, who thinks that the only way to have a successful team is to instil a feeling of we are all of one. The 51-year-old said: “As a coach you wonder how players will behave in a team. Being a real unit is more important than ever in today’s competitive sports,” Loew told FR-online.de. “In the team there are certain values that must exist. Respectful treatment of each other, but also of opponents. Communication, tolerance, discipline, reliability [are key].
“I see no pronounced egoists in our team, who adjusts the focus to make themselves look good or always score the goals. I see us as a very good team in which no-one pushes himself to the forefront.
I could not have said this better myself, the Germans for me so far stand out miles above any other team I have seen at the tournament. Everyman knows his job, and what is expected from him, the movement off the ball was brilliant the defending was clean, and precise while the vision and finishing of Mario Gomez was first class. The Bayern Munich striker showed the world what a deadly finisher can do given the opportunity. With three goals in two Matches the 26-year-old is well on his way to winning the “Golden Boot”.
The Netherlands while full of talent were just a disjointed group of individual Ego’s too big to fit in one dressing room. While van Persie scored a brilliant individual goal to pull one back for the Dutch, it was evident to everyone watching the game who was going to win.
The match, and the attitude of the Dutch team was summed up for me when late on when Arjen Robben was substituted for Dirk Kuyt, and instead of welcoming Kuyt on the pitch, Robben just jumped over the barricade and walked back to the dugout.
On paper the men in orange still have a chance to go through the knockout stage should Germany beat Denmark by two goals, and the Netherlands beat Portugal. In my opinion I don’t think the Dutch even want to be there now. You have heard the expression that “there is no I in the word team”, that is of course unless you are Dutch where the word team translates to “Equipe”.
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