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Foppe de Haan: "USA are not of the
level of Nigeria"
Saturday 09 August 2008
With only fourteen players at his
disposal Dutch Olympic coach Foppe de Haan sees his
options limited, but despite having to do without phantom
striker Roy Makaay he is confident that Holland can
beat the USA.
Makaay is out
with a bruised right foot, Evander Sno is suspended,
defender Erik Pieters is still not 100% and second goal
keeper Piet Velthuizen has come down with a stomach
flue.
Still De Haan has waived the right
to call up a player from the standby-list, even though
the number 1 on that list - PSV's Nordin Amrabat - is
in very good shape at the moment.
But Makaay is recovering quickly
and seems available for the last group game against
Japan.
So cracking down the defense of
the USA will come down to Ryan Babel and Gerald Sibon,
with De Guzman and Drenthe in support.
But the USA don't greatly worry
De Haan: "The USA are not of the same level as
Nigeria were. That doesn't mean we will underestimate
them, but they do not have the same quality players,
especially upfront."
"In fact the USA do not have
any players that stand out. A quality they do have is
that they are a team and they have adapted their tactics
to that strength. Still they are not the kind of opponent
Nigeria were."
De Haan's greatest worries are
his personnel, with only fourteen players available
for tomorrow's game.
"But we can not change that
so we have to live with it. It means that we have to
spend our energy wisely tomorrow."
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