Van Marwijk knows how to beat Spain
Sunday, 11 July 2010
Today's the day, tonight it will
happen, before midnight strikes we will know who are
the new World Champions. New in every aspect, as none
of the two teams competing the final have ever won it.
For Spain it's even the first final ever.
At the press conference yesterday,
Holland manager Bert van Marwijk was calm and collected
as always, although the amount of reporters and camera
teams in front of him must have been a novelty for the
former Feyenoord coach.
During the last training in Soccer
City last night Van Marwijk had all 23 players at his
disposal, although goal keeper Maarten Stekelenburg
was suffering from a minor hip injury.
It was clear to see that the players
needed time to get used to the altitude again, as the
Jabulani swerved and made weird bounces as if that's
what it's made for.
"Yes, it took some time to
get used to the conditions," Van Marwijk admitted.
"That ball swerves even more at this altitude.
That's why it's good that we've been able to train at
this altitude a few times."
Van Marwijk looks ready for the
Big Final, as do his players. All seem very confident,
even though most experts think Spain are the favorites
to win it.
"We have to dare and play
football against Spain," Van Marwijk said. "We
must be our own selves. Already we have done very well
by reaching the final, but once there you want to win
that game. That's the only thing that counts."
He didn't want to say whether he
expects Fernando Torres or Pedro up front. "It
doesn't matter. We prepare well, we always do. And we
have our own ideas of how to play against Spain."
Van Marwijk says the will not have
to fire up his players for tonight's game, and he is
not afraid of his team being overly arrogant: "I
have warned them of that constantly during this tournament,
and you have all seen that it didn't happen."
His colleague Vicente del Bosque
said he has been impressed with Holland and that they
fully deserve to be in the final: "They have won
all their games and they beat Brazil. We play sort of
the same type of football. On those terms it's good
that these teams are in the final."
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