Source: Xinhua

06-05-2008 13:28

Special Report:   2008 European Championships

GENEVA, June 4 (Xinhua) -- Dutch coach Marco van Basten thought luck will be a crucial factor in his team's chances at the upcoming European Championship.

"De wind in de zeilen hebben (having the wind in our sails)," he told reporters at the Dutch team's training camp in Lausanne.

"If the wind is at our backs we can go a long way," further explained the 43-year-old. "But if it blows against us things will be tough. Our first aim is to get out of the group, which is already a hell of a job, but if we do that then with a bit of luck we could go all the way."

The Netherlands, which are bidding for a second continental title at the Euro 2008 slated on June 7-29 and co-hosted by Switzerland and Austria, will open their campaign against the world champions Italy on Monday in Group C, well recognized as the Group of Death including also Romania and former world cup and European winners France.

"When I saw the draw my first thought was 'I'd prefer to be in a different group'," Van Basten said. "We have to play the two teams that appeared in the last World Cup final, so it's going to be really difficult."

It is ironic that a team, coached by an attacking talent and possessing some of the most highly rated forwards in the modern game, scored just 15 in 12 UEFA EURO 2008 qualifiers. That is eleven fewer than section winners Romania, who twice kept clean sheets against the Netherlands, boasting the talents of Ruud van Nistelrooy, Robin van Persie, Klaas-Jan Huntelaar and Arjen Robben.

"We didn't score a lot in qualifying, but it's not as though we didn't create chances," said Van Basten. "Scoring can be simply a matter of confidence. Sometimes it happens easily. Then in the next game you create five chances and don't score. We haven't been very lucky."

Few Dutchmen are better placed to speak about European Championship triumphs than the legendary former striker, who played a starring role in the Netherlands' solitary success in 1988 and now has the opportunity to become the first man to lift the Henri Delaunay trophy both as a player and a coach.

"Winning the tournament would be beautiful, but not because I'm leaving. Whatever the situation, winning is always the most important thing," said van Basten, whose four-year spell in the charge of the national team will end when he joins AFC Ajax later this summer.

 

Editor:Zhang Ning