Dutch drifting in sea of dissension

OH those Dutch, they're at it again. One player expelled. Others in a huff. Disagreement and dissension in the camp, every player with an opinion. If it is true that Arrigo Sacchi is the only coach here who has 50 million coaches to advise him back home then Gum Hiddink is the only coach at Euro `96 who has 22 coaches in his squad ready to lend their advice. It was ever thus with the Dutch.

What follows is a small talk, but perhaps tells us much about Dutch. During an absorbing at Ajax's famed under age in Amsterdam last's their under 11/12 coach the many virtues of 3-4-3 system not least it's comparative simplicity as compared to the typically British 4-4-2.

So I asked him what would an Ajax side do when encountered by 4-4-2 or three strikers. He declined to answer, instead letting his kids give the reply. There was a rush of responses, before the coach interpreted them. There were a couple of options, leave things as they were, another being that the midfielders, numbers four and six, step back into defence as man markers while the sweeper, number three, slips into midfield.

All the kids knew this, and the under 8 side probably would as well. In Ajax (where Intelligence and Personality are two of the basic tenets enshrined in TIPS), and in the Netherlands generally, they believe an intelligent player off the pitch is also one on it, hence they can inculcate them with tactical thinking from an early age.

The point being that by the time these boys become men they are not short of an opinion or two on the game. A little knowledge is a dangerous thing? Perhaps. It depends how you look on it. The current Dutch players appear as opinionated and strong minded as their many predecessors who have had public spats with their coach. The expelled Edgar Davids follows an illustrious list of absent friends, both Johann Cruyff and Ruud Gullit each missing the final stages of World Cups of their own volition because of tactical disagreements with the coach.

On the other hand, the Dutch consistently develop players with a greater tactical as well as technical appreciation of the game than their British counterparts.

So it was that the PSV players were aghast at Bobby Robson's request that they call him boss. The Dutch call their coach just that, "coach", or "trainer". They were even more horrified at what they saw as the former English manager's reluctance to explain his decisions in personnel and tactics, most of which they didn't agree with despite two league titles. Robson, eventually tired of having to explain every decision, every substitution, in some detail. and went to Portugal.

Taking Guus Hiddink's claim that "the chapter is dosed" at face value, some sections of the press here have assumed that all's well in the Dutch camp again. Far from it. The tension was palpable at the Dutch training camp at St Alban's FC in Hertfordshire, north of London, for their open day on Sunday. Divisions continue to fester like open wounds.

Essentially, they break into two camps, the younger Ajax generation embodied by the Milan bound pair of Michael Reiziger and Davids, along with his close friend Clarence Seedorf (now with Sampdoria), Winston Bogarde and Patrick Kluivert, all of whom look suspiciously on Danny Blind and Ronald de Boer. Then there are those outside Ajax, and the loners such as Dennis Bergkamp.

Bergkamp it was who noted with some wariness that the Dutch camp appeared unusually harmonious in the build up to Euro 96, like the baddies in a western who ride into a seemingly empty town. Too quiet, too calm. There's something wrong.

Trouble started when Davids saw Hiddink and de Boer talking privately on the morning of their second Group A game against Switzerland last Thursday following the initial scoreless draw with Scotland.

De Boer then informed Davids that Hiddink was considering changes in personnel which might result in his omission. Davids was furious that he had not been told personally by the coach. When Seedorf, on the verge of a second yellow card as he struggled to patrol Marco Grassi, was replaced by Johan de Kock after 27 minutes, Davids argued loudly with Hiddink on the substitutes' bench. Hiddink was not amused.

Davids, 23 going on 35, then informed the Dutch media that he would not tolerate being dropped again, saying that certain players' had an uncomfortably (for him) cosy relationship with the manager. Everyone knew that by this he meant Blind and de Boer.

They are not so inclined to discuss this matter, denying that they have Hiddink's ear more than other squad members. Blind did reveal that he met Davids privately, suggesting that a commitment on his part to Hiddink not to publicly air his grievances might be a solution to the impasse. But Davids declined, preferring to staid by his opinion.

Seedorf, 20 going on 35, subsequently had an hour long discussion w Hiddink era coffee on Saturday morning, the player explaining his public support of Davids and claiming he did not feel he had the coach's full respect.

On Sunday, Hiddink claimed. "We have closed the case on Davids. The atmosphere is good here, there are no problems about the situation. We are only thinking towards the future. Maybe the book is closed for him, but the wounds remain open for others.

Seedorf said. "One advantage of what Edgar Davids said is that the problem is now out in the open and we are able to talk about it. But the storm hasn't gone at this moment and there are more players who have the same opinion as I have. All players want recognition from the coach and want to be taken seriously, as it is at Ajax."

Other such as Bordeaux's Ajax hound Richard Witschge take a more sanguine, philosophical view . "I have learned that you will never he the coach as a player. The coach will always be the winner." His equanimity may be helped by the fact that he has been preferred to Davids on the left side of the midfield diamond.

Rightly so as well arguably Davids looked tired in the European Champions League final against Juventus, and singularly out of touch in the opener against Scotland. Ironically, he looked back to his best when eventually coming on in the second half against Switzerland, clearly intent on proving a point. A pity he didn't continue to let his feet talk, or even agree to Blind's request for an entente cordiale with Hiddink. But that is not the Dutch way.

Nor is that the only rift. Bergkamp also revealed on Sunday that he wasn't entirely happy with Hiddink either. This followed Hiddink's assertion just before the Swiss game on Dutch television, repeated afterwards to the Dutch media, that the encounter constituted a last chance for Bergkamp.

"I was surprised to hear this from the Dutch media," said the Arsenal front runner "because Hiddink never told me this. I'm very disappointed that the coach is saying this. He should know that I'm not the type of player who is inspired by these kind of remarks. It doesn't work for me. They tried it with me at Ajax five years ago with these kind of comments but the coach should first talk with me about it before going to the press."

Significantly or not, and reminiscent of Nottingham Forest players' reaction to a Stan Collymore goal, there wasn't exactly a stampede to congratulate Bergkamp after his goal against the Swiss.

So fears have hardened that the seemingly mild mannered and courteous Hiddink does not have the force of personality or conviction to impose himself on his collection of strong willed multi millionaires and multi achievers. Mind you it would probably take a coach of exceptional standing, i.e. the coach of the `88 champions Rinus Michels, or Johann Cruyff, to do so. That or a former international with 50 caps, six leagues and a few Cups as a coach plus a degree in psychiatry. Even Mussolini or Hitler wouldn't have stood a chance.

It is hard to see how these disparate talents and minds can get harmoniously from now on how Seedorf, maybe Bergkamp and others can commit themselves fully to the Dutch cause. It is a critical situation, one that may well require a win over England to redress.

Then again, who's to say the mercurial Dutch won't trod on to Wembley's turf, moodily ignore Hiddink and each other, yet communicate instead through their feet, apply the Ajax system that most of them have been weaned on and beat England.

As Blind once put it. My team mates don't have to be my friends." Just as well.