Marciano Vink was hugely disappointed by the Netherlands Under-21s. Michael Reiziger's side had to beat Norway Under-21s last Friday to keep qualification for the European Championship in their own hands, but they could only draw 0-0.
Speaking on Voetbalpraat on ESPN, Vink said he was 'deeply disappointed'. "I think that applied to the players as well. You could see that afterwards from the players on the pitch. But it was immediately said that there is still a chance and that they have to go for it."
"But in this match I simply missed the fire from minute one. That, for example, you want to bombard a Norway, and immediately put pressure on the ball. I missed that. It was all a bit lethargic. I thought that was a great shame."
"The only ones who, in my view, had real energy were Oufkir and Read. But then I take Poku... That may not be entirely fair, because that boy does not play all that much. But then I think: that is only half the Poku I know. And Smit did not get going either. So I miss the fire."
Arno Vermeulen was watching too. "We're not going to make it any more," he predicted about the Under-21 European Championship.
"We are failing with the Netherlands Under-21s. There are players here of whom you can sense that they might make the Netherlands. In terms of potential: if you look at Read, Rots, Zechiël and Smit, it would not be strange if they get chances with the Netherlands in the coming years."
"Then this cannot happen. It annoys the hell out of you. It was limp football. This cannot go on like this. This is not good," Vermeulen concluded.