The Brilliant Oranje tag had faded considerably when Bert van Marwijk, 58, took over the Holland job in 2008. Twice World Cup finalists, the Dutch national team had failed to qualify for the 2002 World Cup and could not go beyond the last 16 in Germany four years later.
The tactic of appointing big-name managers like Frank Rijkaard, Louis van Gaal and Marco van Basten had yielded two semi-final appearances in the European championships, but the 16 million Dutch were not convinced.
A stuttering Holland won just once as they progressed to the semi-finals of the 2004 European championships in Portugal. This was not what was expected of a team laden with world-class forwards, a team renowned for attacking football.
Scepticism greeted Van Marwijk's appointment and critics suggested that the low profile former Feyenoord manager - who won one Dutch cap as a midfielder in 1975 - was not a big enough name to deal with the global stars in his charge. A draw against Russia in Van Marwijk's opening game, followed by an embarrassing defeat to Australia in Eindhoven seemed to confirm those suspicions.
The new man had a significant task after veterans with more than 100 caps like Edwin van der Sar, the goalkeeper, and Clarence Seedorf, the midfielder, retired that summer. Ruud van Nistelrooy, the striker who had scored as many goals in orange as Johan Cruyff, also called it a day. But Van Marwijk had a plan.
"When I took over this job, my first goal was to teach the team to defend better," he said.
Holland duly conceded just two goals in eight qualifying games for South Africa, with 17 goals scored. They won all eight games and their group by an astonishing 14 points.
At one point they went 10 months without the opposition scoring, laying the foundations which have helped them excel in South Africa. Holland have not been as prolific themselves in the tournament, but Van Marwijk doesn't see this as a negative.
"Because we haven't scored that many goals so far in this World Cup, people see it differently as they only associate attractive football with lots of goals," he said. "But we still play attractive football."
They do. And they spread the goals around, as in qualifying where no Dutch player scored more than three times.
Holland's progress to today's semi-final against Uruguay in Cape Town has come after winning all their games in a group containing Japan, Cameroon and Denmark before eliminating Slovakia and then Brazil, the joint favourites, in the knockout stages.
"Uruguay are a team of fighters," Van Marwijk said. "They battle and survive. That is why they have reached the semi-finals. We must certainly not underestimate them, otherwise things will go wrong for us."
The Dutch are favourites, more so after Robin van Persie was declared fit and Uruguay's Luis Suarez was suspended following the handball that led to Ghana's elimination in the quarter-finals.
And while Van Marwijk takes pride in the defending, it is the sublime skills of attackers like Arjen Robben and Wesley Sneijder which have been so effective. The biggest names in world football have already departed from South Africa disappointed by their own contributions.
Wayne Rooney, Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi and Kaka are frequently lauded as being the best on the planet. Whereas Robben and Sneijder - both rejected by Real Madrid a year ago - have been far more direct and more effective.
Unlike the malcontent Dutch players of yore, they are happy with their coach. Van Marwijk's brilliant Oranje are starting to justify their name again.
sports@thenational.ae
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
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Milestones on the road to union
1970
October 26: Bahrain withdraws from a proposal to create a federation of nine with the seven Trucial States and Qatar.
December: Ahmed Al Suwaidi visits New York to discuss potential UN membership.
1971
March 1: Alex Douglas Hume, Conservative foreign secretary confirms that Britain will leave the Gulf and “strongly supports” the creation of a Union of Arab Emirates.
July 12: Historic meeting at which Sheikh Zayed and Sheikh Rashid make a binding agreement to create what will become the UAE.
July 18: It is announced that the UAE will be formed from six emirates, with a proposed constitution signed. RAK is not yet part of the agreement.
August 6: The fifth anniversary of Sheikh Zayed becoming Ruler of Abu Dhabi, with official celebrations deferred until later in the year.
August 15: Bahrain becomes independent.
September 3: Qatar becomes independent.
November 23-25: Meeting with Sheikh Zayed and Sheikh Rashid and senior British officials to fix December 2 as date of creation of the UAE.
November 29: At 5.30pm Iranian forces seize the Greater and Lesser Tunbs by force.
November 30: Despite a power sharing agreement, Tehran takes full control of Abu Musa.
November 31: UK officials visit all six participating Emirates to formally end the Trucial States treaties
December 2: 11am, Dubai. New Supreme Council formally elects Sheikh Zayed as President. Treaty of Friendship signed with the UK. 11.30am. Flag raising ceremony at Union House and Al Manhal Palace in Abu Dhabi witnessed by Sheikh Khalifa, then Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi.
December 6: Arab League formally admits the UAE. The first British Ambassador presents his credentials to Sheikh Zayed.
December 9: UAE joins the United Nations.
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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Apple's%20Lockdown%20Mode%20at%20a%20glance
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Business Insights
- Canada and Mexico are significant energy suppliers to the US, providing the majority of oil and natural gas imports
- The introduction of tariffs could hinder the US's clean energy initiatives by raising input costs for materials like nickel
- US domestic suppliers might benefit from higher prices, but overall oil consumption is expected to decrease due to elevated costs
Farasan Boat: 128km Away from Anchorage
Director: Mowaffaq Alobaid
Stars: Abdulaziz Almadhi, Mohammed Al Akkasi, Ali Al Suhaibani
Rating: 4/5
Know your camel milk:
Flavour: Similar to goat’s milk, although less pungent. Vaguely sweet with a subtle, salty aftertaste.
Texture: Smooth and creamy, with a slightly thinner consistency than cow’s milk.
Use it: In your morning coffee, to add flavour to homemade ice cream and milk-heavy desserts, smoothies, spiced camel-milk hot chocolate.
Goes well with: chocolate and caramel, saffron, cardamom and cloves. Also works well with honey and dates.
Citadel: Honey Bunny first episode
Directors: Raj & DK
Stars: Varun Dhawan, Samantha Ruth Prabhu, Kashvi Majmundar, Kay Kay Menon
Rating: 4/5
Squid Game season two
Director: Hwang Dong-hyuk
Stars: Lee Jung-jae, Wi Ha-joon and Lee Byung-hun
Rating: 4.5/5
How to protect yourself when air quality drops
Install an air filter in your home.
Close your windows and turn on the AC.
Shower or bath after being outside.
Wear a face mask.
Stay indoors when conditions are particularly poor.
If driving, turn your engine off when stationary.
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Qyubic
Started: October 2023
Founder: Namrata Raina
Based: Dubai
Sector: E-commerce
Current number of staff: 10
Investment stage: Pre-seed
Initial investment: Undisclosed
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
UAE tour of the Netherlands
UAE squad: Rohan Mustafa (captain), Shaiman Anwar, Ghulam Shabber, Mohammed Qasim, Rameez Shahzad, Mohammed Usman, Adnan Mufti, Chirag Suri, Ahmed Raza, Imran Haider, Mohammed Naveed, Amjad Javed, Zahoor Khan, Qadeer Ahmed
Fixtures:
Monday, 1st 50-over match
Wednesday, 2nd 50-over match
Thursday, 3rd 50-over match
Sustainable Development Goals
1. End poverty in all its forms everywhere
2. End hunger, achieve food security and improved nutrition and promote sustainable agriculture
3. Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages
4. Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all
5. Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls
6. Ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all
7. Ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all
8. Promote sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment and decent work for all
9. Build resilient infrastructure, promote inclusive and sustainable industrialisation and foster innovation
10. Reduce inequality within and among countries
11. Make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable
12. Ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns
13. Take urgent action to combat climate change and its effects
14. Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development
15. Protect, restore and promote sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems, sustainably manage forests, combat desertification, and halt and reverse land degradation and halt biodiversity loss
16. Promote peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development, provide access to justice for all and build effective, accountable and inclusive institutions at all levels
17. Strengthen the means of implementation and revitalise the global partnership for sustainable development
