Dutch cut Emanuelson and Maduro from squad
Reuters - Tuesday 15 May 2012, 19:44
Netherlands defenders Urby
Emanuelson and Hedwiges Maduro were the most experienced
casualties when coach Bert van Marwijk on Tuesday cut nine
players from his provisional squad for a pre-Euro 2012 training
camp in Switzerland.
AC Milan's Emanuelson was expected to be the main candidate
to replace Erik Pieters, who will miss the finals with a foot
injury. Valencia's Maduro only recently returned to fitness
after tearing ankle ligaments on international duty in October.
However, Van Marwijk has kept 18-year-old defender Jetro
Willems in the squad that will travel to Lausanne on Thursday to
prepare for a friendly against Bayern Munich on May 22.
Arjen Robben, Ibrahim Afellay and Stijn Schaars will not be
at the training camp because they all have club commitments.
Bayern's Robben is preparing for the Champions League final
against Chelsea on Saturday, Sporting's Schaars is getting ready
for the Portuguese Cup final on May 20 and Barcelona's Afellay
is training with his club for the Spanish Cup final on May 25.
The Dutch host Bulgaria on May 26, Slovakia four days later
and Northern Ireland on June 2 in warm-up matches.
Van Marwijk must name his final squad by May 29 for next
month's tournament in Poland and Ukraine where the Dutch will
face Denmark, Germany and Portugal in Group B.
Squad:
Goalkeepers: Maarten Stekelenburg (AS Roma), Tim Krul
(Newcastle United), Michel Vorm (Swansea City).
Defenders: Vurnon Anita (Ajax Amsterdam), Khalid Boulahrouz
(VFB Stuttgart), Wilfred Bouma (PSV Eindhoven), John Heitinga
(Everton), Joris Mathijsen (Malaga), Ron Vlaar (Feyenoord),
Gregory van der Wiel (Ajax Amsterdam), Jetro Willems (PSV
Eindhoven).
Midfielders: Ibrahim Afellay (Barcelona), Mark van Bommel
(AC Milan), Nigel de Jong (Manchester City), Adam Maher (AZ
Alkmaar), Stijn Schaars (Sporting Portugal), Wesley
Sneijder (Inter Milan), Kevin Strootman (PSV Eindhoven), Rafael
van der Vaart (Tottenham Hotspur).
Forwards: Klaas Jan Huntelaar (Schalke 04), Luuk de Jong
(Twente Enschede), Siem de Jong (Ajax Amsterdam), Dirk Kuyt
(Liverpool), Jeremain Lens (PSV Eindhoven), Luciano Narsingh
(Heerenveen), Robin van Persie (Arsenal), Arjen Robben (Bayern
Munich).