Van Marwijk: Spain play with a Dutch stamp
Reuters - Friday 09 July 2010, 17:19
JOHANNESBURG - Spain have taken a leaf out
of the Dutch textbook of "total football" in reaching Sunday's
World Cup final at Soccer City, according to Netherlands coach
Bert van Marwijk on Friday.
Van Marwijk said Spain's style of play was mainly based on
the successful tactics of Barcelona which had been created over
the decades through the influence of such great Dutch coaches
as Rinus Michels, Johan Cruyff and Louis van Gaal.
"Spain is largely influenced by Barcelona, with six or seven
players, and Barcelona still has a big Dutch stamp with coaches
like Cruyff and Michels," Van Marwijk told reporters.
"So that is a big compliment for Dutch football."
Van Marwijk said European champions Spain had adopted a very
similar "total football" style to the Netherlands - but
possibly did it better.
"Everyone looks how Spain play when they possess the ball,
but if you see how the whole team, including the offensive line,
puts pressure on their opponent when they lose the ball, it is
clear that that is one of their strongest points," he added.
"But that is also something we try to do."
So far the Dutch have won all six matches this campaign,
while their opponents made a false start as they suffered a 1-0
defeat against Switzerland in their Group H opener.
But after that Spain got back on track and registered five
straight wins to clinch their spot in the final.
Van Marwijk, who said he disregarded talk that Spain were
favourites, added that Vicente del Bosque's team had shown more
consistency than his side so far in the tournament despite the
Swiss reverse.
"We won six straight, had some phases of playing good
football but also were sloppy in finishing some well executed
attacks to finish matches, while Spain have been less sloppy in
that aspect," he added.
"Over the last few years I have really enjoyed watching them
and we will respect them but we do not fear them.
"We will play our own game."
The term "total football" was first coined in the early
1970s to describe the way the then Dutch side defended and
attacked as an entire team, with each player with the exception
of the keeper able to switch roles at any time.
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