A STRANGE KIND of ORANGE : 2010 WORLD CUP FINAL

Whether it was fear of death by a thousand passes in the greatest match of all, or simply a cynical, brutal ploy, the Netherlands thuggish showing on Sunday evening bore the look of a team working off a hangover. The tawdry, indeed sad scenes of Marc Van Bommel and Nigel de Jong masquerading as footballers whilst acting like hired thugs to thwart the threat of a superior Spanish side is one that has soiled for a generation the reputation of the adored '˜Oranje'.
The lame excuses of coach Bert van Marwijk that his disgraced players actions were down to the occasion simply overwhelming them cuts no ice when considering what had occurred in the previous rounds when Van Bommel committed similar, guilty altercations against Brazil and Uruguay. Indeed the incensed Uruguayans attempts to reach Van Bommel at full time in the semi final was that of a mob intent on a public lynching. Such was the South Americans anger with a man they believed had several times got away with legalised assault against them.
Whilst Spain were by far the innocent party in the world cup final, the over-reaction to tackles at times and the pathetic flashing of imaginary cards ie: Puyol and Iniesta, to get opponents booked did them no favours with a watching world. However the several near psychotic lunges by Van Bommel on their person and the karate kick assault by De Jong on Xavi Alonso meant for once such miserable behaviour could well be excused.

Whilst it has to be remembered the grand Dutch sides of old were hardly shrinking violets, men like Rudi Krol and Johan Neeskens, whilst both wonderful footballers never blinked when the need arose and were not averse, mostly in retaliatory matters to the games darks arts. Opposing teams would find themselves trampled but only by the weight of '˜Oranje' sheer talent. Sadly the glorious legacy founded in the seventies by Johan Cruyff and his magical flying Dutchmen may now found itself forgotten amidst the fall out from Sunday's debacle in Johannesburg.
Those football romantics who tuned in with great hopes of witnessing those legendary Orange shirts finally realise a dream after twice before falling at the last hurdle must have felt like crying as Van Bommel and his thugs savaged Spain. How many must have changed their colours mid-match and leapt high when that marvellous little play-maker Iniesta lived a million little boy's dreams and scored the winning goal in a world cup final? '˜Football has won they screamed'˜!

The Dutch reaction to English referee Howard Webb was that of a team knowing they had let themselves and their nation down and were in need of a culprit. Webb's job was made almost impossible by the lawless attitude which pervaded during 120 minutes that shamed FIFA. The Netherland's abysmal policy of systematic fouling enabled the yellow cards to be spread widely and meant not until extra time could Spain's vastly superior midfield finally take control when their opponents energy waned.

What really irks with the Netherlands approach is amongst their team in Wesley Sneijder and Arjen Robben were two of the finest performers at Africa 2010. That they possessed match-winners was never in doubt, the Dutch simply never had the courage to try and win the match. A reputation standing for everything that was good in football could easily have survived a Spanish mauling. But to act in such a cowardly manner and forsake all they once stood for? That is not just sad.

It is a strange kind of Orange.

Cfieldsoffire@aol.com