Buitenlandse media over Oranje #2

quote:

1. Because this side has been there, done that and got the shirt (complete with gold star) to show it. At the last World Cup, Vicente del Bosque's men achieved something no one else had managed before, bouncing back from losing their opener against Switzerland to lift the trophy in Johannesburg.

2. Because there is nothing more dangerous than a wounded animal. The squad began regrouping as soon as the Holland game ended, conscious of the magnitude of the result, but aware that there is still hope. As champions, they know they have to respond.

3. Because between them the players have clocked up 277 trophies, some of them very recently, such as this year's Champions League (Ramos, Alonso and Casillas), 'La Liga' (Koke, Juanfran and Costa) and Premier League (Silva).

4. Because of Spain's strength in depth. 'La Roja' are about more than just the 11 men who posed for the pre-match photo against the Dutch or the 14 who ended up featuring on the night. Squads, not teams, win tournaments and all of the recent success has been a group effort.

5. Because this generation doesn't deserve a cruel ending. Villa, Xavi, Xabi, Casillas and co. have been tremendous servants to the Spanish national team over many, many years and deserve to bow out in a better light than Friday night's horror show.

6. Because all preparations have been good. Despite the way things looked in the second half, the training and preparation stages have been done properly. The collapse, as they admitted in the changing room, was more psychological than physical.

7. Because this team was always going forward. They never looked worse than they did today, as this side had a solution to every slip-up, even when they were staring into the depths of the abyss in the penalty shoot-outs against Italy and Portugal in the last European championships, and even when losing to Switzerland. There was always a great response to the biggest obstacles.

8. Because we beat Chile in South Africa. Spain won the match in Pretoria 2-1, a result which meant qualification for both teams. Also, history is on our side. Ten matches producing eight wins and two draws, 25 goals for and only eight against. The first encounter was in 1950 ... in Maracaná, and ended 2-0 in our favour.

9. Because Del Bosque has always found solutions. The Spain manager, who is exemplary when it comes to facing the press, has always known how to strike the right note, finding tactical and emotional responses in his successful career with the team.

10. Because Van Gaal is a gentleman as well as a manager. The Dutch coach,. while very competitive, does not fit the profile of those who go in for the Italian 'biscotto', an offence against fair play which is prohibited by FIFA. It would be extremely odd of him to let Holland lose against Chile just to knock Spain out.