By PAUL SMITH
THE troubled Dutch are in chaos as a series of explosive rows tears their camp apart.
Bert van Marwijk’s side were slammed by their national media following last Saturday’s shock 1-0 defeat against Denmark.
One headline blasted: ‘Legoland beat Egoland’.
But that only hints at the much bigger problems in and around the Holland squad, which include:
- Arsenal’s Robin van Persie and Manchester City’s Nigel de Jong refusing to talk to the Press.
- Klaas Jan Huntelaar being jealous of Van Persie for playing ahead of him and refusing to talk too.
- Dutch fans bombarding phonelines calling for Van Marwijk’s head.
Players claiming their under-fire boss is blinded by family loyalty as he refuses to drop son-in-law Mark van Bommel.
The situation became too much for Holland playmaker Wesley Sneijder to take ahead of tonight’s crucial Group B clash with Germany.
Defeat could see the Dutch become the first casualties of the Group of Death.
Sneijder blasted: “It is time we let these pathetic egos go. If somebody is creating a mess, I will stand up against them now.
“We don’t need a psychologist with the Dutch team, we are grown-up men. The ones who have a problem with other players or the manager should tell them face-to-face. That is the only psychology we need.
“We have to stop living on little islands. We must all go for the same goal, be united or face the consequences.”
One player who is suffering most from Van Marwijk’s loyalty to Van Bommel is Tottenham midfielder Rafael van der Vaart — and no one can buy his silence.
Holland’s most-capped player, 29, said: “I have the right to speak out with 97 caps behind my name. If Holland want to win, the coach has to play me in the starting line-up.
“I am no longer prepared to deny I am finding this role really tough. Do you know how frustrated I feel?
“I am in the best form of my life and I train so hard but I get the impression the team selection is not going to change in my favour.
“I don’t want to cause a mess that would have a big effect on the others but it does not look like my position is going to change.
“Hardly any changes have been made to this team since the 2010 World Cup and that is great when you are in the starting line-up but it’s crap when you’re on the bench.
“I feel like a young dog that is dying to get out but is caged in.”
When asked if he was waiting for an explosion to erupt within the camp, Van der Vaart added: “I hope for that every day.
“I knew from the first minute how things would go with this Dutch team.
“My family think I have been crazy for staying silent for so long.”
