Also for the commentators of the NOS The European Championship starts on Friday. One of them is Jeroen Elshoff, who has been working for the public broadcaster since August 2008 and is invariably present at the final tournaments. Elshoff commented, among other things, on the 2018 World Cup final and thus came into an illustrious list of names including Theo Reitsma and Frank Snoeks. However, he already made his debut at a major final tournament on behalf of the broadcaster in 2010 during the World Cup in South Africa. Football zone visited Elshoff to talk to him about the chances of the Dutch national team at the European Championship. He also points out an the Dutch international that he will follow with extra attention.
“Everything stands or falls with that first game,” Elshoff refers to the opening game with Ukraine on June 13. “In 2012 (at the European Championships, ed.) The Netherlands didn’t play that bad against Denmark, but we lost 1-0 and it exploded there in terms of proportions. There was a lot of hassle, it didn’t become that tournament at all. So everything “It will soon be about that first game against Ukraine. If the Netherlands manages to win it with a little good football, yes, then I think it can be a nice tournament.” Elshoff then examines Frank de Boer’s functioning as national coach. So close to the European Championship there is a lot to do about the game system and the choices he makes.
Listen to the whole conversation with Jeroen Elshoff here
“That’s the beauty of such a tournament, everything is now under a magnifying glass,” the commentator continues his analysis about the Dutch. “And if it goes badly in that first game, everything will be magnified even more. If the Netherlands wins that first game, we won’t be talking about this anymore. So it really has to do with results and they know that too. That is why De Boer also says that “he focuses on football. They just have to get through that group phase well and that should in principle be possible, because those opponents are not that strong. Austria is not very strong. wins against Germany. That is a surprise, but that should usually be doable. Ukraine seems to me the most dangerous opponent,” predicts Elshoff.
Elshoff then shifts the focus to the selection of the the Dutch squad. Memphis Depay is of course one of the eye-catchers and the commentator expects a lot from the attacker of the Dutch national team. “He (Depay, ed.) has set himself up as one of the leaders of this team since the previous generation left. The Arjen Robbens and the Wesley Sneijders and such. And if you really want to make a name and fame, then there is a podium to do that in the country area and that is the final tournament. Now the time has come for him to show how good he really is. We know how good he is, but now he also has to show it at a final tournament You really become a great footballer there, and with the disappearance of Virgil van Dijk, he is really important in that team.”
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Voetbalzone spoke with Jeroen Elshoff about his experiences as a football commentator.
The commentator does not only pay attention to Depay during the European Championship. He hopes that De Boer will grant playing time to Ryan Gravenberch, who has not been on the selection for that long. “I would like to see how Gravenberch will develop on this stage. He makes such giant steps and has so much potential. And it also seems like a boy who feels little pressure. So if he can get his time, and that depends If you get off the system and how it all fits, I think he could be a sensational youngster.” Elshoff is very curious about the choices De Boer will make. “He wants to play two systems: 4-3-3 and 5-3-2, or 3-5-2, whatever you want to call it. I am very curious how that will develop. “That was the success of 2014 and there are a lot of teams who can do that well, Juventus reached the Champions League final in 2015 that way.”
The Dutch national team does not start as a top favorite at the European Championship. Elshoff is therefore looking at three countries that he considers capable of winning the final round this summer. “I would say France. And I do feel for our neighbors. So I would say if Kevin De Bruyne manages to play with all the defects in his head, then I would also like to add Belgium. And then maybe after all Italy, they are often good in the tournament, but I am most curious about Karim Benzema, who is now back after all these years. He has also had an incredible season when it comes to scoring goals. who is going to stop France then?” Elshoff wonders aloud. “France became world champions with Olivier Giroud, who didn’t even shoot on goal in that tournament. And now they have a striker who can score goals. I don’t know who should stop that team, but the biggest favorite rarely wins.”
Kalum of Oudheusden is a full-time video journalist, presenter and program maker at Voetbalzone and makes exclusive interviews and various programs.
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