Ronald Koeman knows what it is like to win a European Championship in Germany. He did so under Rinus Michels, the godfather of Total Football. He won a Champions League under the other architect of the Dutch footballing philosophy, Johan Cruyff.
And he won his first European Championship match as a manager thanks to a big, old-fashioned No 9 he threw on . Wout Weghorst is scarcely the heir to Cruyff, the man who was nominally the Netherlands’ centre forward when they reached the final of the 1974 World Cup in West Germany. But, half a century on, he showed there are different ways of prospering .
His goal stemmed from the anticipation of an opening and a smooth finish, rather than brute force, but Koeman underlined his appreciation of the earthier merits Weghorst brings. “Wout is aggressive, he always takes initiative and is a good header as well,” he said. “He has one chance and finds the net.
” If it formed a contrast with the more talented starter Memphis Depay, who squandered three very presentable chances in the 2-1 win over Poland , Koeman is the manager with a purist’s upbringing and a pragmatic streak. “I think every team needs Dutch qualities and also English qualities,” said Koeman, when asked if Weghorst was more of a traditional British centre forward than a classic Dutch attacker. “That makes the team stronger.
” It may have been a throwaway line but it illustrated his thinking. He values fighting spirit and a sizeable No 9: He signed Graziano P.
