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Football: 137 days... and counting until the World Cup finals

Rupert Metcalfe
Friday 23 January 1998 19:02 EST
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137 days... and counting until the World Cup finals begin in France

The Netherlands have no chance of winning the World Cup this year, or any other year - according to the coach of their illustrious club side, Ajax. Morten Olsen, once an elegant defender for Denmark but now in charge of the Amsterdam team, said this week: "Everyone can play football here but the Netherlands will never be world champions. You don't have the right mindset. You have the players but what you really need is that `over my dead body' attitude. If the Dutch want to be world champions, they have to play seven excellent games. During a world championship that is impossible. There is always one match where you can't save yourself with beautiful football." Olsen said the over-emphasis on attack in Dutch domestic football was partly to blame.

- Rupert Metcalf

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