- Title: Dutch absentees for Belgium friendly
- Date: 8th November 2016
- Summary: AMSTERDAM, NETHERLANDS (NOVEMBER 8, 2016) (REUTERS) NETHERLANDS TEAM TRAINING AT AJAX STADIUM NETHERLANDS TEAM COACH DANNY BLIND ON PITCH VARIOUS OF NETHERLANDS STRIKER WESLEY SNEIJDER WALKING ON PITCH NETHERLANDS PLAYER DALEY BLIND, SON OF DANNY, WITH BALL TEAM TRAINING NETHERLANDS GOALKEEPER, JASPER CILLESSEN, TRAINING NETHERLANDS STRIKER LUUK DE JONG WITH BALL TRAINING IN PROGRESS DANNY BLIND ARRIVING FOR NEWS CONFERENCE NEWS CONFERENCE JOURNALISTS (SOUNDBITE) (Dutch) NETHERLANDS COACH DANNY BLIND SAYING: "Well, there are a number of players who are not available who could normally have been (chosen) players, not all of them, but quite a number, But well, they are not here and I think there's no point to talk about it here" PHOTOGRAPHER (SOUNDBITE) (Dutch) NETHERLANDS COACH DANNY BLIND SAYING: "It is a special game against Belgium, so yes, there is the prestige, but what's important is the fact that aside from the result, there is the ranking attached to it, which can be important in the play-offs. I find that more important than the prestige" JOURNALISTS BLIND LEAVING NEWS CONFERENCE
- Embargoed: 23rd November 2016 14:44
- Keywords: Netherlands soccer Sneijder Daley Blind Jasper Cillessen Danny Blind Belgium
- Location: AMSTERDAM, NETHERLANDS
- City: AMSTERDAM, NETHERLANDS
- Country: Netherlands
- Topics: Soccer,Sport
- Reuters ID: LVA00157L5CN3
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: Netherlands will host Belgium without several players who are sick or injured and would probably have been chosen, head coach Danny Blind said on Tuesday (November 8).
He declined to go into detail.
"Well, there are a number of players who are not available who could normally have been (chosen) players, not all of them, but quite a number, But well, they are not here and I think there's no point to talk about it here," Blind told a news conference in Amsterdam.
Wednesday's game is a warm-up for both teams ahead of Sunday's world cup qualifiers, when the Dutch visit Luxembourg and the Belgians host Estonia.
Netherlands are third in Group A with four points from three matches, while the Belgians top Group H with three wins from three and a better goal difference than that of Greece.
Blind said ranking is more important than results.
"It is a special game against Belgium, so yes, there is the prestige, but what's important is the fact that aside from the result, there is the ranking attached to it, which can be important in the play-offs. I find that more important than the prestige," said the Dutch coach. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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