The Swiss National Railways workers have been told they have to switch their Oranje vest for Yellow after Dutch fans in the town of Basel followed a worker onto the train tracks thinking he was one of them, prompting quick action due to safety concerns.

1,500 workers have been given the new vests ahead of Hollands next match against Russia on Saturday and is a similar situation to what the Police force in Berne had to do after the Dutch were based there during group play.

image via MCRSafety

I’m just getting ready to watch the Holland - France match and it got me thinking about the 1988 tourney.

Koeman, Van Basten, Gullit…. Damn.

DOUBLE UPDATE - Nothing seems to be going right for Marco van Basten as Real Madrid winger Arjen Robben has been ruled out of early round action for Holland with a groin strain.

Mario Melchiot, although not a starter, has been hit with a groin strain as well and is also a doubt for the early stages.

UPDATE - Ryan Babel is OUT of the 2008 Euros after suffering ligament damage in his ankle on Saturday.

That’s a huge loss for van Basten. Even though Babel most likely wouldn’t have started, he would have been a big presence coming off the bench for the Dutch.

No replacement has been named yet.

image via Telegraph

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These are the Skullcandy’s I rocked this morning for the opening match of the 2008 Toulon Tournament between Japan  and Holland on Fox Soccer Channel.

Japan ended up 1-nil winners after both Dutch center-backs let the long ball bounce off the goal kick, with #20 Tadanari Lee skipping past his defender Van Eijdan and finishing with a sweet, outside of the left foot finish past keeper Tim Krul.

Yup, assist to the keeper on the score sheet.

Holland will face Chile on Thursday, following the France v Japan showdown.

[Courtesy of ESPN] 

Squad:

Goalkeepers: Edwin van der Sar (Manchester United), Maarten Stekelenburg (Ajax Amsterdam), Henk Timmer (Feyenoord), Sander Boschker (Twente Enschede)

Defenders: Wilfred Bouma (Aston Villa), Tim de Cler (Feyenoord), Urby Emanuelson (Ajax Amsterdam), John Heitinga (Ajax Amsterdam), Kew Jaliens (AZ Alkmaar), Joris Mathijsen (Hamburg SV), Mario Melchiot (Wigan Athletic), Andre Ooijer (Blackburn Rovers).

Midfielders: Ibrahim Afellay (PSV Eindhoven), Giovanni van Bronckhorst (Feyenoord), Orlando Engelaar (Twente Enschede), Nigel de Jong (Hamburg SV), Denny Landzaat (Feyenoord), Hedwiges Maduro (Valencia), Clarence Seedorf (AC Milan), Wesley Sneijder (Real Madrid), Rafael van der Vaart (Hamburg SV), Demy de Zeeuw (AZ Alkmaar).

Forwards: Ryan Babel (Liverpool), Klaas Jan Huntelaar (Ajax Amsterdam), Danny Koevermans (PSV Eindhoven), Dirk Kuyt (Liverpool), Ruud van Nistelrooy (Real Madrid), Robin van Persie (Arsenal), Arjen Robben (Real Madrid), Jan Vennegoor of Hesselink (Celtic).

Van Basten will cut the roster down to 26 on May 16th and then down to 23 on May 28th.

image via Soccerevolution 

For a team that already boasts the likes of Ryan Babel, Royston Drenthe and Wesley Sneijder in the attack, things just got a little easier in the work load department as Olympic Team Head Coach Foppe de Haan announced that international hitman Roy Makaay has been included in the squad as Holladn’s first over age player.

With Feyenoord’s early Champions League Qualification failure, de Haan and the Eredivisie club agreed on the 33 year old (more…)

Mark Van Bommel’s father in law is set to take charge of Holland following this summer’s European Championships.  Since Marco Van Basten’s  announcement that he will be assuming control of the ArenA and Ajax after the 2008 finals in Austria and Switzerland, the KNVB has announced that current Feyenoord coach Bert Van Marwijk has been given a two year contract and start when Van Basten leaves.

Van Marwijk had played professionally in Holland for 20 years, including one Full Team cap before turning to coaching.  The 55 year old is currently on his second stint with Feyenoord after taking on German club Borussia Dortmund from 2004-06.

And side note - Van Marwijk not only played at Beans’ old club Fortuna Sittard, but also coached there from 1998-2000.  Fortuna Sittard is the same club Van Bommel came out of and interestingly enough, he’s married to Van Warijk’s daughter.  Wonder if that made for some awkward silence back in the day?

image via Sport1 

44 year old Dutch Artist Desiree Palmen is one of the dopest visual deception artists out there and you can tell by her work just how talented she is.  Take a look at her artwork and you’ll be amazed at how easily she transforms everyday living into chameleon like settings.

image via DailyMail