THE Dutch men’s team announcement for the Olympics was one of the most highly-anticipated with many questions looming over the fate of its star players. And today’s final decision did not disappoint in terms of drama with big name stars Taeke Taekema and Jeroen Hertzberger left off the roster.
Taekema has played 239 games for the Dutch, while Hertzberger has been on the squad for every major international event since 2007. Just last week Hertzberger said in an interview that he expected to be named to the Olympic squad. Taekema's fate was a little less certain after he was left off the team ealier in the year for a handful of test series.
Also not making the cut were Quirijn Caspers and Seve
van Ass, son of head coach Paul van Ass. But it was good news for
veteran standout Teun de Nooijer, who made his debut back on the team in
last week’s test match against Great Britain after almost eight weeks
of being sidelined with injuries. He made the cut and will join the
Dutch team in London.
For de Nooijer and the other 15 players making the cut, it is time
to focus on the Games that lie ahead and try not to focus on the team
omissions, but rather the squad’s potential less than a month from
today.
Dutch 2012 Olympic TeamSander
Baart (OZ), Billy Bakker (Amsterdam), Marcel Balkestein (OZ), Floris
Evers (Amsterdam), Rogier Hofman (Bloemendaal), Robert van der Horst
(Rotterdam), Wouter Jolie (Bloemendaal), Robbert Kemperman (Rot-Weis
Köln), Teun de Nooijer (Bloemendaal), Jaap Stockmann [GK] (Bloemendaal),
Valentin Verga (Amsterdam), Klaas Vermeulen (Amsterdam), Bob de Voogd
(OZ), Mink van der Weerden (OZ), Roderick Weusthof (Rotterdam), Sander
de Wijn (Kampong).
Reserves: Tim Jenniskens (NED), Pirmin Blaak [GK] (Rotterdam).
Reserves: Tim Jenniskens (NED), Pirmin Blaak [GK] (Rotterdam).
