Pauw puts final seal on Dutch squad
Sunday, August 9, 2009
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Vera Pauw has unveiled her definitive 22-player Netherlands squad for UEFA WOMEN'S EURO 2009™, leaving quartet Karin Legemate, Sylvia Nooij, Renee Slegers and Sandra Swinkels on standby.
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Vera Pauw has unveiled her definitive 22-player Netherlands squad for UEFA WOMEN'S EURO 2009™, which gets going in Finland later this month.
On standby
A day on from her side's 2-0 defeat of Poland in their final friendly on Dutch soil, Pauw announced which four players would not be making the trip to contest the European crown. Karin Legemate, Sylvia Nooy, Renee Slegers and Sandra Swinkels have all been omitted from the party that will now travel to Russia for one final preparation match in Moscow on Thursday, though the quartet have been put on standby in the event of injuries.
Horrible moment
Pauw admitted that she had not been looking forward to making her final selection. "It's horrible," she said. "Those girls have worked so fantastically together in the past few weeks. We gave the players the chance to prove themselves right up until the last moment. I still had to tell four players they would not be taking part but I wish I hadn't had to do that."
Areas of doubt
The 46-year-old nonetheless found it easier to make her decision after watching the win over Poland in Tilburg. "There were still a few areas of doubt, but Saturday's game cleared things up," she said. "I made up my mind right after that match." Her charges open UEFA WOMEN'S EURO 2009™ against Ukraine in Group A on 23 August and go on to face hosts Finland and Denmark.
Netherlands squad
Goalkeepers: Loes Geurts (AZ Alkmaar), Angela Christ (FC Utrecht), Petra Dugardein (Willem II).
Defenders: Dyanne Bito (AZ Alkmaar), Daphne Koster (AZ Alkmaar), Marije Brummel (SC Heerenveen), Petra Hogewoning (FC Utrecht), Jeanine van Dalen (ADO Den Haag), Manoe Meulen (Willem II), Marloes de Boer (FC Twente).
Midfielders: Sylvia Smit (SC Heerenveen), Sherida Spitse (SC Heerenveen), Anouk Hoogendijk (FC Utrecht), Lianne de Vries (FC Utrecht), Kirsten van de Ven (Willem II), Annemieke Kiesel-Griffioen (FCR 2001 Duisburg), Marlous Pieëte (FC Twente).
Forwards: Claudia van den Heiligenberg (AZ Alkmaar), Chantal de Ridder (AZ Alkmaar), Shanice van de Sanden (FC Utrecht), Karin Stevens (Willem II), Manon Melis (LdB FC Malmö).
