Advocaat changes tactics

A round-up of Euro 2004 team news featuring Holland, Italy, Czech Republic, Switzerland and Portugal.

HOLLAND: Dick Advocaat has decided to change tactics after a discussion with four leading players and will start with wingers in their opening game match against Germany next Tuesday. Advocaat said yesterday he would change from a 4-4-2 system to 4-3-3 following 1-0 defeats against the Republic of Ireland and Belgium in eight days.

He denied he had been forced into the changes by the players - the Dutch have a history of falling out among themselves before and during major tournaments.

"This was no discussion, it was a monologue," Advocaat said. "I think this team will perform better with wide players." He would not say which players he had consulted, although midfielder Philip Cocu said he was one, adding that the chat had lasted about 45 minutes.

Ruud van Nistelrooy is likely to play as the lone striker in any 4-3-3 formation. Andy van der Meyde, Marc Overmars and Arjen Robben will provide the width, though all three have minor injury worries.

ITALY: Coach Giovanni Trapattoni named his side to face Denmark in the Group C opener next Monday. Trapattoni's 4-2-3-1 formation has Gianluigi Buffon in goal and Christian Panucci, Gianluca Zambrotta, Alessandro Nesta and Fabio Cannavaro in defence. Simone Perrotta and Cristiano Zanetti sit in front of the back four with Mauro Camoranesi, Francesco Totti and Alessandro Del Piero ahead of them.

Christian Vieri will occupy the lone central striker's role. Although goalkeeper Buffon played for the "reserves" in a warm-up session he has been given the nod over rival Francesco Toldo.

And Trapattoni has not heeded calls in some quarters to find room for Antonio Cassano in place of Del Piero. Gennaro Gattuso, who complained on Tuesday he believed he was worth a place in the starting line-up, has had his plea fall on deaf ears.

CZECH REPUBLIC: Assistant coach Josef Csaplar has confirmed Liverpool forwards Vladimir Smicer and Milan Baros will challenge each other for the right to partner giant striker Jan Koller in the Czech Republic attack at Euro 2004.

"Koller is Koller and he will play for sure," Csaplar said. "We will make some changes in our starting line-up, mainly because of the number of forwards. That means when we play with two forwards, there will be a question about whether it will be Smicer or Baros."

SWITZERLAND: Midfielder Johann Vogel is confident of being fit for the Group B match against Croatia on Sunday despite training alone again yesterday. Vogel has been troubled by a thigh injury sustained in last week's 2-0 friendly defeat by Germany and missed Sunday's 1-0 win over Liechtenstein. The Swiss face England on June 17th and holders France on June 21st.

PORTUGAL: Defender Beto has recovered from a pulled leg muscle and resumed training. "I'm okay and I'm going to train with my team-mates this afternoon," he told reporters at the Portugal camp outside Lisbon.

The Sporting Lisbon defender, who starts the tournament as reserve to Fernando Couto and Jorge Andrade, was the hosts' only injury doubt ahead of Saturday's opening match with Greece.