Orange tide mixed blessing for Dutch

Frank Rijkaard sat upstairs in the white marquee. He was surrounded by grey journalists. He sat against a backdrop that was white with green and red sponsors' logos all over it. The jumper he wore was black. The players who followed him wore blue.

The colour theme is important. One hundred yards away from Rijkaard and his squad, beyond the first and second set of bouncers, the high pines and railings that enclose the Dutch camp, everything is different. It is as if the whole of Holland has been dipped in an orange dyke.

Houses have been painted orange, roads too. Every souvenir in every shop window is orange. Hup Holland Hup is written everywhere, in orange. The tulips from Amsterdam are orange - seriously. If you belong to Sinn Fein, don't come here until Monday at least.

The point is that whenever Rijkaard or his players are asked about the national sense of expectation, as they are on a daily basis, they must look out the window and wonder. As Dennis Bergkamp said before Euro 2000 even kicked off: "The whole country seems to have gone orange crazy."

Despite itself, however, before Sunday the Netherlands did not truly believe. The 6-1 win against Yugoslavia and the manner of the victory, changed a lot of opinions. The Dutch may be famous for their Lutheran sense of independence, but many have regained the faith in their team.

But not totally. Only when the populace win Euro 2000 and win it well will the country celebrate fully. As Rijkaard said in his orange-free oasis on Tuesday: "As a culture we're never satisfied. But we know we still have a way to go. Right after the game on Sunday the first thing I told the players was that we had to be strong and that we had to improve. We must keep our feet on the ground."

Just 37 and in his first coaching job, Rijkaard impresses as someone for whom pragmatism comes before beauty. When such a mentality is given a name, it is generally called Italian. Rijkaard was fundamental to the great AC Milan side of the late 1980s and early '90s and understands better than most the mindset of the nation Holland encounter in Amsterdam tonight.

Footballers are reluctant to give insights into colleagues or bosses lest they are seen as betraying secrets, but Bergkamp said of his former team-mate and now manager: "What really surprises me about Frank is that he knows how to analyse an opponent completely."

Shortly after that Rijkaard said of tonight's game: "I can give you the details of the way an Italian striker handles the ball, the way he deals with a tackle that is different from other players. These are details we have to work on." The Dutch will not lose because of a lack of preparation.

Rijkaard is also wary of Dino Zoff. Zoff has been criticised by Rijkaard's old Milan manager Arrigo Sacchi for Italy's unadventurous style. But Rijkaard said: "Italy have won every game. There is not just one way of playing."

Much will depend on the opening. Should Holland score early, Italy will have to reveal themselves. With Bergkamp and Patrick Kluivert running into form there must be a sound chance of a quick breakthrough. Having suggested they were withholding something in defeating Turkey, Belgium, Sweden and Romania, Italy will have to show the depth of their creative ability.

Consequently the debate in Italy still centres on Alessandro Del Piero or Francesco Totti, one or the other. Zoff, it seems, will stick with Totti, indeed the only change to the line-up will be the one enforced by Antonio Conte's injury. Inter's Luigi Di Biagio will come in.

Although criticised for their caution, Italy have scored eight times in this tournament, and what has been notable is that Filippo Inzaghi has scored when Italy required it most. Jaap Stam says Inzaghi reminds him of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer in that he almost deliberately plays in an offside position.

"Eight times out of 10 he is caught offside, but it is the other two times you have to think about," Stam said. "I think this game will depend a lot on how the Dutch defence plays."

That is uncertain but what is for sure is that The Netherlands will be wearing orange. And black. Rijkaard swapped white shorts for black because: "Black emits more power." All Holland hopes that blue is not the colour.