AMSTERDAM, Aug 25 (Reuters) - Netherlands coach Xavi Hernandez is promising an attractive style of football but more importantly a desire to win during his tenure with the national team.
The former Barcelona midfield great and later coach has signed a four-year deal through the next World Cup and promised he would look to inject new energy into the Dutch, who were eliminated in the last 32 at this year's finals.
“We have many talented players, but the most important thing for me is to create a team, a group and football-wise we want to create a very brave team to dominate the game, to take the initiative with the ball,” he told a press conference on Tuesday.
“And at the same time, our goal is to show to everybody a team with passion, with desire and ambition. This is very important for me as a coach.
“We are here to compete, we are here to enjoy and we are here to win. I insist we are here to win. I believe a lot in this project. I believe a lot in the players and I'm really excited to start.”
Xavi is the first foreigner in almost 50 years to take charge of the Dutch - since Ernst Happel at the 1978 World Cup -but already describes himself as a devotee of the Dutch 'total football' approach which the likes of Rinus Michels and Johan Cruyff introduced at Barca, where he played most of his career.
“I understand now that I'm a foreigner here but I learnt a lot from the Dutch way of playing and what I learned, I want to return here to the federation.
“I'm here to help all the players, all the staff. I'm here to create a big family in order to win. This is the main goal, and this is our objective now as a staff, and especially me as a head coach.
“I understand where I am and I feel this pressure, but I love this kind of pressure and I'm a winner. This is what I show during my career as a player and as a coach, and I'm ready.”
Xavi will announce his first squad in three weeks ahead of a tough debut in the Nations League against Germany in Amsterdam on September 24.
(Writing by Mark Gleeson in Cape Town; Editing by Ken Ferris)
