Holland's finest player, Johan Cruyff, warned last night that the striking success of England's four major clubs in the Champions League is damaging to the rest of those in their domestic competition.
Cruyff, a three-time winner of Europe's premier trophy as a player with Ajax and again as the manager of Barcelona, feels a widening gap across the continent between the big clubs and the rest is harming football. Arsenal, Manchester United, Liverpool and Chelsea remain in this season's Champions League at the quarter-final stage.
"In England, there are four teams in the Champions League and just one in the Uefa Cup," he said. "The gap is getting bigger all the time and that is bad for football. It has become all about resources, clubs can now buy so many players that 10 or 20 guys who could be top players elsewhere cannot play. This is a problem for a lot of countries; the top guys are only going to England, Italy or Spain."
Cruyff is therefore a firm advocate of the "six plus five" proposals regarding homegrown talent in club football. "That's what is needed," he stressed, adding that "politicians have done a stupid job" by allowing free movement across Europe.
Holland's progress to the World Cup finals in South Africa is almost assured, they sit five points clear of Scotland and Iceland, having won their opening three Group Nine matches. Scotland's participation or otherwise in what would be their first major tournament in 12 years is somewhat less clear; a low-key start which has included defeat in Macedonia and a home draw with Norway has seen to that.
Tomorrow night's match between Holland and Scotland is therefore regarded as a foregone conclusion to many, but Cruyff offered some hope to George Burley and his players. Amusingly, for a man who played with such grace, his advice to the Scots is basic.
"Scotland in the air are very good," said the 61-year-old. "Holland have got to play their game in short passes. Arjen Robben, for example, will not tackle. Holland cannot be dragged into a physical game, they will want to push the ball around because they are not a team who will go in for tackles. If Scotland can stop those passes, they have a chance. And the Dutch cannot give away any corners, or stupid free-kicks."
Understandably, Cruyff lacks detailed knowledge of any of the players who will don dark blue in the Amsterdam Arena. He is perfectly aware, though, that the Dutch charges under Bert van Marwijk's guidance have an abundance of attacking riches.
"They have so many good forward players that they cannot get them all in the team," he explained. "And, because of that, it means they always have a lot of strength on the substitutes' bench.
"Klaas-Jan Huntelaar could not get in the team for a while because of Ruud Van Nistelrooy and because he was in an Ajax team who were not doing so well. Now he has gone to Real Madrid and scored eight times, which is fantastic."
Cruyff remains well placed to assess Dutch international outfits having scored 33 goals in 48 appearances for his country. He was in Glasgow last night as the guest of honour at a Prince and Princess of Wales Hospice dinner and to publicise Setanta Sports' live screening of tomorrow's sell-out match. Thankfully perhaps for Burley, Cruyff regards this Dutch team as "different" rather than superior to the one which trounced Scotland 6-0 in Amsterdam six years ago. "I won't say it will be the same, no two games are the same. But Holland have a lot in their favour, they are at home and know what is at stake if they win."
Despite the dark skies and howling winds which greeted him in Scotland, he will remain on these shores to watch the qualifier on television with his close friend Steve Archibald, with whom he formed an association at Barcelona.
"I think only two of the Holland players on Saturday will be based in their home league," he added. "The other nine will be doing well abroad, which is such a major thing. They are a young team and a team who have done well in recent tournaments; confidence is very high.
"Holland have nine points now, they have the opportunity with the next two home games to get to 15 which will seal their qualification for South Africa. Beating Scotland would knock Holland's main opponent out of the way, I think, and leave Scotland to fight with Iceland and Norway for second place."
