Thursday, May 22, 2008

Dirk Kuyt Confident Of Making Dutch Euro 2008 Cut

Dirk Kuyt is confident he won't be axed by Holland for the upcoming Euro 2008 finals.

The Liverpool striker was among a 26-man preliminary squad named at the weekend by Holland coach Marco van Basten.

That party will be cut to 23 when the final squad is announced on Monday, with rumours in Holland suggesting Kuyt will be one of the three to miss out. But the Liverpool man reckons his return to form over the past three months should be enough to earn him a place on the plane to Switzerland and Austria next month.

“If I show the same here as I did in the recent months at Liverpool, I don’t have to worry,” said Kuyt. “I think I will be a part of the squad. I am convinced that I can be important to my country. Few players can be compared to me style-wise.”

Kuyt struggled for form earlier in the season as he came to terms with Rafael Benitez’s rotation policy and the death of his father.

But the 27-year-old has enjoyed a renai-ssance having been moved to the right flank of a three-man strikeforce – a similar position to one he has previously played in for Holland – and netted crucial Champions League goals against Inter Milan, Arsenal and Chelsea.

Ryan Babel is also in the preliminary squad and is expected to be named in the final party next week.

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