Post by pieter on Jul 13, 2010 10:23:06 GMT -7
700 thousand people welcome the Dutch team in Amsterdam
In Amsterdam a mass celebration of the Dutch football squad's second place in the World Championship took place this afternoon. After a visit to Queen Beatrix in The Hague, the players were airlifted to Amsterdam for a victory parade by ship on the capital's Ij river and inner city canals. Some 500,000 supporters lined the canals during the team's boat trip.
The victory parade on the Amsterdam chanals
The Orange squad disembarked close to Museum Square for the official congratulatory ceremony where the men presented themselves and were cheered by the public.
In order to cope with the crowds before and after the celebrations, public transport in the city is free on Tuesday. Consumption of alcohol on trains is not allowed.
Positive focus
Critics who point out that the Dutch lost, rather than won the World Cup final in South Africa are rebuffed by psychologists who praise the therapeutic value of the public tribute. Grief specialist Jos de Keijser told De Pers daily,
"After a loss, brains tend to concentrate on the things that are gone, which releases negative stimuli. But you can also focus consciously on the things you still have. Like the memory of how great it [the tournament] was."
Grief specialist Jos de Keijser
That's not just good for the millions who watched their team lose to Spain on Sunday evening. It's good for the players too, Mr De Keijser explained:
"The players are probably overwhelmed by a feeling of failure. So it's good for them to be confronted with the reality as seen by the Dutch: what they've achieved on behalf of the country is very positive. They won't be overjoyed with the official celebration, but they shouldn't focus on the one duel they lost. They'd better watch the videos of the matches they won."
It was good fort the Dutch soccerplayers who won all the games accept the Final to be cheered and honoured like that, because they fought like Lions all those games.
The last game was not there best though. The Spanish were better!
Pieter
In Amsterdam a mass celebration of the Dutch football squad's second place in the World Championship took place this afternoon. After a visit to Queen Beatrix in The Hague, the players were airlifted to Amsterdam for a victory parade by ship on the capital's Ij river and inner city canals. Some 500,000 supporters lined the canals during the team's boat trip.
The victory parade on the Amsterdam chanals
The Orange squad disembarked close to Museum Square for the official congratulatory ceremony where the men presented themselves and were cheered by the public.
In order to cope with the crowds before and after the celebrations, public transport in the city is free on Tuesday. Consumption of alcohol on trains is not allowed.
Positive focus
Critics who point out that the Dutch lost, rather than won the World Cup final in South Africa are rebuffed by psychologists who praise the therapeutic value of the public tribute. Grief specialist Jos de Keijser told De Pers daily,
"After a loss, brains tend to concentrate on the things that are gone, which releases negative stimuli. But you can also focus consciously on the things you still have. Like the memory of how great it [the tournament] was."
Grief specialist Jos de Keijser
That's not just good for the millions who watched their team lose to Spain on Sunday evening. It's good for the players too, Mr De Keijser explained:
"The players are probably overwhelmed by a feeling of failure. So it's good for them to be confronted with the reality as seen by the Dutch: what they've achieved on behalf of the country is very positive. They won't be overjoyed with the official celebration, but they shouldn't focus on the one duel they lost. They'd better watch the videos of the matches they won."
It was good fort the Dutch soccerplayers who won all the games accept the Final to be cheered and honoured like that, because they fought like Lions all those games.
The last game was not there best though. The Spanish were better!
Pieter
The Dutch team fought hard and needs be cheered for their work,,,it is not a imbarrassment to have been bested..For the Spanards were the better team this year. They certainly bested us!
