Clockwork Oranje

The Netherlands finally have a new manager in the form of Xavi, so it’s time to look ahead to what his Oranje will look like The search is over! The KNVB have finally appointed a successor to Ronald Koeman, and it's a successor I'm very happy with.

The old bondscoach is gone. Long live the bondscoach. Whoever the heck it’ll be. When Ronald Koeman stepped down after Oranje were knocked out of the World Cup by Morocco, most people would have expected to have had a pretty good idea of who would replace him by the time the tournament ended, just under three weeks later.

Current time: 0:00 / Total time: -51:01 Audio playback is not supported on your browser. Please upgrade. The 2026 World Cup is here, and on the eve of the tournament, Finley Crebolder and Paul Winters discuss all things Oranje. The two give their thoughts on the squad that Ronald Koeman selected, the impact of Jurrien Timber’s withdrawal, and the key takeaways from the friendlies with Algeria and Uzbekistan, from Crysencio Summerville’s performances to Donyell Malen’s struggles.

Current time: 0:00 / Total time: -1:22:43 Audio playback is not supported on your browser. Please upgrade. Robin van Persie flying through the air. Arjen Robben running faster than you can say 5-1. Klaas-Jan Huntelaar kicking down the corner flag. Tim Krul coming off the bench. The 2014 World Cup was full of unforgettable memories, and Finley Crebolder and Paul Winters look back on them in this special episode.

Current time: 0:00 / Total time: -1:13:27 Audio playback is not supported on your browser. Please upgrade. The 2026 World Cup is getting closer and closer, and in the second episode of Clockwork Oranje’s coverage, Finley Crebolder and Paul Winters discuss the Netherlands’ first warm-up friendlies and the most likely squad.

Current time: 0:00 / Total time: -55:35 Audio playback is not supported on your browser. Please upgrade. The draw for the 2026 World Cup has been made, and the Clockwork Oranje Podcast is back to dissect it. Finley Crebolder is joined by Paul Winters for the first episode of 2026 World Cup coverage, and the two discuss how they feel about the group that the Netherlands have been handed, and look at who they’re likely to face in the following rounds.

Johan Cruyff is undoubtedly the greatest Dutch player of all time, but who is the greatest Netherlands player? “What’s the difference?” I hear you ask. Well, by Netherlands player, I mean the player that’s enjoyed the best national team career, the player that’s done more than anyone for Oranje. There’s of course no objectively correct answer to this question, but we can see what the data says, and I thought it would be interesting to do so.

Euro 2024 is done and dusted for the Netherlands after a semi-final defeat to England, and it’s time to take a look at what conclusions can be drawn from what was a mixed bag of a tournament for Oranje. Given all the injuries we had, I would’ve been over the moon if you’d told me at the start of June that we were going to reach the semi-finals in Germany, but given the way the draw worked out, I’m barely above the clouds.