Van Persie, Wesley Sneijder, Arjen Robben all involved for the Dutch
Louis van Gaal watched on intently on Tuesday
Holland face Portugal, Ghana and the USA in Group of Death
Robin van Persie knew he couldn’t finish Holland’s final training session before the team flies out to Brazil with a missed penalty.
The Manchester United striker was one of four Dutch players practising spot-kicks at end of a session open to fans at AZ Alkmaar’s AFAS Stadium but crashed his shot against the post with Louis Van Gaal watching on.
There was a shake of the head, a tussle for the ball with Nigel De Jong, then a successful strike from 12 yards by Van Persie to put him in a positive frame of mind ahead of the heightened pressure to come.
Hitting the woodwork at the World Cup is a rather different affair to this send-off in front of 5,000 or so Dutch supporters happy to cheer and clap.
There is a friendly against Wales in Amsterdam on Wednesday night first, before the flight to Rio on Thursday, but this was a chance to give the Dutch public a glimpse of what they can expect across the Atlantic.
Van Gaal’s likely starting XI engaged in a game of eight versus three to stretch the defence in a manner similar to how Spain might. The teams face each other in their opening World Cup game on June 13.
Aston Villa’s Ron Vlaar and Stefan De Vrij, of Feyenoord, were pulled one way then the other by Van Persie, Wesley Sneijder, Arjen Robben and company (including Norwich City’s Leroy Fer) in a crowd-pleasing drill that saw plenty of goals.
Van Gaal, on his way to Manchester United once the tournament is over, will deploy a 5-3-2 system in Brazil with attacking wing-backs in Daryl Janmaat and Daley Blind.
Although Swansea’s Jonathan De Guzman sat out he should soon be fit and is expected to play in that midfield trio behind Robben and Van Persie.
In a quick passing routine the national captain looked sharp and well over his injury that restricted his playing time under David Moyes. He will just hope there are no further penalty blemishes.
Meanwhile, Van Gaal believes he has a happy camp as the World Cup draws near - and he intends to keep it that way by winning.
The Dutch may have a reputation for attractive football but some of their previous tournament challenges have been undermined by infighting within the squad.
Van Gaal experienced such disharmony himself during his first unsuccessful stint as national boss, when Holland failed to qualify for the 2002 World Cup.
The 62-year-old is not sensing any problems this time round as his squad prepare to fly to Brazil on Thursday and he feels he has a duty to make sure that remains the case.
Van Gaal, who will take over as Manchester United manager after the World Cup, said: ‘It’s also dependent on the management, it is not only the players. I think it is about the relationship between a manager and his squad.
‘In my first episode there was that (disruption) but I have understood now. They like me now.
‘I feel there are not any problems. We have a very good relationship.
‘But it is also dependent on the results. At this moment we don’t lose so much.’
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