Hartley: I'll be doing World Cup homework on Holland

Jun 8 2008 Paul Hartley

BIG Jan Vennegoor of Hesselink told me earlier in the season he'd get me tickets if I wanted to go to the European Championships and take in some games.

It was kind but I didn't think I'd take him up on his offer.

Then MailSport offered me the chance to be a columnist during the tournament and that was the signal to get on the phone to my new best friend.

I'll be heading out to Switzerland this week and the match I'm most looking forward to is Holland v France on Friday night in Berne.

Jan has sorted my ticket for the hottest game in town and I just hope he remembers to put in a pass for the players' lounge as well.

That's the least he can do after my corner-kick set him up for Celtic's title-winning goal against Dundee United.

I was fortunate enough to be at the 2006 World Cup in Germany with MailSport and loved the atmosphere of the whole occasion.

I'm sure it will be the same this time but much as I will enjoy myself out there I'm also looking on it as a working week.

Holland are in our section for the World Cup qualifiers and seeing them in action will be much better than just watching on TV.

We might not be playing them until March but as far as I'm concerned preparation starts now.

The Dutch will have their new manager in place by then - as Bert van Marwijk takes over from Marco van Basten - but the squad will be much the same.

Robin van Persie, Rafael van der Vaart, Arjen Robben and Wesley Sneijder will be major players in the qualifiers.

I will watch them on Friday night and look to identify their strengths and weaknesses.

It will be good to find out if they prefer to play the ball wide and attack the full-backs or try to pass through the middle.

I may be playing as Scotland's holding midfielder against Holland and I want to know who will operate in that area. So I'll be in the stand, probably with a pen and notebook, taking down notes.

The 2010 World Cup could be my last chance to play in a major tournament and I'm desperate to make it to South Africa.

Holland will be favourites in our section but we can do it. We came so close to reaching Euro 2008 and when I see France take the field on Friday there will be a feeling of what might have been.

We beat Raymond Domenech's men twice in qualification yet it still wasn't enough.

France have quality players and I can't believe some people have written them off.

It has been said too many of their players are past their best but I don't agree.

Lilian Thuram, Claude Makelele and Patrick Vieira are top pros and know what's required on this stage.

The French old guard can inspire their country to success and are definitely not a hindrance.

However, I don't think France will win it. I fancy Germany and have backed them to triumph.

I watched the Germans closely in the last World Cup and they impressed me.

Jurgen Klinsmann assembled a good young squad and they have grown into a top side under the guidance of Joachim Low.

They have quality players in Michael Ballack and Bastian Schweinsteiger and goalscorers in Kevin Kuranyi, Lukas Podolski and Miroslav Klose.

Germany will also have terrific backing as the finals are so close to them - some of their matches will feel like home games.

But they face stiff competition and several countries have what it takes to lift the trophy.

My mate Jan and his Dutch team-mates have the ability to do it. And maybe the fact boss van Basten won the trophy for them 20 years ago as a player is an omen.

Time will tell and I can't wait to get out there to find out.