Denmark go into their Group E opener against the Netherlands tonight determined to hit the ground running.
Denmark go into their Group E opener against the Netherlands tonight determined to hit the ground running.
"We are like 23 lions pacing around their cage hoping the keeper forgets to lock the door," said Denmark captain Jon Dahl Tomasson, throwing down the gauntlet to the Elftal in no uncertain terms.
The encounter at Soccer City in Johannesburg has a special edge to it, as in Tomasson (Feyenoord), Simon Poulsen (Alkmaar), Thomas Enevoldsen (Groningen), Dennis Rommedahl and Christian Eriksen (both Ajax) no fewer than five Denmark players ply their trade in the Dutch first division. "I've more or less become a Dutchman myself over the years," Tomasson told FIFA with a grin. "My heart belongs to Denmark, of course, but I've been living in the Netherlands for years and I know their culture very well."
Dennis Rommedahl takes a similar view: "Obviously I know all about the Dutch. I still play with one of two of their current team and some of their players are good friends of mine. So it's definitely a special game for me. But we'll come out on top in the end."
