Euro 2008 - Four axed by Netherlands

Eurosport - Fri, 16 May 13:56:00 2008

Netherlands coach Marco van Basten has dropped four players from his provisional squad for Euro 2008.

2007 Netherlands Hedwiges Maduro - 0

Midfielder Hedwiges Maduro (pictured), defenders Urby Emanuelson and Kew Jaliens and forward Danny Koevermans were left out when van Basten trimmed his squad to 25 players.

The quartet join Milan veteran Clarence Seedorf, who withdrew on Tuesday from van Basten's original list of 30 for personal reasons, in no longer being in the reckoning for the definitive squad of 23.

Van Basten will name official squad for the June 7-29 tournament in Austria and Switzerland on May 28, the deadline date.

The bulk of the squad will assemble on May 20 with several exceptions due to club commitments.

Goalkeeper Edwin van der Sar will play for Manchester United against Chelsea in the Champions League final in Moscow on May 21 and Jan Vennegoor of Hesselink, Ruud van Nistelrooy, Wesley Sneijder and Arjen Robben are still involved in the run-in to the Scottish and Spanish league championships.

Sevilla defender Khalid Boulahrouz, who missed a major part of the season through injuries, will also be present on May 20 to undergo a fitness test.

The Dutch will play warm-up friendlies against Ukraine on May 24, Denmark on May 28 and Wales on June 1.

They face world champions Italy, 2006 World Cup runners-up France and Romania in Euro Group C.

Squad - Goalkeepers: Edwin van der Sar (Manchester United), Maarten Stekelenburg (Ajax ), Henk Timmer (Feyenoord), Sander Boschker (Twente )

Defenders: Wilfred Bouma (Aston Villa), Tim de Cler (Feyenoord), John Heitinga (Ajax), Joris Mathijsen (Hamburg), Mario Melchiot (Wigan Athletic), Andre Ooijer (Blackburn Rovers)

Midfielders: Ibrahim Afellay (PSV Eindhoven), Giovanni van Bronckhorst (Feyenoord), Orlando Engelaar (Twente), Nigel de Jong (SV Hamburg), Denny Landzaat (Feyenoord), Wesley Sneijder (Real Madrid), Rafael van der Vaart (Hamburg), Demy de Zeeuw (AZ Alkmaar)

Forwards: Ryan Babel (Liverpool), Klaas Jan Huntelaar (Ajax), Dirk Kuyt (Liverpool), Ruud van Nistelrooy (Real Madrid), Robin van Persie (Arsenal), Arjen Robben (Real Madrid), Jan Vennegoor of Hesselink (Celtic)

Reuters