Prem clubs will play more like Holland than Spain next season - and I'm all for it!

By Robbie Savage

Published 23:02 15/07/10

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If you loved Spain and hated Holland in the World Cup final I've got bad news.

When the Premier League season kicks off next month you'll be seeing a lot more teams play like the Dutch than the Spanish.

Johan Cruyff and Alan Hansen were among the pundits left flabbergasted and disgusted by the way Holland smashed into David Villa, Andres Iniesta. I'd rather have seen both sides play attractive, flowing football but I didn't share the pundits' indignation.

Don't get me wrong - Spain were the better team and are worthy world champions. But let's not hammer the Dutch for trying to win the way they did.

They'd obviously seen what their opponents did to Germany and decided the only way to beat them was to get in their faces. Which just goes to prove that even the best players will do whatever they can to win.

So when our new season kicks off, let's not moan when teams with the tiny resources of a Stoke don't play with the grace of an Arsenal.

I'm all for improving the technical skill of our young players, but let's not pretend that someone should sit down with Birmingham or Blackburn at the start of the season and order them to play pretty, possession football. They won't wear it, and neither will the fans.

We might not have the best technical league in Europe but we have got the most exciting and supporters will not stand for the painstaking football played by Spain, where the ball is played slowly through defence and midfield before play speeds up in the final third.

I know from personal experience. Nigel Clough likes us to keep the ball at Derby and we have had spells where we string 20 passes together - and our own fans boo!

British supporters like to see hard work and industry as much as they like stepovers and Cruyff turns. And I'm sure more people that let on agree with me and enjoyed Holland.

They even had a Robbie Savage figure as the pantomime villain in the shape of Mark van Bommel.

I was outraged with his continual fouling as was screaming at the telly for him to be sent off.

So now I know what it's like for you to watch me!

*****
Howard Webb is a lovely guy and he should be very proud of his performance in the final.

He didn't lose control as tempers flared. He didn't spoil the spectacle by sending Arjen Robben and Nigel de Jong off, as he might have done.

And he didn't make a prat of himself by giving one player three yellow cards, then flying home and appearing on every TV and radio programme going, unlike a former referee whose name escapes me.

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