While the Irish have been struggling to motivate themselves in front of poor crowds at the Valley in London, the Dutch have been coping with public neglect rather nicely this week with the star-studded Euro 2004 hopefuls beating the Faroe Islands 3-0 in front of just 2,200 in Lausanne.

Brian Kerr, of course, has another three months before he will have to pick a competitive team, while the Dutch are keenly aware that Dick Advocaat will name the 11 players to take on the Germans in Aveira in less than two weeks' time.

The difference was all too apparent in the performance, with his players looking anxious to impress against the part-timers, who will be among Ireland's opponents in the next World Cup qualifying campaign.

Perhaps the greatest beneficiary of the game was Bayern Munich striker Roy Makaay, who will now get a final chance to stake his claim to a starting place against Germany when Advocaat's side take on Ireland in the Amsterdam Arena tomorrow night.

The 29-year-old is likely to start alongside Ruud van Nistelrooy for the home side as Advocaat makes the most of this last opportunity to weigh up his options ahead of next week's trip to Portugal. The former Rangers manager remains uncertain about which strikers to play in the championships because of Patrick Kluivert's continuing battle to shake a knee injury and rediscover some form.

Kluivert described his own performance in the defeat by Belgium last weekend as the worst of his international career and things didn't improve much for him in Lausanne, where Makaay came on at half-time as Advocaat switched teams completely.

The Bayern striker marked the appearance with a fine goal and the Dutch manager said afterwards he had earned his right to a start in the Ireland game.

Advocaat has said more than once he did not think Kluivert and van Nistelrooy could play together because of their respective styles but he has repeatedly sought to give them more time to gel because of impressive strike rates at international level, with both averaging around a goal every other game in a combined total of more than 100 matches.

The visit of the Irish may also provide a clue to the fortunes over the course of the European championships of Milan midfielder Clarence Seedorf, who was reported in the Dutch media yesterday as having said he would no longer play on the right side of the team's midfield. Seedorf wants to play in central midfield just behind the strikers, a position Advocaat prefers to reserve for rising Ajax star Rafael van der Vaart.

"If we play one system (the 4-4-2 he favours) then I have my team in mind for the championships," said Advocaat, clearly suggesting Seedorf would be disappointed.

"But," he added in an obvious attempt to placate the vastly experienced but persistently controversial 28-year-old, "if we play another system then it could change."