Coach Marco van Basten has stamped his unique authority on this Dutch side, reports  Emmet Malone

AMID ALL the hype surrounding their first few performances here, it's worth remembering that the Netherlands also made a decent start to the 2006 World Cup finals in Germany. Briefly, they were regarded as potential champions and excitement back home soared. After the team went out in less than exemplary fashion to Portugal in the second round, however, the supporters went back about their business and out of the shadows stepped a few people keen to settle scores with the coach Marco van Basten upon his return home.

Edgar Davids was one of those to jostle his way to the front of the queue, and after moaning about the way he had been treated prior to the competition by Van Basten in an open letter published by the Dutch magazine Voetball International, the then Tottenham midfielder turned his attention to the team's performances at the finals. The coach's decisions, he said, had been based on "romance and idealism", and the resulting shortcoming had been entirely "predictable".

By then Van Basten, two years into what had been billed from the outset as a four-year project to rejuvenate and refocus the national side, had already fallen out with a string of senior star players.

His decision to replace Ruud van Nistelrooy with the less talented but much more compliant Dirk Kuyt for the game with Portugal prompted a falling out with his top scorer but certainly conveyed the desired message, one underlined by the fact that Kuyt is just about his most used player.

Van Basten and Van Nistelrooy eventually made up, the striker returning after an 18-month absence, but the pair now have what is described as an entirely "business" relationship.

A measure of how different is the attitude of this squad's younger players to the authority of their coach came this week when Robin van Persie was asked about the prospect of finding himself on the bench again despite having played so well here when given the opportunity.

"I accept any decision by the coach," remarked the 24-year-old. "I am confident he will do whatever is best for the team. I trust him unconditionally."

Having made it entirely clear he was interested only in those players willing to accept his terms and high standards, Van Basten has, it seems, excluded the disgruntled and been left with a squad prepared to work together toward a common goal.

There have been reports of the way in which team spirit has been fostered within the group. Those late for training or meetings, for instance, apparently have to tell jokes until their team-mates laugh. But it's this intolerance of dissent on the part of Van Basten, once an opinionated senior pro himself, that appears to have made the real difference.

"Criticism and negative opinion can be fine," he now insists, "but if it's within the group and divisive, then I'll act."

Where some of his predecessors have found themselves reduced almost to negotiating with senior players, Van Basten's confidence regarding his position is clear when he talks about the possibility Rafael van der Vaart might take on a slightly more defensive role within the side for this evening's game against Russia.

"Rafael," he observed coolly, "will do what he has to do."

This might all be more difficult to sustain if it were not for certain key factors. Firstly, after a frustrating qualifying campaign, Van Basten sat down with his four most senior players to discuss what tactical changes might be introduced to improve performances. Ironically, Seedorf was among those to be consulted along with Edwin van der Sar, Van Nistelrooy and Giovanni van Bronckhorst, but the gesture was well received, within the camp as well as outside it, among supporters and critics.

Secondly, the result of the meeting was a shift to a 4-2-3-1 that has enabled the Dutch to play to their strengths (attack) while better covering up their weaknesses (defence). It is, if you like, an impressive blend of romance and pragmatism.

The players now believe in what they are asked to do with not only the likes of Van Nistelrooy, Wesley Sneijder and Arjen Robben excelling but also less-celebrated team members like Andre Ooijer, Khalid Boulharouz and Nigel de Jong.

Van Basten's commitment to attack is also popular, not least with Van Persie, who remarked after being brought on against France when the defence appeared to need reinforcement: "We were under pressure and clinging on to our lead - I'm not sure that there is another coach in the world who would have put on a player like me at that point."

So far it has all worked out well; the pundits (even Johan Cruyff) are talking the team up and the fans are getting excited again.

There is little to suggest, however, that the pressure has been taking any toll on Van Basten. He has looked particularly relaxed in his press conferences since coming to this championship, happy perhaps that when it is out of the way he and his assistant John van't Schip will return home to take over at Ajax.

It's no great surprise that Van Basten isn't keen on risking outstaying his welcome.

Speaking about his time under Arrigo Sacchi at Milan, after the pair had fallen out badly and the coach rather than the star players had been sacked, he complained of how all of the team's preparations had come to seem routine and boring.

"The team started to play too much with the head and not enough with the heart," he said. "In football that is bad because you must have passion."

There will, no doubt, be plenty of that on display tonight.