ROBBEN DOUBTFUL FOR ARMENIA QUALIFIER

Supersport, South Africa
Sept 1 2005

Chelsea winger Arjen Robben is doubtful for the Netherlands’ World
Cup qualifier against Armenia on Saturday with an ankle problem.

The Dutch are already without striker Roy Makaay, who left their
training camp in Noordwijk earlier on Thursday because of a knee
injury.

Maakay will return to his club, Bayern Munich, for treatment and is
due to contact the Dutch team’s technical and medical staff on Sunday
to decide whether he will play against Andorra next week.

Robben will have a fitness test on Friday on the ankle injury he
sustained in a Premier League game against West Bromwich Albion
last week.

“Arjen trained separately today but he did well and proved fit in
controlled training without any ball contact,” coach Marco van Basten
told a news conference.

“Tomorrow after the group training we will take a decision about the
coming match but we have some good alternatives.”

Arsenal winger Robin van Persie could replace Robben on the left
flank for his first start.

Defenders Tim de Cler and John Heitinga and midfielder Nigel de Jong
were dropped by Van Basten, who reduced his squad from 23 to 19 men.

“We made this choice because the other players are better and also
because we want two substitutes, one right and one left footed,
for every line,” the coach said.

The unbeaten Dutch are top European Group One a point ahead of the
Czech Republic. They play Armenia away on Saturday and then host
Andorra four days later in Eindhoven.

Squad:

Goalkeepers: Edwin van der Sar (Manchester United), Henk Timmer
(AZ Alkmaar)

Defenders: Giovanni van Bronckhorst (Barcelona), Jan Kromkamp
(Villareal), Barry Opdam (AZ Alkmaar), Khalid Boulahrouz (HSV Hamburg),
Wilfred Bouma (PSV Eindhoven), Theo Lucius (PSV Eindhoven)

Midfielders: Hedwiges Maduro (Ajax Amsterdam), Wesley Sneijder
(Ajax Amsterdam), Denny Landzaat (AZ Alkmaar), Rafael van der Vaart
(Hamburg SV), Phillip Cocu (PSV Eindhoven)

Forwards: Ryan Babel (Ajax Amsterdam), Robin van Persie (Arsenal),
Arjen Robben (Chelsea), Dirk Kuyt (Feyenoord), Ruud van Nistelrooy
(Manchester United), Jan Vennegoor of Hesselink (PSV Eindhoven)