Khalid Boulahrouz's selection hokey cokey with Netherlands coach Marco van Basten has ended with the defender firmly on the front foot and stepping back into the squad for UEFA EURO 2008™.
Ins and outs
The versatile 26-year-old has returned to the national-team fold as a replacement for the injured Ryan Babel, only four days after being cut from the squad at the last minute. Boulahrouz was released as Van Basten dropped one last man in order to nominate his 23-player squad on Tuesday. He had only been accommodated within the coach's 30-man preliminary party because of fitness concerns surrounding fellow defenders André Ooijer and Mario Melchiot.
Total recall
With Melchiot convincing the Oranje training staff of his fitness, Boulahrouz fell at the last hurdle earlier in the week, only to be reprieved today after forward Babel damaged ankle ligaments in training. The Chelsea FC centre-back or full-back, who spent the season on loan with Sevilla FC, has 22 caps – the last of which he won against Ukraine last week. "He made a good impression," Van Basten said.
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