... not too pleased with Brazil
STUTTGART: Johan Cruyff, twice a World Cup finalist with the Netherlands in 1974 and 1978, said Thursday he had been ?pleasantly surprised? by the opening games of this World Cup but disappointed by Brazil.

?The level of football is good across the board, even very good. Several teams are playing a much more attacking style than expected,? said Cruyff, speaking here ahead of Friday?s Group C match between the Netherlands and Ivory Coast.

?Italy, Spain and Ghana have really seduced me. However, I?m a little disappointed by the showings of Brazil, in particular, and Portugal.

?It was a real hash. Brazil showed very little (in scrambling to a 1-0 win over Croatia) and Portugal even less, but then we are only at the start of the tournament.?

Cruyff praised the Germans, who have posted wins over Costa Rica (4-2) and Poland (1-0), as ?very fresh. Not always efficient but nice to watch. It?s good for the tournament?.

On the Marco van Basten-coached Dutch side, Cruyff said he was confident the team would only improve.

?The first match (a 1-0 win over Serbia and Montenegro) was very good and I think the team will get better and better.

?The media have highlighted the performance of Arjen Robben in attack. But I was especially impressed by the work of the defenders.

?John Heitinga, Andre Ooijer and Joris Mathijsen have never played a big tournament but they gave the impression of being very mature.?

He insisted he had confidence, like van Basten, in the likely return to form of Manchester United striker Ruud van Nistelrooy, who was largely ineffective against the Serbs and replaced after 69 minutes.

Van Basten deserved to be praised for installing his own game style after just two years in charge, Cruyff added.

?It?s evident on the pitch and in the dressing room as well. The atmosphere seems excellent and that?s very positive.? Van Basten has bid to bury the infighting that has bedevilled Dutch squads in previous World Cup campaigns.

He controversially ditched the old guard, leaving at home such seasoned campaigners as Edgar Davids and Clarence Seedorf, often linked to dressing room dissent, and brought on board a raft of talented youngsters.

The Netherlands go into Friday?s group of death match against Ivory Coast seeking a win that would almost certainly book their passage into the second round of the World Cup.

But Cruyff warned that the west Africans would provide stiff opposition.

?Ivory Coast surprised me against Argentina (despite losing 2-1). They have power and technique. But their inexperience was clearly a downside.

?They are undoubtedly dangerous opponents. They have not had their last word and I cannot wait to watch a match which should be very open.?