CONSTANTA - Ryan Babel was omitted from Holland's team for Saturday's Euro 2008 qualifier with Romania because of oversleeping, according to Oranje coach Marco van Basten.
Van Basten picked Real Madrid's Arjen Robben in place of Babel as a punishment after the Liverpool player twice missed team meetings.
Van Basten said: "It was the second time that Babel overslept on a match day. That should never happen.
"That's why I left him out of the team. Robben trained hard and he is fit, so he played instead."
The Holland coach admitted Babel might feel deflated by the snub.
He said: "It is very well possible that Babel feels disappointed. It is also not my style to handle these kinds of things this way. But we also expect that players obey rules during a match.
"The first time that he arrived too late, he settled the matter with a joke.
"The second time he joined us too late for the meal and that was a bit too much. He has to appear on time, just like all the others."
Babel, 20, came into the match in the 78th-minute as substitute for Robben but could not prevent the Dutch from losing 1-0 to Romania in a clash between the two group leaders in Group G. Dorin Goian scored the only goal of the game.
Romania need five points from their last three games to be sure of qualifying for Euro 2008 while Holland are only two points ahead of third-placed Bulgaria.
