Orange fever goes to Dutch fans' heads

AMSTERDAM, May 25 (Reuters) ''It's war,'' laughs entrepreneur Florian van Laar when asked about his battle with a rival for the heads of Dutch World Cup fans.

Van Laar's orange World War Two style helmets have been banned by the Dutch soccer authority (KNVB) as insulting to the German hosts of next month's finals, but that has not stopped him selling almost 250,000 of them in a patriotic country where rivalry with its eastern neighbour runs deep.

''The helmet is a bit controversial. It hints at Germany, it hints at our national team of course -- but really it's just harmless fun,'' van Laar said.

A fellow Dutch businessman, scandalised by the helmet's success, has designed an alternative aimed at the more sophisticated patriot and sales of his orange beret are gathering pace.

''To me the helmets are insulting. My grandparents suffered during the war and I think they are in poor taste,'' said Egbert van Keulen. ''I don't want to see them in stadiums.'' What van Keulen does want to see in stadiums is a sea of orange-clad Dutch fans proudly singing their national anthem.

That is why he has had the lyrics stitched on the inside of every beret -- a useful aid for fans as they rise to their feet for the anthem before each game.

''It drives me mad if the national anthem is starting and you see the Dutch are unable to sing because they've never been committed enough to learn,'' van Keulen sighed.

A lion from the standard of the House of Orange, the line of Dutch Queen Beatrix, is also embroidered on the beret.

CONSERVATIVE PEOPLE Van Laar, however, is unimpressed.

''Who'd want to wear a beret?'' he said. ''The soccer fan wants to be a bit obnoxious...he doesn't want to look sophisticated.'' In the small, densely-populated country of 16 million, exuberant displays of emotion, patriotism and fervent loyalty to the House of Orange come only during sporting events and Queen's Day, the celebration of a former monarch's birthday.

MORE REUTERS AY VC1005