The preliminary selection of the Dutch national team for the exhibition match against Spain and the UEFA Nations League matches with Bosnia and Herzegovina and Poland has 34 players. One of them is left back Daley Sinkgraven, who has never been in the (pre) selection of the Dutch national team before. Feyenoord goalkeeper Justin Bijlow returns to the pre-selection for Orange after more than two years.

The presence of Sinkgraven in the pre-selection of Oranje surprises Kwakman. “No, I don’t think it makes sense. Why not? Well… ”, the former soccer player sighed on Sunday evening. “We have of course done a lot of German football FOX Sports and I found it absolutely unconvincing. I didn’t like him in the Europa League either. He’s been injured every time. Maybe it is a signal to Sinkgraven. Like ‘at least we have you on the radar’. Then it might be understandable. ”

“I don’t see a left back for the Dutch national team in Sinkgraven”, Kwakman emphasized. Perez then seriously wondered who came up with the idea behind a pre-selection and why it actually exists. “You can name 24 names and then use 18 football players?” He openly wondered. “Pre-selection is really… who cares. Should we now discuss people who will not be selected? ”

“There are just a lot of players with whom the national coach has worked”, Perez continued when Jan Joost van Gangelen mentioned the name of Javairo Dilrosun. The attacker, now playing for Hertha BSC, made the switch from Ajax’s youth to Manchester City’s in 2014. “Davy Klaassen is back. Dilrosun who hardly plays for Hertha ”, Perez summed up. Partly due to injuries, Dilrosun has indeed not been on the grid for more than 46 minutes so far this season, including 30 minutes in the Bundesliga in the past seven days.

“I really don’t understand that Dilrosun is there and Cody Gakpo isn’t there”, Kwakman said. “I don’t know if that has to do with the Dutch Juniors.” Perez: “De Boer has worked with these players and he prefers that. But again: it is a preselection”, The Dane ended jokingly.

The full pre-selection:

Target: Marco Bizot (AZ), Justin Bijlow (Feyenoord), Jasper Cillessen (Valencia), Tim Krul (Norwich City).

Defense: Patrick van Aanholt (Crystal Palace), Nathan Aké (Manchester City), Daley Blind, Perr Schuurs (both Ajax), Denzel Dumfries (PSV), Hans Hateboer (Atalanta Bergamo), Daley Sinkgraven (Bayer 04 Leverkusen), Joël Veltman (Brighton & Hove Albion), Stefan de Vrij (Internazionale), Owen Wijndal (AZ).

Midfield: Donny van de Beek (Manchester United), Mohamed Ihattaren (PSV), Frenkie de Jong (Barcelona), Davy Klaassen (Ajax), Teun Koopmeiners (AZ), Marten de Roon (Atalanta Bergamo), Pablo Rosario (PSV), Kevin Strootman (Olympique Marseille), Tonny Vilhena (Krasnodar), Georginio Wijnaldum (Liverpool).

Attack: Ryan Babel (Galatasaray), Steven Berghuis (Feyenoord), Steven Bergwijn (Tottenham Hotspur), Memphis Depay (Olympique Lyon), Javairô Dilrosun (Hertha BSC), Luuk de Jong (Sevilla), Donyell Malen (PSV), Quincy Promes (Ajax ), Calvin Stengs (AZ), Wout Weghorst (VfL Wolfsburg).