Rafael van der Vaart is particularly pleased with Memphis Depay. The former midfielder refers in the studio of the NOS to the interview of the Barcelona attacker after the international match between the Netherlands and Turkey (6-1), in which he was critical of his own performance despite three goals. Van der Vaart addressed Depay about the interview, but at the same time notes that it showed that he ‘has changed’.
“You know: I’m a big fan of his. Without him we are little. He’s what it’s all about, we can agree on that. If he is in shape, we have a good chance of indeed being the top team we need to be,” Van der Vaart begins when Depay is mentioned. Presenter Tom Egbers wonders whether Depay can ‘easily leave behind’ the struggling Barcelona.
With three goals, Memphis was the big man on the side of the the Dutch. However, he was very critical of himself afterwards. “I’m happy with the result, but I expect more from myself.”#nedtur pic.twitter.com/0EMgCKcz9F
— NOS Football (@NOS Football) September 7, 2021
“That’s the great thing about international matches, that you get a escape if your club is not doing well. To clear one’s head and to play together with good players”, responds Pierre van Hooijdonk. Van Hooijdonk calls the fact that Depay was critical of his own performance after the match against Turkey (‘of course the level has to be better now and then, and then I mainly talk about myself’).
“You know what was fun? I ran away and then I ran into him,” says Van der Vaart about a meeting with Depay after the international match between the Netherlands and Turkey. “I said to him, ‘What are you talking about? You were really good’. No, he was still very critical of himself. Also beautiful, although it is easy to be critical of yourself if you have played well. He has just changed: he looks at us and is aware of the fact that he is a good player and an example for a lot of people.”
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