Ronald Waterreus believes that Louis van Gaal and his goalkeeper coach Frans Hoek are making a mess of it with the the Dutch squad. The former PSV goalkeeper understands little of Hoek’s selection policy, who, according to him, has now damaged three keepers. “It has become a dovecote with those keepers, I find that really objectionable,” says Waterreus in the Skiete Willy Podcast.
Van Gaal leaves a large part of the goalkeeper policy to Hoek, who is what Waterreus is aiming for. The former international saw how Mark Flek was passed by Jasper Cillessen after Justin Bijlow’s cancellation for the crucial game against Norway (2-0). “That Jasper has kept goal and done it properly is okay. It has paid off, but I do wonder how Mark Fleks is feeling now.”
“The original selection included Bijlow, Fleks and Joël Drommel,” explains Waterreus. “Who would you have lined up if the same had happened to Bijlow? Would you have flown in Jasper and immediately put him in the goal? It is understandable that you do not let someone make their debut in such a match, but why do you take him? I think it’s all too much of a good thing. It’s become a bit of Circus Frans Hoek and I think that’s very bad.”
Waterreus thinks it is commendable that Van Gaal expresses his confidence in Hoek. “It is great that you make a goalkeeper coach autonomous and the man undoubtedly knows a lot about it, but I have the impression that he has forgotten one thing: it is about the keeper, not the goalkeeper coach. Now we have five international six (in fact five, ed.) goalkeepers, at least three of which are quite damaged.”
It is incomprehensible to Waterreus that there is no more clarity about the goalkeepers at the Dutch. “Why is there so much talk about goalkeepers, what is that good for? We just have an excellent goalkeeper. Bijlow has now proven himself and will probably be number 1 in the coming years. And with Jasper Cillessen we have someone on hand who can help you can put any desired moment in the goal, he proved that yesterday. Meanwhile, we are talking about it, that you think: what is it all about?”
Waterreus sympathizes very much with Fleks and Drommel, who, according to him, have not been treated correctly at the Dutch. “They praised Mark Fleks so much that they didn’t dare to set him up yesterday. A boy like that gets damaged by that,” said Waterreus. “As a former goalkeeper, I am quite agitated about this, because I think that someone like Drommel has also been treated very unkindly. Is he still ill? Why else would you have to call Tim Krul up again, while he wanted to be left alone. you tell me.”