For Joey Veerman, the round of 16 match against Romania at the European Championship (0-3 win) was his rehabilitation in the Dutch national team. The PSV midfielder made his comeback as a substitute and afterwards talks about his experiences in the past turbulent week.

Veerman was substituted in the 35th minute against Austria (2-3 loss). He did not speak to the media for a week after that, but after his excellent substitution against Romania, Veerman was at the table with NOS-reporter Jeroen Stekelenburg.

Veerman has no explanation for his weak performance against Austria. “I understand that you ask questions about it, but I drew a line under it after the family day. I don't have much use for looking back on it. It just wasn't a nice day.”

Veerman started against Romania on the bench as expected. “It was a question whether I would be allowed to come on, but I am very happy that I was allowed to come on for 25 minutes. Then you are looking for certainties, for simple things, I think I did that.”

Shortly after his entrance, Veerman could have scored. “That chance should have gone in. I scored it once, at Feyenoord away against sc Heerenveen. It needs a bit more curve. It's not much different.” The ball just went wide.

Veerman was not surprised by his reserve spot against Romania. “You always want to play, of course, but it would be a bit naive to expect me to start in the first team now.”

Veerman received little of the criticism from Valentijn Driessen

After his early substitution against Austria, The Telegraph-journalist Valentijn Driessen even about the possible 'end of Veerman's international career'. Remarkably, Veerman himself did not notice anything of this.

“Normally I see all kinds of things in the media, but after that day I just said to myself: I just turn off my internet. That is not possible in full, because you still hear some things, but I really did not read most of them. I think that really did me good, when I hear it like that,” Veerman refers to Driessen's quotes, which were repeated by Stekelenburg.

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