Martijn Krabbendam is surprised that Jerdy Schouten was not called up for the Dutch national team by Ronald Koeman. The journalist from Football International believes that the 26-year-old PSV midfielder ‘may come closest to the way Frenkie de Jong plays’. “On his own level, of course,” says Krabbendam.
The Dutch team will have to do without a number of big names in the coming international match. In addition to De Jong, Matthijs de Ligt, Memphis Depay and Cody Gakpo, among others, are also absent due to injuries. “The loss of De Jong is the greatest,” says Krabbendam.
“That forces Koeman into a midfield with which you try to bring back De Jong’s qualities. He didn’t participate away from France and you immediately saw what a difference it makes. I am surprised that Schouten is not among them,” the journalist continues.
“He plays excellently at PSV and is a game accelerator. He perhaps comes closest to the way De Jong plays, at his own level of course. I’m looking through that selection again now and I think: I’m overlooking it now? I really don’t see him there. I find that very striking.”
Krabbendam also sheds light on Nick Olij, who makes his debut in the final selection of the Dutch team. “It is striking and not striking,” he says about the selection of the Sparta Rotterdam goalkeeper. “As a national coach you look at which players are in shape. You include that in your selection.”
“Olij would normally not be eligible for the Dutch selection. You have problems with Andries Noppert who is not in shape, Bart Verbruggen does not always play, Mark Fleken has not had a flawless international match with the Dutch team… Then of course you have to do something as a national coach. As a national coach you have to anticipate this. Then you just choose the Dutch goalkeeper who is in shape and that is Olij,” Krabbendam continues.
“Whether you should position Olij equally? Well, why not? Verbruggen doesn’t play every week at Brighton and Flokken didn’t look that reliable against Ireland. I just don’t know whether you should throw Olij to the lions against France in such a big match. They will think about this very carefully during the training camp,” the journalist concludes.