Jerdy Schouten came back to the Eredivisie partly to make his return to the Dutch national team and has achieved his goal after just three months: the PSV defensive midfielder has been included in the Dutch squad by Ronald Koeman. Remarkably, Koeman more or less admits that playing for a top Dutch club helps to get into the picture.
Schouten has been praised from all sides in recent years for his play at Bologna. Yet the defensive midfielder only played once for the Dutch team during his time in Italy. That was in June 2022 during the Nations League match with Wales (1-2 win) under national coach Louis van Gaal.
Eighteen months later, Schouten is back in the Dutch national team and can prepare for a second and possibly third international match. The Dutch team will play the last two matches of the European Championship qualifying cycle, at home against Ireland on Saturday and away at Gibraltar on Tuesday.
Schouten confirmed on camera on Sunday ESPN that his choice for PSV had to do with his ambition to play for the Dutch national team. “That was one of the reasons to come back, for sure.”
Koeman was asked on Tuesday why Schouten did not receive an invitation when he played in Italy. “If Bologna had played in the Champions League, it wouldn’t have mattered,” said Koeman. “Then I don’t mean to say that the Italian league is not strong. I once spent a week in Italy when Memphis was injured and then I went to watch Justin Kluivert at AS Roma – Bologna. Then Jerdy played at Bologna and he was the best man on the field.”
However, that was not enough for Schouten to be called up at the time. “The choice then fell on others. When you return to the Netherlands you are even more in the picture,” Koeman surprisingly admits.
“And of course playing at Champions League level. I don’t lose sleep over a match at national level in which PSV wins very easily. I do watch, but I don’t think that is the norm. I think the norm is mainly Champions League level, and only partly national level.”