Marten de Roon is not very concerned about the criticism of his performance in the Dutch national team. The thirty-year-old midfielder, on the other hand, finds it annoying that his loved ones are confronted with the discussion. “I am quite stoic myself: I know what my job is and what I have to do. It won’t always be sparkling and great, I’ll also play lesser matches. But I think I have shown my value every now and then,” De Roon stated during a press moment for the Dutch on Wednesday morning.
“First it was Pröpper, then Donny (van de Beek, ed.), Davy (Klaassen, ed.), Gravenberch. I am the first to admit that they are all good players who could play in my place. But I think it is not for nothing that I have always continued to play or have stayed with it”, says De Roon about the discussion about his position. “Then you have to do something right somewhere. I don’t think they select me on my nice character or appearance, but ultimately on what you mean to the team.”
“I don’t mind the discussion. It makes sense, those other guys have qualities. Anyway, I think sometimes I can say what I think of myself. Maybe I should stand up for myself more, maybe I’ve been too nice. That is why I say: fine if the discussion is there, but sometimes it is annoying for the people around me”, De Roon continues. He says he is used to the question marks around his person. “I think it’s been an issue ever since I joined. I feel very valued by my fellow players and the staff, that’s what I hold on to.”
“I don’t read too much media, because I know it’s always opinions. It doesn’t affect me so much, I rather think it bothers my loved ones. That they get something out of that,” says De Roon. Even after the last practice match in the run-up to the European Championship against Georgia, the midfielder’s play was widely criticized. Several analysts argued in favor of replacing De Roon in the the Dutch squad.
The eternal question mark at the Dutch: ‘That is undervalued in the Netherlands’
Last week, Voetbalzone wrote a background story about the role of Marten de Roon at the Dutch.
“I saw the first half again and I had a period of five minutes where I made four very sloppy passes. Two over the sidelines, one back to De Vrij. There are also two recaptures of the ball, which I try to respond to straight away”, De Roon analyzes his performance against Georgia. “It’s always something to say, ‘Yeah, lost the ball thirteen times’. I myself know which balls I should play better, but over the entire match I didn’t think it was that exciting and bad. I think it’s fine that the media magnifies it and puts a magnifying glass on it. It doesn’t matter that much.”
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