Friday, May 14, 2021 at 4:17 PM• Dominic Mostert • Last update: 16:31

Calvin Stengs was left out on Friday with the announcement of the pre-selection of the Dutch for the European Championship. The AZ attacker, Frank de Boer’s son-in-law, has not impressed enough to be elected in the eyes of the national coach in recent months. AZ trainer Pascal Jansen calls the bad news ‘disappointing’, but understands why De Boer has not selected his pupil.

“I just spoke to him at the Covid test. It’s very simple: whoever has a place in the selection is also entitled to it”, Jansen says in preparation for the closing league match of AZ against Heracles Almelo on Sunday. . “In this case, in the eyes of the national coach, Calvin enforced too little to be able to claim that selection.” Jansen can ‘imagine something’ in De Boer’s choice. “Calvin is not in a European Championship form.”

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The seven-time international of the Dutch was unable to break pots on Thursday in the away match against FC Groningen (0-0) and that was certainly not the first time that his form left much to be desired. “No, it’s something Calvin has been struggling with for some time. He’s struggling to really tap his own top level every time. But okay, these are phases he has to go through. Now it’s time for him to come to terms with this disappointment. That is today’s reality “, the AZ trainer knows.

“It has been a topic of discussion for quite some time. Calvin and I look together at what he is facing. How he can at least keep his lower limit at the right level. Calvin has to ensure that he starts making outliers again”, says Jansen, who sees the European Under-21 Championship as a tool for his pupil. After all, Erwin van de Looi included Stengs in the pre-selection for the knockout phase of the European Championship. “Then he will have to bring it there. He will have to prepare for it mentally and physically. And make sure he does well there.”