Sander Westerveld believes that Maarten Stekelenburg did not get the most out of his career. In the view of the former goalkeeper, the current first keeper of Ajax and the Dutch national team could and perhaps should have followed record international Edwin van der Sar. Van der Sar came to no less than 130 international matches in his career, a Dutch record, while Stekelenburg will play his 63rd international match against the Czech Republic on Sunday.
Six months ago, no one foresaw a return of Stekelenburg to the Dutch, let alone as the first goalkeeper. Due to André Onana’s doping suspension, he suddenly became Ajax’s first keeper and Jasper Cillessen dropped out of the the Dutch squad due to corona. The choice of national coach Frank de Boer for the 38-year-old closing post is justified, Westerveld judges. “When you see how he is performing now . . . He is the ideal goalkeeper for me, he has everything a good goalkeeper needs,” he said on Sunday at the YouTubeshow by Football International.
Westerveld knows that Stekelenburg has kept very little in recent years, although form is not very important for keepers, according to the former international. “It remains a goalkeeper. They can be injured all year round and be completely fit just before a European Championship, they need less competition rhythm. Form is not so important.” The former goalkeeper is of the opinion that Stekelenburg did not get the most out of his career. “He could have been a record international, maybe he should have been. I don’t think he’s ever signed anywhere just to sit on the bench.”
Westerveld cites Carlo Cudicini as the prime example of a keeper who was satisfied with a reserve role. “When I played at Liverpool he became the Premier League’s best goalkeeper in 2000 or 2001, but Chelsea bought Petr Cech after that. Weird move, but Cudicini stayed on the bench behind Cech for three or four years.”
“While he could have become the first goalkeeper at any other top European club. Never caught. Imagine: Pieter van de Hoogenband trains for hours for the Olympic Games, is completely ready, but then he sits down in the stands and someone else goes swimming his race. Well, you have that feeling every week as a second goalkeeper.”
Stekelenburg disappeared from the Dutch national team after October 16, 2012, after the 1-4 win over Romania. The counter stood at 54 international matches. He returned to the Dutch in October and November 2016, only to disappear from view again. The the Dutch squad has played 105 international matches since October 16, 2012: Stekelenburg made only 8 appearances during this period.
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