Ronald Koeman received quite a bit of criticism on Wednesday because of his analysis about the start of the the Dutch squad at this European Championship. The former national coach of the Dutch national team does not understand much of the euphoria that arose after Sunday evening’s 3-2 victory over Ukraine. Johan Derksen wholeheartedly agrees with Koeman’s words. The analyst also thinks that the atmosphere in the Netherlands is far too positive after the cramped victory in the opening game of the group stage.
“People are very positive. That surprises me. I didn’t see it so positively… I liked the second half, but it’s only 3-2. And Ukraine is not a country that will go very far,” said Koeman at the NOS. “I think the Netherlands can go far, but then things will definitely have to be better. Yesterday (Tuesday, ed.) I saw France-Germany. That was a few levels higher. But the Dutch team can do that. But that has to improve Let’s hope they get very far,” said Koeman.
Ronald Koeman responds: ‘To my knowledge, it is largely finished’
The former national coach does not fully understand the euphoria surrounding the Dutch.
Derksen is sometimes critical of Koeman’s functioning as a Barcelona coach, but this time he completely agrees with the former national coach of the Dutch national team: “I agree one hundred percent, he says exactly as it is”, it sounds like Thursday evening in the run-up to the match against Austria at The the Dutch Summer. “We are going crazy again. If that one header (from Denzel Dumfries against Ukraine, ed.) does not go in, the whole country will be in mourning. Then we have played 2-2 against a banana republic.”
Unlike Derksen, Van der Gijp understands why a positive atmosphere has arisen after the victory in the opening match of this European Championship: “It is part of it, that euphoria when we win. Then it is all just a bit better than that. it is. Yeah, well you know, come on. There’s nothing against it either. We’re in a huge cunt pool and imagine you’re playing your worst game of the tournament tonight. You can only have had it. Then you go still over in three or four days. In principle, it doesn’t matter that much.”
Wim Kieft describes Koeman’s words about the Dutch as ‘real’. “That’s allowed, right?” the analyst wonders aloud. “He can give his opinion in peace,” Derksen adds. “Even if he was a national coach himself and had problems at Barcelona. Then you can have an opinion, right?” Van der Gijp then looks back on Sunday’s meeting with Ukraine. “Until that weird goal by Yarmolenko we completely dominated that game. We also said ourselves that after seven minutes we could have been leading 4-0. You have nine chances that you should actually make, suppose you make five or six of.”
Pierre van Hooijdonk bows to the NOS also about Koeman’s statements about the Dutch. “Yes, he is right,” concludes the former international. “But that does not mean that the country should not react so euphorically. We have also seen that the Netherlands has given away quite a few chances against Ukraine. The system has to be even better if you want to have a chance against the really big countries.” Presenter Tom Egbers then asks Rafael van der Vaart whether it is appropriate what Koeman says about the game under his successor Frank de Boer.
“I did not expect it. He is always a bit politically correct”, Van der Vaart expresses his surprise. “I thought this was a very remarkable interview, even though he is right. I also said: ‘Ukraine, Austria, North Macedonia, what are we worried about?’ We are happy, but that is also part of a tournament. How long has it been since we played a European Championship at home? Because of that euphoria, the players will play better,” said the former midfielder who currently operates as an analyst.
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