After his outstanding role against RKC Waalwijk (6-1 win), Jasper Cillessen reacts publicly for the first time to the lack of an invitation for the the Dutch squad at the World Cup in Qatar. The NEC goalkeeper picks up in the interview ESPN reporter Hélène Hendriks directly. “You also said things about me,” said Cillessen.
On Friday, the veteran Frans Hoek, goalkeeper coach at the the Dutch squad, was told that he is not in the final World Cup selection. “Then it becomes black before your eyes and the ground sinks under your feet, because this was my goal. Unfortunately, you then have to move on. I will keep what exactly was said in that conversation internally. Enough has been said about it by the media. and everything and everyone.”
An emotional Jasper Cillessen after the support of the @necnijmegenfans??????? pic.twitter.com/jZAjk1nb4A
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For example, it was discussed in several talk shows that Cillessen would not be an ideal second keeper, because the goalie would have difficulty accepting that role. “Whether what was said in the media is correct? You are the media yourself,” Cillessen told Hendriks. “You’ve also said things about me, I don’t know if you think they’re right. You also said I’m not a nice person and things like that. You said that.”
Hendricks disagrees. “I don’t think I said that,” the reporter said. “I never say about someone whether he is a nice person or not. What I have said is that if you are not a first keeper, but a second, you have to deal with it in a certain way…”
Cillessen does not think that this is a good argument at all. “I did that at Barcelona, didn’t I?” Cillessen was Marc-André ter Stegen’s stand-in in Catalonia. “I don’t think it’s an argument, but okay. How that image came about? I don’t know, you have to ask others. I have also spoken to people who do not agree with it.”
On Sunday, Cillessen got his money’s worth with an excellent performance against RKC. Afterwards, the keeper was loudly sung to by the NEC audience. “I was really looking forward to it and if you are sung to like that, then that is very special. A lot has happened in the past period. You will not be in the cold clothes. Of course I had bad news on Friday. you have to turn the button and then you have to perform today Fortunately I managed to do that How I did that, turn that button Cry and carry on, it’s as simple as that I have trained fully, because playing football is the best thing I can do.”