Steven Bergwijn, a player in the Netherlands national team, has criticised coach Ronald Koeman’s comments that his transfer to Saudi Arabian club, Al-Ittihad, would mean an end to his selection for the Dutch squad. Bergwijn, formerly a player at Ajax Amsterdam and Tottenham Hotspur, was snubbed from the recent line-ups for the Nations League matches against Bosnia & Herzegovina and Germany due to his move, as revealed by Koeman in a press briefing on Tuesday.
During this briefing, Koeman had commented that Bergwijn’s switch at age 26 should have been driven by sporting advances rather than financial gains, saying, “The book is basically closed to him. He knows what I think about this.”
Feeling aggrieved by his coach’s remarks, Bergwijn conveyed his resentment via an interview with Dutch newspaper De Telegraaf on Friday. He argued that the Saudi Arabian competition was highly competitive and questioned Koeman’s insinuations about his motives.
“I am done with someone who deliberately portrays me like that in the media,” he retaliated. Bergwijn was taken aback by the coach’s claims, suggesting that a considerate national coach would have sought his perspective before announcing it to the public. He was left disappointed by the fact that he had to learn about his coach’s sentiments from a televised press conference.
In spite of their shared success in the past, Bergwijn voiced his disappointment with Koeman, whom he accused of poor player management.
Koeman, while admitting he hadn’t read Bergwijn’s feedback, confessed during his press conference on Friday, ahead of the Bosnia match, that it did not come as a surprise.
Refusing to be drawn into further discussions, Koeman dismissed reporters’ queries by stating, “I’ve made my stance clear on my sporting aspirations. If I had suggested it was a significant progression, that would have been preposterous. Let’s refrain from exaggerating the matter. I stand by my statement.”
Matthijs de Ligt, the defender, is set to receive a second opportunity with the Dutch national team having been overlooked during Euro 2024. While De Ligt, a recent addition to Manchester United, saw no action during the tournament held in Germany from June to July, opportunities have opened up for him. He is tipped to partner with Virgil van Dijk in a central defence role for the forthcoming match against Bosnia & Herzegovina this Saturday, following Stefan de Vrij’s exclusion from the team.
Recalling a conversation with De Ligt before his move to Manchester United, Koeman noted, “We discussed his potential move and his situation in the European Championship. I did not offer Matthijs much encouragement prior to the Championship, I chose Stefan de Vrij instead. However, it’s now Matthijs’s chance to prove himself, given the other available talent for the position. I’m eager to see Matthijs return to his previous form.”
At 25, De Ligt who first represented the Netherlands in 2017 at the tender age of 17, has secured 45 national caps, many during Koeman’s initial term as manager from early 2018 to late 2019. However, his national appearances dwindled to five post the 2022 World Cup in Qatar as he grappled with challenges at Bayern Munich.
Koeman might also consider awarding Brighton & Hove Albion’s centre back, Jan Paul van Hecke, his first cap. Van Hecke joined the squad as a late substitute due to an injury. Koeman praised Van Hecke’s performance at Brighton, where he has spent over a season, stating, “He’s displayed significant maturity and makes wise decisions when in possession. It’s good to see.”
According to Koeman, the upcoming three months of Nations League matches herald a fresh phase, culminating in the 2026 World Cup finals in North America. He commented, “We’re introducing new players, and this will alter the team dynamics. The progress we’ve made this week is very satisfying.”
In terms of strategy, the Dutch intend to use a similar approach to their German campaign, the coach noted. “Given the players who have recently signed up and those expected over the next couple of years, I believe we can maintain our current course. Our team has the potential to improve our high-pressure game, but this would necessitate certain alterations. Although we’ve been working on this, there’s still room for improvement,” he remarked.
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