Driessen questions Van Dijk and Dumfries after shaky Netherlands displays
The Dutch pundit says Xavi Hernández has yet to improve Oranje and believes two senior defenders have become too secure in their starting positions.
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Valentijn Driessen has criticised the Netherlands’ early performances under Xavi Hernández, arguing that the new head coach’s ideas are not yet visible on the pitch. Speaking on Vandaag Inside, the De Telegraaf football chief said Oranje remain unstable and identified the defence as the team’s biggest concern.
Driessen was particularly unconvinced by the attempt to use Teun Koopmeiners in defence. In his assessment, that experiment failed, although Koopmeiners looked more effective after moving into midfield. He also pointed to Virgil van Dijk being deployed on the right side of the back line during his 100th international appearance.
The pundit believes Van Dijk and Denzel Dumfries face too little competition for their places despite the chances the Netherlands have conceded. “Those two are far too sure of their place,” Driessen said, as reported by Voetbalzone. His criticism of Van Dijk also followed a disagreement with the Oranje captain at a recent press conference.
René van der Gijp offered a broader assessment of the national team’s prospects, suggesting expectations may need to be lowered. He said reaching the European Championship semi-finals would represent an outstanding achievement. Johan Derksen added that the Dutch public still tends to view the national team as a title contender, regardless of its actual level.
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