‘Frenkie de Jong did not decide on his departure from the Netherlands national team himself’
Frenkie de Jong's sudden withdrawal from the Netherlands squad has left John van Vliet and Danny Blind with questions. The Ziggo Sport presenter and analyst suspect FC Barcelona played a part in the decision not to take the midfielder to Germany, after he appeared fit against Greece on Friday evening.
During Friday's historic 7-0 victory over Greece, De Jong made his Netherlands return but stayed in the dressing room after half-time as a precaution. A day later, the KNVB announced that he had experienced minor discomfort after the match and would not travel to Berlin for Monday's Nations League match against Germany.
De Jong showed no sign of a possible injury after Friday's match. "I feel good, I'm feeling better and better. Of course, I've had an injury. It took a while, unfortunately, but that's just how it was. And now I'm simply getting fitter and fitter," he told Ziggo Sport reporter Sam van Royen.
Asked by Van Royen whether he could play 90 minutes on Monday, De Jong remained cautious. "Yes, we'll have to see. I can say yes now, but if I end up playing 60 minutes... So we'll just have to see over the next few days," he said, giving no indication that he would miss the Germany match altogether.
A day later, De Jong had been sent home, to Van Vliet's surprise. "This was last night after the match. This isn't someone you looked at and thought: well, we'll read on Saturday that he's going back home," the presenter observes.
Blind agrees: "No, so that is quite remarkable. Or perhaps he underestimated it a little himself. Perhaps he thought: I can feel something, but I won't say anything; it'll probably be fine. And it only became apparent later."
For Blind, Barcelona's involvement remains a possibility. "Or perhaps Barcelona had more to say after all," the former national team manager suggests, prompting an immediate response from Van Vliet: "That's what I think."
Blind continues: "That could be. There's still something outstanding with the KNVB, in a way, after last summer. So there has probably been contact from Barcelona. That could well be the case." He is referring to last summer, when De Jong played on with a meniscus injury during the World Cup and then needed months to recover.
Turning to contact between clubs and the Netherlands coaching staff, Van Vliet asks: "Does that happen? Because you've been on that staff and in that position yourself. Do clubs ever call beforehand, or even during a run of matches?" Blind explains: "Yes, but it always starts when there really is something wrong, you know. When there are aches and pains. Then it's simply doctor to doctor. And then it goes from the doctor to those in charge, and you can make agreements about playing time."
Van Vliet suspects there is more behind De Jong's withdrawal. "Listening to him here, I'd say, at least: he didn't decide this himself," he says. Blind agrees: "No, I don't think so either. I think they simply discussed it, and he will undoubtedly still be feeling something. Nothing major, in any case, that's certain."
