Hans Kraay junior: 'This is a truly unbelievable decision by Xavi!'

Xavi has yet to start his first international camp as Netherlands head coach, but one decision by the Catalan is already drawing heavy criticism on ESPN. In Goedemorgen Eredivisie, Hans Kraay junior said he cannot understand why virtually every national team training session is taking place behind closed doors and called it a huge missed opportunity.

Appointed in August, Xavi has selected 26 players for his first international period. The Netherlands face four Nations League matches in the coming weeks.

Kraay says he would have liked to see up close how the Spaniard works during this spell. "Nobody knows what kind of coach he is, how he trains and what he trains. Is he someone who is right on top of things, or a coach who puts an arm around someone? We don't know."

Over the next two weeks, 13 training sessions are scheduled, according to Kraay, but not one of them is fully open. "Either it is closed, or closed, or you are allowed to watch for 15 minutes. I find it truly unbelievable," fumes the ESPN analyst.

"At all 13 of those training sessions, of which a few are open for 15 minutes, you see a warm-up, a rondo and maybe a game of tag. After that you see a head coach with his hands behind his back."

For Kraay, the KNVB are doing a disservice not just to the media but above all to the supporters. "I think it is such a missed opportunity by the KNVB. Especially for parents with young children who come to the Netherlands national team. That as a little footballer of ten, 11 or 12 in your Netherlands shirt you cannot watch all your favourite heroes and the new head coach, I think that is an unbelievable missed opportunity."

Mossou agrees with that criticism and argues that the Netherlands national team should be treated differently from a club. "At clubs it has been the trend for years that everything is closed, but with the Netherlands national team something else still applies. You represent the country and are actually part of that country. That is why those training sessions simply ought to be open from time to time," the journalist states.