Two weeks before the first ball rolls during the World Cup in Qatar, Remko Pasveer celebrates his 39th birthday. Despite that age, the Ajax goalkeeper can hope for a place in the Orange selection. That’s what national coach Louis van Gaal said at the press conference prior to the Nations League game against Wales.
Pasveer missed the latter part of last season due to a broken finger. He previously surprised friend and foe with his strong performance in goal at Ajax. Reason why Van Gaal already included Pasveer in his pre-selection.
Jasper Cillessen and Mark Flek are the first two keepers in the current selection. Tim Krul was injured and was replaced by Kjell Scherpen, who moved on from the Dutch Juniors. According to the national coach, the best and fastest option because many football players are currently on holiday. Van Gaal is extremely satisfied with 62-time international Cillessen. “We are taking a risk with him because he hasn’t played all season.”
Orange better than in 2014
According to Van Gaal, the current Orange is better than the World Cup team that won the bronze medal in Brazil. “There is a big difference in quality in midfield and also in defense. The keeper is a question mark. Cillessen does deliver now, but Tim (Krul. ed.) is on the older side and that applies to Pasveer too. But Pasveer is a candidate.”
“Pasveer is on the older side, but a candidate”
Feyenoord keeper Justin Bijlow was not selected for the Orange squad, because he was out for a long time due to a foot injury. Former AZ goalkeeper Marco Bizot has not received an invitation since his transfer to the French Brest.
“In the vanguard, Robben and Van persie made the difference in 2014″, Van Gaal continues with the comparison of the Orange teams he coached in a final round. Bergwijn and Depay have now done that in a number of matches. That’s why I see it more positively. 2014 was a miracle. I think the material is better now. We can make sure that the best team will win. That’s what we’re working on.”
Different setup?
It is expected that Van Gaal will tinker with the basic formation who washed Belgium’s ears 4-1 in Brussels. Although the national coach did not want to go into that too deeply. “We’ll see. I don’t know how Wales plays, although I hear that the big boys wouldn’t play. Belgium was an intensive game. Four games in eleven days is of course not good. I try to do it in such a way that players don’t get overloaded.”
“I want to see if players can withstand the stress of the Dutch national team”
Apart from the physical load, Van Gaal also indicated that he wanted to give other players a chance. “I know everything about the players who played against Belgium. I want to see a lot of players and see if they can withstand the stress of the Dutch national team. Teun Koopmeiners, for example, is doing great at Atalanta, but did not reach his level with the Dutch national team. If I can draft those kinds of players, I will.”
Vincent Janssen married
Vincent Janssen, who was married in America on Sunday, is missing in Wales. He arrived in the Netherlands today and is in good physical shape, according to Van Gaal. The striker will have the opportunity to process his jet lag in the coming days, so that he is fit for the Nations League matches that the Orange will play on Saturday and Tuesday in Rotterdam against Poland and Wales respectively.
Wales – Netherlands start tomorrow evening at 8.45 pm. The Welshmen lost their first Nations League 2-1 to Poland.
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