The tension has subsided somewhat for the time being around the Dutch national team now that the European Championship ticket has been received, but that does not apply to the Dallinga family from Groningen.
Father Eisse-Reint of brand new Oranje client Thijs Dallinga is a guest in the Radio Milko podcast this week and talks in detail about how his son managed to make it to the Dutch national team. The big question of course is whether it will happen on Tuesday evening?
After Thijs Dallinga was called up for the first time for the Dutch team by national coach Ronald Koeman last week as a replacement for the injured internationals Brian Brobbey and Steven Bergwijn, the 23-year-old striker of Toulouse FC remained on the bench against Ireland on Saturday. But the fact that the Netherlands definitively qualified for the European Championship in Germany thanks to a goal by Wout Weghorst means good news for Dallinga and his supporters, according to football reporter William Pomp.
“It is almost inevitable that Thijs will make his debut for the Dutch team on Tuesday evening in Faro against Gibraltar,” Pomp estimates. “Just put yourself in the shoes of the national coach. Qualification is a fact. From now on, the focus is on the European Championship. Dallinga is of course not included in the selection for nothing. He could be an option for the European Championship selection next summer. Koeman will certainly want to know how Thijs manifests himself among all those internationals in the Dutch team. There’s only one way to find out. This is the time.”
Pa Dallinga remains quiet on that point, but he does have wonderful stories about his pride. For example, he reveals why 23-year-old Thijs always looks up after every goal. You hear it www.dvhn.nl or via the well-known podcast apps in a new episode of Radio Milko.