Johan Derksen has his doubts about the appointment of Xavi Hernández as head coach of the Netherlands national team, he said on Vandaag Inside. According to De Snor, a far more logical option was available closer to home.
That option was Mark van Bommel, now Belgium head coach. The 49-year-old was available last summer, but the KNVB did not place him among their leading candidates. In Belgium, Van Bommel now appears to be held in high regard.
"Mark van Bommel has gone down well there," Derksen begins, pointing to Kevin De Bruyne's revival. Belgium's key man made it clear in the national media last week that he is very pleased with Van Bommel's way of working.
"Afterwards, you ask yourself why the KNVB did not take him," Derksen continues. "Then they always have all sorts of reasons why they do not do that."
"Xavi seems like a very decent man to me. I do not know who picks the line-up, but he probably does not even know them yet," said Derksen, who also cannot imagine that the experiment with Teun Koopmeiners at the back came from Xavi.
By the time of the broadcast, Belgium were 1-0 up against France. The match would eventually end 4-1 in the French side's favour.
Belgium have six points in Group A of the Nations League after four matches. France lead the group with ten points, followed by Italy on seven. The top two go through to the quarter-finals. That leaves Belgium's final two group matches as crucial.