Johan Derksen has made his views on Wout Weghorst clear in the Groeten uit Grolloo podcast. The forward rescued a point for FC Twente against Ajax on Sunday (2-2), then prayed on the pitch with Tolu Arokodare, the visitors' striker.
On Monday, Derksen weighed in on Weghorst's prayers, which had drawn considerable attention after the high-profile match in Enschede. "He's getting crazier and crazier," he said. "What happened on Sunday borders on religious fanaticism."
Derksen went further: "Only people of Islam kneel on a mat. And they sit down and talk to the great leader. But it's unusual for a Dutch footballer to pray with an Ajax player after a match. And he deliberately does it in front of the camera," added the surprised analyst from Grolloo. "Because he knows he'll then be featured in all the media."
"Weghorst makes a great show of his faith. And I think that's somewhat misusing your faith. The lad can believe whatever he wants," Derksen continued.
Presenter Romke Hoogstra pointed out that some Netherlands national team players also pray, although they do so away from the cameras. "But they don't pray on the centre spot. And with an opponent, at that," Derksen countered.
"I think it was a pre-planned act. And I don't think you should use faith for that kind of publicity," Derksen concluded.
Ajax looked set to leave the Grolsch Veste with a 1-2 win. But Lucas Rosa pulled Ramiz Zerrouki's shirt deep into stoppage time and Weghorst converted the resulting penalty, denying them victory.