Last August, the Dutch TV pundit tore into Ajax Amsterdam's 30-year-old summer signing on NOS. "I also have to say that I was irritated by the people who were absolutely delighted with the transfer," the former Hamburger SV playmaker said of ex-Dortmund player Brandt.
Van der Vaart felt the attacking player had fallen short of his old level during his final spell at Borussia Dortmund. He also said Brandt should be glad to wear the Ajax Amsterdam shirt at all and called the midfielder "a bit of a fair-weather footballer".
Brandt's performances in the Netherlands have since changed van der Vaart's mind. At the opening of an artificial-turf pitch in Hamburg last week, the TV pundit said: "He's brilliant. He's Ajax's best player."
For Brandt, sudden swings in media opinion are nothing new. Asked about van der Vaart's praise on the "Spielmacher" podcast, he responded calmly: "It swings very, very quickly. That's the first time I've heard that," he said.
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Pundits have scrutinised Brandt throughout his career, often disagreeing over his performances. He's learned to shut out the noise. "Last time, when he made a different statement, I was confronted with it a lot too. I don't know, I'm always like: 'Just leave me alone with that rubbish,'" Brandt said.
Even so, Brandt welcomed the former Hamburger SV player's change of heart. He keeps his distance from outside assessments, but smiled as he said: "That's good for me."
Brandt, who signed with Ajax until 2029, has made 15 appearances for the Amsterdam club so far. He has scored eight goals but is still waiting for his first assist.