Robert Maaskant believes Michael Reiziger had a better football career than Xavi, the former coach said on a Sportnieuws podcast.
Two weeks ago, the KNVB appointed Xavi as Ronald Koeman's successor with the Netherlands national team. Before that, the association had held talks with Reiziger about the role.
In the end, the job went to Xavi, much to the relief of many Dutch people. Maaskant cannot understand the enthusiasm around the Spaniard at all.
"We all agree with Xavi because he had such a great playing career, but Reiziger perhaps had an even much better career," Maaskant begins.
That claim clearly catches the presenter off guard and he seems unable to believe what he is hearing. "They played at the same club," adds the former coach of, among others, NAC and RBC.
"We really need to stop judging coaches on their playing career. What I also find problematic, and that shocked me, is that he speaks such poor English," Maaskant continues about Xavi.
"I would find that very strange in terms of communication. It is a requirement that you can communicate with your team. Maybe there are three who speak Spanish, but then you might just as well have taken Reiziger: he speaks Spanish just as well," he concludes.
Xavi won the Spanish title eight times during his playing career. He won the Champions League four times and the 2010 World Cup. Reiziger won the Champions League once, with Ajax, and became Spanish champion twice. With the Netherlands, he won no trophies.