Patrick Kluivert was in the frame to become Senegal's new manager. Mike Verweij revealed that on the Kick-off podcast of De Telegraaf. The 50-year-old Amsterdammer was also an option to become assistant coach of the Netherlands national team, so he did not respond to Senegal's interest. In the end, Senegal appointed Patrick Vieira.
Two weeks ago, after a long search, it was announced that Xavi Hernández is the new manager of the Netherlands national team. His assistants are now also known: Sergio Alegre, Óscar Hernández, Ruud van Nistelrooij and Adil Ramzi.
Verweij describes the whole process around the appointment of the Dutch national team's technical staff as a "kindergarten". “Through intermediaries, Patrick Kluivert was also told by the KNVB that he was a leading candidate to become assistant coach. But he was also under consideration to become Senegal manager,” Verweij says.
He says Kluivert turned that down because he was waiting for a call from Nigel de Jong. “But he let that pass because he was waiting for a call from Nigel de Jong. I think Patrick Kluivert was better suited than Ruud van Nistelrooij. But whether you take him or not: that is Nigel de Jong’s choice. He is in charge of that, that is fine. But at least have the decency to give someone a call.”
What surprises Verweij most is the choice of Van Nistelrooij. “You can also choose not to take someone into your staff who has the same agent as you. That agent cannot be blamed for putting Ruud van Nistelrooij forward. That is Rodger Linse, not coincidentally also Nigel de Jong’s agent.”
He also questions Van Nistelrooij's track record with the Netherlands national team. “That is just very strange. Because based on what Ruud van Nistelrooij has achieved with the Netherlands national team: under Guus Hiddink and Danny Blind they did not qualify for Euro 2016, in 2021 it was not a great success under Frank de Boer, and now with Ronald Koeman.”
Verweij then adds another anecdote. “And this is quite a funny anecdote as well,” Verweij continues. “Because I was also called this morning by a number of people. These are people around the Netherlands national team. And first of all: Ronald Koeman decides the line-up. But Virgil van Dijk and Ruud van Nistelrooij argued for five defenders against Morocco.”
That, Verweij says, shaped the Netherlands' World Cup exit. “So his input at the World Cup led to the Netherlands being eliminated. Nigel de Jong knows that, and still chooses Ruud van Nistelrooij. Probably because he has the same agent.”