Xavi Hernandez's appointment as head coach of the Netherlands has left Wesley Sneijder fuming. The former midfielder tore into the Dutch Football Association's policy on coaching licences, pointing to what he sees as a glaring contradiction in how coaches are treated.
Speaking in comments reported by French website "Foot Mercato", Sneijder claimed Xavi picked up his A, B and Pro coaching licences in just four weeks. He found that strange given the conditions the Dutch Association had previously imposed.
The former Inter Milan star explained: "Xavi obtained the A, B and Pro coaching licences within four weeks. I find it very strange that they would choose a coach who does not even meet the requirements of the Dutch Football Association itself."
His own experience could hardly have been more different. Sneijder said the Association told him he needed a training programme spanning several years. Fast-tracking the licences was no longer possible, they insisted, because of UEFA regulations.
The former Dutch international made clear he was not questioning Xavi's coaching abilities. His beef is with the way the Association handles licensing, something he knows all too well. His own coaching career ended in 2021 after a dispute with the Association over his demand for more tailored support for former players with great experience.
"I wish the same for Xavi, and for the Dutch Association too, but I find it strange," Sneijder said, before rejecting the UEFA justification. "They say: the decision is from the Union of European Football Associations. That is not true."
Xavi's appointment has reopened the debate over coaching licence standards. It also raises a sharper question: just how consistently does the Dutch Association apply its own conditions from one coach to the next?