Xavi Simons causes great irritation with boycott of the Dutch national team
Tuesday, March 26, 2024 at 10:30 PM
Xavi Simons also refuses to speak to the Dutch press with the Dutch national team. According to Pascal Kamperman, the attacking midfielder feels unfairly treated by the media, but the ESPN reporter has little understanding for this.
“It’s a bit strange,” says Kamperman, who will be present in Frankfurt on Tuesday evening for the friendly match between Germany and the Netherlands. Simons started on the bench and came on at the end of the match.
“Simons believes that there has been too much criticism of him,” the reporter continues in conversation with Jan Joost van Gangelen. Simons previously refused to talk to the Dutch press after the Champions League match with his RB Leipzig against Real Madrid.
After the match against Scotland (4-0 win), Simons was again criticized, partly because of the many losses of ball that the attacking midfielder suffered. “I understand that it hits him hard every now and then,” says Kamperman.
Kamperman wonders whether Simons will gain much from a boycott. “He said that he does not want to talk to the Dutch press. I don’t know if that is all that useful.”
Vincent Janssen stood up for Simons on Tuesday. The Royal Antwerp FC striker criticizes the Dutch media. “I think it’s terrible how I deal with Dutch players,” Janssen said in conversation with Het Laatste Nieuws.
“Those guys on TV talk about players in a rude way, just to win viewers,” Janssen thinks. “I played a World Cup with Xavi Simons, who is just a good boy and a good football player. Then he has a bad match with the Netherlands and he is immediately completely criticized.”
Kamperman responds to Janssen’s words. “In the case of Simons, that is not after just one match, because in the Dutch team it is always not possible for him. Simons no longer wants to talk to the press, Janssen no longer wants to play in the Eredivisie… I would say: Let’s see it on the field first and then we’ll see.”
2024-03-26 21:30:00
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