Ronald Koeman has led the criticism aimed at Ryan Gravenberch after the new Liverpool midfielder rejected his latest international call-up.
Gravenberch had been named in the Netherlands U21 side for the upcoming international break for their games against Moldova and North Macedonia in Euro U21 qualifying, but rejected the call in order to focus on Liverpool.
He has just joined the Reds in a £35million move from Bayern Munich on transfer deadline day last week, and told the Dutch FA that he wanted to prioritise adapting to his new club during the Premier League‘s two-week hiatus and therefore made himself unavailable for selection.
Though the news may come as a blessing to Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp, who will have his new midfielder working at the club while the majority of his team-mates are away, the decision hasn’t gone down well in the Netherlands camp.
Senior manager Koeman said that he was ‘not happy with Ryan Gravenberch refusing to play for his country’ – adding that his assistant Nigel de Jong had contacted the Liverpool man regarding the decision – while U21 assistant manager Michael Reiziger also slammed the decision.
‘I don’t think it’s a good decision, I told him that. I really don’t think it’s good’, Reiziger said via VI.
‘For a national team, for your country, you have to play with your heart. Not with your head. So you really have to want to be there.”
Credit: dailymail.co.uk
