Fuelled by a past fallout with Ronald Koeman, Joey Veerman is seizing his international recall to silence critics and cement his place in the new-look Oranje midfield.
Johan Derksen has offered a more nuanced assessment of Joey Veerman after the former PSV midfielder returned to the Netherlands squad under new head coach Xavi Hernandez.
Veerman was previously left out of the Netherlands setup by Ronald Koeman, with the former national team coach repeatedly citing concerns about his character. Derksen backed Koeman’s decision at the time, but the midfielder’s return has prompted a different discussion.
Veerman came off the bench against Germany before earning a starting place in the Netherlands’ 2-1 victory over Serbia in Belgrade. His performance has attracted praise, although questions remain over his role and defensive contribution.
Derksen Highlights Veerman’s Motivation
Speaking on Vandaag Inside, Derksen suggested that Veerman is now particularly motivated by the desire to prove his former coach wrong.
“He is still working on something somewhere. He is optimally motivated, because little by little he is proving Koeman wrong.”
Derksen believes the strained relationship with Koeman remains an important source of motivation for Veerman, while also maintaining that Koeman’s original concerns were not without foundation.
“That is of course his driving force, because he is hurt by Koeman. And Koeman was right, of course, about what he takes issue with.”
The comments represent a more complicated view from Derksen than his previous criticism of the midfielder. Last May, during an edition of Vandaag Inside in Curaçao, Derksen had defended Koeman’s decision not to select Veerman for the World Cup.
With Xavi now in charge, Veerman has been given another opportunity to establish himself in Oranje.
Valentijn Driessen has welcomed his return, pointing to the midfielder alongside young players such as Mexx Meerdink and Ruben van Bommel as evidence of a renewed group.
“I really enjoyed that Mexx Meerdink. It’s just nice that you’ve got a number of new players and you can also see that everyone wants to embrace that team again, with that Meerdink, Ruben van Bommel and also Joey Veerman,” Driessen said, as quoted by PSV Inside.
Driessen also argued that Veerman should continue to play while Frenkie de Jong is unavailable, highlighting his passing and relatively low turnover rate.
Veerman’s Comeback Still Draws Criticism
Veerman played a role in the winning goal against Serbia, finding Guus Til with a pass that ultimately led to Meerdink’s decisive strike.
However, Feyenoord icon Willem van Hanegem remains unconvinced that the midfielder should immediately be regarded as a solution for Oranje.
“And Joey Veerman sometimes plays a pass to a teammate, yes. Is that allowed? Stop now and pretending right away that he is now going to make the difference.”
Van Hanegem also questioned Veerman’s awareness without the ball, arguing that the midfielder can sometimes struggle to recognise where opponents are approaching from when receiving possession.
René van der Gijp, meanwhile, was critical of the Netherlands’ overall performance against Serbia despite the victory, pointing to the amount of possession lost during the match.
Veerman’s return has therefore produced contrasting assessments. His technical qualities and passing have earned recognition, while his defensive awareness and ability to perform consistently under pressure remain subjects of debate as Xavi reshapes the Netherlands midfield.
