René van der Gijp questions the goalkeeper’s distribution skills despite his international heroics, sparking a heated debate over whether the Czech international truly fits Peter Bosz's system.
René van der Gijp has criticised Matej Kovar's footballing ability, with the former PSV player questioning whether the goalkeeper is suited to playing out from the back.
Kovar remains PSV's first-choice goalkeeper under Peter Bosz and played an important role in Czechia's qualification for the 2026 World Cup.
The 24-year-old was particularly influential during the play-offs. He saved two penalties in the semi-final against Ireland before making another crucial save against Denmark in the final. That allowed former PSV midfielder Michal Sadilek to score the decisive penalty and send Czechia through to the tournament.
Despite those performances, Kovar has remained a subject of discussion among some PSV supporters. Van der Gijp also raised concerns about the goalkeeper during the KieftJansenEgmondGijp podcast.
The discussion initially centred on Feyenoord's goalkeeping situation and the decision to let Justin Bijlow leave. Van der Gijp argued that Feyenoord should have retained the Dutch goalkeeper rather than continuing with Timon Wellenreuther.
“I would never have let Justin Bijlow go. I’ve said that once already, but I would never have let that Bijlow go, because I didn’t think the other one was as good. That wasn’t all that great and then I would have kept that Bijlow. Otherwise you have to take another one again.”
As relayed by PSV Inside, Van der Gijp then turned his attention to Kovar, specifically questioning his distribution and involvement in PSV's build-up.
“I don’t think that goalkeeper for PSV is a real powerhouse either. I’ve seen a couple of times that he wants to play along, from the back, but that he shoots the ball into the stadium.”
Kovar's ability as a traditional goalkeeper has generally been less questioned. His performance against Sparta Rotterdam earlier in the season showed both strengths and weaknesses.
He was involved in the opening goal of the 4-1 victory after PSV were caught out, with Sergiño Dest also involved in the sequence. Kovar subsequently recovered, making several important saves as PSV came back in the match.
His role remains central to Bosz's approach, with PSV regularly asking their goalkeeper to participate in the build-up. Van der Gijp specifically criticises Kovar's execution when he is asked to play with his feet, rather than his ability to make saves.
