Donyell Malen: ‘Not bothered by Frank de Boer’s verdict’ | Football

sport">The man who had wanted to keep very football-loving Netherlands on the field, went to the side as if he could not continue. “I thought: he is also emotional, because we were bowled out of the European Championship, which was super sour,” Malen looks back. “Emotional people sometimes don’t say the most sensible things, but it didn’t fascinate me. At Dortmund they already knew differently. My missed chance against the Czechs? That didn’t cross my mind much either, because it’s of no use to you as a player. Then you are in the way of yourself and others. It’s football. In a minute it went from ‘almost go through’ to ‘out’. Fortunately, we have the chance to show more at the World Cup within more than a year.”

sport">Under Louis van Gaal, the energy at Orange seems to have changed. “A different type of man, very clearly too,” says Malen. “Nice to work with, because he has won many awards and has been in the business for some years.”

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