Teun Koopmeiners had to give some explanation to some teammates at the Dutch National Team about his statement that he is disappointed that he has not been called up for the Dutch national team. The AZ midfielder emphasizes that this will not be at the expense of the Dutch Juniors, which will participate in the European Under-21 Championship next week.
Koopmeiners said Sunday after the top match in the Eredivisie between AZ and PSV (2-0) against ESPN is disappointed that he has to miss the start of the qualifying series for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar with the great Orange, which will be competing against Turkey, Latvia and Gibraltar at the same time as the group stage of the European Under-21 Championship.
“Some questions were asked about when they arrived here in Zeist and that in itself is logical”, Koopmeiners told NU.nl on Monday. “Only here I am not at all with an unpleasant feeling. I thought it was important to say how I am doing this week. I deliberately did that in front of the camera, so that it would come across with the right nuance.”
Koopmeiners called national coach Erwin van de Looi last week when it became known that he is going to the European Championship with the Dutch Juniors. Van de Looi and fellow national coach Frank de Boer are of the opinion that it is good for the development of the AZ captain, who so far played one international match for the Orange, that he will play games at a final tournament.
“That was a decision that I did not see very positively,” says Koopmeiners. “Erwin fully understood me. We didn’t necessarily have to say anything, because there was no issue, but we just wanted to talk about it before the start of the European Championship. It would also have been strange if I wasn’t disappointed. I was not allowed to join the Dutch national team. “
Teun Koopmeiners hands out autographs to a few fans.
Teun Koopmeiners hands out autographs to a few fans. Photo: Pro Shots
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‘I’m thinking about a transfer’
Koopmeiners hopes to continue his excellent form this season at AZ at the European Championship. The 23-year-old controller is the club top scorer of the Alkmaarders with seventeen goals in all competitions, fifteen of which in the Eredivisie, and therefore sees the interest of the foreign club growing.
“You know how it works in the football world. If you score a lot, the phone is already ringing off the hook. I am thinking about a transfer. In any case, I will make a nice ending with AZ and in the summer I will focus on the Dutch national team. I’ll see what will happen next, “he says.
“I am convinced that I can reach the absolute top. It does not matter whether the outside world agrees or not. I know what is currently going on in the background, so that makes it easier for myself to think. what I can achieve. “
The Dutch Juniors will open the group stage of the European Championship against Romania on Wednesday, followed by duels with Romania (Saturday) and Hungary (next Tuesday). The numbers one and two of each group qualify for the quarter-finals, which will be played together with the semi-finals and the final from May 31 to June 6 in Hungary.
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