Newcastle United defender Sven Botman was ‘absolutely right’ to turn down a call up to the Netherlands youth setup in the last international break.
That’s according to Voetbal International journalist Suleyman Ozturk, who believes the decision has turned out well for him.
Botman was called up by Netherlands U21 last month but turned them down and remained at Newcastle.
He cited a preference to focus on his club football and aim for a call-up to the senior international side, feeling that he was well beyond U21 football at this stage of his career.
Botman was heavily criticised in the Netherlands for that choice, with many seeing it as disrespectful to his country and the manager.
Indeed, it has been suggested the decision could cost him a place in Louis van Gaal’s squad for the World Cup in Qatar.
That doesn’t appear to have happened as he’s been shining for Newcastle in recent weeks and was called up to Van Gaal’s provisional squad last week.
His plan appears to have worked and Ozturk believes he deserves praise for going through with it.
“He did not do so because he suffered from a torn toenail or felt too big as a Premier League player for the practice internationals against Belgium and Romania.
“He made it clear to Van de Looi that he wanted to use the two weeks of the international period to convince Newcastle manager Eddie Howe that he can call on him as a regular partner of Fabian Schär.
“He was in the starting line-up for five league games in a row in October and impressed again against Tottenham last weekend.
“In the duels before, he took on Aleksandr Mitrovic, Ivan Toney, Cristiano Ronaldo and Dominic Calvert-Lewin. Famous strikers, some in form, all with different profiles.
“I think Botman became much wiser from the encounters against Fulham, Brentford, Manchester United, Everton and Tottenham than the experience he’d have had gained against Louis Munteau and Yorbe Vertessen.
“According to Socrates, self-knowledge was the beginning of all wisdom. By calling Van de Looi and explaining his situation, Sven Botman showed leadership.”
