Kjell Scherpen’s inclusion in the Netherlands squad for the international break should be questioned, with the Brighton goalkeeper not good enough.
That’s according to Johan Derksen, via Mee Met Oranje, who believes Ronald Koeman should be questioned about the decision to include the Brighton man.
Koeman has been forced to look at his options in the goalkeeping department for this break as current number one, Brighton’s Bart Verbruggen, has been ruled out due to injury.
That’s seen him make the surprise decision to include Scherpen, who is yet to make an appearance for his country, although he does have 16 appearances for the U21s, the last of which came in 2023.
The goalkeeper is coming off the back of a strong season with Sturm Graz, where he’s been on loan from Brighton again after his initial loan last season was cut short due to a long-term knee injury.
The Brighton man managed eight clean sheets, and 55 goals conceded for the Austrian club this season in 40 games in all competitions, which included six appearances in the Champions League.
That was enough to convince Koeman to call him up, but Derksen is wondering why he’s bothered.
“Scherpen is a flawed goalkeeper who has not shown it anywhere yet”, he said.
“And when he was selected once, he made terrible blunders. How dare a national coach select Scherpen? Every Dutch goalkeeper in the Eredivisie is better than Scherpen.
“But Koeman will soon be unlucky enough to actually have to field Scherpen due to an injury. Scherpen has the wind in his sails, he has the height, looks like a goalkeeper, is misjudged by a scout and is then contracted (by Brighton). Then they want to get rid of him and keep renting him out. He is now playing in Austria, but he is not a goalkeeper for Oranje.”
