According to Dutch media outlet voetbalzone, Ronald Koeman has faced a lot of criticism since the World Cup, but his agent Rob Jansen has now revealed what the Dutch coach is most bothered by.
Agent Rob Jansen believes that it's too simplistic to place Ronald Koeman solely on the blame for the Netherlands' poor performance in this World Cup. The Oranje ultimately lost to Morocco in a penalty shootout in the Round of 32, thus being eliminated.
In the match against Morocco, Koeman employed a different tactic. Previously, the Netherlands had used a 4-3-3 formation throughout the group stage, but against Atlas Lions, they switched to a 5-3-2.
Following their elimination from the national team, Koeman's tactical changes drew heavy criticism, ultimately leading him to resign as head coach. Koeman's agent, Jansen, defended the 63-year-old coach in an interview with the Dutch newspaper Algemeen Dagblad.
Jansen said, "It's too easy to point the finger at Ronald alone. This is a collective disappointment, involving the players, the entire coaching staff, and the technical management."
According to Jansen, Koeman truly believes he can lead the Netherlands to world championships in the United States. "I have no doubt about that. It's just that he sometimes gets a little tired of you guys—the media, the ridicule, the negativity. Perhaps from that perspective, he's somewhat burnt out. But honestly, how can you blame him?"
Regarding the tactical change that has drawn criticism, Koeman previously explained: "We chose to play this way because we gave our opponents too many chances in the first three games. You can ignore that and continue with the old approach, but I think it's the coach's responsibility to make changes at times like this. This isn't a temporary fix, and I genuinely appreciate this formation."
However, Telegraph reporter Mike Fairwey revealed on the Telegraph's podcast "Kick-off" in late August that the five-defender plan was not Koeman's own idea. "Let's be clear: Ronald Koeman made the final decision, but Virgil van Dijk and Ruud van Nistelrooy both suggested that a five-defender formation should be used against Morocco."
Surprisingly, Javier Hernandez has succeeded Ronald Koeman as the Netherlands national team coach. The Spanish manager will make his debut in charge of the Netherlands in the UEFA Nations League match against Germany on September 24, followed by a match against Serbia on September 27.
