Veerman makes his preference clear: ‘It would be nice if he became the new national team manager’

Joey Veerman

Joey Veerman is hoping for another chance with the Netherlands after Ronald Koeman's departure. The PSV midfielder told Eindhovens Dagblad. 

Veerman clashed with Koeman in recent months after the national team boss spoke critically about his character. Veerman then said Koeman "didn't need to call him again". Koeman has now left after the failed World Cup, and the KNVB are looking for a new national coach. 

"It was simply a shame that I wasn't involved and I especially found the reason that was more or less given strange," Veerman said. "If you don't select someone because he lacks certain qualities, that's fine. It didn't seem that way in my case, but maybe I'm mistaken."

"I watched the matches with friends in the pub and that was enjoyable. You can jump up and down all you like, but I wasn't there and I wished everyone success and stayed in regular contact with, for example, Guus (Til, ed.). Hoping they would lose is not in my character."

"Of course not," Veerman emphasised. "I found it hugely disappointing that the Netherlands went out of the tournament so early. The next day we started training again at PSV, so that was a nice distraction." 

As for the new national coach, Veerman has made his preference clear. "It would be nice if Arne Slot gets it," he said. "He had already wanted to bring me to Feyenoord before, at the moment PSV also came in for me." 

"And Peter Bosz would also have been an excellent choice, but I do understand that he has extended his contract at PSV. He is very focused on records and can now go and set them. Winning the title three times in a row, that's quite something."

Meanwhile, the KNVB are said to be in talks with Slot over the job. There is no agreement yet, with the length of the contract in particular reportedly causing problems in the negotiations.