Holland squad crisis with FIVE players including Liverpool and Newcastle stars forced to leave after virus outbreak
HOLLAND’S preparations for their Euro 2024 qualifiers this week are in disarray after FIVE players were forced to leave their camp following a virus outbreak.
Newcastle’s Sven Botman and Liverpool’s Cody Gakpo have had to return home – as well as Matthijs de Ligt, Joey Veerman and Bart Verbruggen.
All five were initially named in Ronald Koeman’s first squad following his return as manager.
The former Barcelona boss has called up three replacements; Bayern Munich’s Ryan Gravenberch, Kjell Scherpen of Vitesse and Inter Milan’s Stefan de Vrij.
Gravenberch and Scherpen had initially been named in the Dutch Under-21s squad.
Koeman is set to have a tough first match back in charge after replacing Louis van Gaal.
He will take his depleted squad to France to face the World Cup finalists in Paris on Friday night.
They will then face football minnows Gibraltar at Feyenoord’s stadium on Monday.
The Dutch camp had already gotten off to a rocky start.
Koeman, 60, was scathing when asked why he had dropped exciting Bayer Leverkusen star Jeremie Frimpong – despite the 22-year-old’s seven goals and five assists in the Bundesliga this season.
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He said: “No Frimpong? This is because of the system that we play.
“He plays almost as a right winger.
“My right-back should be able to defend well in the first place and I have my doubts about that.”
The Dutch appear to be short up front, with Koeman having picked Memphis Depay, Wout Weghorst and Brian Brobbey as his forwards.
Asked about his striker options, Koeman hardly talked up the players at his disposal.
He said: “We don’t have much choice, maybe in that respect. But within this selection, a number of guys can play well there.
“Brobbey’s selection indicates that we don’t have many options. You select a boy who is not a starter at Ajax, but someone with a future.
“If I had several choices in that position, you look at who plays, who has rhythm?”