•“To join the squad at this stage of our preparations is not exactly ideal,”—Frank de Boer
•Van de Beek, 24, was ruled out earlier on Tuesday with an unspecified injury, leaving the Dutch with 25 players though 26 for are allowed.
Image: REUTERS
Netherlands coach Frank de Boer said it would be too disruptive to bring a new player into the squad so close to the European Championship as he attempted on Tuesday to explain a surprise decision not to name a replacement for the injured Donny van de Beek.
“To join the squad at this stage of our preparations is not exactly ideal,” he said in a statement issued by the Dutch football association KNVB after a reaction of disbelief to the decision in the media.
“We have been on the road for two weeks, and so I don’t like the idea of a new player arriving.
“I also have enough midfielders in my squad to absorb the blow. Of course, there can always be a situation where I change my mind, but at the moment I prefer to leave the squad as it is.”
Van de Beek, 24, was ruled out earlier on Tuesday with an unspecified injury, leaving the Dutch with 25 players though 26 for are allowed.
“It is always sad when a player has to drop out injured,” De Boer added. He did get some good news, however, as Matthijs de Ligt rejoined training on Tuesday.
The 21-year-old central defender had a groin complaint and sat out Sunday’s warm-up friendly against Georgia and trained on his own on Monday.
He now has just days to prove his fitness before the Dutch open their campaign against the Ukraine in Amsterdam on Sunday.
Meanwhile, England midfielder Phil Foden is happy for his playing style to be compared with Paul Gascoigne's but said his new blonde hairstyle for the European Championship was not inspired by the national team's former great.
Manchester City youngster Foden, who has been named in Gareth Southgate's 26-man squad for the Euros, caused a stir on social media when he shared a picture of him dyeing his short black hair blonde, just as 'Gazza' did for Euro '96.
Explaining his latest fashion experiment, Foden told reporters: "I've had the same haircut for ages now. I thought I'd try something new.
"I woke up this morning with a lot of comparisons to Gazza and Eminem, it was my own thing and people have turned it into something else."
Foden was born four years after Euro 96 took place but fondly remembers watching TV highlights of midfielder Gascoigne helping England reach the semi-finals on home soil and establishing himself as one of the fans' favourites.
"An unbelievable player, the full nation knows what he means to the country and what he did," Foden said.
"It wouldn't be too bad if I tried to bring a bit of Gazza on the pitch. I've dyed it now so it's got to stay around, not going away any time soon."
Gareth Southgate's England side open their Group D campaign against Croatia at Wembley on Sunday.