Robin van Persie has challenged his Netherlands teammates to put their club situations behind them and win their two crucial European Championship qualifiers.
- By James Rowe
Netherlands face Kazakhstan on Saturday before facing the Czech Republic on Tuesday. The Oranje must win both games and hope Turkey slip up in their two qualifiers for a chance of reaching the play-offs.
However a number of players called into the squad are currently going through troubles with their clubs, especially Robin van Persie, who has spent a lot of time at Fenerbahce on the bench this season.
Speaking to NOS reporter Bert Maalderink on Tuesday, Van Persie has stated that winning both qualifiers is the only thing that matters to him at the moment.
Below is a transcript of the interview.
BM: “What position do you find yourself in in Turkey?”
RVP: “I have already spoken about that and have no wish to add anything to it
BM: “I mean if you play every week you come into contention for Oranje?
RVP: “Once again that is not important. The most important are the the two upcoming games and that we win them. It does not matter how. All the players must put their own situation to one side and win.”
BM: “Do you not think it’s time to play Huntelaar and Van Persie together in the upcoming two games? It has always been one or the other, but in the case of so many players being injured. It’s a shame to not play both for these two games.”
RVP: “That is possible. You would have to put this question to the manager .It could be one of the many options.”
BM: “Or to play one behind the other or you could shift to the right ?”
RVP: “I do not think you have been following the Turkish League so far as I have played on the right a couple of times this season and also by the National team in different periods when van Basten was manager 2 or 3 years and also by my clubs every now and again.”
BM: “Is that what you want ?”
RVP: “It’s not about what I want. It’s about winning and therefore the manager has a difficult task in selecting the best eleven.”
BM: “Maybe it is now not so difficult given the current injuries Almost a whole team, which would be better than the team that is actually fit?”
RVP: “You reckon. A difficult question. What players are not here then?
BM:”From Robben ,Strootman ,De Vrij , Martins Indi , Willems. That’s an awful lot.”
RVP: “Yes that is true. That’s also part of International football. We will do it with the players that we have and I have full confidence in them
BM: “Good Luck”
RVP: “You too Bert”
BM: “I suspect that Turkey will lose point, but to win twice in a row? You are yet to do that in this qualification group.”
RVP: “We will do our very best.”
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