NETHERLANDS: MEIJER TO EUROPEAN CHAMPIONSHIP, BLAAK STAYS AT HOME

Eight days before the start of the European Championship, the goalkeeper egg of the Orangemen has finally been laid. Derk Meijer will join the tournament as the second goalkeeper. The closing post of Rotterdam is preferred to Pirmin Blaak, who is still awaiting the birth of his child.

National coach Jeroen Delmée made the decision on Friday afternoon. ‘The reason we choose Derk now is simple. Pirmin’s little one is still not born. I want clarity in the last week before the European Championships. We don’t want to wait and see if something will happen just before the tournament.’

‘Moreover, Derk has done well in the past period,’ says Delmée. “I think this is now the calmest moment for all parties, and everyone is at peace with this outcome.”

Pirmin Blaak was the first goalkeeper at the World Cup in India last winter. Photo: William Vernes

The 26-year-old Meijer, who has been first choice at Rotterdam for years, has played seven international matches for the time being. He completed most of them – four – last summer, when he came into action during the Pro League and the Four Nations Tournament in Spain. At the European Championship, Meijer is the stand-in for Maurits Visser, who was already designated number one under the crossbar two months ago .

Wednesday to Venlo

The European Championship in Mönchengladbach will start for the Orange on Saturday, August 19 with the group match against France. On Wednesday, Delmée and his team will leave for Venlo – half an hour’s drive from the venue – where the Netherlands will be staying during the tournament. “We will only train with the eighteen who go to the European Championship next week,” says the national coach. ‘Until today we were on the field with a larger group. A number of them remain on call if necessary.’