Van der Gijp Unfazed by Eredivisie’s Showstopper: ‘What’s the Big Deal Anyway?’

René van der Gijp doesn’t see anything surprising in Sem Steijn’s omission from the Dutch national team. The analyst is rather lukewarm about the midfielder’s impressive goal tally in the Eredivisie, suggesting it might not mean much in the grand scheme of things and hinting at a solid next step for the playmaker. Van der Gijp examines the current Oranje lineup and opines that there’s simply no room for Steijn at this stage. “We’ve got a midfielder from Barcelona, one from AC Milan, Juventus, and Liverpool—would you really call up Steijn?” he quips. “Everyone’s talking about him now, but twenty goals in the Dutch league, what does that really count for? Sure, it’s remarkable and he’s a decent lad, but…” When it comes to what’s next for Steijn, Van der Gijp has a straightforward recommendation. “I genuinely hope he moves to Bayer Leverkusen and makes a success of it. Only then will I be convinced. At the moment, I really question what all the fuss is about. I completely understand why he hasn’t been selected yet,” he shared in the podcast Kieftjansenegmondgijp. Check out the #DoneDeal special featuring Luc Castaignos discussing his time at Internazionale, along with some unforgettable tales about Louis van Gaal and Wesley Sneijder and DMs from Milan! View More