Former World Cup finalist Oranje gives Koeman advice: “Never play him as a striker again”

Last Saturday, former PSV player Cody Gakpo was a standout alongside the Netherlands national team in the match against Sweden. Thanks in part to two goals by Gakpo after halftime, Oranje won 5-1.

This draws praise from former footballer Arie Haan, who reached the World Cup final with the Netherlands in 1974 and 1978. According to Haan, national team coach Ronald Koeman would do well to keep the forward on the left wing.

''With Gakpo, many people say you already know what he is going to do and that therefore they should be able to stop him better. I heard the TV commentator say: you know how he plays, don’t you? But with big players you never know what they are going to do. And Gakpo is a big player in Oranje'', Haan writes in De Telegraaf.

At his current club, Liverpool FC, the former PSV player was still regularly deployed as a striker. Even in Oranje, they wanted to position Gakpo regularly in the striker role.

For the former international, it is clear that Gakpo, from the left, comes into his own best and can also pose the most danger. ''Never play him as a striker again, not at Liverpool and not with Oranje. From the left flank, he provides so much threat and involvement. Two goals and an assist, what more could you want? At PSV I was already crazy about him and I still appreciate him'', said Haan.