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Rabat – Former Netherlands striker and manager Marco van Basten is reproaching AFC Ajax’s star, Hakim Ziyech for deciding to play for Morocco.
Invited to a Dutch/FOX Sports program, the Kees Table, Basten said that Ziyech made the decision to play for Morocco, while he was an assistant coach of the Dutch national team.
“A shame that he did not have the patience,” Basted said. “He then made the choice to play for Morocco, but it was our greatest right not to select him in that period.”
Basten went on to rebuke Ziyech for not waiting his chance to be selected by the Netherlands national team, saying that Ziyech had the choice to choose whether to play for the Netherlands or Morocco. “Now he was ruled out,” of the list of Moroccan players by Morocco’s coach Hervé Renard. The Moroccan team is participating now in the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations (CAN 2017), scheduled to go until February 5 in Gabon.
“Why had he not waited a moment, then he could now play for the Netherlands,” Basten continued. “He was the perfect player for the Netherlands. His market value as an International player for the Netherlands could have been much higher.”
Basten noted that Netherlands team officials kept in contact with Ziyech while he was considering playing for Morocco, “We have been in touch with him while he was determined to play for Morocco and said, ‘Yes I want to play for Morocco.’ Danny had also talked to him. I was sorry that he could not wait.”
The decision of Renard to exclude Hakim from participating in CAN 2017 has sparked outrage among Morocco’s national team fans, especially after Ziyech was awarded as Holland’s best player for 2016.
