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Eredivisie striker Kay Tejan has backed Sunderland star Robin Roefs to become the Netherlands’ number one at the World Cup, suggesting ORanje boss Ronald Koeman should place his faith in the shot-stopper.
The Dutchman arrived at the Stadium of Light last summer following Sunderland’s promotion to the Premier League.
Shortly after his move, former NEC youth goalkeeping coach Marco van Duin insisted that the Black Cats were signing a goalkeeper with huge potential.
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That prediction has proved accurate, with Roefs emerging as a key figure for Sunderland as they secured a seventh-place finish and qualification for the Europa League.
His performances did not go unnoticed, with a commentator praising the goalkeeper’s displays last October.
The 23-year-old kept his opponents at bay on ten occasions in 35 Premier League appearances, enough to place him sixth in the clean-sheet rankings.
As a result, Roefs earned a place in the Netherlands’ World Cup squad, marking a significant milestone in his career.
| Goalkeeper | Club side |
|---|---|
| Bart Verbruggen | Brighton |
| Robin Roefs | Sunderland |
| Mark Flekken | Bayer Leverkusen |
The custodian made his senior international debut in a warm-up friendly against Algeria, coming on at half-time for the Oranje.
However, he remained on the bench during the Netherlands’ clash with Uzbekistan on Monday night.
Tejan made clear that Roefs would be his preferred choice when discussing the goalkeeping position, explaining that the Sunderland star has impressed him whenever he has watched him and shown enough qualities to justify greater consideration.
He also emphasised that, regardless of modern demands, a goalkeeper’s first job is still to protect his goal.
Tejan was quoted as saying by Dutch outlet Voetbal Primeur: “I’m leaning more towards Roefs.
“I’ve seen him play a few times and I didn’t think it was bad at all.
“A good goalkeeper is always important.
“Being good with the ball at his feet is always a nice bonus, but at the end of the day, you just have to defend your goal.”
Bart Verbruggen remains Koeman’s first-choice goalkeeper, while Mark Flekken is also part of the squad as an alternative option.
However, Verbruggen picked up an injury against Uzbekistan and is now a doubt for the Netherlands’ World Cup opener, potentially opening the door for Roefs to feature on the biggest stage in football.
It remains to be seen whether Koeman would turn to Flekken or hand Roefs an opportunity should Verbruggen be unavailable.
The Netherlands have been drawn in Group F alongside Japan, Tunisia and Sweden, with their pursuit of a first World Cup set to begin on Sunday.
Their first match is against Japan, and Celtic star Daizen Maeda believes he knows how to keep Denzel Dumfries quiet should he earn a place in the starting lineup.
Meanwhile, a journalist has questioned Crysencio Summerville’s credentials at international level.
