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Ten Cate backs De Jong despite flaws: 'No better alternative for Oranje'
Frenkie de Jong remains a focal point of debate as the Netherlands midfielder faces renewed scrutiny. Henk ten Cate acknowledged in *De Oranjezomer* that De Jong does not always play flawlessly, yet insisted Oranje has no superior option.
Henk ten Cate addressed recent criticism of De Jong, which has been amplified by figures such as Hugo Borst, Wim Kieft, and Youri Mulder. De Jong responded to the backlash during an SBS6 interview, stating: "I feel many people don’t understand football. They watch, but they don’t see."
Ten Cate partially agrees with the criticism. "I’m in the camp that he doesn’t always play flawlessly. Sometimes he holds the ball too long when quicker play would be better," he said. Yet he emphasized De Jong’s organizational qualities, calling him "a bit the brain of the team" and insisting no better alternative exists.
Nicky van der Gijp also defended De Jong, arguing the midfielder’s ability to sense when to accelerate or play a teammate is a key strength. Ten Cate partly concurred, noting De Jong often anticipates situations before receiving the ball. "He sees things before he gets the ball, allowing him to play faster. Sometimes I’d like him to take more risk in his passing," Ten Cate added.
The discussion included footage of a turnover by De Jong that led to a Swedish counterattack and goal. Ten Cate refused to place full blame on the midfielder, stating: "Van der Ven was supposed to cover the outside. If he had been inside, there would have been no issue."
Ten Cate’s final stance was unequivocal: despite imperfections, De Jong remains indispensable to Oranje. "If you have a better player, you should play them. But we don’t," he concluded.