Xavi: My coaching philosophy is to keep the ball; Meerdink is the second penalty taker

In the second round of the UEFA Nations League A, the Netherlands defeated Serbia 2-1 away, securing Xavi's first victory as head coach of the Dutch national team. After the match, Xavi attended a press conference to answer media questions.

Hello, coach, and congratulations on the victory. In your opinion, was today's game similar to last Thursday's – with a significantly better performance in the second half than in the first?

Yes, I completely agree. Because I think we had more control in the second half. We better understood the tactical intention of attacking space at the right time. That's why today we pushed Gravenberch further forward, with Reijnders, and also Summerville on the inside and Dumfries overlapping on the outside, to create space for our teammates. We must understand that we need to attack space more effectively at the right moments. We stretched the field, created chances, but the process was certainly difficult. Playing such games away from home is always extremely challenging. But at least in the second half, we showed very good performance, while the first half was lacking. We need to move the ball faster from one side to the other, but attacking against a deep defensive block is always very difficult.

One thing I personally appreciated in the final stages of the game was that the team constantly pressed forward, with everyone actively involved in pressing rather than retreating to defend. Was this a goal you set before the game?

Yes, at halftime, I emphasized to the players that even when leading, we must keep possession and constantly push for the next goal. That's our tactical style. Perhaps it's different from before, I'm not sure, but it is indeed my coaching philosophy. We need to control the ball at the right moments and maintain a high press for the entire 90 minutes. So yes, it might require a shift in our mentality because we need to control possession. We did an excellent job in the late stages of the game, bringing on Jurriën Timber and Quinten Timber, fresh players with plenty of energy, and also Guus Til, who performed exceptionally well after coming off the bench. Many players performed very well individually. However, yes, we still need more possession and more patience, but I am undoubtedly very satisfied.

Xavi, congratulations. What is your assessment of Joey Veerman's performance and Mexx Meerdink, who scored his first two goals for the national team?

Joey was a very crucial player today because he controlled the tempo of the game, didn't lose possession easily, distributed the ball smoothly from one side of the field to the other, and delivered incisive passes to the attacking midfielders. Yes, he did an excellent job, showing top-level quality as a defensive midfielder and providing great tactical support for his teammates. As for Mexx, I am especially happy for him, not only because he scored two goals but also because he made huge sacrifices and contributions to the team. He was instrumental in our high press, fighting hard for second balls. I'm so happy for him, and those two goals were absolutely deserved.

Was he originally the first penalty taker?

The first choice was originally Gakpo. Yes, but he was injured, so the second choice was Mexx.

Is the injury serious?

I don't think it's serious. It's an ankle problem, and I don't know the exact test results yet, but we will know tomorrow. Hopefully, it's nothing serious.

Can it be said that this week, the new generation of players stepped up?

By new generation, do you mean Ruben van Bommel and Mexx? Is Joey Veerman also considered new generation?

Reporter: No, not really. He might not be typical, but perhaps in some ways.

Summerville was crucial for us because, as you know, he fought hard for the team, constantly pushed forward to create space, generated scoring opportunities, and won that penalty. So, he is a top player. I am also happy for Ruben and Mexx, as newcomers to the squad, they showed strong personalities. I am very satisfied and highly appreciate the spirit shown by the entire team – that fighting spirit and attitude. We are building a cohesive team, and of course, in many phases of the game, we need to play better, but we are still in this gradual growth process.

Hi Xavi, congratulations on your first win as national team coach. What experiences or positive highlights did you see tonight that you didn't see in the match against Germany?

In terms of spirit and fighting attitude, I think it was consistent, which is reassuring. But on a tactical level, we really need to decisively attack space at the right time. The high press, mid-block defense, and the coordinated movement of the defensive line also need to improve, but that's okay – it's just a matter of time.

Purely judging by the quality of the game, was tonight's match better, or was the performance against Germany better?

Generally similar, just different game patterns. Today we had greater control in possession, facing a team that sat deep with everyone defending. Against Germany, the situation was completely different, although the second half of that game was somewhat similar to today. But overall, I am very satisfied.

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