One of the Netherlands’ greatest ever players is concerned about compatriot Memphis Depay throwing his talent away.
Ruud Gullit stresses that he has not given up on a player who was seen as one of Europe’s hottest prospects last season at PSV Eindhoven, but worries that he’s danger of losing sight of what’s most important – actual football.
The former Chelsea man is particularly unimpressed with Memphis becoming increasingly obsessed with the trappings of fame and fortune, rather than how he performs on the pitch.
‘I am a fan, and I will keep my faith in him but he must do something about the fact that he has been labelled the worst buy in the Premier League in 2015,’ wrote Gullit for De Telegraaf.
‘He needs to deliver. He has a lot of qualities, but to fulfil his potential he has to stay low-key in his personal life.
‘If you don’t perform, you must not turn up in a brand new Rolls Royce and a new Hummer at the training ground.
‘Memphis should concentrate fully on football. It would be a shame if someone like Memphis is going to be wasted because of all this side stuff.’
Gullit is keen for the Man United youngster to push himself to become one of the best – rather than being a celebrity failure whose off-field antics take centre stage.
‘He has to make sure they talk about the footballer Memphis. He has to accept criticism as a man and get on with his job as a footballer.
‘Don’t be satisfied so easily — if you get three chances and you only score once, you have to accept that you really did not play well.
‘At this level, that is not good enough. If you get one chance, you must put pressure on yourself to convert that one chance. That is what the game is about at this level.’
‘If you don’t like it, don’t come to the Premier League. In England, there are lots of papers. That creates pressure, but it also creates big salaries for the players.
‘All you have to do is perform.’
