Dutch legends hail De 's Driessen as skilled, too critical

During the televised programme De Oranjezomer, former Dutch coaches Henk ten Cate and Guus Hiddink lauded De journalist Valentijn Driessen, describing him as a skilled reporter who can be too critical in his analysis of the game and praised his deep knowledge of football.

Henk ten Cate said, "I find him a skilled journalist, who sometimes is too critical," when presenter Hélène Hendriks asked him for his opinion on the De writer. The 71‑year‑old former coach of Ajax, Panathinaikos, Sparta Rotterdam and NAC added that Driessen knows what he talks about, which he values highly.

Ten Cate argued that good football journalism should focus purely on the content of the match, not on surrounding events, and noted that Driessen is very well informed and knows a lot about the sport.

Guus Hiddink, also seated at De Oranjezomer, echoed Ten Cate’s view, stating, "Valentijn always provokes, and what Henk says, I also agree with," and complimented him by saying, "He often interprets things well."

Hiddink, the former national coach of the Netherlands, South Korea and Russia, reinforced his support for Driessen’s analytical style, highlighting the journalist’s ability to provoke thoughtful discussion.

The discussion took place on De Oranjezomer, where presenter Hélène Hendriks prompted Ten Cate for his assessment, providing the platform for the coaches to commend Driessen’s work.