Newcastle United defender Jetro Willems has conceded that he is happy that the European Championship has been postponed until next year as he feels that he will have a better chance of playing in the tournament for the Netherlands.
The 25-year-old full-back joined Newcastle from Eintracht Frankfurt on loan last summer and was a regular in the team until he suffered a serious knee injury in January.
The Dutchman was ruled out of the season and it all but ended his chances of making the Netherlands squad if the European Championship had been played this summer.
But with the tournament postponed until next summer due to the Coronavirus pandemic, Willems admits that he sees a positive as he has more of a chance of playing in it.
He admits that his situation is completely different to compatriot Memphis Depay, who has also been recovering from an injury, as he has not been selected by Netherlands coach Ronald Koeman thus far.
But he is happy that he has one more year to convince the coach and break into the Netherlands squad for next summer’s European Championship.
Willems told Dutch outlet VTBL: “For me, the postponement is a bright spot. When the rumours started I felt it would be nice for me.
“Just like Memphis, I could have tried to reach the tournament if it had been played this summer.
“That could have happened, yes, but my situation is completely different. Memphis was already determined, an important player in the team.
“I had not been in the squad under coach Ronald Koeman. That is, of course, a big difference. What exactly should I have rushed for?
“That I have a year longer to fight for a place in the European Championship, I see it as a positive as a strange situation.”
Willems scored two goals and registered three assists for Newcastle before being struck down by injury.
