Newcastle United defender Sven Botman admits he wasn't too surprised to miss out on a place at the 2022 World Cup with the Netherlands this month - and is already eyeing a call-up when the country changes manager in the coming months.
The summer signing has flourished at St James' Park and is yet to taste defeat in a black and white shirt. However, Botman hasn't earned a national team call-up to date and saw his chances all-but evaporate by withdrawing from under-21 duty earlier this season in order to focus on his start to life on Tyneside.
Louis van Gaal opted against picking the in-form centre-back in his final 26-man squad but Botman is already eyeing a spot in the national side when Ronald Koeman takes the national job after the World Cup ends.
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"I had not counted on it happening, because I have not been called up before under this national coach and have yet to make my debut for the Dutch national team," Botman told Dutch outlet Voetbal International.
"Only because things went so well at Newcastle in recent weeks, of course I hoped for it. Unfortunately. Hopefully there will be new opportunities under the new national coach."
Botman was pursued by AC Milan during the summer but his transfer saga came to an end when Newcastle secured his signature back in June. Many pundits and critics in his home nation scratched their heads at the deal, stating they felt it was a sideways move for the former Lille man.
"I think there is a kind of ideal picture in the Netherlands," Botman continued. "A young football player must first have played in the top of the Eredivisie for a few years and only then make the step abroad.
"For me, that route was not the ideal picture, if only because I thought I'm not the type of defender who could break through at Ajax. The way I look at it is that there is no ideal picture."
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