Kenneth Perez Calls for Patience on Ro-Zangelo Daal's Hype
Kenneth Perez is having none of the hype.
Ro-Zangelo Daal lit up AZ’s 5-2 win over Go Ahead Eagles on Sunday with two goals and a sparkling performance, and the noise around the 18-year-old winger immediately cranked up. On ESPN’s Dit was het Weekend, presenter Wouter Bouwman rolled the highlight reel and spoke about how fast things are moving for the youngster.
Perez hit the brakes hard.
“Take it easy, man. I’m really going mad from all that nonsense about multi-talent, great talent,” the analyst snapped. “He’s a young and decent player. Let’s wait and see what it all becomes. All those superlatives about ordinary players... Calm down, please.”
No star label. No “wonderkid” tag. Just a call for patience from a former pro who’s clearly tired of the rush to crown the next big thing.
The debate didn’t stop there. Bouwman pointed out that Daal is already on the radar of the Curaçao national team and suggested he could also wait for a possible Netherlands call-up. Perez’s response was short, but it spoke volumes.
“Well…”
That single word underlined his skepticism about fast-tracking Daal into any grand narrative just yet.
Not everyone shares that restraint.
Arie Haan, working as a reporter for De Telegraaf, went the other way entirely. The former Ajax and Netherlands international placed Daal straight into his Team of the Week, impressed by the way the AZ forward solved the problems in front of him.
“They kept trying to block off the outside. Then he just went inside,” Haan explained. “He played brilliantly. It’s good for Xavi that another winger is emerging who is developing so spectacularly.”
Where Perez sees a decent youngster who needs time, Haan sees a rapidly rising option for the national side and even slips in some unsolicited advice for Netherlands head coach Xavi.
According to Algemeen Dagblad, that advice might not be far off the mark. The newspaper reports that Daal is already on a “watchlist” compiled by the Spain-born coach, who is said to be keeping a close eye on several attacking prospects. Fellow forwards Lucas Vennegoor of Hesselink and Shaqueel van Persie are also reportedly on that list.
So Daal’s name is circulating in studio debates, in newspaper columns and, crucially, in the orbit of the national team setup.
Whether he’s just a “young and decent player” or a winger “developing so spectacularly” is a question that will only be answered on the pitch in the coming months.
