Kenneth Perez Questions Ro-Zangelo Daal's Rapid Hype
Kenneth Perez is not buying into the Ro-Zangelo Daal hype. Not yet.
The 18-year-old AZ forward lit up Sunday’s 5-2 win over Go Ahead Eagles with two goals and a sparkling display, but where many see the birth of a new star, the ESPN analyst sees a rush to judgment.
On the programme Dit was het Weekend, presenter Wouter Bouwman could hardly hide his excitement after watching Daal’s highlights. “Things are moving quickly for him,” Bouwman remarked, hinting at a rapid rise and a growing reputation.
Perez hit the brakes.
“Take it easy, man. I’m really going mad from all that nonsense about multi-talent, great talent,” he snapped. “He’s a young and decent player. Let’s wait and see what it all becomes.”
No big labels. No early crowning. Just a firm reminder, in Perez’s eyes, that one standout performance does not make a phenomenon.
“All those superlatives about ordinary players... Calm down, please,” he added, doubling down on his refusal to place Daal among the country’s brightest prospects just yet.
The debate didn’t stop there. Bouwman pointed out that Daal is already on the radar of the Curaçao national team and floated the idea that he could also bide his time for a possible Netherlands call-up. Perez’s response was tellingly brief and sceptical: “Well...”
While Perez preaches restraint, not everyone shares his caution.
Arie Haan, working as a reporter for De Telegraaf, sees something far more exciting. The former Ajax and Netherlands international named Daal in his Team of the Week, a clear sign of how highly he rated the winger’s display.
“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 urges patience, Haan is already thinking in national-team terms, effectively nudging Netherlands head coach Xavi in Daal’s direction.
That idea is not coming out of nowhere. According to Algemeen Dagblad, Daal is already on a “watchlist” compiled by the Spain-born coach. He is not alone there: fellow forwards Lucas Vennegoor of Hesselink and Shaqueel van Persie are also reportedly being monitored.
So the picture is split. On one side, a seasoned pundit warning against inflated praise. On the other, a former international pushing Daal into the spotlight and a national coach quietly keeping tabs.
The next step belongs to Daal. Will he justify the excitement, or prove Perez right to tell everyone to calm down?
