Bogarde credits Sunderland’s £21m Brian Brobbey move for World Cup form | OneFootball

Winston Bogarde has praised Brian Brobbey’s impact at the World Cup, crediting the Sunderland striker’s move to England for his upturn with the Netherlands.

“I know Brian from my time as a coach at Ajax. He is a very special guy. A very sweet guy. A guy with character, too. If you give him confidence and you have his best interests at heart, he will go through fire for you,” he told Voetbal International.

Brobbey won his 13th senior cap as a substitute in a 2-2 draw with Group F rivals Japan, then marked a start by scoring twice in a 5-1 win over Sweden on Saturday. The Netherlands face Tunisia in their final group game on Friday.

The former Ajax forward hit seven goals in 31 Premier League appearances in his first season on Wearside, and settled a historic Tyne-Wear derby at Newcastle United. Those displays helped Regis Le Bris guide Sunderland into the Europa League for the first time.

“He was going through a difficult period in his final season at Ajax. That also had to do with the team he played in and the situation the club was in. At the time, Ajax were playing football that wasn’t his style. His move to England proved to be a wise one. Different facets are required of a striker there, and he has made that transition well. We are now seeing the result of his development in the Dutch national team.”

Source: Sunderland Echo