Ronald Koeman advises Memphis Depay over his support of Quincy Promes… after the former Dutch star was sentenced to six years in prison for his role in smuggling 1,370kg of cocaine
Dutch national coach Ronald Koeman has said Memphis Depay’s support for Quincy Promes is ‘not helpful’ after the former international was sentenced to six years in prison.
Promes is currently in prison in Dubai after being arrested by authorities last week at the request of Dutch prosecutors, ahead of his possible extradition.
The 32-year-old was convicted by the Amsterdam court last month for his involvement in smuggling more than 1,350 kilos of cocaine.
In addition to his six-year sentence in a Dutch prison, he was also sentenced last year to a year and a half in prison for stabbing his cousin in the leg.
Promes, who lives in Russia and plays for CSKA Moscow, was convicted in absentia.
Ronald Koeman has advised Memphis Depay after his public support for Quincy Promes
Depay, right, was criticized for uploading a photo with Promes, left, in January, despite the former Dutch international facing criminal charges in the Netherlands
Quincy Promes was arrested in Dubai last week after being sentenced to six years in prison last month for his role in cocaine smuggling
Depay had offered Promes a statement of support last year after he scored the winning goal in the Russian Cup final, stating that people “continue to prejudice you without any criminal offenses having been proven.”
In January, Depay uploaded a now-deleted photo on social media of him on holiday with Promes and Paul Pogba.
Koeman was asked about Depay’s public statement of support for Promes during a press conference ahead of the upcoming international friendlies.
The Dutch national team coach revealed that technical director Nigel de Jong had spoken to Depay about his posts, while suggesting the attacker ‘stay away’ as much as possible.
‘I wouldn’t do it myself. I haven’t talked to Memphis about that myself. Nigel did that,” Koeman told reporters.
‘You can sometimes make it easier for yourself by not doing these kinds of things. That evokes disgust and criticism. I think you should keep that to yourself as much as possible.
“They are friends and it is conceivable that he would do it, but it is of course a delicate matter.”
Depay was also asked by reporters about his support from Promes, who previously won 50 caps for the national team.
Koeman revealed that technical director Nigel de Jong has spoken to Depay about his posts
Depay told reporters he “didn’t see the harm” in sharing a photo with Promes in January
The attacker defended his decision to post the photo in January.
‘We are football players and we post a lot of content. At least I do. It was just a photo on holiday, I didn’t see the harm in it. I understand that the outside world views this differently and I take responsibility for that,” said Depay The Telegraph.
‘I have friends, when you go out to eat together, you don’t know exactly what they do and what they don’t do. Or that you agree with everything someone does.
‘You don’t know the Quincy Promes that I know. I don’t know the Quincy Promes you know or describe.
‘I don’t know him, Quincy, but I don’t come from an easy background. Once people read my book, they will understand. I have a brother who spent ten years in prison. Quincy is a famous person, but my brother is not. But I never get questions about my brother.
‘I’m also friends with Dani Alves and Benjamin Mendy. I’ve never had any questions about that before.’
Depay added that he will speak to Koeman privately about the matter and emphasized that he had no problem with the Dutch national coach expressing his opinion.
‘I think it is very logical that everyone has an opinion and that it is logical that the trainer answers a question when he is asked. And that he gives his opinion about it. I have not yet discussed that personally with him,” Depay said.
‘The trainer and I have a great relationship, which also extends off the field. Of course I played for him at Barcelona. An opinion is always welcome, especially when he says it.
“We can talk about it privately, and we will.”
Depay revealed he would speak to Koeman privately about the matter and insisted he had no problem with the Dutch national team boss giving his opinion
The attacker, pictured training with Promes in 2020, claimed people ‘don’t know the Quincy Promes I know’
Promes, who has 50 international caps for the Netherlands, was convicted by the Amsterdam court last month for his involvement in smuggling more than 1,350 kilos of cocaine
Promes and a 32-year-old co-suspect were found guilty last month of importing, exporting, transporting and possessing cocaine.
It was claimed that the cocaine was hidden in a shipment of sea salt from Brazil and intercepted in Antwerp in January 2020.
Promes, who also played for Sevilla and Ajax, failed to appear at his trials for smuggling cocaine or when he was found guilty of stabbing his cousin in the leg.
Further reports suggested the former Netherlands international feels ‘untouchable’ given he has been avoiding court hearings.
According to NL TimesProsecutors said: “He seems to think he is untouchable, both in Russia and abroad.”
Dutch officials had initially demanded a nine-year prison sentence for the Spartak Moscow striker when the case was brought forward last month.
He started his career at Twente and had a four-year spell at Spartak between 2014 and 2018 before signing for Spanish club Sevilla.
He then spent a season and a half at Ajax before returning to Spartak.