sentences:  With the press and public often comparing him with his idol; former Dutch defender Jaap Stam, naming him as the biggest contender to fill the gap that the widely known Stam left in the Dutch defence.However, he has yet to live up to his promise.He was selected for the Netherlands Olympic squad and was absolute first choice central defender during the entire run-up to the Olympics, where he made a confident impression, seldom making a mistake.