Aberdeen keeper Kelle Roos admits he has aspirations to break into the Netherlands squad.
Summer signing Roos played for the Dutch at youth level and knows many of the nation’s World Cup stars.
Netherlands will kick-off their World Cup bid with a Group A match against Senegal on Monday.
Roos agrees with his manager and believes Aberdeen can help him go from strength to strength to realise that international target.
The keeper said “I also think he’s right. I probably have the aspirations and ability to go towards that (an international call-up).
“I’m not someone to hide away from that.
“It’s always pleasing to hear that, I don’t personally read those kind of things but I will hear it through other people.
“What I like to do as a person is focus on my performance in every single game.
“This is the way I feel like I can go from strength to strength.
“I feel like I am in good form, it’s always nice to work with people that believe in you and see that as well.”
Roos recognised at international youth level
During his time at PSV Eindhoven the Dons keeper represented Netherlands at U15 and U16 level.
He came through the Netherland international youth squad’s with World Cup stars Virgil van Dijk (Liverpool) and Memphis Depay (Barcelona).
Roos said: “came through the system and played at different age groups.
“I know some of the guys that are at the World Cup.”
“I came through with many players.
“My age group would be Virgil van Dijk and Memphis Depay who was a year younger than me.
“But being at PSV Memphis played in my team for a couple of years.
“There are so many players, Wout Weghorst (Besiktas) who was at Burnley.
“Jasper Cillessen (NEC) one of the goalkeepers, Tim Krul (Norwich), probably too many to go through.”
Roos expects his nation to do well in Qatar
Roos will watch television coverage of Netherlands’ World Cup bid.
They have been drawn in Group A with reigning Africa Cup of Nations champions Senegal, Ecuador and hosts Qatar.
Netherlands went to the World Cup on a high having defeated Belgium 1-0 in the Nations League in September.
The Dutch have Dutch have never won the World Cup but have been runners-up three times in 1974, 78 and 2010.
Roos believes Netherlands have ‘a chance’ of ending that long wait to lift the trophy.
But accepts they must hit top gear in Qatar.
He said: “Do I fancy our chances?
“I think we look good at times, but we also need to be at the top of our game because there are so many good teams right now.
“I think last time we played Belgium we looked very good and Belgium are a very good team.
“You can’t call us out. I’m not saying we’re winning it but we have a chance.”
World Cup break a chance for Dons to regroup
The Scottish Premiership is currently in a five week winter break down to accommodate the World Cup.
The Reds are next in action when hosting leaders Celtic on December 17.
Aberdeen entered the shut-down sitting third in the Premiership table.
The winter break could be viewed as having denied the Dons the opportunity to continue positive momentum.
Not by Roos who reckons the time away from game action will allow a squad reconstructed in the summer to ‘continue the building process’.
He said: “You can’t affect the schedule. It is what it is.
“We just have to focus on what we can influence.
“We put ourselves into a good position going into the break.
“We are ambitious.
“But at the same time, we realise that we are still a very new group of players and we are building.
“ We just want to keep our heads down, without looking at the table too much and try to string games together.
“We will use the break to continue that building process.”
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