Wellington Phoenix midfielder Roly Bonevacia has declared the A-League is better than the Eredivisie in his native Netherlands.
In an exclusive interview with Goal Netherlands, Bonevacia claimed the top Dutch competition is much slower than the A-League, which he rates as highly as the Championship in England.
Bonevacia, who came up through Ajax’s famed youth academy and played over 50 Eredivisie matches for the Amsterdam-based club, NAC Breda and Roda JC, is loving life in New Zealand.
“Honestly I do not think I can quickly return to the Netherlands,” he said.
The 24-year-old added: “I’m not trying to be silly, but I think the level [of the A-League] is higher than in the Eredivisie.
“You can compare the A-League the best with the Championship in England. Some clubs play the long ball and some clubs keep the ball.”
Bonevacia has thrived since joining the Phoenix before the start of last season.
The midfielder has quickly developed a reputation for scoring spectacular goals – his strike in a 4-2 win over Adelaide United last week a case in point – and he has six goals to his name from 34 games.
“I have the freedom to do what I want,” Bonevacia said.
“As a defensive midfielder, you are mainly concerned to keep control… I play the way I like to play – from box to box.”
Bonevacia added: “Personally, this was the best move I ever made.”
