When someone has already walked in your shoes, when they speak you invariably listen because they deserve that respect.
The benefit of experience is helpful to those that perhaps haven’t trodden such a path, and this can be used to navigate certain situations when required.
Sometimes, however, the way in which the message is delivered is savage to say the least, and as a result, the crux of that message can often be lost.
That’s almost certainly the case with Marco van Basten’s pot-shot at Man United flop, Donny van de Beek.
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The young Dutchman was the fulcrum of an excellent Ajax side that included Matthijs de Ligt and Frenkie de Jong.
Whilst that pair have gone on to success at Juventus and Barcelona respectively, van de Beek’s career has stalled at Old Trafford.
Van Basten knows exactly why that is, and his contemporary isn’t likely to appreciate his honesty.
“It just wasn’t smart choices. If you say you spoke to Real Madrid and then you go to Manchester United, you are betting way too high,” van Basten said to Voetbal Zone cited by the Mirror.
“Van de Beek is not that good. As number 10 at Ajax it is much easier than as number 10 in Spain or England. In the Netherlands you get a lot of help, you get opportunities, but that is not the case abroad.”