Dutch legend Ruud Gullit has warned Manchester United star Memphis Depay to concentrate on adjusting to the rigours of Premier League football or he could possibly risk losing his potential.
The 21-year-old winger has had a tough start to life in England’s top division of football and has constantly come under the scanner for his extravagant lifestyle. Gullit, like many other pundits and retired professionals, is of the opinion that a large part of Depay's initial struggles are down to his controversial lifestyle.
Gullit says Memphis must concentrate on football
"Memphis should concentrate fully on football," he wrote in De Telegraaf. "It would be a shame if someone like Memphis is going to be wasted because of all this side stuff."
Gullit says that Memphis "has to make sure they talk about the footballer Memphis" and "he has to accept criticism like a man and get on with his job as a footballer."
Gullit says the young Dutch forward must criticise himself, "Don't be satisfied so easily," Gullit wrote. If Memphis gets "three chances and only scores once, you have to accept that you really did not play well," Gullit said.
Memphis must criticise himself in order to improve says Netherlands legend
"At this level, that is not good enough. If you get one chance, you must put pressure on yourself to convert that one chance. That is what the game is about at this level."
Gullit said that Depay has been labelled a ‘bad boy’ just a few months into his career as a United player and he needs his football to do the talking in order to overcome this pre-conceived notion.
Gullit, who played for Chelsea in the Premier League for 3 years, says he is "a fan of him and still have faith in him" but he must fill his potential, of which Gullit says he has a lot of. "He possesses many qualities," Gullit said. Memphis "is still young and has time to show his class in the Premier League."
"Before that, he should remain low-key outside football. You must not turn up in a brand new Rolls Royce and a new Hummer at the training ground."