Monday 2 November 2015 19:35, UK
Danny Blind says Manchester United's Memphis Depay "must function in a team" after leaving him out of his latest Netherlands squad.
Louis van Gaal has already said that Depay must embrace the team philosophy at Old Trafford and Blind has now underlined that at international level by omitting the former PSV Eindhoven man for friendlies against Wales and Germany later this month.
Depay missed United's draw with Crystal Palace through injury and trained separately from the rest of the squad as they prepare to face CSKA Moscow in the Champions League this week.
The forward has scored four goals in his 15 appearances since a £27.9m to Old Trafford in the summer but has struggled for consistency as he adapts to his new surroundings.
Blind said he viewed Depay as a player for the future but when explaining his decision to leave the 21-year-old out of his squad for the friendly double header insisted the forward still has things to learn.
"I think Depay is a player for the future," said Blind.
"But there are other issues we'll look at - maybe Louis van Gaal has also mentioned that.
"In football, you must also function in a team - and he doesn't always do that. I told him that when I called him to say he wasn't in the squad. It's something he has to learn."
Blind could not steer the national side to the European Championships in France next summer after replacing Guus Hiddink during qualifying and as he prepares for a new era also left former Manchester United striker Robin van Persie out of the squad which will play Wales in Cardiff on November 13 before travelling to face Germany four days later.
