▁well ▁for ▁A Z ▁that ▁he ▁was ▁able ▁to ▁make ▁his ▁debut ▁for ▁the ▁Netherlands ▁national ▁football ▁team ▁under ▁then - manager ▁Marco ▁van ▁Bast en . ▁His ▁contract ▁with ▁A Z ▁was ▁extended ▁again ▁on ▁May ▁ 2 0 0 7 . ▁In ▁the ▁ 2 0 0 7 – 0 8 ▁season , ▁A Z ▁performed ▁below ▁all ▁expect ations : ▁before ▁the ▁start ▁of ▁the ▁competition ▁the ▁team ▁was ▁seen ▁as ▁one ▁of ▁the ▁challeng ers ▁for ▁the ▁title , ▁but ▁half way ▁through ▁the ▁seasons ▁all ▁hope ▁for ▁winning ▁the ▁title ▁was ▁gone . ▁De ▁Ze euw ▁described ▁the ▁season ▁as ▁" one ▁giant ▁disappoint ment ". ▁Manager ▁Van ▁Ga al ▁thought ▁that ▁the ▁role ▁of ▁De ▁Ze euw ▁in ▁the ▁squad ▁had ▁to ▁change ; ▁he ▁had ▁to ▁start ▁carrying ▁the ▁team ▁more . ▁A Z ▁finished ▁the ▁season ▁in ▁a ▁disappoint ing ▁ 1 1 th ▁position ▁in ▁the ▁league . ▁ ▁After ▁UEFA ▁Euro ▁ 2 0 0 8 , ▁De ▁Ze euw ▁was ▁linked ▁with ▁a ▁move ▁to ▁A FC ▁Ajax ▁where ▁former ▁Netherlands ▁manager ▁Marco ▁van ▁Bast en ▁had ▁taken ▁over , ▁but ▁a ▁move ▁failed ▁to ▁material ise . ▁Part ly ▁because ▁of ▁his ▁public ▁solic iting ▁for ▁a ▁transfer ▁he ▁saw ▁himself ▁out ▁of ▁the ▁starting ▁line - up ▁at ▁the ▁beginning ▁of ▁the ▁ 2 0 0 8 – 0 9 ▁season ▁in ▁the ▁opening ▁match ▁against ▁N AC ▁B red a . ▁The ▁player ▁was ▁almost ▁transferred ▁to ▁Hamb urger