Dutch football coach Danny Blind is not calling up Robin van Persie for the Dutch squad in friendlies against Wales and Germany, he told a news conference on Monday.

‘I don’t think he is playing well enough and I want to give others the chance,’ Blind said, while emphasising that Van Persie is not permanently out of the team.

Van Persie, who is 32, has 101 caps for Oranje and was captain at the 2014 World Cup in which the Dutch came third.

The injured Memphis Depay and Riechedly Bazoer are also out.

New in Blind’s squad is Marko Veijinovic, who currently plays for Feyenoord. Blind also admitted having asked Dirk Kuijt, now back with Feyenoord, if he would be open to joining the Dutch squad at the last two European qualifying matches.

Kuijt, according to Blind, said he was only interested if assured of a place in the starting line-up.

The Netherlands has failed to qualify for the 2016 European championships.  They take on Wales in a friendly on November 13 and Germany in Hannover four days later.

Blind said he is now focusing on building up a new team for the qualification rounds for the next World Cup in Russia. The friendlies have a key role in that, he said.

The full squad:

Vurnon Anita, Daley Blind, Jeffrey Bruma, Jasper Cillessen, Jordy Clasie, Virgil van Dijk, Bas Dost, Eljero Elia, Anwar El Ghazi, Klaas-Jan Huntelaar, Daryl Janmaat, Luuk de Jong, Davy Klaassen, Terence Kongolo, Quincy Promes, Karim Rekik, Jairo Riedewald, Arjen Robben, Wesley Sneijder, Maarten Stekelenburg, Kenny Tete, Marko Vejinovic, Joël Veltman, Kenneth Vermeer, Georginio Wijnaldum and Jeroen Zoet.