Jong Oranje struggled to break down a stubborn Bosnian defence during Tuesday's European Championship qualifying encounter, despite creating numerous opportunities. The visitors' goalkeeper, Amil Siljevic, produced a series of saves, particularly before the interval, to keep the Netherlands frustrated.
Reiziger's side eventually found a way through after 70 minutes and went on to win 4-0, but Steur acknowledged that patience had been essential against opponents who defended deep.
“If you see how deep they sit back... That's really difficult. It's not that easy, you know,” the Newcastle United midfielder told Sportnieuws.nl after the match.
The 18-year-old tried to find a solution himself by attempting four shots from outside the penalty area. However, his willingness to shoot from range was not what Reiziger wanted to see, with the coach urging his players to continue moving the ball until an opening appeared.
Steur revealed that the Netherlands manager made his frustration clear during the match. Looking back, the midfielder accepted that his coach had a point.
“The telling-off I got was actually justified,” he admitted.
“I felt I had to try from distance because things weren't working. But he was right. We had to remain patient and not try to force it, because that never works in your favour.”
The exchange highlighted the challenge facing Jong Oranje when opponents prioritise defensive organisation and leave little room to play through the middle. Against Bosnia and Herzegovina, the Dutch players had to resist the temptation to rush their attacks, even when their possession was not immediately producing clear chances.
For Steur, the lesson was straightforward: continuing to work the ball into dangerous areas was more productive than repeatedly attempting low-percentage shots from outside the box.
The midfielder's willingness to acknowledge Reiziger's criticism also underlined the importance of learning from difficult moments during international football's development pathway.
Although the eventual four-goal victory provided a positive result, the performance offered lessons for a Netherlands side seeking to progress through qualifying. Breaking down compact defences requires composure, movement and the discipline to wait for the right opportunity rather than attempting to manufacture one too quickly.
Steur's response suggested he understood the message. Rather than dismissing the coach's intervention, he accepted that the instruction to remain patient had been justified.