‘Jonker is making us work harder’, it seems after new national coach’s first training

“It’s fun. The players are enthusiastic and doing their best. They are touching and stimulating.” Andries Jonker has had an enjoyable first training as Orange Women national coach ahead of the crucial meeting with Iceland in the World Cup qualifiers.

Jonker, who was introduced last week as the successor to sacked Mark Parsons, was pleased to see the players shine in the way they really want to. And wanting to do so will also be necessary, in the international period to come.

If the Netherlands manage to beat Iceland next Tuesday, they will qualify for next year’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand. If they lose, the Netherlands will become second in the group and will be condemned to the play-offs. There is also a good chance of getting a second place in the event of a tie.

And so Jonker says he immediately set the tone. “If you want to participate, you have to work very hard and be part of the group. If you don’t want to, you have to leave.”

Jonker has followed Orange closely in recent years and has in mind what needs to be done differently from the past period. However, he does not wish to comment on the approach of Parsons, who died with the Netherlands in the quarter-finals of the European Championship. “I won’t say anything negative about my predecessor. Players don’t do that either, by the way.”

Sherida Spitse hadn’t noticed these players doing that either. The international record (201 international matches), on whose intercession Jonker was appointed, clearly hinted at what differentiates the approach of the new national coach. “We have to work. Jonker makes us work harder.”

According to Spitse, the Netherlands are also ready for ‘100 per cent hard work on the pitch and beyond’. The midfielder saw in the European Championship that the top countries were in better shape. According to her, a different type of coach than Parsons was needed and Jonker is the right man for this position. “It’s good that it’s here now. It makes me smile.”

Although Jonker says he knows most of the players well, he had to go on a proposal round. He did it especially for young players. “I got the names of eight out of ten players right, haha. It’s also special to introduce yourself to people you know on TV.”

In the coming week, Jonker will be able to get to know the whole selection better. He can also see players in action during a match before the meeting with Iceland. On Friday, the Netherlands will play a friendly match against Scotland.

Spitse is convinced that the bad taste of the European Championship can be washed away. “We shouldn’t pretend we can’t play football. We have a lot of individual qualities.”