“The Pro League just before the World Cup is crazy”

The World Cup will start in India in just under three months. The Orange Men have increased their training pace and are now on the pitch three days a week. National coach Jeroen Delmée briefed us at the Upward complex in Arnhem. “No one knows what the flag looks like in Rourkela.”

There are less than 90 days until the start of the World Cup. How is your group?
Jeroen Delmée: ‘Good, I think. We had a good summer and won the Pro League. After that we played well against New Zealand and Australia. I’m very happy with the way the guys are working. The concentration is good, the state of mind is there to improve. There are also many aspects that could and should be improved if you ultimately want to win something. There is still a lot to do, but there is not much time left. It’s more and more exciting.

To tell about?
“There are a number of uncertain factors. We are always here with a new band. Yes, we have been working on it for a year. But this selection has not yet played a tournament together. Half have never been to India and have never played in the World Cup. We have hardly faced any disappointments over the past year. It’s great, I hope it stays that way. But I’m curious how we react together if we come across a soapstone somewhere. We’re on the right track when it comes to hockey, although we still need to improve defensively.

This therefore remains a point of attention.
“Yes, because I think that’s where it starts. If we do it well, we can attack well.” We tend to focus on possession. But it’s also about making sure your guy doesn’t touch the ball. We will continue to mention this aspect. Waves are good, but they are not yet automatic. I’m happy to see that there is a hard training, with a lot of fun and concentration. Players don’t come here to complete their training.

It’s not allowed at Orange?
‘Then you should ask how it was in the past. It was also a reason to refresh the group. You can be good, but what matters is whether you want to improve. Only guests have that in them. Now is the time for the new stars to rise up and become the face of Dutch hockey. Boys who now also make a difference every week in their clubs.

The World Cup schedule was announced a few weeks ago. You will first play two matches in Rourkela and – if you don’t finish last in the group – you will work the rest of the tournament in Bhubaneswar. Does this mean that all the pieces of the puzzle are in place?
“Well, nobody knows what the flag looks like in Rourkela. The last images I saw are still unfinished. It will succeed over time, but apart from the fields – which are there – it’s still a big job. A sandy area with construction workers who work on the stadium and the dormitories located on the same complex. I hope we don’t have the same problems there as in bhubha, where hygiene was only required after a few tournaments. You don’t want half the players sick, weak or nauseous in the first week of your World Cup. We take Bhubaneswar as our base. From there we go up and down to Rourkela.

But first in December the Pro League in Argentina.
“A month before the World Cup, it’s crazy, right? Our preparation for the World Cup is now determined by the Pro League schedule. I would have preferred to play a training tournament in Spain, without jet lag. In the six weeks leading up to the Olympics, there is no Pro League, which is how it should have been now. We can think about it a lot, but we listen very little. An international calendar is in preparation and all that remains is to finalize it. If you just look at the tickets: three thousand euros per man. For four Pro League matches.

Jair van der Horst scores in the Pro League game against Argentina at Union. Photo: Koen Suyko

It cuts.
“The impact on budget and planning is huge. In Argentina we also play in Santiago del Estero, just like Rourkela, a city that is difficult to access. How to put it in the head? The FIH should think more carefully about having us play hockey in easily accessible places. Where you’re not stuck with too many domestic flights. I am amazed at what they sometimes offer. Is it still 35, 40 degrees, four games in five days. You don’t have that at the World Cup either.

Are you going to Argentina with the World Cup team?
“We are going to the World Cup with eighteen men plus two reserves. In Argentina, we take a few more men with us. You don’t want to find yourself in a situation where, due to injury, illness or whatever, the group becomes too close at that point. We now have a selection of 22 men and three goalkeepers.

We highlight one, Jair van der Horst. He is the only one of the group of newcomers who has been allowed to smell orange in the summer.
“Jair did very well, scored a lot and took his chance. Also, we didn’t have many strikers. That’s why we kept it. I had it myself in the Tilburg group. It grows there every year. This is now also the case at Den Bosch.

Will the selection be further extended to the World Cup?
‘That’s it. In this group, I choose the selection of the World Cup. We also follow other men, in recent weeks a few guys have joined in training. Bram van Battum (Kampong, ed.), for example, Jasper Tukkers and Pepijn Reijenga (both Den Bosch, ed.). If anything were to happen, we’ll have more guys in our sights. But normally we do it with the band that’s there now.

Pirmin Blaak and Maurits Visser are still fighting for the place under the bar at the World Cup. Photo: Willem Verne

And Tulip’s top scorer, Jeroen Hertzberger?
“He’s doing his best. I just like to see that. But now I’m working with this group of 25 men. So at the moment I don’t see Jeroen at the World Cup.

Are you already absent in terms of goalkeepers?
‘Pirmin Blaak and Maurits Visser are in an open battle for first place in goal. Derk Meijer is behind it all. It becomes difficult to choose between the two. We will decide that in November, after the last round in the Dutch big leagues (November 13, editor’s note). Then we will also announce the rest of the selection.

The moment when the switch flips completely.
“The boys have a vacation first. refresh. At the end of November, preparations will begin for the trip to Argentina, where we will play against Chile twice in addition to four Pro League matches. We’ll be home for the holidays and then we’ll go to India.