Ask for Andries Jonker to explain the difference between the coaching of men and women and reaches its past for example. By December 2002. years and assistant manager Louis Van Gaal in Barcelona and can’t believe what he just saw.
The Newcastle is the visitors of the German camp for Karshawa Champions League and the player keeps Far Mail for Barcelona angle. Except he has a left hand on the post and right hand on his hip. Those hands are still there when Thiago Motta is moving.
“He really rested,” Jonker says Ski Sports. He does not appoint a player, but the Newcaslova supporters will not be able to remind it was Kieron Dier. The Dutch still remembers the moment of 23 years. This was the opposition player, you remember. “With men, I can’t stand it. Get mad. You shouldn’t do that. It’s impossible.”
And women? “Women don’t do it. They just not see. I never saw the woman standing like that, because the ball came in. He is neither our player, of course, but it is an example of different behavior of men and women.
“There’s no point in getting angry because, in my opinion, women I do always give them all, you feel it. This is your business. This is your business. This is your business. This is your business
Jonker, who will lead the Netherlands at Euro 2025. years, the roller is in a woman’s game. Like his story about that night in Barcelona suggests, this is a coach who worked on the top of the men’s game for many years, later helping out the noises in Bayern Munich.
Arjen Robben praised him for making joy to training in Bayern. Arsene Wenger, with whom he continued to work on Arsenal, he deserves playing a key role in developing structures that help produce a generation of Dutch talents of the ultimate language.
Jonker was a helper Louis Van Gaol in Barcelona and Bayern Munich
But the best player that Jonker ever worked Catalan. “It must be Xava in Barcelona,” Answers, without hesitation. “He wasn’t high. He wasn’t fast. He was not physically strong. But I didn’t see any players better than him in my head.”
He adds: “It was remarkable. It was his orientation in the field, always scanning, always positioning his body to the best position. It was always a time and for him to play, but he is Iow.
“You saw the players to be the best scorer. It was always for the best shooter, for Cristiano Ronald or Lionel Messi. But we were to give a width award for that it was a 10-year-old prize.”
Former Captain Barcelona Xavi with Champions League Trophy
At 62 years, working with the best of the best, what does Jonker on the grass hold? To explain this, there’s another story, this one is still a little more personal. His mother, 86, had to come in the care of home. Jonker and his brother were placed on cleaning the family house.
“We found all kinds of things related to football when I was only eight or nine years,” he says, smiling. There are old boots. There is a book that collects pictures of players from the 1969/70 season. There is even a football player model that made it like a child.
“At Least It Looked Like a football player. But it shows that it was in the bones. I was really passionate about football even to see it all agait, to feel that passion. It does not disappear. It is still There. And Just Love Football. “
Of course, names outside gala as one of his greatest influences. The others are neither a big surprise. “I’m from Amsterdam,” he says, as if this requires all explanations. “The influence of Rinus Michela, Johann Cruiff … I made me feel like a football lover.”
Of course he had to adjust his ideas. “Men and women of this century cannot be compared to men and women last century. The game is very physically developed, it is on a higher pace so brains and legs must be faster.”
It stops stopped saying that football was better. But he believes a better coach. “You’re developing with the game, new influences come. Finally, you become a completely different coach. I’m much better than 20 years ago.”
Jonker’s first experience training in a woman’s game came before, working with Dutch young people. Then it first noticed that it made the different qualities in it as a coach. “Immediately, I felt I was doing it differently,” he revealed.
“At that time I thought about it. I talked differently in a different tone. Maybe I was so way. But that was that way. But that was that way. But that was That’s right. But that was that way. But that’s what he went. But that was that way and he decided it was time.
Vivianne Miedema and Jonker during the Netherlands Training in 2024. Years
It’s not like he’s not demanding. He has great expectations from his team in front of 2025 euros, and the beginning of June was disappointed by Germany and Scotland. The hope is that a short break rejuvenated the detachment that maintains is strong.
“On paper, this may be the best team we’ve ever had.” In bold conversation given that Sarina Viegman, whose group will face in Switzerland, won this tournament with the Netherlands in 2017 years, continuing to reach the World Cup final.
“Sarina had success with 10 or 11 outstanding players and managed to prevent them. Of course, the others helped me. But at the highest level we had 15, 16 or 17 players.” There are now more options. “I have some hard choices. It’s a big difference.”
Many of what Jonker describes as the Netherlands “” Golden Generation “- Think Vivianne Miedema, Sherida Sherida, Danielle Van de Donk, Jackie Groenen, Shanice Van de Sanden, Dominique Jillsen and Jill Roord – are for this tournament.
Miedema struggled to be ready, struggled twice against Finland in the final heating match. “She’s a world-class player and worked very hard, bringing her physique with her on vacation, training with (partner) Beth (Mead). We do everything to do everything to us.”
Miedema helped the Netherlands become the main force under Sarin Viegman
But others also appear. “With young talents like Veele Buurman, Esmee Brugts and Vieke Kaptein, it’s special. When the elder stops, Arjan Veurink must do a lot of work to create and build a new team.”
Mentioning Veurink, which will be able to prepare England to face England in its role of Viegman’s assistant, invokes to the fact that Jonker be replaced at the end of 2025. Years. The change was not his choice.
“I was surprised and disappointed. There are a lot of other things I can say, but I can tell you that.” In between now and then his task prepared his team for group games against England and France – but only after their fastening in the vale opening.
“Everyone seems to think that Wales piece of cake is thinking. And I think they’re all right. I don’t have a sand in my eyes.” Group favorites? “It will be who is in the best condition or maybe who has the most happiness.”
For Jonker, hope is that it can be worshiped in style. “When I accepted the job, I said two things. One I wanted to enjoy the World Cup and the second thing was to help women’s football forward. I think we did.”
He explains: “We play very attractive football and we try to inspire, especially, children who like to play football. And that would be the crown of my work whether it could make a very tournament.” But what does that mean?
“The best we can do is win a tournament,” he says. But perhaps in the climate of the inspiration of the past, Michels and Cruiff, as well as a small boy who just liked the game of football, adds: “At the very least, we need to play a great tournament.”
