“Lame Duck” Jonker in criticism
Trainerzoff at EM participants Netherlands
10.07.2025 – 12:52 p.m.Reading time: 2 min.
Two game days have been completed at the European Women’s European Championship. The two games could not have run more for the Netherlands.
A 3-0 opening victory against Underdog Wales and a clear 0: 4 defeat against top favorite England. A solid first game was followed by a well-deserved defeat in the second duel for the Netherlands at the women’s European Championship. After the slump against England, “Oranje”, as the Dutch national team is called, there was stress between the coach and team.
The reason for this was the player Danielle van de Donk, who is an irreplaceable regular player, but was on the bench until the 66th minute on Wednesday. The 33-year-old had slight pain on the bar after the opening game against Wales. “Today I felt good enough to play from the start. But the decision had already been made yesterday,” said Van de Donk after the game.
Trainer Andries Jonker, formerly also a coach of the first men’s team from VfL Wolfsburg, reacted as follows at the press conference: “I think there is a misunderstanding here. We had previously discussed with the doctor and she had discussed: she could play a maximum of 20 to 25 minutes.” So there is a statement against statement.
But van de Donk doesn’t seem to be the only dissatisfied player. After the game, Jonker drummed his team on the field and addressed a few words to his players. “He said it wasn’t good enough and we would have to continue,” said goalkeeper Daphne van Domselaar. Apparently the trainer did not find any questions, between the lines it is powerful to listen to the players.
There were also vertebrae because the top scorer of the expired Bundesliga season Lineth Beerensteyn was not in the starting line-up. When asked if she had been ready, she pulled her eyebrows up and affirmed. The Wolfsburg native only came into play at the second half.
In general, the situation around Jonker is a complicated. Because since January, the Dutch association has decided that the coach has to leave the national team after the European Championship.