The sudden departure of Arthur Langedijk as coach of SEW comes, in his own words, ‘as a bolt from the blue’. The 55-year-old handball coach calls it ‘ridiculous’ that he is not allowed to finish the season. “I have achieved all the objectives”, says Langedijk.
SEW already announced in February that it Langedijk’s expiring contract not extended would become. It was jointly decided to finish the season, which now has six games left. This makes the moment of dismissal all the more striking. Last week SEW lost to Venlo and Quintus, the numbers two and three of the regular competition.
“We are still fighting for fourth place, which entitles us to a European ticket. The confidence was no longer there to achieve that result with Arthur for the group,” says chairman Vincent Baten. “If you then know that you are going to leave – which we have jointly decided – then you want to perform as much as possible in the play-offs. As a trainer, I am super motivated to leave well,” says Langedijk.
Chemistry
In the press release, the club said that the ‘chance is small that the national championship is still in it’. “Our paths would part anyway,” says Baten. “The dismissal has nothing to do with the loss, but the process that has been going on in recent weeks. We found that Arthur’s grip on the group of players was disappearing. Then you talk about chemistry that is no longer there.”
“It’s bullshit that the chemistry has worked out”
“It’s bullshit that the chemistry has worked out,” responds Langedijk, who regrets that he never had a conversation with the board. “They should have talked to me. This is amateurism at its best. The girls fought hard. They did very well, but unfortunately we lost to a team that was just a little better at the time.”
Recently SEW was eliminated in the European Cup by Maccabi Arazim Ramat
Summary: SEW – Maccabi Arazim Ramat – NH Sport/Frank van der Meijden
According to the chairman, the sudden departure should be sought more in Langedijk’s working method. “His way of coaching and communicating to the group creates friction”, says Baten, who notes that Langedijk has done a very creditable job. “He brought the club back to the top five. We had a lot of misery in corona time and he got us through it. He certainly gets the credit for that.”
Stink for thanks
When Langedijk joined SEW three years ago, the club was at the bottom of the competition. SEW has subsequently climbed up to a stable team that rotates at the top. “Is this the thanks for what I have done in the past three years? From relegation club to the top of the Netherlands. Six games before the end of the season. This is a joke. I have not had a conversation with the board. Incapable people take this kind of decisions. Not only will I be harmed, but also the club.”
“Is this the thanks for what I have done in the past three years? From relegation club to the top of the Netherlands”
Langedijk therefore denounces the attitude of the board and has much to criticize about the structure within the club. “I have had three presidents in three years. That says enough about the club. A lot goes wrong. That also has to do with the village. Handball is an amateur sport, volunteers consider themselves important. That has to do with the silly I think it’s really disrespectful to treat a trainer who has achieved all the goals, without giving any reason.”
Despite the fact that Langedijk has offers from a number of ‘top teams’, he will probably not return to handball immediately. He thinks it’s time to take a sabbatical after 24 years of continuous coaching at the highest level.
Don’t want to miss anything from NH Sport?