National coach Andries Jonker said, despite the 2-0 defeat of the football players in the practice match against Norway, he has become a lot wiser. “We tried to start 3-5-2, but we collapse under our own nerves and then the system doesn’t matter. We’ve been able to see how far the players are,” he told ESPN.
Jonker said earlier that the players had achieved a high level in the training sessions. “But you don’t win games with that. In this composition, the team is not yet able to convert that into a good game. Then you know where you stand.”
The national coach had many young players start against Norway. “The young girls who are still suffering from the tension will get through it. They need these kinds of competitions for that.”
Jonker wanted to see how the players who are doing excellent in training, show it in a match. “How far are you if you put on an orange shirt and play in a stadium against a real opponent. Training is different than playing against a fierce Norway.”