According to Analyst Leonne Stentler, the KNVB are responsible for ruining the Oranje Lionessesโ chances at the European Championship.
Andries Jonkerโs group crashed out of the tournament after finishing on the wrong side of a rather emphatic 2-5 score line against France, and looked especially poor after giving up a 2-1 lead at the break.
Analysts Lieke Martens and Stentler claimed that the tournament was essentially doomed to fail because of the way the KNVB announced they wouldnโt be renewing national coach Andries Jonkerโs contract at the start of the year.
โIt was actually going really well, so you shouldnโt have communicated this way about his departure a few months before the European Championship. That sabotaged his chances and those of the team, and thatโs a crying shame,โ Stentler said on NOS. Martens also didnโt understand the decision. โIt was very surprising to me that they communicated it this way,โ said the former international, who played under Jonker.
With the KNVB firmly in her line of critique, Stentler continued, โYes, I do think so. For me, it started after Wiegmanโs departure (to England in 2021). They were looking for a Sarina-plus player, and theyโre still looking for one. Then Mark Parsons came along, who didnโt have the right qualifications. That was a terrible tournament (in 2022).
โThen, a good coach (Jonker) comes along, you approach a tournament with Miedema and Pelova returning, and you make that decision. You can do that in different ways, but not like this. They deliberately squandered their chances. Thatโs how I see it, and I think itโs a real shame.โ
Arjan Veurink, Wiegmanโs assistant at England, will succeed Jonker after the European Championship.
GBeNeFNย |ย Max Bradfield
