BASEL, Switzerland — After three years accountable for the ladies’s group, Andries Jonker’s Netherlands profession is over because the aspect crashed out of Euro 2025 within the group stage. A 5-2 demolition job by France on Sunday summed up their disappointing match and the boos which bellowed round St Jakob Park when his picture appeared on display confirmed that he won’t be missed.
After shedding 4-0 to England of their second match, Netherlands seemed like a aspect prepared to show issues round once they stole right into a 2-1 lead over the French, however conceding three objectives in six minutes ended any slim hopes they’d of salvaging their match. In the long run, the Dutch solely managed one win of their three video games, letting in 9 objectives in whole, and narrowly prevented surpassing 2013 as their worst-ever match efficiency.
Sure, it was a troublesome group; England and France are each ranked amongst world’s prime 10. Nevertheless it was a dismal marketing campaign, marred by controversy and poor tactical choices.
It was not at all times like this, although. There was optimism when the previous Barcelona, Bayern Munich and VfL Wolfsburg assistant first arrived within the function in 2022, with followers hopeful that he might rekindle a few of what the nation confirmed beneath former supervisor Sarina Wiegman, who led the group to the Euro 2017 title and second place on the 2019 World Cup.
However Jonker’s tenure has at all times been considerably turbulent. When outcomes have been good, the group loved widespread help and reward; but, as quickly as issues turned ugly — just like the failed bid to qualify for the Paris 2024 Olympics — questions arose about whether or not Netherlands nonetheless deserved to be known as a European powerhouse.
“We are able to beat anybody” turned their rallying cry. The story of Euro 2025 proves that’s merely not the case anymore. So, what went unsuitable?
An excessive amount of noise
At the beginning of the yr, the Dutch federation introduced that Jonker’s contract wouldn’t be prolonged past the tip of Euro 2025. The supervisor made it clear that he was not pleased with the choice and rumors of unrest inside the camp began to swirl.
In April, Wiegman’s trusted assistant coach of eight years, Arjan Veurink, was named Jonker’s successor whereas nonetheless employed by England. Tensions started to simmer as a 4-0 defeat to Germany and 1-1 draw with Scotland within the final two UEFA Nations League video games noticed the Dutch fail to qualify for the finals, then hit boiling level on the eve of the Euro 2025 showdown with debutants Wales as Jonker admitted he had thought-about quitting earlier than the match started, citing doubts about his authority and the extent of help he was receiving.
“It was all good within the first [international] window after I bought the information,” he instructed the NOS podcast. “Within the final window we performed badly for one-and-a-half of the 2 video games, and also you begin to assume … ‘Maintain on, do I nonetheless wish to do that?’ And also you speak to individuals round you and there isn’t any one round me that claims that I want to do that. All of them say: ‘You should not do that. Keep at dwelling, allow them to determine it out.'”
The feedback began a snowball impact which shrouded Netherlands’ marketing campaign in negativity; a media frenzy ensued as criticism of the supervisor mounted. On July 4, what ought to have been a routine information convention turned contentious when a journalist accused Jonker of staging a “puppet present” the place the main focus was extra on him than the gamers.
Jonker responded, saying: “These ladies have given every part in 2025. All the things. And we’ve executed that collectively. You individuals are all right here in the present day and that is due to us. To those ladies. The royal household can be there. And you’ve got the center to name it puppetry.” The trade created a serious distraction within the lead-up to Netherlands’ first match and whereas it ended with a snug 3-0 win over Wales, the next 4-0 loss to England noticed the stress mount once more.
Participant points?
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Cracks had been seen within the Oranje setup for a while. When rumors first surfaced that the gamers have been sad with Jonker, captain Sherida Spitse publicly defended him, saying: “I might simply have continued working with Andries for an additional two years.”
However feedback from different gamers in Switzerland recommended some had grown bored with Jonker’s method. Lyon midfielder Damaris Egurrola criticized her restricted taking part in time, insisting that she wasn’t given the possibility to construct the belief wanted to show she might adapt. “My function right here is totally different than at Lyon,” she instructed Dutch newspaper De Volkskrant. “If I’ve to play in a method that isn’t suited to me, then I get the brief finish of the stick.”
There was additionally an uncommon state of affairs involving veteran midfielder Daniëlle van de Donk. In what’s prone to be her closing match, on the age of 33, Van de Donk began the primary match vs. Wales, however was benched for the loss to England after struggling a groin harm. When requested about her absence after the sport, she claimed she had been given no clarification and was match to play, although Jonker insisted it was a “miscommunication” as he had already chosen his group.
The episode highlighted a deeper drawback that implies the connection between Jonker and his gamers had damaged down in his closing weeks in cost.
The supervisor additionally needed to cope with a big harm record. Vivianne Miedema, Daphne van Domselaar, Victoria Pelova, and Lineth Beerensteyn all frolicked on the sidelines within the lead-up to Euro 2025, forcing the group to be always rotated, reshuffled and a far cry from his most-settled beginning XI.
But once they — except Beerensteyn — have been match sufficient to begin, Jonker opted to attempt to squeeze his finest gamers into the XI, deploying Pelova and Jill Roord out extensive as an alternative of of their pure midfield roles. In the long run, his heavy reliance on veterans and a reluctance to combine youthful gamers in the course of the Nations League marketing campaign left him with restricted choices heading into the match.
And when it actually mattered, towards France, prime scorer Vivianne Miedema was left on the bench for a sport by which they wanted to win by 3+ objectives to seal an unlikely qualification spot. That summed up simply how wayward a few of the choice making has been in Switzerland.
The subsequent chapter
It is a bitter finish to Jonker’s three-year spell, however the place higher to begin contemporary than on the backside? A interval of therapeutic will seemingly be wanted for the squad, having arguably been the group stage’s greatest disappointment.
Veurink is ready to take over on the conclusion of the Euros and there appears to be numerous positivity round his appointment. Most of the gamers know him nicely from his four-year stint as assistant coach beneath Wiegman, and he arrives with glowing suggestions from the English FA, workers and gamers.
“Given my state of affairs, I am additionally wanting forward,” Egurrola stated. “I can not lie about that. Somebody new is coming in, with an nearly completely new workers; a contemporary begin. Hopefully with that new workers, we’ll be capable of obtain success sooner or later.”
The place issues turned bitter beneath Jonker, there’s hope that the 38-year-old Veurink can breathe new life into the group. The squad wants a refresh, some refined techniques and a interval away from media criticism to get again on monitor. Although they should study classes from their dismal Euros efficiency if they’re to really evolve.
Data from Audrey de Ridder and ESPN NL was used on this report.