Louis van Gaal has taken a stand for Andries Jonker on Friday evening at Humberto. The football coach has no understanding whatsoever for the KNVB’s decision not to extend the contract of the national coach of the Orange Women prior to the European Championship.
“The KNVB has made it difficult for Andries Jonker by dismissing him before the tournament. Who does that?”, the 73-year-old Van Gaal wonders aloud. “There is a relationship between Andries and the players. If you know that you have to leave after the European Championship, then the relationship is disrupted. That is not smart of the KNVB. They have abandoned him.”
Jonker heard in January from the KNVB that he has to leave after the European Championship. Two days before the first group match against Wales, he caused a stir by telling the NOS Voetbalpodcast that he had considered quitting just before the tournament. Jonker later said that statement served a higher purpose and that he hoped to touch the players with it.
Van Gaal follows the European Women’s Football Championship closely. “Against England it was dramatic and against Wales it was not so good either. To what extent the relationship between the national coach and his team is disturbed, I do not know. But that decision was not smart. He has always treated his players well.”
Van Gaal has also worked directly with Jonker. Jonker was assistant coach of Van Gaal at FC Barcelona and at Bayern Munich.
