Andries Jonker is surprised by Jill Roord’s transfer to FC Twente. The national coach of the Orange Women believes that the move says something about the pressure that players experience. “At some point, the tank is empty.”
Two days ago, Roord announced that she was leaving English top club Manchester City to play in the Eredivisie again at FC Twente. “I fell off my chair,” Jonker said on Monday at a press conference.
“In recent weeks, I have been to FC Twente regularly. I have good contact with her father, René. Also with Jill, but I didn’t see this coming.”
Roord did not ask Jonker for advice about the transfer, but the national coach does not think that is strange. “That makes sense, because it has nothing to do with me. It’s about next season and I don’t have control over that,” said Jonker, who has to leave as national coach after the European Championship next summer.
“She did send me a message that she is going to explain it all to me today, so we will discuss that later.”
Jonker sees Roord transfer as a signal
The 28-year-old Roord played for City for one of the best clubs in the world, but chose her happiness at FC Twente. She played for the Tukkers from 2012 to 2017 and her father René Roord is the technical manager.
“In recent years I have increasingly lost my pleasure in football and my happiness. I will find that back here immediately – I can already feel it,” Roord said on the FC Twente website.
Jonker thinks that Roord’s transfer is a “signal”. “These women always have to keep playing. People think they don’t need rest. Every character is different. There are players who do need rest.”
“At some point, the tank is empty. That manifests itself in many ways. This is also a way. We need to be much more careful with top players.”
The press conference on Monday was the kick-off of Orange’s last international week before the European Championship next summer. Jonker’s team will play against Germany (Friday) and Scotland (Tuesday) in the last two group matches of the Nations League.