The Oranjevrouwen (Dutch national women’s football team) are not greatly worried heading into the European Championship, even though they acknowledge that it wasn’t good again on Tuesday against Scotland (1-1). National coach Andries Jonker hopes that the vacation will do the players good before the title tournament.
“We are not satisfied with this period,” was midfielder Jill Roord’s conclusion after the disappointing duels with Germany (4-0 defeat) and Scotland (1-1) at the NOS. “It was absolutely not good enough.”
The Netherlands took a beating from Germany on Friday, and that blow still lingered four days later in Jonker’s team. Oranje did take the lead against Scotland, but fell far back after halftime and could not complain afterwards about a 1-1 draw.
National coach Jonker is nonetheless not greatly worried heading into the European Championship, which is scheduled to start in a month. “That sometimes happens with teams, that they lose the thread for a moment. It works out well that we have a break now. Balls were just handed over to the wrong color. I don’t understand it.”
Roord joined in on that. The players have time off until June 19. Then the preparation for the European Championship begins, which starts for the Netherlands on July 5. “We have to be fresh and fit on July 5. We weren’t this international period. Vacation is good for everyone.”
Jonker thinks it will all work out with Oranje. “I hope the same thing happens as two years ago before the World Cup. Then the players were 20 to 30 percent better after their vacation. I am speculating on that now as well. We need to use our eyes to play the ball to the right color.”