“Deliberately squandered” chances: Harsh words for Oranje and KNVB after Women’s Euros exit | OneFootball

According to Analyst Leonne Stentler, the KNVB are responsible for ruining the Oranje Lionesses’ chances at the European Championship.

Andries Jonker’s 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 wouldn’t be renewing national coach Andries Jonker’s contract at the start of the year.

“It was actually going really well, so you shouldn’t have communicated this way about his departure a few months before the European Championship. That sabotaged his chances and those of the team, and that’s a crying shame,” Stentler said on NOS. Martens also didn’t understand the decision. “It was very surprising to me that they communicated it this way,” said the former international, who played under Jonker.

With the KNVB firmly in her line of critique, Stentler continued, “Yes, I do think so. For me, it started after Wiegman’s departure (to England in 2021). They were looking for a Sarina-plus player, and they’re still looking for one. Then Mark Parsons came along, who didn’t have the right qualifications. That was a terrible tournament (in 2022).

“Then, 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. That’s how I see it, and I think it’s a real shame.”

Arjan Veurink, Wiegman’s assistant at England, will succeed Jonker after the European Championship.

GBeNeFN | Max Bradfield