Netherlands coach blasts FIFA Women's World Cup organisers over training venue

Saturday, 22 July 2023

The Netherlands women’s football team have been none too impressed by their training ground at Bay Oval in Mt Maunganui.

Netherlands coach Andries Jonker has blasted FIFA Women’s World Cup officials of “amateurish” organisation, firing up over the state of his side’s training pitch in Mt Maunganui.

The Dutch, ranked No 9 in the world and runners-up at the last event in 2019, are based in Tauranga and using Bay Oval – typically a cricket ground – for their preparations.

However, speaking at a press conference on Wednesday, Jonker made it clear he was none too impressed with the venue, claiming his players risked injury thanks to the hard cricket pitches which lie in the middle of it.

The Dutch football association (KNVB) reportedly expressed concerns to FIFA after making two inspection visits in October last year and February this year, claiming they were promised the pitches would be removed after the cricket season and before the Dutch side arrived.

Netherlands coach Andries Jonker talks to his team at training on Wednesday.

“When we arrived here on Wednesday, I thought, 'Now what is this now?' I will not train on this,” Jonker said.

“We have raised concerns about the cricket pitch previously, we were promised things and now we are very disappointed and angry. We are not satisfied.

“We want to play a good first match against Portugal here [in Dunedin on Sunday night], we want to have a top preparation, a top tournament, and we also consider ourselves a top team. This does not fit. This fits with amateurism of the highest order.

“If you fall on it with your knee or your shoulder, you could have a problem. If you sprint from the grass to that pitch, that is also not good for muscles and tendons that are already under tension.

“With other exercises we can train around that pitch, but 11 against 11 doesn't work.”

Despite the concerns, the Netherlands opted to stick with the venue ahead of their Group E opener, albeit without undertaking any full-pitch practice.

“There were two other options,” Jonker said. “We could go to Dunedin earlier, but then you have to re-arrange hotels, flights and everyone is on the wrong track.

“There was also the suggestion we go to Hamilton. That's an hour-and-a-half drive. That sounds easy, but then you are on the road from 10am to 6pm for one training session.”