Andries Jonker was at the top of the list, which also featured Sarina Wickman’s assistant Arjan Veringh, who has been performing well in the English Football Association. With the crucial World Cup qualifier against Iceland coming up the 59-year-old coach was immediately available after working with Telstar and, unlike last year, he was keen to step in after Wikmann’s departure.

Jonker signed his third contract with the KNVB today, including the 2025 European Championship, after being active in various roles at the association in the 1990s and 2000s. As an interim, she was also the Orange Women’s National Coach for six months in 2001. Jonker has always had an eye on women’s football, she said behind the microphone at Zeist today. ,, Last year I signed with Telstar and didn’t want to let the club and the players down. It was not the right time. Well, I guess now.”

Jonger has spoken with three key players so far: the Orange, Leek Martens, Vivian Miedema and Sherida Spitze. About the expectations, about the players, about the relationships within the team. He himself thinks that oranges are ancient. ,, I thought Spain, England, Germany and France were better than the Netherlands last summer. Sweden was equal. And another club of nations approaches. The summit is shaping up to be crowded in Europe. Globally, the US and Japan are feared enemies and Canada, Australia and even Brazil are not for the cat.

“I think we can aim for that position. We want to be in the top 10 in the FIFA rankings, just like the men, and try to compete in every tournament and finish in the top eight. On good days we can beat anyone, but the four nations have been very good this summer and will do more. There is work to be done.

Jonker strives for beautiful football and results, which was not the case under his predecessor Mark Parsons. ,,We are Dutch, aren’t we? I have been abroad for fourteen years. We have to win there. We want to win and play good football, that’s part of me too.”

Men’s national coach Louis van Gaal, who assisted at FC Barcelona and Bayern Munich, spoke with Jonker Wikmann and texted him. Jonger calls it ‘a colossal coincidence’ and ‘incredible’ that they are now jointly responsible for one of the KNVB’s most important flagships. What he learned from Van Gaal: ,,Give the boys more faith, more hope. And when asked if women need a different approach than men: ,, I’m curious, but I hope not. A live coach who tells me what I see and think. I hope these girls can handle it.

Amsterdam must deliver immediately, because the crucial last World Cup qualifier against Iceland already awaits on September 6. Victory would mean direct qualification for the 2023 World Cup in New Zealand and Australia. Losing points could condemn the Orange to the play-offs. ,, have three chances to qualify: by beating Iceland, play-offs in Europe and play-offs in Australia. If you think you’re in the top ten in the FIFA rankings, you should be confident that you’ll qualify next week.