Dutch NT 2020

It's definitely a good idea. Brazil used to do that with our young players, it's not a coincidence that we were quite successful when we did that.

Maybe being ready for WCH is a bit of wishful thinking... But if the project continues for a long period you will definitely see good players showing up, that's for sure

I thought the World Championship would boost the will of coming back and playing for the NT. Hope they miss playing volleyball and decide to be there!

The idea of travelling overseas is good indeed, specially the idea of coming to Brazil (in a better moment, of course!).

According to a Italian journalist, Guilio Bregoli will be the new head coach of Dutch NT. Currently he is the coach of Chieri '76 and also assistant in Italian women's NT

Source (in Dutch): https://www.volleybalkrant.nl/…h-van-de-volleybaldames-/

Quote from Let's go orange

For me it would be a great choice! I didn't think of him before, but I think he can be the right coach to develop a decent team with the new generation of Dutch players! He has done a great job with limited players in Chieri the last few years. Also he learned a lot as an assistent for the Italian team, so he can implement this in the Dutch team.

Great work from Nevobo!👏

Do you expect a whole generation change already this year or do you think they will keep the veterans till wch?

Good move

Chieri since promotion to A1 has done a lot of good work and he's really good,I like how he develop perinelli,mazzaro and villani

Also I think that netherlands should play all tournaments with the team that was at last year VNL

They were good and promising:baijens,meijers,daalderoop

Because they actual time is old and also several show interest to rest from volleyball or retire,and also they suffered a lot with injuries so they should develop this team

Quote from Let's go orange

As I wrote in a post above, the Dutch volleyball federation has the approach to develop a team with young talents from 17 - 21 years of age who are able to complete the national A-team in the near future. IMO it isn't realistic these players will be in the WCH 2022 squad, so I expect most of the players in 2022 will be the veterans.

If I take a look at the current form of the veterans and the young prospects the Netherlands have to offer, the opposite position and libero position will be the big weakness. For the opposite positions I think Sloëtjes will quit with playing volleyball, because I've heard she is enjoying life a lot without volleyball in it. For now and the near future there are no real opposites who play at a high level and are able to take the starting spot. On the libero positions we only have Schoot and Knip. They aren't the youngest anymore and not the most reliable libero's. Below I put down 5 players on every position who are the best at their position IMO and who have the biggest chance to join the squad of the WCH 2022. I think the bold players should be part of the fourteen-strong selection of the WCH in 2022.

Setter

Britt Bongaerts, 23, LKS LODZ

Laura Dijkema, 30, Lokomotiv Kaliningrad

Sarah van Aalen, 20, USC Münster

Floor Meinders, 19, Apollo 8

Anna Mebus, 20, TVS Düdingen

I said before I didn't wanted to see Dijkema ever again in Dutch NT, but van Aalen isn't developing in a good way and the other ones still have to prove themselves on a bigger level. So I would choose for experience and take Dijkema as second setter behind Bongaerts. Besides that Dijkema is playing decent so far for Lokomotiv, so hope she can keep this level.

Opposite

Celeste Plak, 25, no club (also OH)

Floortjes Meijners, 33, Saugella Monza (also OH)

Annick Meijers, 20, Chieri'76 (also OH)

Jolijn de Haan, 18, Sliedrecht

Marieke van der Mark, 20, Baylor

So no Sloëtjes, who was the big leader the last few years for the Dutch NT team. As you can see, almost all the options are outside hitters from origin. Plak is for me the best option, because she has the power for a opposite and proved in the past she can handle this position in absence of Sloëtjes. Meijners already will be 35 in 2022, so I don't think she would have a big impact on the team. De Haan only will be 20 and the fact she only played in the weak Dutch league, I don't expect her to be ready for the WCH in 2022. Van der Mark could be an option, but she plays for the university of Baylor in NCAA, so I don't know if she is interested to play for the Dutch NT. If she would be, I would pick her above Meijers, because she is tall and has a strong left arm.

Outside Hitters

Nika Daalderop, 21, Igor Gorgonzala Novara

Anne Buijs, 28, Praia Clube

Hester Jasper, 19, MTV Stuttgart

Marrit Jasper, 24, Brescia

Nicole Oude Luttikhuis, 22, SSC Schwerin

Pretty easy decisions for me. Daalderop is the only real prospect for the Netherlands who has the capacity to become a world class player. Hope she will get more playing time in Novara or transfer to another team, so she can develop. Buijs will only be 30 in 2022, so I think she can be important for the team. Don't know if she will be a starter, but her experience definitely can help the team. Hester Jasper is the player who should take over the role of Grothues as defensive outside hitter. I think Daalderop - H. Jasper can be a good outside hitter duo. If the reception is good, you have good middles to give the ball. Otherwise you have Daalderop for the out of system balls. Marrit Jasper is developing every year, so I hope she can develop furter in the Italian league. She could be a reliable substitution to stabilize the reception in the back-row.

Middel Blockers

Robin de Kruijf , 29, Imoco Volley Conegliano

Yvon Beliën, 26, Il Bisento Firenze

Indy Baijens , 19, Chemick Police

Eline Timmerman, 22, Ladies in Black Aachen

Juliet Lohuis, 24, MTV Stuttgart

Middle blocker position is clearly the best for the Dutch NT! De Kruijf is still one of the best middle blockers in the world and if she stays injury free, I think she still will be in 2 years. Beliën is not a spectaculair player, but gets the job done. If she plays with confidence, she can play really good! Baijens is a great prospect in front of the setter and Timmerman for the slide attack. They can develop a lot in 2 years and will be great back-ups for de Kruijf and Beliën. I'm sorry for Lohuis, but IMO Baijens and Timmerman have more potential.

Libero

Maret Grothues, 32, Aydin

Kirsten Knip, 28, no club

Myrthe Schoot, 32, Vilsbiburg

Florien Reesink, 22, Apollo 8

Romy Brooking, 18, Talent team Papendal

I would switch Grothues to the libero position, because her attack is non existing but her defense and recption still are at a high level. She can do the same as Stam-Pilon did during the Olympics in 2016. I would choose Knip as back-up, but only because there aren't better alternatives... Hope she can find a new club soon and is able to reach the level she showed in 2017 - 2018. Than she can be a decent libero. Schoot will be to old and she isn't much better than Knip. Reesink has the potential, but it seems she doesn't want to play outside the Netherlands. In this way she can't develop. I don't know much about Brooking, so I can't tell much about her.

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Nice overview! I like the idea of putting Grothues in libero position. Both Schoot and Knip have been worse liberos among the medal contenders (with American liberos of course). I am not sure Grothues can do the job as well as Stam but she will be probably better than both Schoot and Knip.

I am surprised that you think Lohuis will be out of roster for WCh. I have a good impression about her, especially her serves are pretty good! I haven't watched other two youngsters you mentioned, so they might indeed have more potential.

About Jasper sisters, do you really think that younger one is better than her sister? Hester is even shorter than Maret right?

Considering the fact that MB is the best position of Netherlands right now, playing with Nika and Buijs wouldn't be wise. I think putting Nika on Opp position and playing with two defensive OH could be a logical option for Dutchies as well. Nika is still young and her attack from zone is also good.

Quote from Let's go orange

As I wrote in a post above, the Dutch volleyball federation has the approach to develop a team with young talents from 17 - 21 years of age who are able to complete the national A-team in the near future. IMO it isn't realistic these players will be in the WCH 2022 squad, so I expect most of the players in 2022 will be the veterans.

If I take a look at the current form of the veterans and the young prospects the Netherlands have to offer, the opposite position and libero position will be the big weakness. For the opposite positions I think Sloëtjes will quit with playing volleyball, because I've heard she is enjoying life a lot without volleyball in it. For now and the near future there are no real opposites who play at a high level and are able to take the starting spot. On the libero positions we only have Schoot and Knip. They aren't the youngest anymore and not the most reliable libero's. Below I put down 5 players on every position who are the best at their position IMO and who have the biggest chance to join the squad of the WCH 2022. I think the bold players should be part of the fourteen-strong selection of the WCH in 2022.

Setter

Britt Bongaerts, 23, LKS LODZ

Laura Dijkema, 30, Lokomotiv Kaliningrad

Sarah van Aalen, 20, USC Münster

Floor Meinders, 19, Apollo 8

Anna Mebus, 20, TVS Düdingen

I said before I didn't wanted to see Dijkema ever again in Dutch NT, but van Aalen isn't developing in a good way and the other ones still have to prove themselves on a bigger level. So I would choose for experience and take Dijkema as second setter behind Bongaerts. Besides that Dijkema is playing decent so far for Lokomotiv, so hope she can keep this level.

Opposite

Celeste Plak, 25, no club (also OH)

Floortjes Meijners, 33, Saugella Monza (also OH)

Annick Meijers, 20, Chieri'76 (also OH)

Jolijn de Haan, 18, Sliedrecht

Marieke van der Mark, 20, Baylor

So no Sloëtjes, who was the big leader the last few years for the Dutch NT team. As you can see, almost all the options are outside hitters from origin. Plak is for me the best option, because she has the power for a opposite and proved in the past she can handle this position in absence of Sloëtjes. Meijners already will be 35 in 2022, so I don't think she would have a big impact on the team. De Haan only will be 20 and the fact she only played in the weak Dutch league, I don't expect her to be ready for the WCH in 2022. Van der Mark could be an option, but she plays for the university of Baylor in NCAA, so I don't know if she is interested to play for the Dutch NT. If she would be, I would pick her above Meijers, because she is tall and has a strong left arm.

Outside Hitters

Nika Daalderop, 21, Igor Gorgonzala Novara

Anne Buijs, 28, Praia Clube

Hester Jasper, 19, MTV Stuttgart

Marrit Jasper, 24, Brescia

Nicole Oude Luttikhuis, 22, SSC Schwerin

Pretty easy decisions for me. Daalderop is the only real prospect for the Netherlands who has the capacity to become a world class player. Hope she will get more playing time in Novara or transfer to another team, so she can develop. Buijs will only be 30 in 2022, so I think she can be important for the team. Don't know if she will be a starter, but her experience definitely can help the team. Hester Jasper is the player who should take over the role of Grothues as defensive outside hitter. I think Daalderop - H. Jasper can be a good outside hitter duo. If the reception is good, you have good middles to give the ball. Otherwise you have Daalderop for the out of system balls. Marrit Jasper is developing every year, so I hope she can develop furter in the Italian league. She could be a reliable substitution to stabilize the reception in the back-row.

Middel Blockers

Robin de Kruijf , 29, Imoco Volley Conegliano

Yvon Beliën, 26, Il Bisento Firenze

Indy Baijens , 19, Chemick Police

Eline Timmerman, 22, Ladies in Black Aachen

Juliet Lohuis, 24, MTV Stuttgart

Middle blocker position is clearly the best for the Dutch NT! De Kruijf is still one of the best middle blockers in the world and if she stays injury free, I think she still will be in 2 years. Beliën is not a spectaculair player, but gets the job done. If she plays with confidence, she can play really good! Baijens is a great prospect in front of the setter and Timmerman for the slide attack. They can develop a lot in 2 years and will be great back-ups for de Kruijf and Beliën. I'm sorry for Lohuis, but IMO Baijens and Timmerman have more potential.

Libero

Maret Grothues, 32, Aydin

Kirsten Knip, 28, no club

Myrthe Schoot, 32, Vilsbiburg

Florien Reesink, 22, Apollo 8

Romy Brooking, 18, Talent team Papendal

I would switch Grothues to the libero position, because her attack is non existing but her defense and recption still are at a high level. She can do the same as Stam-Pilon did during the Olympics in 2016. I would choose Knip as back-up, but only because there aren't better alternatives... Hope she can find a new club soon and is able to reach the level she showed in 2017 - 2018. Than she can be a decent libero. Schoot will be to old and she isn't much better than Knip. Reesink has the potential, but it seems she doesn't want to play outside the Netherlands. In this way she can't develop. I don't know much about Brooking, so I can't tell much about her.

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Interesting observation!

I think there's still a chance that Sloetjes will come back. She has great experience and also the capabilities so imo she can be an asset to the team. Maybe its just me who don't want to face the fact she won't play anymore. If Sloetjes is out, I'd definitely go with Plak. Her passing is not that good but she has to power to be a strong opposite.

For outside hitters I would choose Buijs, Daalderop en Marrit Jasper. Plus one OH who hopefully will develop herself in the coming two years, maybe Meijers. She is now in the ultimate position in Chieri to show Bregoli why. Otherwise Oude Luttikhuis can be an option, I hope she develop faster in Schwerin. She still young btw.

Imo Hester is too short too achieve anything against teams like USA, China or Serbia. We saw the same with Maret, who is a pretty decent OH but on international top level she doesn't add much to the attack of the team.

That brings me to the libero spot. Cause for reception and defense duties, Maret is one of world's best as an OH. I agree with transforming her into a libero. Just like, as you already mentioned, Guidetti did with Stam. Hester Jasper might be a good libero too, but I don't know her good enough to say if she has the skills to be one. If both are not going to happen, I'd go with Schoot and then Knip.

As middle blockers, I think that both De Kruijf and Belien will be starters in '22. De Kruijf is getting older but it she still having a fun time in Conegliano. Besides those two, I'd go with Lohuis, who is, also as mentioned before, a really good server. And Timmerman as 4th MB, she is a strong attacker already despite her age. I'm not really a fan of Baijens, but maybe that's because of Morrison's tragic idea to put her in as an opposite. That didn't work out at all.

For setters I would pick Bongaerts and Dijkema. Dijkema is playing well in Kaliningrad, Bongaerts is very talented. If one of the two gets injured, I would give Stoltenborg a call to convince her to help the team out. Or Van Aalen needs to develop herself somehow real quick, than I'd pick her.

Just be happy, Lonneke!

Quote from Let's go orange

Tomorrow at noon the NEVOBO will announce the new national coach in a press conference!

are there rumors of who it will be?

edit: i see above rumors of the coach from Chieri.... guess i should read more

I hope it's Bregoli, he's doing a great job in Chieri he deserves some recognition!

The volleynews.it guy just tweeted that Avital Selinger will be the new head coach...?

If it true it would be the worst choice of all time imo, but anyway we'll see who it is in 45 minutes