Dutch NT 2021

Agreed! I think it's a smart move for both the coaches and H. Jasper herself to play libero

I just took a look at the 2019 VNL roster. I'm wondering why Aniek Siebring is not on the longlist this year? Maybe she is not in the picture anymore

She played in Finland this year (and her team became the champions btw)

Short interview (in Dutch) with Laura Dijkema:

She says negotiations with Lokomotiv Kaliningrad on the contract are going well, but she received more offers from other clubs. Most likely she will stay in Russia, because it is financially attractive. Besides that she learned some Russian, so she can make herself clear to her teammates. Also it would be a lot easier to adapt now she has gotten used to the culture of Russia.

Already she started to train with Dutch NT, so most probably she will be available during VNL.

She is still feeling physically good, so she plans to continue playing volleyball for a while.

https://www.nporadio1.nl/humberto

Another interview with Dijkema including a 10 minute long video interview. It's about her past season as well as coming NT season, missing out on the Olympics and a lot of other things.

Maybe I'll find time tomorrow to translate some highlights. A goals she still has, (she also mentioned it in the other interview) is that she really wants to play a CL final four

https://www.rtvdrenthe.nl/nieu…true&disableTracking=true

Dutch NT will play 2 friendly matches against Belgium NT:

9 May, Beveren (Belgium)

19 May, Sliedrecht (the Netherlands)

https://fb.watch/58Zdt0VaHC/

Robin de Kruijf will not participate in VNL, she said in a Dutch newspaper today.

She also said it is not for sure that Conegliano will win CL tonight, because its one match and everything can happen.

She doesn't know how her future in volleyball will look like since she hates to look into the far future. At this point she feels like playing a couple more seasons. She won't participate in VNL because her body needs to rest sometimes if she want to continue play bigger tournaments. Especially after all those seasons with club and national team.

And to finish it off, she is happy for Lonny that she made the decision to quit volleyball and that it is most important that Lonneke is happy herself.

Dutch NT started training this week with the full squad.

Only player I didn't notice on the video is Koolhaas, so maybe rumors of her retiring could be true? Also de Kruijf is missing ofcourse, but as already been said she will not be part of the squad for VNL.

Good to see both Beliën and Lohuis already started training I hope they don't rush them into playing!

https://fb.watch/5i6YRnjVzS/

I was already afraid of it and it is now being confirmed

This summer Robin de Kruijf will not play for Dutch NT, because she needs some rest. Next year, De Kruijf will make a new consideration with regard to her availability for Dutch NT.

https://www.volleybal.nl/nieuw…deze-zomer-niet-in-oranje

i'm happy for that

she's that kind of player that get this special treatment also netherlands need to invest in young athletes asap as his gold generation is getting old

In an interview on Dutch radio Robin de Kruijf explained her decision to take a break from Dutch NT this summer:

- Her body indicates that she must take a break after several injuries in recent years.

- The mental aspect is the biggest motivator to quit, so she can rest mentally and do some other things than just volleyball. She doesn't want to be lived, but take her own decisions.

- She does not want to compare her situation with that of Lonneke Sloëtjes, because she is not done with volleyball. She still likes to play volleyball itself. She is done playing for NT for now, because it is very intense.

- De Kruijf doesn't like planning ahead, so she isn't going to make any statements about her future in NT. WCH 2022 home country would be the biggest reason to return in NT.

- Selinger understands her decision to quit. He would keep asking her to remain part of Dutch NT as long as she is still playing volleyball.

- De Kruijf admits that she is tough and a bit bitchy on the volleyball court with NT Mainly because the Dutch team consists of nice girls, so she wanted to keep them focused and they keep fighting on the court this way.

https://www.nporadio1.nl/de-pe…dingen/3575724-2021-05-09

Today Dutch NT and Belgium played 2 friendly games against each other. There was no stream available and I can't find any stats, so here is some information based on a article and a video down below.

Laura Dijkema and Maret Grothues were missing from the match selection, just like middle blockers Nicole Koolhaas, Yvon Beliën and Juliët Lohuis. Also Celeste Plak was missing, because she isn't fit enough yet. Floortje Meijners retired from NT.

Two matches were played at the same time, both four-seters. With the Dutch Nt you can't speak of an A or B formation. These macthes in Belgium were intended to judge young players, because in a few days the list of players has to be submitted for VNL.

Team 1:

van Aalen - Dambrink

Savelkoel - Daalderop

de Zwart - Korevaar

Knip

Team 2:

Bongaerts - Scholten

Buijs - M. Jasper

Polder - Timmerman - Baijens

Schoot

Bench players: H. Jasper. Meijers and Oude - Luttikhuis

Based on the video team 1 lost and team 2 won. Team 1 played against the starting 7 of Belgium; Herbots, van Gestel, Grobelna etc.

On 19 May Belgium and Dutch NT will meet again. Than there will be a stream on volleybal.nl

https://www.volkskrant.nl/spor…-volleybal-2022~b6189b05/

https://sporza.be/nl/2021/05/0…edacht-dat~1620585283377/

I’ve seen some instastories from today’s photo shoot, and I think that Buijs is the new captain.

Quote from Mimek

I’ve seen some instastories from today’s photo shoot, and I think that Buijs is the new captain.

Indeed! She already was the captain during the friendly matches against Belgium. Honestly I think Grothues still will be the captain for Dutch NT in the future, unless she decided she didn't want that responsibility anymore. I expect the reason for Buijs being captain, that Grothues won't play VNL or will enter the bubble half way. Otherwise Buijs is a logical choice as captain, because she belongs to the players with the most experience and already was captain of the team during Olympics when Grothues missed some matches because of her injury.

Some other interesting things:

- Weird to see number 10 will no longer will be worn by Sloëtjes Sarah van Aalen will now play with number 10.

- Number 2 has now been taken again after Stoltenborg retired from NT, Fleur Savelkoel will wear number 2 from now on.

- Beliën was on the training, but is missing on the photo.

- Koolhaas also missing on the photo. It's really weird, because there hasn't been any information publicized so far about her retiring or take a break...

https://www.volleyball.world/e…d-netherlands/team_roster

No Grothues, Dijkema and Belien on the roster at least for now

I'm starting to think that Belien will not join this summer at all. We already knew that she wouldn't be available during the first NT matches but she isn't in the team photo. While others as Dijkema and Grothues are there

Quote from VolleyOrange

I'm starting to think that Belien will not join this summer at all. We already knew that she wouldn't be available during the first NT matches but she isn't in the team photo. While others as Dijkema and Grothues are there

I think there is a big possibility she will not be part of the team this summer indeed. Although she was already on the training, so that gives a bit of hope.

It would be a shame if she couldn't make it to ECH, because she could be a sort of mentor to the younger middle blockers. Mostly now all middle blokcers who where part of the team last 4 years are absent (I have my doubts if Lohuis will be able to play already). Maybe she made an agreement with Firenze to join them early in the preparation after she decided to leave the team last season and get an surgery. On the other hand it gives the youngsters like Baijens, Timmerman and de Zwart time to gain experience and show what they are capable of. Especially if de Kruijf decides not to return to NT next year...

Quote from VolleyOrange

https://www.volleyball.world/e…d-netherlands/team_roster

No Grothues, Dijkema and Belien on the roster at least for now

Here is the squad for VNL:

On June 5 Elles Dambrink and Annick Meijers will be exchanged with Florien Reesink and Nicole Oude Luttikhuis:

Laura Dijkema, Maret Grothues, Yvon Beliën and Nicole Koolhaas do not participate in during VNL in consultation with Selinger due to various reasons. They will join the selection again later this summer.

https://www.volleybal.nl/nieuw…all-nations-league-bekend

Tomorrow at 5.00 (CET) Dutch NT will play a friendly match against Belgium!
You can watch it thru the link below.However you have to make an account to watch the livestream, so not sure if you are able to watch it if you're outside the Netherlands/ without Dutch VPN...

https://www.volleybal.nl/livestreams

Maret Grothues on joining Panathinaikos:

"I don't know much about Greek volleyball, but I fell for the club's ambition." The club reached out to her and she was very enthusiastic when they unfolded their plans for next season. They want to become champion again after all the seasons Olympiakos won in the last years. They will also be playing CEV Challenge Cup and have the goal to win it. Grothues said she likes the challenge and looks forward to it.

About the summer with NT:

She decided to not join the VNL for some rest. Especially her knees aren't getting better at this point. She assumes she will be part of the team for ECH but it's up to the coach to decide.

Is Bologna the airport all teams used to go to Rimini? Dijkema posted on her IG story that she was going to travel unexpectedly and the next update was in Bologna... is she going to VNL after all?