Netherlands NT 2022

    It's the new year so let's talk about the Dutch national team in 2022. The year of World Championship in their home country! Below is what the team for WCh should look like based on current performance in my opinion. I'm curious how it will differ from the actual roster in September


    S: Dijkema, Bongaerts

    OH: Buijs, Daalderop, Grothues, M. Jasper

    MB: De Kruijf, Belien, Lohuis, Timmerman

    OPP: Plak, Dambrink

    L: Schoot, Knip


    I hope to see all of the above players in VNL also, or at least partly. We all saw last summer how it can go with teams who send a B team. Obviously the rising stars should be given playing time too in VNL. I hope too see these names:


    S: Van Aalen

    OH: Knollema, H. Jasper

    MB: Baijens, De Zwart, Korevaar, Polder

    OPP: Scholten

    L: Brokking

    Soooo excited for WCH in the Netherlands!:cheesy: Hope (full) audience is allowed then, so it can become a big party:drink:


    I agree mostly about your squad for WCH, but I have some other views:

    - Most importantly I'm 75% sure de Kruijf won't play for Dutch NT anymore?( This is a big blow for the team, because she would be one of the leaders and simply is a world class player! We've seen her perform at a high level in Conegliano and I think she needs the summer off to rest her body and perform at a high level during club season.

    - Opposite position is still the biggest question mark for me after Sloëtjes retirement. On the other hand, I think Plak is performing decent in Japan and with the game rhythm she will have at the beginning of NT, she will be the starting opposite. Dambrink performed great at the VNL, but her performance during ECH (against top level teams) wasn't that good... Her performance in team 22 is good, but it's just in Dutch league. When both of Plak and Dambrink don't deliver, Selinger should consider playing with a receiving opposite for example Grothues. Also Knollema and Savelkoel could be tried as opposite. Last option could be Beliën as opposite, because I believe she could play real decent at this position with her blocking and power on the slide attack! This would only be a option when de Kruijf will be one of the middle blockers, because they atleast need one experienced middle blocker on court.

    - Hester Jasper should not be ruled out in advance, because her performance in Stuttgart before her injury was real stable! Knip her level is also still a question mark, so she could even be used as second libero.

    - For me Baijens should be part of the squad instead of Lohuis, because she is the only player in Schwerin who performed at a stable level this season and overall performed better than Lohuis. I believe Baijens has more to offer in all elements, except serving:lol:


    On VNL I completely agree! The "veterans" don't have to play all weeks, but to have a good connection with all players they need some match rhythm at the highest level with each other. I especially want to see Knollema, because she didn't play for senior NT before. If she makes a good impression during VNL, she could replace Grothues or M. Jasper as one of the outside hitters or she could could be second opposite during WCH.

    guys does anyone know what happend to floortjes meijners? did she stop permanently ? because if she returns she would be useful to this team. also why she was not part of the team all those years? Floortje Meijners-AtsürFFloortje Meijners-Atsürloortje Meijners-Atsür

    Quote from avid

    You can always use Marieke van der Mark :lol::lol::lol:

    Such a versatile and fast player:rolll:

    I think De Kruijf will play in WCh but it will be her last tournament before NT retirement. Same goes for Dijkema, Grothues and Schoot. I really get that impression from their podcast. They often talk about the future and joking about it always, and even though they don't explicitly mention it, I'm pretty sure this summer will be the last for them. Just how they talk about it indicates it already


    If both opposites don't deliver or are injured we do have a very big problem indeed. I think Scholten will be the first in line then, but she's for sure not good enough to play as a starter. Based on the stats tho she's doing fairly well in the Bundesliga. Grothues as receiving opposite could be a solution indeed. Or Buijs as OPP with Daalderop and M. Jasper as OHs.


    That brought me to the question, what if Dijkema or Bongaerts isn't available? I think Van Aalen should be called, although I would understand the decision to ask Stoltenborg to return for that tournament. She's still playing after all


    Knollema in Italy is already a bigger success than Meijers in Chieri. I have very high hopes for her, Daalderop - Knollema duo seems solid for the future

    Quote from steven123

    guys does anyone know what happend to floortjes meijners? did she stop permanently ? because if she returns she would be useful to this team. also why she was not part of the team all those years? Floortje Meijners-AtsürFFloortje Meijners-Atsürloortje Meijners-Atsür

    She quit from the national team for sure. And very likely from club volleyball as well. There hasn't been an official statement and she not active on social media too

    Btw, another position I see trouble is the "coach". Selinger is a great trainer and can perfectly develop and prepare new and young players. But as a coach, for example during time outs, he is absolutely terrible . Just terrible. Nevobo should find a solution for that

    Quote from VolleyOrange

    That brought me to the question, what if Dijkema or Bongaerts isn't available? I think Van Aalen should be called, although I would understand the decision to ask Stoltenborg to return for that tournament. She's still playing after all

    Please no Stoltenborg anymore:S I don't think van Aalen is much better, but at least she is still young and has a chance to develop! Just hope nothing will happen to both Bongaerts and Dijkema:D

    Quote from VolleyOrange

    Btw, another position I see trouble is the "coach". Selinger is a great trainer and can perfectly develop and prepare new and young players. But as a coach, for example during time outs, he is absolutely terrible . Just terrible. Nevobo should find a solution for that

    They should hire a more vocal assistant IMO, because both Huurman and Reitsma are the same type as Selinger and will not step up during a match.

    Slightly off topic (but I'll share it anyway:saint:)


    I came across a match of Netherlands vs. Brazil in 2014 WCh. It's interesting to see that Netherlands basically played with three opposites, all Flier, Sloetjes and Plak were starters and all of them we know nowadays as (former) opposites


    You can watch it here:


    If someone is interested, match between Dutch champion from last few years Sliedrecht and current leader in Dutch league Team 22 (with Schoot and Dambrink).


    https://www.volleybal.nl/compe…-1-2/nationale-competitie

    Robin De Kruijf and Yvon Belien retired from NT

    So sad...why they didn't way after Wch

    Both will continue to play in club teams. First of all they were such a big part of Netherlands NT success in the past. I really wish them a lot of happiness now that they made their decision. But we lose two key players on the only position we could match with top countries as Brazil, USA, Serbia, Italy etc etc.....


    It's so hard and difficult to understand why they won't continue to at least the world championships if you're not the player yourself. It such a big loss but I respect them for making this decision. The good thing is that we have some good other MB's. But that's the only good thing. Especially Belien's announcement comes as a big big big surprise to me ;(


    https://www.volleybal.nl/nieuw…belien-stoppen-bij-oranje

    Quote from VolleyOrange

    Both will continue to play in club teams. First of all they were such a big part of Netherlands NT success in the past. I really wish them a lot of happiness now that they made their decision. But we lose two key players on the only position we could match with top countries as Brazil, USA, Serbia, Italy etc etc.....


    It's so hard and difficult to understand why they won't continue to at least the world championships if you're not the player yourself. It such a big loss but I respect them for making this decision. The good thing is that we have some good other MB's. But that's the only good thing. Especially Belien's announcement comes as a big big big surprise to me ;(


    https://www.volleybal.nl/nieuw…belien-stoppen-bij-oranje

    And why is Belien leaving? It's a big shock for me, after all :read:

    Quote from VolleyOrange

    Both will continue to play in club teams. First of all they were such a big part of Netherlands NT success in the past. I really wish them a lot of happiness now that they made their decision. But we lose two key players on the only position we could match with top countries as Brazil, USA, Serbia, Italy etc etc.....


    It's so hard and difficult to understand why they won't continue to at least the world championships if you're not the player yourself. It such a big loss but I respect them for making this decision. The good thing is that we have some good other MB's. But that's the only good thing. Especially Belien's announcement comes as a big big big surprise to me ;(


    https://www.volleybal.nl/nieuw…belien-stoppen-bij-oranje

    Do you think it has anything to do with the coach?


    I like both players and I believe Robin is capable of taking the leader role on court, which makes her more valuable for me. While I respect their decisions, we have to acknowledge the fact that both players haven't been the luckiest in terms of injuries, and they might have thought that why risk rest of our careers when we can rest our bodies in summer time and possibly prolong the club seasons we could play, in addition it is not like the Federation is the most supportive of us, or why else they would invest in a coach who proved to be useless in the past. This is, of course, an assumption but why would they retire just before an important tournament such as WCH that is going to be held in your own country?