World

Europe

Netherlands

Where are they now: Johan de Kock

January 28th, 2009 | By: Jan | 24 Comments »

Johan de Kock (44) played 13 caps for Oranje. He started his pro career at FC Groningen as a striker. The handsome young dude was popular with the fans but didn’t last as a striker. Turned into a fierce defender at Roda JC, moved to FC Utrecht and ended his career at Schalke 04 in Germany. How’s he doing now?

THEN
“My selections for Oranje were unforgettable. The icing on the cake of my career. All my 13 games are fresh in memory but that’s not too hard. It wasn’t like I had to memorize 113 games, haha…. I had Frank de Boer and Jaap Stam to compete with, not the worst defenders. I was a so-called Johnny come late… I played my first game against Turkey in 1993 when I was 28 years old. I think my selection was justified. I could handle the level. I was always quick, I saw the game well and I was a good header. I also never feared to enter a challenge. As a defender, you don’t need much more.”

In 1995 we played a decider against Ireland on Anfield Road. We played a tremendous game. We won 2-0 and we qualified for the EC1996. Frank de Boer got injured and I was selected unexpectedly. His bad luck, my luck. We reached the quarter finals against France, but neither team scored. Penalty time. I did score the first one, but we were ousted by the French.”

NOW
I studied engineering while playing football. Specialized in infrastructure and water technique. Being a pro player is an unsure life. I wanted to secure my future and I was sometimes a bit bored with being “just” a player. The routine can be tedious. After my last season in 2000 for Schalke, I was asked to consult on the new stadium they were building. I was still training and in the meantime worked for Schalke as engineer. I started my own consultancy and construction company and the council of Utrecht is one of my main principals.

I have also got my training licences and I coach two amateur clubs. Yeah, I’ve always been busy. I’m currently focusing on my business for 100% but football will always be in my blood. And obviously, most people I work with do know me as the player De Kock… Next season, I’ll start coaching De Treffers in Groesbeek. Famous amateur club, who gave us players like Jan Peters. Who knows, I might even make it in pro football as a coach. I wanted to get the last license (coach pro football) but I haven’t been lucky in the draw. I can’t play football myself anymore, my left knee is almost gone. I do play with the old internationals sometimes or for old Utrecht and old Schalke, but that’s it.”

FUTURE
“I really like the current Oranje squad. Great players. Well developed in technical and tactical sense, but I’m afraid we’ll never be the real top. We just can’t seem to perform top for a series of games on big tournaments. We don’t seem to have the right mindset for it. Little things always seem to become more important than the actual games and results. Nations like Germany and Italy do it the other way around. A lot of humbug before the tournaments, but when they’re there they want to win. No matter how. We miss that. These players can sacrifice themselves, we don’t have those genes. Even in 1996, you know, when I was part of it. I think we were one of the faves… Blind, Bergkamp, Kluivert, Seedorf, De Boer, Stam, Cocu and look what happened…
I always hear criticism on our defenders, but we don’t develop defenders. We all want to see pure football players. And a not-so-good player will then be changed into a defender. Myself for instance… Reiziger, Bogarde, Numan… Ooijer is a good defender but weak in build up. Mathijsen is a good build up player, but vulnerable as defender. He did lose it a bit against Italy at the EC, I feel. But you know, if you don’t lose possession easily in midfield, our defenders won’t be put under pressure. You defend and attack with eleven, basically.

How far do we get in South Africa? That’s a hard one. I think the form is ok. The mentality will remain a problem though. I do feel Van Marwijk is a better team manager than Van Basten. I think Van Marwijk is more humane, is closer to the players. Van Basten is a bit aloof. I think it’s important that the team manager knows how to reach the players, how to motivate them. They should all be playing at their best, and you don’t have to teach Van Persie and Sneijder how to play… They just need to make the team interests more important than their personal interests…. Sounds easy, eh?”

Tags: Bergkamp, De Kock, Group C, Hiddink, Oranje, Robben, Sneijder, Van Marwijk, van Persie

Netherlands World Cup RSS Feed

del.icio.us:Where are they now: Johan de Kock

newsvine:Where are they now: Johan de Kock

reddit:Where are they now: Johan de Kock

stumbleupon:Where are they now: Johan de Kock

Comments

By goose | January 28th, 2009 at 5:19 am

off topic ; Mario Been just signed a 3 year deal with Feyenoord, starting next season

btw ; always thought deKock was a pretty cool defender

Posted from Netherlands

By finnster01 | January 28th, 2009 at 5:52 am

Nice article Jan. Sounds like a very bright (not many footballers with a degree, never mind engineering) and also very level headed guy.

Imagine if he had played in the English Prem? The shirt sales alone would have been enormous… I reckon every fan would want to wear a De Kock shirt.

By Jan | January 28th, 2009 at 6:09 am

Haha… Did I tell you about this news item we had years back.

The Dutch prime minister and the CEO of the Dutch telecom giant PTT went to Washington to broker some deals. Their names?

Wim Kok and Wim Dik.

Not kiddin’

Can you imagine Dubya cracking up in the white house, when Bush meets Kok and Dik?

By Jan | January 28th, 2009 at 6:11 am

But yeah, De Kock was a cool dude.

A mate of mine played for Groningen when a young De Kock was signed from amateurs Sliedrecht. He had an amazing looking girlfriend, I remember that well. He did cop some pranks because he always looked the dressman. He was ridiculed for his hairdo (always perfect) and his fashion-sense. He was mauled regularly at training, my buddy told me, but he survived.

By goose | January 28th, 2009 at 7:23 am

BREAKING NEWS!!! Huub Stevens out as PSV manager … not sure if he was fired or if he quit himself

Posted from Netherlands

By sonneveld | January 28th, 2009 at 7:57 am

the news at real madrid is that they are trying to sign a winger. This for me signals one of two things. 1) they keep their present midfield and drop sneijder for who they sign. or (better option) they sign a right winger and put sneijder back into central midfield

By Felipe | January 28th, 2009 at 8:08 am

@Goose: I don’t know either, but I think, from what I’ve read, that Stevens firing was decided in a common agreement between him and the managers, as he felt he was not welcome among the players anymore. Just as Verbeek…

BTW, it seems like a mania to fire coaches at the big clubs… Steve, Van Gaal and Marco, take care!

By Lerkot | January 28th, 2009 at 8:16 am

It will be interesting to see who takes over. My guess is that either Ronald Koeman takes over, or Jan Wouters manage the team until the end of the season, when perhaps Rijkaard could take over.

By goose | January 28th, 2009 at 8:33 am

@Lerkot ; as long as PSV have the same director as they had when Koeman left for Valencia there is NO WAY that Koeman will return to PSV

Rijkaard would be one of my favs

Posted from Netherlands

By Michel-Olivier(Slider) | January 28th, 2009 at 8:49 am

gullit for psv

Posted from United States

By finnster01 | January 28th, 2009 at 9:39 am

Actually don’t rule out Hallvar Thoresen as he is their Scandinavian head scout and has all the international coaching badges. He was the captain leading PSV to 3 titles in the eighties, has a Dutch wife, and I would not be shocked to see his name pop up in the mix as well.

By Alex | January 28th, 2009 at 10:33 am

@Sonneveld
They won’t sell Sneijder that easily. They might let Drenthe/V.d.Vaart go, but Robben will most likely stay on the right so i would say they would be trying to get a left winger.
Gullit, Koeman , now those are some strange suggestions.

BTW Braafheid and Schaars in oranje pre-selection, I think it’s a good move. I’d like to see Braafheid in the orange shirt. I’m glad to see my predictions aren’t that much off about defenders. Let’s hope he does well:

Stekelenburg
Timmer(God, why still this slow m*therf*cker ? )
Vorm
Boulahrouz
Heitinga
Mathijsen
Marcellis
Ooijer (dito)
De Cler (also unclear why we would need a 30-year-old third left-back )
Gio
Braafheid
Engelaar
Afellay
V.Bommel
De Jong
De Zeeuw
Mendes da Silva
Schaars
Sneijder
V.d.Vaart
Robben
Kuyt
Babel
Huntelaar
V.Persie

Posted from Netherlands

By Alex | January 28th, 2009 at 10:37 am

You know what, this is almost my selection in Fifa except i have Zuiverloon, v.d.Wiel and Bouma instead of Ooijer, De Cler, Mendes da Silva

Posted from Netherlands

By Mario | January 28th, 2009 at 3:51 pm

Alex, what position plays Braafheid???. I haven´t had the chance to see him play, is he really Oranje material???.

By 3ric | January 28th, 2009 at 4:06 pm

Glad to see Braafheid included in the preliminary selection. He and Wialaert (prior to his move to Ajax) are the backbones of Twente’s defense– a very determined left back, who can slide in to central defense. He is not as adventurous going forward as Gio or De Cler is, but he brings in a quality defending, discipline and muscles the Oranje needs. I don’t think Ooijer should be invited, I’d love to see Zuiverloon or vd Wiel take over from Ooijer in the near future. As well it’s great that Schaars gets the recognition he deserves.

By Michel-Olivier(Slider) | January 28th, 2009 at 4:34 pm

Engelaar, Boulah, Ooijer, de Cler and Vaart should be drop.

Posted from United States

By Alex | January 28th, 2009 at 4:46 pm

why? please explain cause you’re not very clear. I see no reason to drop Boulahrouz, V.d.Vaart, do you know a player that’s better then V.d.Vaart. And please don’t say Elia or Emanuelson cause that’s a crappy answer.
And what’s with the mistrust towards Boulah, i don’t get it. How come so many people suddenly turned against him ? . When he was put against that fast italian Di Natale at the EC, they said it was because of his speed and marking, now people use his so-called “lack” of speed as an argument against him. You can’t say he’s not aggressive enough. He can mark a man better then i’ve seen any of our other defenders do. He did exactly what he had to do in the EC. What is it? Is he too short or something?

I’m sorry to get so caught up but I’m wondering how you came to the conclusion that he’s that bad?

Posted from Netherlands

By Michel-Olivier(Slider) | January 28th, 2009 at 6:15 pm

@alex

Engelaar we don’t need him, even schalke don’t use him.
Boulah when was the last time he played for stuttgart.
Ooijer(35) is too old
de Cler suck
Vaart is out of form

Posted from United States

By Lerkot | January 28th, 2009 at 6:36 pm

Alex: Bouma? He just got fit and began training after being injured for six months…

By sonneveld | January 28th, 2009 at 6:41 pm

van der vaart scored a great goal against macedonia and set up some goals in our last couple games. boulah was fantastic in the euro and when he left the field russia scored their goals. He was in for the italy clean sheat and henry’s goal was scored from the right side(on our left back)

By Mario | January 28th, 2009 at 9:41 pm

Alex:

What does Boulahrouz have as a player to defend him and say that he played all right during Euro 2008?.

For me he is the worst defender ever to wear an Oranje jersey…even the guy of this topic, Johan de Kock was way better than Boulahrouz, even Jaliens is better than him and De Kock was awful as a defender. I think that when Boulahrouz left Hamburg for Chelsea he destroyed his career and if he doesn´t fin his form at Stuttgart he will be back in Holland playing for a mediocre team because he has had plenty of chances to shine in the biggest clubs in Europe and he has failed big time.

And besides I have never seen him score in a corner kick, he is slow and has a terrible technique so he is bad building up. I must admitt that when he started playing at Oranje under van Basten I thought that we had our new Stam in him but after observing him closely in the last couple of years I realized why he failed at Chelsea and at Sevilla: he has no talent at all. You can find a clip on youtube where Robbie Keane destroys him almost making fun of him with his dribbles and Boulahrouz on the floor trying to chase Keane. He doesn´t add value to the team and at Euro he played with character against France and Italy but he played as a right back and he only had to play vs only one real winger who is Malouda and Malouda has been omitted by Domenech because he played horrible in the Euro 2008 and Di Natale is not a winger and Romania and Russia don´t have real wingers actually but Arshavin, Shirkov and all the Russians had a very nice avenue in Boulahrouz side while Boulahrouz played in that game. Even Hiddink had a strategy to allow the Netherlands to build up from Boulahrouz side so he can miss passes and the Russians take advantage of those mistakes and exploid on the counterattack or take us in a shaky position which they managed excellently. I know the guy had a very tough problem because of his daughter but I´m not talking about, I´m talking that Boulahrouz doesn´t add any value to the team and doesn´t have the talent to be in the national team. He might be very tough, but in football you don´t win tournaments being tough…it can help to have tough players but without talent it is impossible to win a big tournament like an European Championship or a World Cup so that is why I think Boulahrouz should be eliminated for Oranje.

By sonneveld | January 28th, 2009 at 10:30 pm

for me defense scoring is just a bonus not something needed in a good defender

By sonneveld | January 28th, 2009 at 10:36 pm

I read that van buyten and boulahrouz were the best central defense in the bundisleague, i like him a lot

By Mario | January 28th, 2009 at 11:43 pm

where did u read that sonneveld? I don´t think so, I´ve seen Boulahrouz being substituted a lot and sometimes he stays on the bench but perhaps he has raised his level lately…hopefully so.

Comments are closed