Where are they now: Wim Jonk

Wim jonk with Old Orange…

Wim Jonk was developed at Volendam but signed by Ajax after he made his debut in the Eredivisie for the “Heen en Weer”. At first, the Ajax coaches didn’t know how to use him. Was he a playmaker? A holding midfielder? A shadow striker? The laconic technician with the precise eye started a partnership with Dennis Bergkamp and would play 49 caps for Oranje, scoring eleven times. He played the EC1992 and the WCs of 1994 and 1998. The 42 year old gives us his opinion on Oranje.

“We need to get smarter if we ever want to play another WC finals.”

Jonk made his debut in May 1992, under Rinus Michels. “It was against Austria, and Michels would retire as a team manager shoerly after. It took me three seasons to grab my spot in Ajax and I felt I was close to make my debut in Oranje. The media kept suggesting me and my friends kept nagging about it. And suddenly, my moment was there. I was very nervous and really hoped to play. Michels allowed me 30 minutes of that game and I said to myself: play football and enjoy! We won 3-2. Michels was a phenomenon. An extraordinary man with enormous charisma.”

“I look back at my Oranje career with pride. I played two World Championships and one European tournament. The 1998 group was the best team I ever played in. We were really complete. We anticipated well and we felt like we could do it all. We played tremendous football that WC and the best game for me was the quarter finals against Argentina. Tremendous. A tactical game which had everything. Passion, ball on the post, yellow and red cards and that late winner by Dennis.”

“Most people use my name in combination with Bergkamp. And it was true, we did have that magical connection on the pitch. Our intuition sort of clicked. He really got me and I knew what he was doing. It happened at Ajax, in Oranje and at Inter. We added quality to the team through that. It was one look, just that eye contact. I knew where Dennis wanted the ball. We were always proud if our connection decided the game for us. I was as happy with an assist as I was when I scored. I scored two goals at the WC 1994 and that was special. But an assist or great long ball gives me satisfaction too.”

“I ended my career in 2001. I started at Volendam, played five years at Ajax, then Inter Milan, PSV Eindhoven and my last club was Sheffield Wednesday in England. After my career, I returned to Volendam. I became board member technical affairs there and did that for five years. I liked it, but it was so different to what I do now. Scouting players, negotiating deals, organizing stuff… When I stopped at Volendam Ajax approached me to become a specialist coach for the talented youth. I coach the strikers in the A and B juniors. Different kicking-techniques, training on crosses, low balls, soft balls with spin, inside foot, outside foot, that kind of stuff. I’m coaching the midfielders in their decision making. I love it. You can simulate situations, give advice… It’s not a full time job, but it does take up a lot of time. And I also analyze games for Eredivisie Live and Sport 1 on tv.”

“I think the 1998 Oranje was one of the best, with the 1974 and 1988 group. Today, Oranje is very strong too. Several players have that extra. But the most important quality we need is the ability to play in service of the team. The main question is: what can you do for the whole, you know? It’s not about the best players, but the best team. I personally like to see Mark van Bommel and Wesley Sneijder play. Is there a Wim Jonk type of player in Oranje now? That’s not a question for me… I don’t see myself as a “type”. That’s for others to say.”

“Oranje cruises through the qualifications. That’s great. Every time our little nation comes out among the best. I think we’re a contender. But how far we’ll go, that’s for the crystal ball, really. The last EC taught us it’s hard to predict stuff. We played good games in the group stages and then we lost against Russia. And we didn’t have to! It’s not a matter of luck, but of mentality. Nations like Italy or Germany wouldn’t lose those games. They will lock the game up. If needed, they’d go for penalty shoot outs. Anything is better than being played off the pitch. We need to get that shrewdness, if we ever want to play a finals. We need to face nations like Spain, Brazil and Argentina and we need the level we reached against Italy and France for that. We need to make sure we don’t have another one of those bad days, because then we’ll be quite simply sent back home. We need to avoid that scenario!”