KNVB, a gang | ‘He sold some cars…’ | The best option, just on the older side, not even in the frame

He sold some cars, expensive sports cars, in Hamburg and indeed played in a World Cup final. He actually shouldn’t have played that World Cup final after his big reckless karate kick in the early stages against Spain, but okay. He also played many international matches and was part of Manchester City, which in those years wasn’t a European top club.

Nigel de Jong may today simply determine the policy at the KNVB. The association represents millions of members but sits at the top of the football pyramid that the Netherlands still is. An enormous football country, where it has become important for women’s football to push forward very strongly toward men’s football and where more women should take their place on the board. The Mijnals committee is still hovering over it.

The Mijnals Commission is an independent advisory committee that was established in July 2020 by the KNVB and the Government of the Netherlands with the main goal of combating racism and discrimination and promoting inclusivity in Dutch football. The commission is named after Humphrey Mijnals, the very first footballer of Surinamese origin who played for the Netherlands national team.

The objective of this committee is clear: to increase equal opportunities and representation for people with diverse backgrounds at all levels of football, from players to officials. And so Michael Reiziger is a prominent candidate to become head coach of the Netherlands national team. Where house color is actually not a topic of discussion, because 'equal opportunities' tops the agenda at, among others, the KNVB, it therefore seems that skin color is indeed a topic of discussion, since Michael Reiziger is a prominent candidate at the KNVB, while he by no means has the stature and experience for it.

Meanwhile, it seems that the KNVB has aimed its arrows at Spain. De Telegraaf reports that Nigel de Jong has held multiple conversations with Martínez. De Jong recently spoke with the Spaniard, who bounces from country to country and has nothing to do with the Netherlands, in Malaga. Judging by the KNVB, we can only conclude that it’s a big mess. RvC member Clarence Seedorf is actively involved in the search for a new national team coach, while he is actually supposed to review and assess the policy made by Nigel de Jong from a distance.

Clarence Seedorf has, as of 27 June 2023, in fact been a member of the Supervisory Board of the KNVB, where he is responsible for the football-technical portfolio. An exceptional situation, given the fact that he is about to assess the work that he himself is part of. In the meantime, good candidates such as Pascal Janssen of New York City and Ruud van Nistelrooy are overlooked. The best option, having just turned 75 and certainly on the older side, is not even considered a serious candidate. It’s a big mess at the KNVB, nothing more and nothing less.

Roberto Martínez's lawyer has, moreover, responded immediately to the news about the Spaniard's candidacy as head coach of Oranje. Jesse De Preter, in an interview with Voetbal International, says he doesn't see right away how a deal could be reached.