Top student De Jong on new Dutch role
Monday, February 20, 2023
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A fierce competitor during his playing days, Nigel de Jong is now chasing further success as the Netherlands' director of football thanks to his experience as a student with the UEFA Academy.
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After calling time on a fantastic playing career, former Dutch international Nigel de Jong has stepped into a new role off the pitch after being appointed as director of top-level football at the Royal Netherlands Football Association (KNVB).
De Jong's successful transition into a second career within football comes thanks in part to his on-going participation on the UEFA Academy's Executive Master for International Players (MIP), a unique course designed to help players use their existing skills to help drive the game forward once they hang up their boots.
Below, the 38-year-old, who won 81 caps for the Netherlands, discusses the programme, explains why it is crucial to have more ex-players in football's boardrooms and speaks about staging the forthcoming UEFA Nations League finals.
Nigel, what did you have in mind when you decided to retire?
Nigel de Jong: A football career does not last forever, so when you retire you must have a plan. For me, everything was clear. I knew that I never wanted to be a coach, but I wanted to have a leading role in a football organisation. That is why last year I did a lot of television work. It helped me to shape my character and to develop my public speaking skills. I also wanted to study, so the UEFA MIP came at the right time for me. It was exactly what I needed.
Tell us more about that. Why did you apply specifically for the UEFA MIP?
De Jong: Today, most of the players never go to university because they focus on their career when they are still playing. But if you want to develop and equip yourself with essential skills to achieve your ambition, it is important to do a course. Education is key and the UEFA MIP is the best study to understand the big picture of football management.
Do you think the course helped you to obtain your new job at the KNVB?
De Jong: Definitely. For an organisation, it is crucial to see that somebody is willing to learn before stepping into a new job. For the federation, it was important that I was doing this study. People understood that I was not only a football player, but also someone with a brain that I can use outside of the pitch.
More precisely, what have you learnt thanks to the UEFA MIP?
De Jong: You learn a lot about yourself, what you can do and what you cannot do. As football players we have a lot of ego, and we think we can do everything. But sometimes you need to sit in a class to realise that is hard to do a PowerPoint presentation or to write a statement.
You need to be humble and to accept that you have a limited knowledge when it comes to off-the-pitch aspects of football, such as digital marketing, commercial activities, communications, or stadium management. During the programme, we talk about different topics every day and we develop our skills along the way. The more you are involved in the session, the better you know what you want to do.
What are the qualities required to be a good leader?
De Jong: You need to be passionate about what you do, and you must be energetic. In a decision-making position, you must also be innovative - you need to think outside of the box and to get out of your comfort zone. When I was a player, I always tried to bring positive energy and now that I am director of football at the KNVB, I try to keep the same mentality and approach to engage and motivate my team. It is only the beginning of my career in that position, but I hope I can leave a positive legacy.
More and more players are looking to use their experience to have an impact on the future of the game. What do you think about that?
De Jong: It is great to have more players involved in the decision-making process of the game because they can bring their experience. Sometimes former players see things differently from someone who had never played the game at a high level. Moreover, some of them are very intelligent, so they can help to reduce that gap between football on the pitch and off the pitch. In my opinion, it is crucial for the future of football to have people who know both sides of our sport.
Would you recommend the UEFA MIP to your former team-mates?
De Jong: Of course - the MIP is the best platform to learn from the best in every domain. UEFA has a lot of contacts and entries in plenty of organisations worldwide, so you can see how some of them work around the globe. Moreover, the social aspect is fantastic. You meet a lot of people, and you can build strong relationships. It is a great opportunity, and I would strongly recommend the UEFA MIP to every former football player who wants to have a senior position in football.
Finally, this summer the Netherlands will stage the UEFA Nations League final four in Rotterdam and Enschede. What do you expect from the tournament?
De Jong: As a federation, we always expect the best. Of course, our first game against Croatia will be tough. They have a good generation, and they did great at the World Cup, but I look forward to it. The goal for us is to win the trophy. It is an advantage for our team that the tournament will be played at home. And there is also another great semi-final, Italy against Spain. It will be two very interesting games to watch. I hope the tournament will be great.
About the UEFA Executive Master for International Players (MIP)
The UEFA MIP is a unique two-year master programme that has been tailor-made to meet the needs of players accustomed to winning trophies on the field, giving them a toolkit with which to lay the foundations for success off the field.
It ensures that footballers hear the half-time rather than the final whistle at the end of their professional playing days, giving them the tools for match-winning performances in football administration and management as part of a second career.
Applications are open until 31 May for the fifth edition of the MIP, which kicks off later this year.
The UEFA Academy provides opportunities for people working in the football industry to raise their game off the pitch through dedicated educational and management training.
Its wide range of courses help executives and specialists develop their skills to gain a footing in the administrative side of the sport.
The UEFA Academy in numbers
3,000+ graduates from over 150 countries
62 learning initiatives each year spread over 130 days
50+ countries visited by our programmes
2,000+ documents available on our online platform, UEFA Academy Online
1 unique network