Engelkes plans Oranje future

The Netherlands may be the only team without a point after two games in the UEFA European Women's Under-19 Championship but their presence here in Switzerland hints at what is being done to develop the Dutch female game.

FA support
Not only have they qualified for just the second time and gave France a far harder match than holders Russia, whom they face on Sunday, but their senior team gained a shock FIFA Women's World Cup victory against Les Bleues and the Royal Netherlands Football Association (KNVB) put in a strong bid for UEFA WOMEN'S EURO 2009™, only pipped by Finland. "There is interest from the FA," U19 coach Ed Engelkes told uefa.com, "Our organisation is quite involved in women's soccer, we are making steps, although not getting 2009 was a disappointment."

'Learning experience'
Engelkes has worked for the KNVB for 16 years, but was on the men's side when women's head coach Vera Pauw, one of Europe's leading figures in female football, appointed him as her assistant, with a wide development brief including taking charge of the youth teams. "The aim for us is that we have a group of four people, technical staff, paving the way," Engelkes said. "Vera Pauw is more important that anyone can know - she had her own career as a player, as a coach, she is involved with UEFA. For me, this is a learning experience having come from the men's side, getting contacts, seeing as many games as possible."

Wissink example
Youth development is considered a key to produce more players of the talent of world-class 1. FFC Frankfurt and Netherlands goalkeeper Marleen Wissink. "Like France, we are trying schools where they can get an education and get football," Engelkes said. "When we beat teams like France, it proves we can make it at that level. And when you have role models like Marlene Wissink, who are playing abroad and have a great career, that's important for young players. And the coaches have to come up from U12 level to senior. Then we have a lot of professional people in the districts, and we are organising it so we all speak the same language. When you develop something, it takes time."

'Longer road'
It is the latter point - that it will not happen overnight - that Engelkes emphasises in relation to his squad here. "We are making steps, I think something is happening," he said. "They are trying to play as well as possible and be more professional - currently this is on an amateur basis. But you have to be professional or you cannot make it at this level. I am not only the coach but also a developer, in their thinking. And that is a long road, that is why for us, it is more than important to be here. You don't just measure success on whether you qualify, but on the games you play and whether you develop. The long-term aim is to qualify for 2009 and to develop the young players. For the players it's about now, but for me it's a longer road."