As the final stages of the current FIH Hockey Pro League season approach (starting from 13 June), let us hear from the participating teams. Today, Thierry Brinkman, captain of the Dutch men’s national team, shares his thoughts.
You’ve completed two Pro League blocks now. Looking back, how do you evaluate them from a sporting perspective?
Well, inconsistent is probably the right word. We’ve had mixed results over the past two blocks. On top of that, several players have been absent due to injuries.
You’ve had shoot-outs a few times after a draw. Is it helpful to experience those more often so you can improve at them?
Of course, we prefer to finish the match in regular time. But if that doesn’t happen, the shoot-outs in the Pro League do also serve as a kind of practice. You have to take them under pressure, which is something you can’t really replicate in training, so it’s good to have gone through that a few times. On the other hand, you can be sure that in the Pro League, where we only play top-level matches, more shoot-outs will come our way. So we’re not exactly seeking out that practice.
The next Pro League block is at home, this time in Rotterdam. Are the matches in the Netherlands different from the other Pro League matches? How do you notice that?
The Pro League matches in the Netherlands are on a different level in terms of atmosphere and ambiance compared to many other countries. In the Netherlands, the stadiums are always well filled. They’re honestly the best international matches, the ones in front of our home crowd. In that sense, it’s definitely different.
Is it a preview of the World Cup in August? We’ll be playing at a different venue than in August, now in Rotterdam, but the matches in the Netherlands do feel like a preview. With good weather and full stands, it really comes alive.
Ticket sales for the next block (13–21 June in Rotterdam) are going very well. Do you have a message for the fans?
We’re going to do our best to play attractive hockey that the crowd can enjoy. We want to make sure people feel proud of the Dutch team they see on the field. We’ll give everything we have in the coming months. It’s fantastic when lots of fans come to Rotterdam again, because it’s becoming more and more of an event. There’s a lot happening around the matches, it’s genuinely a fun day out!
This season, the winner of the Pro League earns an Olympic ticket. Is that something the team is already thinking about? If so, how does that show?
There’s definitely more at stake this year because the winner gets that ticket. Given the current standings, it’s a tough task for us to make that happen. It’s still possible, but it will be difficult. Besides aiming for that ticket, we also want to prepare well for the World Cup in August.
