With a considerably flattered defeat (3-0) at chief Bloemendaal, HDM’s males concluded essentially the most turbulent week of the season. On Tuesday, the boys from The Hague have been informed that Richard Smith needed to depart as head coach on the quantity 9 of the Tulip huge league. ‘We got area, however wanted toughness.’
Simply after the ninth defeat of the season, HDM captain Cédric de Gier walks to the sidelines, the place high hockey directors Tom Pijpers and Nicole Heupers are standing. Leaning on the fence, the midfielder talks for a couple of minutes with the 2 pedigreed HDM gamers, who used to play within the first groups themselves. ‘Do I usually, although,’ grins the midfielder, himself a figurehead of the membership. ‘We have been speaking concerning the upcoming season. How we have a look at it as a crew. And the way we are able to finest work along with the board.’
That issues are puzzling at HDM proper now could be logical. It’s a consequence of the onerous choice the membership made final Tuesday. The day that began with Smith as head coach. The comparatively inexperienced Englishman was appointed in the summertime to succeed membership icon Erik van Driel, who introduced the Hague membership again to the massive league. Briefly: not the best sneakers to fill.
The Brit even led a coaching session on his final HDM day. A number of hours later, the group was informed that the cooperation between the previous worldwide and the membership had damaged down. ‘Let me to begin with say that we didn’t rush into this,’ mentioned Heupers, who has solely been in technical cost at HDM since this season. As such, she was not concerned in Smith’s appointment. ‘One thing needed to occur. We’re heading towards a important section within the league.’
We uncared for some issues at occasions, like not going to the fitness center sufficient as soon as. We now have to have that self-discipline Cédric de Gier, captain HDM
Heupers tries to clarify the drastic choice. A call that goes again to the period earlier than Smith’s arrival. To the years when Van Driel was answerable for the Hague males. ‘Erik skilled the boys for eight years. His strategy was very task-oriented. With a variety of construction. Underneath Richard it was a lot freer, with a variety of particular person accountability. Sadly, the hole between these kinds turned out to be too huge. We additionally heard from the gamers that there was extra want for readability. It wanted to be somewhat tighter.’
De Gier leads the way in which in opposition to Bloemendaal. Picture: Koen Suyk
De Gier can agree. ‘We acquired a bit spoiled beneath Erik,’ he echoes truthfully. ‘With out that readability, we have been generally swimming a bit. Richard is an excellent particular person, along with his coronary heart in the best place. He needed the perfect for everybody, simply allow us to unfastened to be somewhat extra inventive. However the crew wanted extra handles. Struggled with that freedom. We got area, however possibly wanted extra of a sure toughness.’
The midfielder talks, as he performs area hockey. Direct and pushed, straight to the purpose. ‘It’s not simply the coach, after all. We even have our share on this story. We will actually take a very good have a look at ourselves within the mirror. We informed one another that – earlier than the information about Richard got here. We generally uncared for some issues, like not going to the fitness center sufficient occasions. We now have to have that self-discipline.’
HDM hockey executives Nicole Heupers and Tom Pijpers over espresso at ‘t Kopje. Picture: Koen Suyk
Lucas Choose’s assist
In the course of the winter break, HDM already made an try to drag the strings somewhat tighter. The Hague crew acquired assist from none apart from Lucas Choose, former coach of the women of SCHC and the boys of Oranje-Rood. The Eindhoven native has been main a area coaching session as soon as every week for a month and made plans with Smith as a type of mentor. ‘We hoped this was sufficient to create extra readability,’ Heupers mentioned. ‘However the unrest remained. So we needed to take a step anyway, which we actually didn’t need to.’
As a result of HDM doesn’t actually have time to fiddle any additional. The crew is in a very harmful ninth place after fifteen duels. That’s not even a shock, as a result of that’s the place they completed final season as effectively. Extra thrilling is the small distinction in factors with the three groups under them. HDM at present has ten factors. Hurley (eight), SCHC (seven) and Nijmegen (5) – now within the locations that result in play-outs and relegation – scent the connection. ‘Our margin isn’t very snug,’ observes Heupers. ‘And an upward development by way of play was additionally tough. We needed to see extra area hockey.’
That ought to occur initially beneath Pieter Pieterse. The 41-year-old coach, along with his fantastic, comedian book-like identify, was assistant to Smith and came visiting in the summertime from Cartouche, the place he was head coach a couple of years again. He coached his first huge league sport Sunday at ‘t Kopje pardantly. Extraordinary, Pieterse himself realized. ‘I went to HDM to be taught and make steps. That’s going fairly quick now, a lot quicker than deliberate. I mentioned this week: if folks need it, I’ll do it now as head coach for some time. I don’t need to run away from that accountability. And sure, I need to present the construction the group wants.’
Pieter Pieterse made his debut as head coach within the huge league on Sunday. Picture: Koen Suyk
Why there isn’t any everlasting answer on the bench but
Answer discovered, you would possibly say. However there’s a hefty snag beneath the turbulent Hague grass. Pieterse: “As head coach, you’ve got so much to take care of. A whole lot of hours go into all of the analyses and discussions. I even have a busy job within the group of a highschool. In the course of the season it’s tough to completely rearrange this. Within the brief time period I can shift my schedule, however the way in which the duties are divided now, it’s an excessive amount of for me towards the top of the season.’
Choose can be not an possibility as head coach, Heupers contends. ‘Lucas is on a sabbatical. We’re already comfortable that he can help us through the week. Possibly a workers member will be part of us, to assist Pieter with the duties. That’s a chance. Or will another person are available in because the particular person in the end answerable for the group. We don’t have a particular desire proper now. Above all, we need to do it in addition to attainable.
by Hockey.nl
