Symposium 'The Future of Dutch Football': Top-level football comes together for unique exchange of knowledge and inspiration

Bringing together different perspectives from home and abroad at the symposium 'The Future of Dutch Football. - Foto: KNVB Media

Competitors on the pitch, but willing to share knowledge and experiences off it. That special principle was at the heart of the ‘Future of Dutch Football’ symposium at the KNVB Campus on Monday 26 October. Around 150 coaches, technical directors and Heads of Academy from top-level football came together to inspire one another and look ahead with an open mind to the future development of Dutch football.

Director of Elite Football Nigel de Jong and Director of Football Development Lennard van Ruiven opened the event, led by moderator Ed Graper, Manager of Top Football Development at KNVB. The Netherlands is internationally renowned for developing talent, but that position cannot be taken for granted. Football is constantly evolving, requiring a critical look at what can be improved or approached differently. Feyenoord head coach Giovanni van Bronckhorst and AZ head coach Leeroy Echteld then joined the discussion to share experiences and insights from their day-to-day work as coaches.

A glimpse into the atmosphere at the symposium on the Future of Dutch Football.

Openness between competitors

That openness was a recurring theme throughout the evening. Clubs may be competitors on the pitch, but at the same time they face many of the same questions about the development of players, coaches and the future of football. It is precisely this willingness to learn from one another across club boundaries, and to offer others an insight into their own ways of working, that gave the event a unique character.

Across two rounds of breakout sessions, different perspectives from the Netherlands and abroad came together. Zoe Johnson, Managing Director Women’s & Girls’ Football at Brighton & Hove Albion, led a session from the perspective of women’s football. Bjørn Mannsverk shared experiences relating to the culture and mentality at FK Bodø/Glimt. Pieter Zwart, Editor-in-Chief of Voetbal International, joined Hedwiges Maduro and Aron Winter to discuss developments in football based on last summer’s World Cup.

International expertise in talent development was also part of the programme. Pascal De Maesschalck, Academy Director at Arsenal, contributed insights from his many years of experience in youth development. De Maesschalck previously worked at clubs including Club Brugge, AS Monaco and Strasbourg, and has been leading Arsenal’s academy since this summer. Berend Rubingh, Theo Hermsen and Guilian Preud'homme also led a session on collaboration within a professional football organisation. Preud'homme is Recruitment Director at Club Brugge.

Another particularly notable session was delivered jointly by Arjan Veurink and Sarina Wiegman. The head coaches of the Netherlands women’s national team and England women’s national team respectively addressed the football professionals together. Two national-team coaches who compete against each other at international level, yet came together at the KNVB Campus to openly share their knowledge and experiences: it was a perfect illustration of what made the event so special.

Inspiration for what lies ahead

The closed setting gave those attending the freedom to have open conversations with one another. Ideas were exchanged, the participants challenged one another and gained inspiration. Because progress requires curiosity and the space to explore new ideas and different ways of working.

Following the breakout sessions, Netherlands men’s national team head coach Xavi Hernández delivered the plenary closing session. In conversation with Graper, Xavi shared his experiences and perspective on football and coaching with those in attendance, providing an inspiring conclusion to an evening full of knowledge-sharing and new perspectives.

Above all, the symposium demonstrated the value of a shared willingness to look ahead. Clubs want to beat one another on the pitch, but away from it they also share a common interest: moving Dutch football forward. By sharing knowledge from the Netherlands and abroad, challenging established ideas and remaining open to new approaches, Dutch football can create the space needed to remain innovative and distinctive in the future.