Dutch football expert Arthur Renard details the background of Tottenham Hotspur's new centre-back, chronicling his development at Wolfsburg to joining the north London club.
Player analysis - Micky van de Ven
Spurs finally have their main man as Micky van de Ven comes over from Wolfsburg. The defender’s development has been remarkable, especially as things didn’t go to plan initially, but with the help of a former Dutch international, he started to fulfil his potential.
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It was on a Saturday afternoon in early spring, 2019, when Wim Jonk decided to watch a local youth match involving Volendam. Being born and raised in Volendam, a fisherman’s village in North Holland, Jonk came through the academy and first team himself before enjoying an illustrious career at Ajax, Internazionale Milano, PSV Eindhoven and Sheffield Wednesday.
After his playing days were over, he had several technical functions at Volendam and Ajax and soon he would come back to his hometown club to take over as first-team manager, but this Saturday he was there just to enjoy some youth football.
And it was on this day that his attention was drawn to one player in particular, a young tall lad who was bursting past opponents with incredible speed for Volendam Under-19s.
The remarkable thing was that this player was actually a defender. Jonk, who heard the player’s name was Micky van de Ven, really liked his attacking approach.
A forward playing defender
“He exuded a certain power on the ball, like he was at ease in possession and he showed courage by dribbling forward from the back,” Jonk remembers. “With his explosiveness he was able to get past opponents, which led them to outnumber the opposition. Once he was running with the ball, he could get past six to seven players.”
Jonk’s enthusiasm made him come back to watch Van de Ven a few more times. Soon after, the former Dutch international agreed to take over as Volendam coach, meaning he could follow the development of Van de Ven up close. But to his surprise he learned there were actually a lot of doubts about the young defender and that he was likely to leave the club.
“I couldn’t understand it,” Jonk says. “Yes, I did see some flaws in his game; he was not like the finished product. His positioning, passing and heading could be better for example, but those were things we could work on. He dared to take initiative and was not afraid to make mistakes, that’s what I like in players. I felt he had so much potential.”
Coming in at a crucial time
Jonk’s intervention was crucial as Van de Ven was not happy at the club.
“He told me that before he didn’t want to stay because of the way they had looked at him. That’s why I quickly moved him to the second team in order for him to play at a higher level. In those games it turned out quickly that he could easily compete there; in fact, he was even one of the standout performers. After a month or so we drafted him into the first team.”
Van de Ven’s rise has been spectacular since. After two years in the Dutch second division with Volendam he made the move to Bundesliga side Wolfsburg, and another couple of seasons later he is one of the major signings in the Premier League, and he is seen as the missing link in Ange Postecoglou’s Spurs jigsaw.
Grateful for support
How times can change. When he was breaking through at Wolfsburg in 2022, Van de Ven spoke to Dutch magazine Voetbal International about his gratitude towards his father and Jonk for the turnaround in his career.
“About five years ago I was in a very difficult time in the academy of Volendam. When I played in the Under-17s, coaches would say to me, ‘there isn’t really a future for you here, it would be better if you go elsewhere because the chances of you getting into the first team here are slim.’
"At that moment I thought, ‘what am I still doing here? It’s better to leave. My father has been very important to me back then, he kept supporting me so I kept going. I did have the belief I had the qualities to make it professionally, but if everybody, from the head of academy to the first team manager, says that it is not going to work out, then you have little to say.
"And then came Wim Jonk. He saw me play twice, after which he immediately took me to the second team and he gave me a contract. And then after a few games he got me into the first team.”
From that moment onwards, Jonk could help to refine the defender’s game on a daily basis. His positioning was one of the attention points.
“He got into situations where he was wrongly positioned, which meant he had to compensate,” explains Jonk.
“He was able to do that with his speed, but I told him it would be different if he was to come up against top players, like that you can’t catch up then.”
Jonk would show him and the rest of the squad video clips of top European sides who advocate attacking football and would ask his defenders to take notice of how their European counterparts handled different game situations.
“I showed them many videos of Manchester City, but also other teams, where it was about the positioning of the defenders. We play high up the pitch with much space behind us, something which was possible as Micky had that speed.”
Jonk continues: “For me, football is about spaces, and for players to be in certain positions at the right time, especially if you’re a defender.
“I would stress to Micky to play high up the pitch; something like five metres higher can already make a big difference in order to get the ball in front of your opponent.”
On the training pitch, Jonk worked individually with Van de Ven, but also in combination with others. “Sometimes we would work in small groups of two or three players, because then you also create a mutual connection.”
In bigger training games Jonk also personally coached Van de Ven.
“Often that was about his positioning and recognising of situations, something which we felt would increase his leadership skills. At first, he was mostly focused on himself. But I felt he had to put himself on the forefront more often; especially when you play at the back it’s important you open your mouth and coach the people around you.
"He started to work on that. In training I would sometimes walk just behind him, so I could hear what he was saying – or what he wasn’t saying – and then I would address those things to him afterwards.”
Keeping Van de Ven alert
Jonk learned how he had to keep Van de Ven on his toes.
“I noticed that sometimes it was too easy for him in training and he got a little bored, so he needed extra challenges. That applies to good players, like they need to be constantly challenged.”
Part of the club’s programme for the defender was to also work on his physicality.
“We let him do a lot of strength exercises and he gained 10 kilograms with muscle building. By working on several technical and physical elements his mindset grew enormously in the process as well.”
Van de Ven’s development took huge strides and it was no surprise that other clubs came calling after his debut season in the first team. To Jonk’s relief, he decided to stay on.
“Luckily we could convince him to stay. I told him, ‘I’m not finished with you yet. I still want to work on a few things with you. Next year even bigger teams will be in for you.’ And that’s what happened.”
Van de Ven was told he would be able to make the next step, yet it wasn’t a straightforward process as Volendam felt bids from clubs like Marseille and Wolfsburg weren’t representative the defender’s true value.
It came to a court case as the player and his representatives sought to dissolute his contract because he felt deprived of the opportunity to make substantial sporting and financial improvements.
The Arbitration Committee of the Dutch FA [KNVB] ruled in Volendam’s favour, though, after which Wolfsburg paid an increased price, believed to be in the region of £3.15million.
Jonk, who is now technical manager at Volendam, says the saga was a pity which could have been prevented, but he doesn’t blame Van de Ven much.
Jonk says the outcome has been good for everyone in the end and that he is pleased with Van de Ven’s continuous development.
“I’m really happy for him that he is fulfilling his dreams. It’s beautiful when people like him can make it happen. I told him that as well, as I still meet him when he visits the club so now and then. He still has some friends in the first team and I’m sure the club still has a place in his heart.
"We had a really good time working together and I’ve told him he can always call me if he wants any kind of advice. Because I find it important that guys like him continue to develop.”
At Wolfsburg, Van de Ven had to be patient, as he only made five Bundesliga appearances in his debut season. But then the next campaign he played almost everything and Jonk can see how he has made further improvements.
“I noticed he has made steps, especially on a physical level. At Volendam he could sometimes be taken to surprise by opponents, like by the way they used their body against him in a smart way. At Wolfsburg I saw he improved on that.”
Jonk thinks his former pupil is ready for a new chapter at Spurs in England and speaks from his own experience after playing for Sheffield Wednesday in the Premier League.
“The intensity with its speed and physicality is huge, which means you have to be constantly alert. At Wolfsburg he needed some time to adapt and he probably needs that in the Premier League as well, because it’s even a higher level, with more top players around him.
“He will need to further refine his handling speed and positioning, yet I think he needs that challenge. He will make mistakes, but he is a quick learner. The Premier League is the best league in Europe right now, so this step is great for his development.”
