After a turbulent summer period, the women's team starts a new season in the Eredivisie Women this week. An international preparation, many new faces and sharpened ambitions. How is PSV Women doing?
Composition team
PSV will start its fourth season in the Eredivisie Women on Friday with a much-changed selection. After a disappointing season, the selection underwent a true transformation this summer, welcoming ten new players. A mix of young regional talent like 17-year-old Janou Levels to internationally experienced players like 35-year-old Belgian record international Aline Zeler.
The newcomers in a row: Katja Snoeijs, Kayleigh van Dooren, Janou Levels, Naomi Pattiwael, Nurija van Schoonhoven, Eli Sarasola, Rachel Cuschieri, Dominique Bond Flasza, Maddy Williams and Aline Zeler.
Also in front of the group is a new face, Rotterdam native Sander Luiten. He has been recruited as the new coach, a man with extensive experience within women's football at KNVB selections and Barendrecht Excelsior. Luiten will be assisted at the football technical level by Stinga, Wijlaars, Ranzijn, Dontje and Raaijmakers to create a higher training intensity and better preconditions. Sandra Doreleijers has been promoted to the newly created position of women's football manager within the organization. PSV Women has thus taken the desired professionalization step in the structure, with the team becoming part of the professional plan at De Herdgang.
Preparation
During the preparation, the women's team was extensively tested with resistance at international (top) level. A deliberate choice was made for matches at De Herdgang against Japanese top team Urawa Red Diamonds (1-1), German promotion team Borussia Mönchengladbach (2-2) and Belgian runner-up KRC Genk (3-1).
The participation in the Women's Cup 2018 in Switzerland was the first international tournament for PSV Women against Champions League participants. The encounter with top European team Bayern Munich resulted in a broad defeat (9-0), after which the team recovered at lightning speed with a generous win against Slavia Prague (8-2) in which strikers Maddy Williams and Katja Snoeijs both scored hat-tricks.
Quarterfinal
Youth internationals Nouwen, van Schoonhoven, Pattiwael joined only after the trip to Switzerland due to their participation in the 2018 World Cup in France with Oranje O20. The adventure for the three PSV players stranded in the quarterfinals. Van Dooren and Levels also experienced a modified preparation due to their participation in Oranje O19 of European Championship 2018 in Switzerland, the team finished after the pool phase despite two wins.
After two wins, two draws and one loss, coach Luiten's team is ready for the league start. A top match immediately awaits against FC Twente, which has led the Eredivisie Women in recent years with Ajax. PSV Women has the sporting ambition to improve its results and get involved in the top of the league this season to win prizes from there.
GOED and 100%voetbal
The new path taken by PSV Women has not gone unnoticed by the business community. Health and safety service provider GOED recently joined the women's team as a partner for three seasons. Retailer 100%voetbal signed on as a supplier of football shoes for PSV Women for the next two seasons. A good basis to further expand the commercial opportunities of the women's team.
Cooperation in region
As part of talent development, ties have been strengthened with top class FC Eindhoven AV led by coach Sandra Swinkels. In the renewed cooperation, several joint practice matches are organized by the clubs. With an eye on regional ties, there is also a special customized program for talented players from the region such as the recent example with Eef Kerkhof and there are contacts with CTO Eindhoven Talent Team.