The Dutch Women's World Cup team finds itself embroiled in a frustrating saga of amateurish organization and contentious training conditions.
Coach Andries Jonker pulled no punches as he vented his team's frustrations about the lackluster preparations they encountered upon arriving in the Bay of Plenty area.
Their training ground, the Bay Oval in Tauranga with a hard cricket pitch smack in the middle of the football field, raised eyebrows and concerns among the Dutch players and coaching staff.
Jonker voiced his apprehension, fearing that this setup could lead to injuries, and disclosed that they had previously asked for the cricket pitch to be removed months ago.
The Royal Dutch Football Association (KNVB) communicated their worries to FIFA during two inspection visits in October and February.
Assurances were made that the pitch would be removed after the cricket season, well before the Dutch women's team descended upon New Zealand.
However, those promises fell flat, leaving the team feeling let down and incensed.
Jonker minced no words, describing the situation as "amateurism of the highest order," which hardly befits the stature of the Dutch team.
He emphasized their desire to put on a stellar performance against Portugal in their opening Group E match in Dunedin, but the subpar training conditions have thrown a wrench into their preparations.
Despite the frustrations, the Dutch have had no choice but to adapt and continue their training at the Bay Oval, albeit with some alterations to their original plans.
While they will not be able to carry out full-pitch practices due to the hard cricket pitch presence, they are making the best of a less-than-ideal situation.
Jonker revealed that there were two alternative options considered.
The first involved heading to Dunedin earlier, but that would have necessitated rearranging accommodations and travel plans for the entire team, creating further logistical challenges.
The second option was to train in Hamilton, which seemed convenient at first, but the long hour-and-a-half drive raised concerns about exhausting the players before the tournament even begins.
