KZ at the start of a transition period, but Star wants nothing less than the title
KZ beat PKC twice last season, and still finished fifth. KZ is without Nikki Boerhout, Kevin Dik and Anna Kriek, has a new coach and today in Papendrecht begins its twentieth consecutive season in the Korfbal League.
Automatically translated from Dutch. Read the Dutch original.
- KZ finished fifth last season, one point behind PKC.
- Michael Star succeeds Tim Bakker and wants the title.
- Boerhout, Dik and Kriek have left, nobody came in from outside.
Last season started well: after six rounds KZ had five wins and one defeat. In the final phase it went wrong, including 35‑19 at DOS '46 and 28‑21 at LDODK. KZ finished fifth, one point behind PKC. "In the end we only have ourselves to blame for not reaching the play-offs", Alwin Out told NH Sport.
After that the staff changed. Tim Bakker stopped after five seasons as coach of KZ 1 and is now technical advisor. Maarten van Vliet left for Blauw-Wit. Michael Star, who coached KZ 2 for two years, takes over. Carlo de Vries, a player and last season KZ's top scorer with 70 goals, is now also technical manager.
Star sets the bar high. "We won't settle for less than the championship", he told Rodi. "The basis of becoming champion is getting better." About his players: "I had high expectations of the group, but they are surprising me very positively." Chairman Thierry Arnoldus has a slogan: "Route KZ, exit Ahoy".
Read more: PKC beat KZ 24‑17 in first round
Boerhout, Dik and Kriek gone
Three players left who, according to the club itself, leave a gap. Nikki Boerhout went to Fortuna. "I want to play for prizes", she told NH Sport. Kevin Dik chose Groen-Geel and Anna Kriek stops after 121 matches in the Korfbal League. Boerhout and Dik together scored 106 of KZ's 445 goals last season, almost a quarter.
Nobody came in from outside. In its own preview KZ writes: "We are at the start of a transition period." Young players are given room. Isa Dik and Mikai van het Kaar became under-21 world champions in August, and Van het Kaar and Fiene Meijer are part of Talent TeamNL.
KZ is less represented in Oranje. Only Alwin Out is still in TeamNL and won gold at the European Championship in October. Esther Cordus stopped as an international, but still plays for KZ. Since 6 October there has been a court in Zaandam named after her: the Cordus Court.
Fifth place again?
From outside, the expectation is clear. In the first episode of De Korfbal Podcast this season, Wilco van den Bos says about the top four: "And then there's a very big gap and then comes KZ." He expects: "I think KZ will finish fifth in the end after all."
John Jonker points to the departures: "KZ has gone backwards a bit without Kevin Dik and Nikki Boerhout, that makes quite a difference." He is curious about the change of coach, because he does not know Star well yet.
Tough start
The schedule does not help. After the opener at PKC come LDODK at home, TOP away, DVO at home and Fortuna away. "We immediately face all four play-off teams from last season", KZ writes, and also: "We must not let ourselves get worked up if, unexpectedly, we take only a few points in that opening phase."
Today at 15:30 it starts at PKC. Last season KZ won both matches: 28‑22 in Papendrecht and 28‑21 at home. "Last year we managed to cause a surprise 2 times by beating this strong team", the club writes. Lise van Maldeghem says in the podcast: "I do think PKC should win this match."
KZ became national indoor champion three times, the last time in 2012.