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Canadian international and a former professional footballer in Holland, Andrew Ornoch was born in Warsaw, Poland but at age three his family moved to Toronto. He was fascinated by the 1994 World Cup and closely watched the famous Ajax Amsterdam squads of the mid-1990s. Before long he realized his dream was to play professional football in Europe.
Ornoch ultimately played professionally in Denmark, Hungary and Holland in a successful career in Europe and he is a strong proponent of the Dutch style of football. With that in mind, after retiring prematurely from professional football in 2013, he launched Dutch Connections FC, which offers a unique soccer camp striving to bring the world-renowned excellence of Dutch youth development to Canada.
In this interview, RedNation and Andrew discuss his decision to launch Dutch Connections FC, his appreciation of Dutch football and Dutch player development and his experiences as a Canadian playing professionally in Europe.
RedNation Online: Andrew, you had to retire as a professional player last year and have moved into coaching and youth player development with Dutch Connections FC, which provides the highest quality training to youth football players of all abilities. What makes Dutch Connections FC different from other soccer schools and camp organizations?
Andrew Ornoch: Our camps are in exclusive partnership with Feyenoord Rotterdam, which is recognized as one of Europe’s best player development professional clubs. Our Dutch Connections FC Soccer School program is technique-based and focused on individual development. Our approach is always professional. We have an excellent staff capable of teaching and demonstrating technique.
DCFC is operated by myself and my partner Jorg van Niuewenhuyzen. Both of us are former professionals who played in Holland. Jorg and I have experienced the Dutch methodology first hand for many years. We see the value of youth development the Dutch way. I grew up and developed as a footballer in Canada and I experienced the struggles and faced the same challenges Canadian youth players face today. I understand the hard work and dedication to improvement it takes to reach your goals as a professional footballer and we try to convey that message each time we organize a session and step onto the field.
RNO: Dutch Connections FC has officially partnered with one of the best Dutch professional clubs, Feyenoord Rotterdam. How did that partnership come about and what does it mean for the local community here in Toronto?
Andrew Ornoch: While I was still playing professionally in Holland for Heracles Almelo in the Eredivisie, I met Jorg, who was my teammate. It was quick to see Jorg and I share a common passion for youth development. This was the birth of Dutch Connections. We were very passionate about exposing Canadian youth to an authentic Dutch style program. We utilized our friends and contacts in Holland and decided that Toronto, Canada would be logical starting point. At that time I was still playing professionally so our programming was limited to a couple of Summer Camps. The first trainer we ever invited was Damien Hertog, the U19 Feyenoord Academy trainer at the time.
As time passed and DCFC landed here full time with our soccer school, we decided that we would partner with a Dutch professional club to further authenticate what we are trying to accomplish. There is no better club to partner with in Holland than Feyenoord Rotterdam. Feyenoord has won the Rinus Michels award 5 years in a row as the award for top Youth Academy in Holland and has consistently been recognized as one of Europe’s top academies. Basically, Damian Hertog, who is a former teammate of Jorg’s and our first ever DCFC Camp trainer in Canada, was named the new Director of Feyenoord Academy in 2013. This was our opportunity to link with Feyenoord. DCFC is proud to have an exclusive partnership in Canada with Feyenoord. We utilize their Academy staff for camps in Canada. We are learning a lot from Feyenoord. Our DCFC Soccer School staff worked very closely with the Feyenoord Academy staff all summer, which in return helps build the quality in our Soccer Schools.
RNO: You played professionally in Holland in the Eredivise and were thus exposed to the soccer culture of a nation that is renowned for the players that it develops. You played professionally in Hungary and Denmark in addition to Holland, you have have a Polish background and represented Canada at the International level. Given your diverse background, why is the approach that you are bring to Toronto with Dutch Connections FC a distinctly Dutch one?
Andrew Ornoch: I have travelled around the world and I’ve lived in six different countries. I’ve been lucky enough to taste different styles of football. I experienced many managerial styles and diverse football cultures but the Dutch style fit me best. My time in Holland impacted the way I view youth development. Football in Holland is art and it is beautiful. It’s all about attacking but also responsibility. Players learn the language of football from an early age. Simplicity and fundamentals are turned into habits. Sometimes the simple things in life are the most difficult but also the most rewarding.
Basically, Holland was the last stop in my playing career and I spent over three years there. It was in Holland that I realized my own personal youth development (in Canada and the United States) was very flawed. I realized that in Holland it is impossible for a talent to slip through the cracks. Sadly, in Canada I know too many talents that never had a chance to develop. The problem still exists today in Canada. In Holland, I saw first hand the professionalism and methodical approach to developing good habits through a very competitive and refined system. Holland’s focus as a football nation is on development and organization. It’s foundation is it’s infrastructure: professional leagues, the highest level of coaching development, player development, facilities, a national identity (football culture) and a place for every level of talent – amateur or professional. The second thing is that everybody has already heard about Dutch player development. It is world renowned. That isn’t to say that there aren’t other countries that develop youth players very well. But Holland is distinct in that manner.
RNO: Feyenoord Rotterdam is widely recognized as one of the world’s best youth development professional clubs, with the highest percentage of players in the Dutch national teams youth and senior teams having been developed by Feyenoord. They have also won the Rinus Michels award as the best professional academy in Holland. Why do you think Feyenoord have been so successful?
Andrew Ornoch: First of all, Feyenoord won the Rinus Michels award again recently and it is now five years in a row. Feyenoord are fully invested in youth development. Every decision made within Feyenoord revolves around the benefit of the youth development system it has set into place. Varekenoord (Feyenoord Academy Facility) has been producing excellent footballers for years.
Feyenoord is now receiving worldwide recognition and deservingly so. Feyenoord uses its natural resources – the people within the club. The philosophy revolves around being down to earth to create a comfortable learning/working environment for all players. Feyenoord is like a family. The trainers and supporters are very supportive and demanding of their players. However, training is built around the principle that “less is more”, so it’s more about quality over quantity and I think that goes a long way.
RNO: How does Dutch Connections FC function and how do you see it fitting into the youth player development structure that is already in place in Ontario?
Andrew Ornoch: Initially we came here and naturally explored the possibilities of becoming an academy. We took a look at the entire system in Ontario and decided that we weren’t quite ready to commit as an academy. We continue to develop as trainers and there is no shame in working hard to learn from others. We have Feyenoord in our corner and a developing Soccer School program. Ontario soccer development is slowly starting to find it’s feet but it’s alarming that there are so many independent leagues and organizations. I think it really dilutes the quality of healthy competition here. Competition is so critical to development. It drives and motivates one to improve.
I think the OSA has taken positive steps with the OPDL to join SAAC as a standards-based league here. I hope to see a more affordable, unified competition for academies and clubs in the future. Working together is the only way to make a change. I think it’s time for the CSA to heavily invest time and money to serve the OSA and other provincial associations with one thing in mind – invest in the future now!
The best place for DCFC at the moment is to become the best technique soccer school in Toronto and Mississauga. That is our goal. Our function is to provide the best possible supplementary training. We want to help players of all abilities to become better. We want to work with clubs and academies to provide extra training for committed players who are just as passionate about development as we are. We work with players of all abilities, some extremely talented and some who are making their first steps in football. There is a place for everyone.
The majority of players in Canada lack functional technique because they have not been exposed to the correct fundamentals and age appropriate training within the grassroots level. We do not place blame anywhere, but we do work very hard to correct and refine technique. Players are learning from professionals and enjoying what we teach. Players have fun and, in the end, that is what it’s all about.
RNO: Another big name who is part of Dutch Connections is your friend Jonathan de Guzman, who is the is the Ambassador of Feyenoord Camps Canada. Jonathan is one of the most accomplished Canadian-born players of all time and he both played professionally for Feyenoord and was developed as part of their youth program. How did he get involved with this initiative and might we seem him at some point at camps here in the GTA?
Andrew Ornoch: First of all, I wouldn’t say that Jonathan is directly involved with Dutch Connections as a company. However, as we are an official partner of Feyenoord, I approached Jono as a friend to see if he would be willing to be the official Ambassador of Feyenoord Camps Canada. Of course he agreed. Jono is a huge success story and one of the biggest examples of a Canadian-born player who took the steps to develop himself in Europe. In his case it was with Feyenoord in Holland. Jono has gotten to the top of European football and also played a big role in Holland securing third place at the World Cup this past summer in Brazil. A big part of Jono’s story is his youth development, as well as his talent and work ethic. Of course, Feyenoord played a big part in his career.
RNO: My understanding is that the staff and trainers are a mix between Dutch experts and former Canadian Internationals. Who are some of the other coaches and experts involved with the program?
Andrew Ornoch: We are committed to working with top coaches and exposing Canadian youth to real trainers who have experience at the top level. Our partnership with Feyenoord has given us the opportunity to work with three Feyenoord Academy trainers this past summer. They aren’t part-time coaches. They are professionals who work day in, day out for Feyenoord’s famous academy. They are a part of the reason Feyenoord has been named the best academy in Holland five years in a row. There is Leen Boer, Davey van den Berg and Dane Brard as three of the Feyenoord staff that we are bringing over. Myself and Jorg have played professional football in Europe (Holland) and I have represented the Canadian National Team. Rounding out the staff is our three other Dutch Connections FC Soccer School trainers.
It’s an excellent training staff. The technical side of the camp is Feyenoord’s responsibility and it is a great opportunity to work closely and learn from the Feyenoord staff. We are aiming to have one of the most professional staffs around. I think we can say we are on the right track.
RNO: As usual, the Netherlands was one of the top sides at the World Cup in Brazil this summer. Those of us who are passionate about Canadian soccer and the Canadian National Team will be hoping that Canada will be able to qualify for the next World Cup in 2018. What do you think are the main things that a country like Canada can learn from a soccer nation like the Netherlands, which has a very small population but that has consistently been one of the top performers in International competition?
Andrew Ornoch: The biggest thing that Canada can learn from Holland is the structure and organization. Canada is yet to find it’s own identity. We are not the Dutch and we are not any other country. We should be proud of our heritage and play with a uniquely Canadian style. We are not fully independent when it comes to our football development. It’s really nice to have three teams in the MLS, but these three teams should commit a little more to helping Canadians develop. These clubs have made significant steps with their youth academies and that is really nice to see. It would be great to see two more Canadian clubs join the MLS over the next five years. If you look at our youth development system in Canada, it is very divided, diluted and confusing. Canada has it’s own unique challenges, with geography and weather being examples. Obviously, making sure we have real football people (former professionals) in the right positions to lead by example is important. It may be idealistic but investing in a national professional league structure would be a starting point. This won’t happen overnight. In the meantime, young players need something to aspire too.
When I was growing up I dreamt of Holland and Europe because MLS did not exist and, when it did, it was just not attractive at the start. These things take time. It’s worthwhile to start there now. A national league one day would be ideal. For now, the OSA have successfully launched League One Ontario and more provinces need to follow suit. Semi Professional Leagues like this need to improve the overall quality of the product, attract fan support and sponsors and continue to focus on young talent to give competitive opportunities to young talents. More so, Canada needs to heavily invest in soccer facilities. All levels of government need to stand behind such an investment recognizing that football in North America is exploding and we need more facilities right here to develop our players. We need to keep costs of development reasonable. Football is a game for all and we need to remember that. Most importantly, we need to keep the focus on coaching education and player development.
RNO: What events are upcoming for the program and how can players who want to get involved with Dutch Connections FC and Feyenoord Camps Canada get started?
Andrew Ornoch: The Feyenoord Camps Canada are finished for the 2014 summer program but those interested in our work with Feyenoord can check out www.FeyenoordCampsCanada.com for details about future programming. The Dutch Connections FC Soccer School is a once a week program in Toronto and Mississauga. We have wrapped up the summer term and have been preparing for our fall and winter terms. Those interested in can get more details at www.DutchConnectionsFC.com.
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