Jos Jonker Explained

Jos Jonker
Birth Date:23 April 1951
Birth Place:Castricum, Netherlands
Position:Midfielder
Years1:196?–1970
Clubs1:Vitesse '22
Caps1:?
Goals1:?
Years2:1970–1978
Clubs2:Telstar
Caps2:225
Goals2:18
Years3:1978–1980
Clubs3:Den Haag
Caps3:64
Goals3:5
Years4:1980–1983
Clubs4:AZ '67
Caps4:90
Goals4:14
Totalcaps:379
Totalgoals:37
Nationalyears1:1980–1981
Nationalteam1:Netherlands
Nationalcaps1:2
Nationalgoals1:0

Jos Jonker (born 23 April 1951) is a Dutch former professional footballer. A midfielder, he played for Vitesse '22, Telstar, FC Den Haag and AZ '67 during his career. He also gained two caps for the Netherlands national team.

Football career

Jonker began his career with Vitesse '22 from his hometown Castricum, North Holland.[1] From 1970, Jonker played eight years for Telstar.[2] After the club suffered relegation from the Eredivisie in the 1977–78 season,[3] he moved to Den Haag alongside Ton Wickel. According to journalist Jan-Hermen de Bruijn, these signings meant that then head coach Piet de Visser rejected the transfer of Diego Maradona to Den Haag, as the club had enough midfielders.[4] [5] This was subsequently denied by De Visser, who stated that Maradona was already hugely popular in Argentina at the time, and would have cost too much for the club.[6] Nevertheless, Jonker experienced his breakthrough at the club, and after two seasons in The Hague, he signed with AZ '67 in 1980 at the age of 29.[7] The club from Alkmaar was already a top club in the second half of the 1970s, but had not yet won the national title, and Jonker was a welcome reinforcement in midfield in 1980.[8] Jonker played for AZ for three seasons and retired from professional football after the 1982–83 season, instead choosing to return to Vitesse '22 at amateur level.[9]

Jonker played 19 matches in the European Cup on behalf of AZ '67, and was part of the successful team which convincingly won the Eredivisie with a goal difference of +71, and reached the final of the UEFA Cup in the 1980–81 season, in which he scored in the return leg.[10]

He gained two caps for the Netherlands national team, in which he played against West Germany and Cyprus.[11]

Honours

AZ

1980–81

1980–81, 1981–82

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Vitesse '22 Uitslag verkiezing Hall Of Fame Vitesse '22 . www.vitesse22.nl . Vitesse '22 . 10 March 2021 . nl.
  2. Web site: Jos Jonker (1951) . KENTUDEZENOG . nl . 6 May 2014.
  3. News: Witte Leeuwen: Henk Medik scoorde allerlaatste Eredivisie-doelpunt voor Telstar . NH Nieuws . 27 March 2018 . nl.
  4. News: Bijna voetbalde Maradona in Den Haag: 'Dan had de voetbalwereld er nu heel anders uitgezien' . Omroep West . 26 November 2020 . NL.
  5. News: Genechten . Vincent van . Hoe een Nederlandse club de piepjonge Diego Maradona liet schieten: "De nieuwe trainer had genoeg aan Jos en Ton, stel je voor..." . Het Nieuwsblad . 26 November 2020 . nl-BE.
  6. News: Meesterscout De Visser ontkent uitglijder met Maradona: 'Ik was hem desnoods op de motorfiets gaan halen' . Omroep Zeeland . 26 November 2020 . NL.
  7. News: Jos Jonker naar AZ'67 . Limburgsch Dagblad . 27 June 1980 . nl.
  8. News: Scoren in de finale: Kees Kist . Scoring in the final: Kees Kist . 3 December 2020 . . 20 April 2018 . Dutch . Vele bekende koppen sieren de wanden. Niet alleen Kist. Er is ook aandacht voor die andere peilers van dat elftal zoals John Metgod, Ronald Spelbos, Hugo Hovenkamp, Jan Peters, Kristen Nygaard en Pier Tol. Om er een paar te noemen..
  9. News: Jonker terug naar amateurs . De Telegraaf . 30 May 1983 . 13.
  10. News: Brinkman . Theo . Toen er op 22 april nog wél gesport werd: AZ plaatst zich voor de Uefacup-finale . Haarlems Dagblad . 22 April 2020 . nl.
  11. Web site: Jos Jonker - Nederlands Elftal . Ons Oranje . 10 March 2021.