Wim Jonk

Wim Jonk (born October 12 1966 in Volendam) is a retired Dutch football player. At the height of his career, he also played for the Netherlands national team.

Related Topics:
October 12 - 1966 - Volendam - Dutch - Football - Netherlands national team

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Jonk started his career in an amateur club in his hometown, RKAV Volendam before signing for professional club FC Volendam in 1986. As a central midfield player, he scored many goals, assisting his club to promotion to the Eredivisie in 1987 where he scored a further 5 goals. Dutch giants Ajax Amsterdam monitored his progress keenly and his skills did not escape the scouts of the club, who hastened his transfer to Amsterdam in 1988.

Related Topics:
FC Volendam - 1986 - Eredivisie - 1987 - Ajax Amsterdam - Amsterdam - 1988

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At Ajax, he slotted into the squad easily, even scoring 6 goals in his debut season. First team chances were regular, if not abundant, but his first appearance for the Dutch national team seemed a long way away. His gameplay is not very artistic, but he has earned a reputation as a midfield anchor in the same mould as other Dutch players like Aron Winter, Erwin Koeman, Philip Cocu and Mark van Bommel. Therefore, with the Dutch {{Wc|1990}} squad brimming with attacking-minded players like Richard Witschge and Frank Rijkaard, he was unsurprisingly omitted from selection for the national team in the late 1980s.

Related Topics:
Aron Winter - Erwin Koeman - Philip Cocu - Mark van Bommel - Richard Witschge - Frank Rijkaard

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His hard-working and combative style of play earned him his debut for the Dutch national team in a 3-2 win against Austria on May 27, 1992 and he signed on for Inter Milan in 1993 before the {{Wc|1994}} where he was joined by compatriot Dennis Bergkamp. The Italian club had seemingly followed their illustrious city rivals A.C. Milan into buying Dutch players in the hope to emulate Milan's success with Marco van Basten, Frank Rijkaard and Ruud Gullit.

Related Topics:
Austria - May 27 - 1992 - Inter Milan - 1993 - Dennis Bergkamp - A.C. Milan - Marco van Basten - Frank Rijkaard - Ruud Gullit

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The Dutch World Cup 1994 squad selected by then coach Dick Advocaat had been tipped to reach the quarter-finals of the tournament and Advocaat had opted for a central midfield pairing of Jonk and usually Jan Wouters, supported with speedy wingers in Marc Overmars and Ronald de Boer. In the first group game against Saudi Arabia, the Netherlands fell behind to a goal by Saudi player Fuad Amin in the 19th minute of gameplay before Jonk opened his World Cup scoring account by netting a 50th minute effort. The Dutch went on to win the match by a goal from Gaston Taument in the 86th minute. Jonk would score another goal against the Republic of Ireland in a convincing 2-0 win to help the Dutch to qualify for a quarter-finals meeting against Brazil.

Related Topics:
Dick Advocaat - Jan Wouters - Marc Overmars - Ronald de Boer - Saudi Arabia - Gaston Taument - Republic of Ireland - Brazil

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Meanwhile, at Inter Milan, he managed 54 appearances in 2 seasons and scored 8 goals. However, when fellow team-mate Dennis Bergkamp left Inter for Arsenal, he felt that opportunities for a first team place at the Italian club seemed to be under threat (he was by then close to being 30 years old) and he signed for another Dutch club PSV Eindhoven in 1995. He stayed long enough at PSV to convince then coach Guus Hiddink to be selected for the {{Wc|1998}} in France. At the World Cup 1998, Jonk played 5 games in all but did not score any goals as he did in the previous World Cup.

Related Topics:
Dennis Bergkamp - Arsenal - PSV Eindhoven - 1995 - Guus Hiddink - France

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With the appointment of Frank Rijkaard as the coach for the Dutch national team in 1998 after Hiddink's resignation, Jonk found his international appearances to be limited and he played his last match for the international squad in a 0-0 draw against Denmark on August 18, 1999.

Related Topics:
Frank Rijkaard - 1998 - Denmark - August 18 - 1999

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Jonk had left PSV after the 1998 World Cup to join English club Sheffield Wednesday where he was a regular fixture for the relegation-threatened side. Apparently, his once-impressive performances for both club and country has waned and he was frequently injured of which caused the Wednesday fans to voice dissent with a clause in his contract which stipulates that he would automatically receive £5,000 per game which he would miss through injury. In the beginning of the 2001 season, he announced his retirement from the game. In total, he has made 49 appearances for the Dutch national team and has scored 11 goals.

Related Topics:
Sheffield Wednesday - 2001

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