Tottenham star Micky van de Ven stood out from an early age and was always destined for the top, even if some people could not see it.
That’s according to Wim Jonk, who says he saw something special in the Tottenham man when he watched him playing U19’s football earlier in his career.
Van de Ven has enjoyed a rapid rise this season after joining Tottenham from last summer, quickly establishing himself in Ange Postecoglou’s side with a series of impressive performances.
His comfort on the ball, defensive nous and rapid recovery speed have earned him rave reviews from fans, pundits and players alike, all of whom have been keen to single out the defender for his performances for Tottenham this season.
That’s led to him being called up to the Netherlands squad for Euro 2024, with Ronald Koeman expected to utilise the Tottenham man as a central defender or even at left-back in Germany.
He’s yet to show complete faith in the 23-year-old, who only made his debut for the national team back in October and has only managed 90 minutes in one of his four appearance for his country to date.
Jonk believes it won’t be long before that changes, though, insisting he saw a future Dutch international in the making long before anyone else.
“I went to see the under-19s, not even especially for Micky,” he said.
“I remember him running past everyone – and as a defender, right? He showed so much courage with the ball, so much potential.
“Of course, a lot went wrong, but I thought: if we work specifically with that boy, in a few years he will not be wearing the shirt of ‘The Other Orange’, but that of the real Orange.
“We worked very specifically on his areas for improvement, but also on his weapons. The rising, the quicker response, the cross pass. He worked on the defensive aspect with Sipke Hulshoff. And don’t forget that about 5 to 10 kilos of muscle mass was added during that time.
“Defensively, he picked up every ball that fell behind the defense. Offensively, he always created a man-more situation, whether he played in the center or on the left. I remember a goal where he came through at left back, sprinted everyone out and sent the ball into the intersection. Pure class.
“Micky has no ceiling. Everything you need in today’s football – physical conditions, mental strength and the right mindset – he has that.”
