‘Didn’t know, but no surprise’
NOS Football–
Timber captains Young Orange: ‘Hopefully I can lead my team to something beautiful’
Quinten Timber will become the permanent captain of Jong Oranje. The midfielder of national champion Feyenoord will wear the belt as early as Wednesday, when he plays with the Netherlands in the first group match against the Belgians.
“I have played almost all the qualifying games and feel like a leader of the group,” said a proud Timber.
No surprise
During the last practice match with Japan, national coach Erwin van de Looi still chose Micky van de Ven as captain. “That I would be captain, I didn’t know. But it’s no surprise to me,” Timber said. “Hopefully I can lead my team to something beautiful.”
During the European Championship, we are making a Youtube series about Young Orange. Watch episode two of Jong Oranje, class of ’23, below. A photo shoot with a starring role for Timber.
The match against the Belgians is Wednesday (6 p.m.) in Tbilisi. Host Georgia and Portugal are the other opponents in the group stage.
“We are a good team ourselves, we have to focus on that. Winning the European Championship, that’s what we came for,” Timber spoke confidently. “We have confidence in ourselves. We are entering a tournament and we want to win it.”
Of the Belgians, the player of the national champion is extra eager to win Wednesday because it is a neighboring country. “It’s a derby. Several guys in our squad also play in the Belgian league. Belgium has a strong team, but so do we.”
Timber is fit again after a knee injury kept him sidelined for much of the second half of the season. “I knew I could still play the last few games at Feyenoord. That was important. I was already looking forward to the European Championship during my injury.”
