Total-waterpolo-blog-logo-238×48Total-waterpolo-blog-logo-52×48Total-waterpolo-blog-logo-238×48Total-waterpolo-blog-logo-238×48
  • News
  • SUKNO U15 CAMP – MALTA 2023
  • SHOP NOW
  • LIVESCORE
    • 2023 FINA Men’s Water Polo World Cup
    • LEN Champions League 2022/23
    • Budva Masters 2023
    • Sunčana Kapica
    • HaBaWaBa Spain Plus
    • Alpe Waterpolo League
    • Nordic League
      • Nordic league 2022/23
      • Nordic League 2021/22
      • Nordic Women’s League 2022
    • GERMANY
    • AUSTRIA 🇦🇹
      • Bundesliga Women
      • Bundesliga Men
      • Supercup
      • Cup
      • Regionalliga Ost
      • U-21 Women
      • U-19
      • U-17
      • U-15
      • U-13
      • U-12
      • U-11
    • SLOVENIA 🇸🇮
      • Slovenian championship 2022/23
      • Slovenian Cup 2022/23
    • FINLAND 🇫🇮
      • Championship
      • U-13
      • U-15
      • U-17
    • AUSTRALIA 🇦🇺
      • Sydney Super League 2.0 Men
      • Sydney Super League 2.0 Women
    • ROMANIA 🇷🇴
      • Superliga Națională – Romanian Water Polo League 2022/23
      • Superliga Națională
    • ICELAND 🇮🇸
      • Winter League Men 2021
      • Winter League Women 2021
    • LITHUANIA 🇱🇹
      • Championships
      • Nordic Junior CH U17
      • Nordic Junior CH U15
    • Total Waterpolo Trophy U-15
    • RWL
      • Premier League 21/22
      • A1 League 21/22
  • National
    • Spain
    • Hungary
    • Italy
    • France
    • Germany
    • Netherlands
  • International
    • Tokyo 2020 Olympic Water Polo
    • World Championships
      • Budapest 2022 Men
      • Budapest 2022 Women
      • FINA World Men’s Junior Championships Prague 2021
      • Gwangju 2019
      • Budapest 2017
    • European Championships
      • Split 2022 – M
      • Split 2022 – W
      • Budapest 2020
      • Barcelona 2018
    • Other
      • World League – Belgrade 2019
      • World Cup – Berlin 2018
      • Junior WC Prague 2021
      • Junior EC Podgorica 2022
      • Montenegro Cup 2022 (U16)
  • LEN Champions League
    • LEN Champions League 2022/23
    • LEN Champions League 2019/2020
    • LEN Champions League 2018/2019
  • Total Player Award
    • 2022
    • 2021
    • 2020
    • 2019
    • 2018
    • 2017
✕

Winkelhorst says goodbye to the Netherlands and takes German passport

August 19, 2020

Jorn Winkelhorst (3) Photo by lalex.k/Total Waterpolo

As usual, there have been a lot of transfers at the European water polo market this summer. Many players changed clubs.

Some of them change their nationality.

A 28-year-old center-forward, Jorn Winkelhorst had decided not to play for the Netherlands anymore and to naturalize as a German. Winkelhorst has been playing for German club Waspo Hannover for a while.

He emphasizes that no pressure was exerted on him by his teammates or the German national coach Hagen Stamm.

“Deep in my heart, I prefer to go to the Olympic Games with the Dutch team. But recently, some changes have been made in the national team, which I can’t agree with. I spoke about it several times with the national coach and the team management, but we were unable to resolve it. For a long time, I was thinking about what I should do: to continue with the “Oranje” in a way that I do not believe in myself or to stop and end my Olympic dream?”, Winkelhorst said, and the Dutch website waterpolo.nl published.

“Both options didn’t feel right to me,” continued Winkelhorst, and added that the moving to the German national team emerged as the third option.

Germany will try to qualify for the Olympic Games.

“By starting the naturalization procedure now, I may be eligible to play at the Olympic Qualification Tournament in Rotterdam in February. The chance to reach Tokyo is small for both the Netherlands and Germany. I don’t blame anyone, and I can also look back on a very good period in the Dutch national team.”

National coach Harry van der Meer respects Winkelhorst’s decision.

“Jorn is a very strong center forward and has performed at a consistently high level in recent years, both with his club in the Champions League and with the national team. I would have liked to keep up with him, but we differed too much about the approach towards the Olympic qualifications. I am open to different opinions, and players have a say on many matters, but in the end, I have to make decisions as a national coach and then try to get all in the same direction with my staff. Unfortunately, that did not work for Jorn. But, it is inherent to top sport. I also look at it from the bright side. His departure creates more room for younger mid-pros to develop more quickly.”, Harry van der Meer told waterpolo.nl.

The Netherlands finished 15th at the 2020 European Championships in Budapest, while Germany won the 9th place.

Three remaining tickets for Tokyo

The Dutch water polo team will start to prepare for the Olympic Qualifications in September.

The Netherlands and Germany are in the same group at the Olympic Qualifications in Rotterdam and will play the opening game against each other on February 14. In this group, are also Croatia, Russia, Romania, and France. The B group consists of Montenegro, Greece, Brazil, Canada, Georgia, and Turkey.

Only the first three teams will qualify for the Olympics.

 

Ivan Curcic
Ivan Curcic

Related posts

Fran Valera (SAB) Photo by Laszlo Balogh/Total Waterpolo

March 29, 2023

Sabadell beats Barceloneta for 2nd time, and keeps top spot


Read more

Slobodan Soro Photo by VK Novi Beograd

March 28, 2023

Slobodan Soro: We trust our coach Zivko Gocic and accept his decisions


Read more

Photo: Laszlo Balogh/ Total Waterpolo

March 28, 2023

Gocić suspends Dusan Mandic


Read more

Featured Projects

Learn More

Learn More

Custom Team Gear

LEARN MORE

Shop Now

Looking for something?

✕
  • Sabadell beats Barceloneta for 2nd time, and keeps top spot
  • Slobodan Soro: We trust our coach Zivko Gocic and accept his decisions
  • Gocić suspends Dusan Mandic
  • Great weekend for UZSC; two favorites fall in Utrecht
  • Aussie Stingers announce World Cup squad
  • Home
  • Water Polo News
  • WearWaterpolo Shop
  • Contact Us
  • Project Superstar – TW Camp
  • BIWPA
  • Custom Team Equipment
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookie Policy
© 2021 Total Waterpolo. All Rights Reserved.
Total Waterpolo Arena