Made in Holland- the Patrick Zwaanswijk Way

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Patrick Zwaanswijk paraded his talents in professional football as a player with Ajax Juniors, Utrecht FC, Oita Trinita, NAC Breda and Central Coast Mariners for nearly 20 years and is now trying to make an impact on Australian football in the coaching ranks.

In his time with the Mariners, he was one of the outstanding central defenders in the A- League and was selected in the A- League Team of the season in his maiden season, 2010/11.

All  those years in the Eredivisie with Utrecht and NAC Breda enabled him to rub shoulders with opponents like Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Luis Suarez in European competition while playing with stars like Dirk Kuyt and Richard Witschge.

He has held a number of coaching jobs since retiring from professional football at the Mariners in 2013 and at the moment  is overseeing youth development at Hills United while contemplating his future in Australian football.

In this interview with Roger Sleeman, Patrick  Zwaanswijk reflects on his playing career and espouses his views on youth development and the pathway of Australian football.

 

ROGER SLEEMAN

What was your background in Dutch football?

PATRICK ZWAANSWIJK

I was born into a football family in the Amsterdam suburb of Haarlem where the game is a way of life.

At the age of 14, I played in an inter- regional competition against Ajax and Feyenoord and eventually made the Ajax u/18 team which was influenced by Johan Cruyff and Louis Van Gaal who was the head coach of the club.

I played in the youth team from 1995-98  and in this time we won the Champions League in 1995 and were runners up in 1996.

After Van Gaal left for Barcelona in 1997, Morton Olsen came to Ajax and brought in a lot of foreign players which made it very hard for the youth team players to graduate to the senior squad.

Eventually, I joined Utrecht at the age of 22 where I spent five and a half  seasons and played in two Dutch Cup Finals.

ROGER SLEEMAN

While you were at Utrecht, Bobby Robson came to see you play with the intention of signing you for Newcastle United.

Can you explain the background to this event?

PATRICK ZWAANSWIJK

In 2002, one of my teammates at Utrecht, David Mendez Da Silva, was being looked at by an agent in a game against Sparta Rotterdam and I played really well that day. A scout came to view me again in an away game and Bobby Robson followed .

Subsequently, Robson made an offer to buy me but Han Berger refused the offer.

At the time, we had Dirk Kuyt and some Belgian internationals in the squad , had just won the Dutch Cup, were 5th in the League but I was told they wanted to keep the squad intact.

Dirk Kuyt moved on and Berger went to Japan to manage OitaTrinta who also had Richard Witschge in the team.

I followed Berger to Japan.

ROGER SLEEMAN

After one season in Japan, you returned to Holland to play with Ante Milic’s former club, NAC Breda.

Can you relate that experience?

PATRICK ZWAANSWIJK

I played at Breda in the middle of the defence with Rob Penders and we became known as “the Twin Towers “.

The club had quality players and we always finished in the top 6-7 in the Eredivisie as well as competing in the Champions League and Europa League competitions.

However, at the age of 35, I  realised the club was looking for younger players so my future was uncertain.

ROGER SLEEMAN

What were the circumstances which led to your signing by Central Coast Mariners in 2010?

PATRICK ZWAANSWIJK

Graham Arnold was told about me by a few former players he knew from Breda so he made me an offer which would give me an opportunity to play in a new country for the rest of my career.

The decision paid off because we made the A-League grand final in the 2010/11 season, only to lose the match to Brisbane Roar , due to that contentious decision made in favour of Besart Berisha.

However, I received a great honor when I was selected in the A-League team of the year.

In the 2011/12 season we won the Premier’s Plate but were defeated in the semi-final , and in 2012/13 we were neck and neck for the season with the Wanderers before they won the Premier’s Plate.

We won in the grand final and I managed to score a goal which meant at the age  of 37, I decided to leave the game at a high point.

ROGER SLEEMAN

How did you rate the A-League when you were playing in it?

PATRICK ZWAANSWIJK

It was physical ,and at the Mariners, the players had great mentality and a willingness to work hard.

I was fortunate to be at the Mariners with the Golden Generation and Arnold wanted me to be their leader.

Players of the calibre of Ryan, Sainsbury, Wilkinson, Rogic, Duke , Ibini, Simon and Amini were a pleasure to play with and most of them progressed to great heights in their careers which vindicated the standard of the A-League at the time.

ROGER SLEEMAN

How do you compare youth development in Australia with that of Holland?

PATRICK ZWAANSWIJK

Critically, in Holland it’s free.

Technically, young Australian players are as capable as their Dutch counterparts .

However,  from a total development standpoint, they are worlds apart.

In Australia there is a set program and the players aren’t prepared physically, tactically and for superior decision making whilst in Holland players are taught these facets of the game at an early stage in their development.

There is definitely a structural problem here with too many conflicting philosophies and the absence of an effective talent scout system ,also means the best players don’t always come through the system.

ROGER SLEEMAN

You were involved with the Olyroos and the u/19’s.

How did you rate these players?

PATRICK ZWAANSWIJK

I was assistant coach under Gary Van Egmond for the u/19’s and up to three months before the Olympics.

Players like Metcalfe, Glover , Tilio,  Atkinson and Bacchus were still in development but performed well in Japan.

Atkinson’s move to Hearts was positive as he is in a country where there is no language barrier and Metcalfe’s imminent move to St Pauli will bear fruit when the club is promoted to the Bundesliga.

For these young players, they are leaving a country where football is number five compared to European countries where the sport is number one which can only contribute to their success.

ROGER SLEEMAN

You were employed by Wanderers as an assistant coach in September, 2020.

What was your experience of that?

PATRICK ZWAANSWIJK

I was assistant coach to Jean- Paul de Marigny but we never coached together because three weeks into the season , his services were terminated.

When Carl Robinson and Kenny Miller were appointed as the head coaches, I formed a good working relationship with them.

I took over the role of A- League youth coach and we finished second in the League.

We played the same formation as the first team and nine of the players from the youth pool gained contracts on scholarships. Also, I played an important role in development and mentoring.

However, CEO, John Tsatsimas, rang me at the completion of my contract to advise my contract wouldn’t be renewed due to Covid.

This was even after Carl Robinson had commented I was the best coach out of Labinot Haliti, Kenny Miller and myself.

ROGER SLEEMAN

Why are the Wanderers experiencing such turbulent times?

PATRICK ZWAANSWIJK

The truth is, they won’t return to greatness until they make major changes and the recent publicity surrounding the replacement of Mark Rudan ,when he was caretaker coach, by Ufuk Talay was an example of the uncertainty existing.

The appointment of Rudan to a full time position will hopefully be a positive.

ROGER SLEEMAN

Who are the people in Australian football you have been most impressed with?

PATRICK ZWAANSWIJK

I’ve always held the highest respect for Graham Arnold, especially at the Mariners and when he was assistant to Guus Hiddink and Pim Verbeek for World Cups.

The former F.A. Technical Director, Rob Sherman  ,who I did my A-Licence under was a man who was in the game for the right reasons but unfortunately was critical of the F.A. setup and didn’t think he could implement his ideas.

However, the man I believe should be centre stage in Australian football is the game’s most decorated player, Craig Johnston.

He loves Australia and is so passionate about youth development.

Craig has been accepted all around the world by people like Cruyff and Klinsmann for his training methods and skills development , yet Australia still hasn’t allowed him to influence the game in a profound way.

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The Participation Boom Councils Didn’t Plan For Is Hitting Football Hard

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Football in Australia isn’t being held back by passion, participation, or community support. It’s being held back by local government failure. From a CEO perspective, the warning signs are no longer subtle — they’re screaming. Confidence towards councils is collapsing, clubs are done believing the rhetoric, and the people carrying the game every weekend are telling us the same thing: councils don’t understand football, don’t consult properly, and don’t plan for growth. This isn’t opinion anymore. It’s measurable. And it should embarrass every policymaker in the country.

Football in Australia isn’t struggling because of a lack of passion. It isn’t struggling because communities don’t care. And it certainly isn’t struggling because participation is declining.

Football is struggling because, at the local government level, confidence is collapsing. What is more, the people closest to the game can feel it.

Soccerscene’s latest survey on council readiness and football planning shows something deeply confronting: trust in councils is at its lowest point, and clubs no longer believe the rhetoric. Councils frequently speak about “supporting the world game” and “investing in community sport,” but the data tells a different story.

The people building the game every weekend, people such as presidents, coaches, volunteers and administrators, are telling us councils do not understand football demand, do not consult effectively, and do not plan for long-term growth. And that’s not an emotional opinion. It’s now measurable.

In our survey, over 61% of respondents said their council has limited or no understanding of football participation demand. Consultation outcomes were even worse: 74% said council consultation is inconsistent or ineffective. And when asked if facilities are being planned with long-term growth in mind, the answer should stop every policymaker in their tracks: more than 71% said planning is short-term or non-existent.

Results graphic from Soccerscene’s January industry survey:

This is not a small problem. This is a national warning sign.

Football is not a niche sport. It’s the world’s sport

Councils across Australia are making decisions as if football is still an emerging code, competing for scraps. That thinking is decades out of date.

Football is not only Australia’s largest participation sport in many communities – it is also part of the global economy of sport, the largest sport market on earth, and a cultural engine that connects Australia to Asia, Europe, Africa and the Americas.

When councils underinvest in football infrastructure, they’re not just failing local clubs. They’re failing an entire economic pipeline: participation growth, player development, coaching pathways, community engagement, multicultural integration, women’s sport, health outcomes, events, tourism, and commercial opportunity.

And yet, football is still treated as the code that should “make do”.

The Glenferrie Oval case: a perfect example of the imbalance.

Take the redevelopment of Glenferrie Oval and the historic Michael Tuck Stand in Hawthorn.

This is a major project with a total estimated investment of approximately $30 million, with the City of Boroondara allocating $29.47 million over four years to transform the site into a premier hub for women’s and junior AFL.

Let’s be clear: there is nothing wrong with investing in women’s sport. In fact, it’s essential.

But this investment is also a symbol of something football people have been saying quietly for years: councils understand AFL. Councils prioritise AFL. Councils know how to justify AFL.

They don’t do the same for football, despite its participation scale, multicultural reach, and global relevance.

Across the country, football clubs are being told there is “no funding,” that “planning takes time,” or that facilities “can’t be upgraded yet.” Meanwhile, we see multi-million-dollar grandstands, boutique ovals, and legacy infrastructure funded and delivered for other codes.

Football isn’t asking for special treatment.

Football is asking for fair treatment based on reality.

Councils are stuck in a domestic mindset – while football is global.

Here is the core issue: local councils are making decisions through a domestic sporting lens, while football operates in a global one.

Football isn’t just a Saturday sport. It’s a worldwide industry with elite pathways, commercial frameworks, international investment, and an ecosystem that Australia must compete within.

If councils don’t understand this, they will keep making decisions that shrink our competitiveness.

And this is where the stakes become real.

Australia is not only competing against itself. We are competing against countries like Japan and South Korea, who treat football as a national asset. They don’t leave football infrastructure to fragmented local decision-making without a clear national framework. They invest strategically, align education with delivery, and build systems that create long-term advantage.

We cannot keep pretending we are in the same conversation globally while our local facilities remain stuck in the past.

Clubs are carrying the burden – and it’s breaking the system.

The survey results point to a harsh reality: football clubs feel like they are carrying the weight of growth alone.

When asked what the biggest council-related challenge is, nearly 49% said funding is not prioritised, while others pointed to poor facility design, limited engagement, and slow planning processes.

This isn’t just an inconvenience.

It is creating volunteer burnout, club debt, stagnation in women’s participation, and barriers to junior growth. It is forcing clubs into survival mode – patching up grounds, sharing overcrowded facilities, and trying to grow in spaces that were never designed for modern football demand.

And when planning is short-term, the problem compounds. Councils aren’t just falling behind- they’re building the wrong solutions.

So what do we do? We stop reacting and start leading.

Football cannot keep waiting for councils to “get it” organically. That approach has failed.

What we need now is a national strategic response that is structured, intelligent, and relentless.

This is where football must learn from high-performing football nations  not just on the pitch, but in governance, philosophy, and decision-making.

A powerful example is Korea’s “Made in Korea” project, which was built to identify structural gaps, align stakeholders, and create a unified development philosophy. It wasn’t just a technical framework, it was a national alignment strategy.

Australia needs the off-field equivalent.

A National Football Facilities & Readiness Taskforce.

I believe the time has come to establish a National Football Facilities & Readiness Taskforce, made up of the most capable minds across the game and beyond it.

Not another committee. Not another meeting group.

A taskforce.

It should include leaders from football, infrastructure, urban planning, commercial strategy, government relations, and corporate Australia. We should be selecting the most intelligent and effective people in the country, not based on titles, but based on outcomes.

This taskforce should have one clear mission:

Educate, influence, and reshape how councils plan, consult, and invest in football infrastructure.

Alongside a taskforce, we need long-term strategic working groups embedded across the states, designed to:

educate councils on football participation demand and growth forecasting

standardise best-practice facility design and future-proofing

create consistent consultation frameworks

align football investment with economic, health and multicultural outcomes

build a national narrative that football is an asset rather than a cost

Because right now, the survey shows councils aren’t prioritising football for economic reasons. In fact, only 2.56% of respondents said councils should prioritise football due to economic benefits. This is not because it isn’t true, but because councils haven’t been educated to see football that way.

That is a failure of strategy, not a failure of the game.

This is bigger than facilities – it’s about Australia’s place in the world game.

If we want to be taken seriously as a football nation, we must build a country that treats football seriously.

Not just at elite level.

At local level – where the entire pyramid begins.

The message from the survey is blunt: football’s confidence in councils is collapsing. But within that truth is also an opportunity.

Because when trust hits its lowest point, change becomes possible.

The next step is ours.

We either continue accepting a system that doesn’t understand the world game – or we build one that does.

No More: FV introduces ‘draconian’ Three-strike Rule with Mass Points Deductions

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Image Credit: Shutterstock

Football Victoria (FV) has ratified an uncompromising new “Three Strike Policy” for the 2026 season.

The regulatory overhaul targets the systemic abuse of match officials, shifting liability directly onto club administrations for the behaviour of all associates, including spectators.

The policy responds to critical workforce retention data. In 2022, over 50% of first-year referees exited the system, creating a sustainable coverage crisis. With 2025 data revealing a persistent trend of “egregious incidents” (including threatening language and physical violence), FV aims to arrest the decline by enforcing strict club accountability.

The Framework

The policy targets specific offences, including inappropriate physical contact, intimidation, spitting, and violence committed by any Club Associate. Crucially, this definition encompasses coaches, players, parents, and general spectators. Strikes apply cumulatively over a rolling 12-month period.

Strike 1: A suspended 3-point deduction is issued to all club teams. This places the entire membership on notice immediately.

Strike 2: If a second offence occurs within 12 months, the 3-point deduction is triggered immediately for the offending team. A mandatory $2,000 fine applies. Operationally, FV may also mandate closed-door matches or venue reversals, stripping clubs of home-ground advantage and vital matchday revenue.

Strike 3: A third offence triggers the 3-point deduction for every team in the club that has not yet been penalised. A mandatory $5,000 fine is levied. Furthermore, Club Executives are summoned to a mandatory meeting with FV leadership to explain the pattern of behaviour. FV reserves the right to remove teams from competition or revoke club affiliation entirely.

Implementation

Significantly, there is no right of appeal against a strike. This removes the traditional tribunal pathway for these specific offences, streamlining the punishment process. If a club accumulates a fourth strike, fines escalate to $10,000.

This zero-tolerance approach ensures clubs can no longer view behavioural fines as a mere operational cost. By tying spectator and associate behaviour directly to the league table, FV has effectively monetised the culture of abuse, forcing committees to police their sidelines or face relegation.

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