Tomorrow marks the start of the Otten Innovation Cup. Ahead of the tournament, we spoke at length with PSV U19 head coach Jasper Waalkens, who competed in the tournament no fewer than three times himself as a player. The international youth tournament gives Eindhoven's young talents the opportunity to test themselves against strong opposition from abroad. According to Waalkens, the tournament represents an important step in his players' development, both on and off the pitch.
More than a pre-season tournament
For PSV U19, the Otten Innovation Cup is much more than simply part of their preparations for the new season. The tournament exposes the players to international opposition, a packed stadium and the pressure that comes with it.
"For the players, this is a fantastic opportunity to see where they stand compared with other top European teams. On top of that, we're playing a tournament on home soil, with large crowds coming to watch and matches being played in the stadium. That brings extra excitement and pressure, and that's exactly what makes it so important for their development."
According to Waalkens, the tournament also gives the young talents one of their first real opportunities to showcase themselves in front of the supporters.
Innovative rules
In addition to the football itself, the team's preparations in recent weeks have also focused on the modified rules that will be used during the Otten Innovation Cup.
"Pre-season is obviously about getting fit and developing our style of play. But we've also spent a lot of time focusing on the rules that will apply during the tournament. The players have to adapt to them, and that's an important part of their development: being able to react quickly to changing circumstances."
The coach is particularly interested to see the impact of effective playing time. "I'm especially curious to see what it does to the intensity of the matches. The game restarts more quickly, which changes the physical demands on the players. It will be interesting to see how they cope with that."
International challenges await
PSV will face a varied field of opponents during the tournament, with Waalkens expecting each team to present different qualities and challenges. The opening match will immediately provide an interesting test. "I expect Manchester United to offer plenty of physical resistance. I've seen them play several times before. Of course, it also depends a little on which squad they bring. They have an U18 and an U21 team, while this is obviously an under-19 tournament."
According to Waalkens, the Australian opponents will also bring plenty of physical strength and competitiveness. "I know them well from the placement I did in Adelaide last year as part of our partnership."
He is also looking forward to the encounter with Palmeiras. "Brazilian teams often bring a completely different footballing culture. They're extremely technically gifted and athletic. As a coach, I've faced Palmeiras several times with my teams over the past few years. They bring an incredible amount of energy and do everything they can to win matches. That makes these games particularly valuable learning experiences for our players."
Jasper Waalkens himself in action at the Otten Cup in 2008
Adapting to unexpected situations
According to the coach, one of the key learning objectives during the tournament goes beyond football itself. Above all, he wants to see how his players respond and adapt to unexpected situations.
"What's important to me is that the players are flexible and can adapt to whatever comes their way. That might be a different style of play, but it could also be a match situation in which you're temporarily reduced to ten men because a player receives a time penalty following a yellow card. In those situations, you want to see the team stick together and find solutions collectively."
Pathway to Jong PSV and the first team
For many players, the Otten Innovation Cup provides a platform to catch the eye and take a step towards Jong PSV or even the first team. According to Waalkens, that starts with having one clear quality in which a player excels. At the same time, that alone is not enough.
"It's not enough just to be very good at one particular thing. To eventually make the step up to the highest level, you also have to be able to compete physically, technically, tactically and mentally. At that level, the complete package becomes important. And that's something you have to keep working incredibly hard on every single day."
Learning from his own experiences
That message is partly shaped by Waalkens' own experiences as a player. He competed in the tournament three times as a youth player, in 2006, 2007 and 2008. He reached the final with his team in the first two of those editions, with the 2007 tournament in particular standing out in his memory. "Jonathan Reis scored everything that came his way. He was unbelievably good back then. Fagner also had a fantastic tournament. In 2006, I scored against Ajax as well – I put it nicely into the far corner."
Nevertheless, the disappointment of losing those finals and a less successful tournament in 2008 remained with him. He now draws on those experiences in his role as PSV U19 coach. "I try to make it clear to the players that talent alone isn't enough. You have to keep working on every aspect of your game. Ultimately, you have to invest in your development every single day."
That is also why he feels so at home in his current role. "I experienced a lot myself as a player and I know what these lads are going through. Hopefully, that means I can help them with their development."
In 2007, Waalkens played alongside Jonathan Reis at the Otten Cup.
A breeding ground for talent
The Otten Innovation Cup has proved to be a breeding ground not only for footballing talent, but also for coaches looking to make the step into first-team football at a professional club. Cocu, Van Bommel and Van Nistelrooij all preceded Waalkens as coaches of PSV U19. Last year, the team was coached by Vincent Heilmann, who is now in charge of Heracles Almelo.
"It's a great list to be part of, but of course I haven't had the same career they had. So for me, it will be a different kind of stepping stone. But I've now been given a fantastic opportunity to coach PSV U19. I have my VC4 qualification now, so I've still got at least three years to go before I can obtain my professional football coaching qualification. Vincent already had his UEFA Pro Licence, so I don't want to compare myself with him. I want to follow my own path. I do have ambitions to see whether professional football is something I can pursue. But right now, my focus is on PSV U19 and my own development."
Entertainment for the supporters
Finally, Waalkens also has a clear message for the supporters heading to PSV Campus De Herdgang this weekend. "I hope people come along to watch all of our matches. We want to play attractive football with lots of energy, intensity and creativity. Ultimately, you want to entertain the supporters as well."