Hans Vonk (footballer)

This article is about the goalkeeper. For the Dutch conductor, see Hans Vonk (conductor).
Hans Vonk
Personal information
Full nameJohannes Adrianus Vonk
Date of birth30 January 1970
Place of birthAlberton, South Africa
Height1.95 m (6 ft 5 in)
Playing positionGoalkeeper
Senior career*
YearsTeamApps†(Gls)†
1988–1991RKC Waalwijk25(0)
1991–1992Wageningen33(0)
1992–1993Den Bosch34(0)
1993–1996RKC Waalwijk80(0)
1996–2004Heerenveen263(0)
2004–2006Ajax26(0)
2006–2008Ajax Cape Town51(0)
2008–2009Ajax0(0)
2009Heerenveen4(0)
2009–2011Ajax Cape Town59(0)
Total575(0)
National team
199?Netherlands U-20[1]1(0)
1997–2005South Africa43(0)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only.
† Appearances (Goals).

Johannes Adrianus "Hans" Vonk (Afrikaans pronunciation: [ˈɦɐns ˈfoŋk]; born 30 January 1970) is a retired South African professional football goalkeeper of Dutch parentage who last played for Ajax Cape Town FC.

Career

Vonk began his career at RKC Waalwijk where he made 25 appearances in 3 seasons. He became first-choice goal keeper for FC Wageningen, but was forced to leave after just one season, when the club went bankrupt and ceased to exist. Vonk returned to Noord-Brabant where he played for FC Den Bosch, before joining his first club RKC, this time as their first keeper. His breakthrough came with his transfer to sc Heerenveen, a club on the rise. They reached a domestic cup final in 96/97 and finished second in the league in 99/00, resulting in Champions League football the next season. After 8 years, Vonk was approaching the autumn of his career. He left sc Heerenveen to become third-choice goalkeeper for Ajax behind Maarten Stekelenburg and Bogdan Lobonț. In a surprising turn of events, Vonk managed to play 26 games in 2 seasons. After 18 years of professional playing Vonk left the Netherlands to return to his country of birth, and played 2 seasons for Ajax' satellite club, Ajax Cape Town. He was terminated from his contract after a conflict with the coach of Ajax Cape Town, which made him a free agent. Ajax signed him due to injury problems with their current goalkeepers Maarten Stekelenburg and Dennis Gentenaar, leaving the Amsterdam club with only 1 professional goalkeeper left: Kenneth Vermeer. In the winter transfer window of '08/'09, with the regular Ajax keepers back in shape, he once again moved to an old club, sc Heerenveen to become second-choice goalkeeper behind Brian Vandenbussche. He soon took over Vandenbussche's spot and played several league games, and another cup final, which sc Heerenveen won. Continuing his tour amongst clubs he'd already played for, Vonk once again moved, this time back to his homeland South Africa, to play for Ajax Cape Town, citing family reasons, as well as sensing an opportunity to make the Bafana Bafana World Cup 2010 squad.

International

Vonk earned 43 caps for the South African national team after making his debut in May 1998. He was first choice goalkeeper for the 1998 FIFA World Cup [2] as well as an unused substitute for Andre Arendse at the 2002 FIFA World Cup. Vonk announced his retirement for Bafana Bafana in 2005 after South Africa failed to qualify for the 2006 FIFA World Cup in Germany. [3]

Honours

Club

Netherlands Ajax
2006
South Africa Ajax Cape Town
2008
2007
2007, 2008
Netherlands sc Heerenveen
2009

International

South Africa South Africa
2000

References

  1. ↑ Auf der Heyde, Peter (2002). Has anybody got a whistle? : a football reporter in Africa. Manchester: Parrs Wood. p. 179. ISBN 1903158311.
  2. ↑ 1998 FIFA World Cup – South Africa Squad
  3. ↑

External links