Meer reserve sides in the second tier could boost Dutch clubs, says Erik ten Hag

In a sun‑lit training ground, Ryan van de Pavert of Jong Ajax squares off against Bram Marsman of Roda JC, a snapshot that frames a wider debate about reserve sides in the Keuken Kampioen Divisie. The image, credited to Pro Shots / DPG Media, accompanies a clash of opinions among Dutch football specialists.

Wijffels backs ten Hag's proposal

Maarten Wijffels greets the idea with a simple “Goed idee”. He argues that allowing more top clubs to field reserve teams in the Keuken Kampioen Divisie aligns with a pyramid that places the national team and European ambitions at the summit. "If we expect our clubs to compete in the Champions League, we must give them a platform for the squad numbers fourteen to twenty to gain match experience," he adds, citing Filip Kostić as a case in point.

Wijffels continues, noting that a gap has emerged between senior youth squads and first‑team squads, prompting clubs to explore whether Jong‑teams could bridge it. He points to Frenkie de Jong’s early debut for Willem II, where doubts lingered about fielding a lightweight player in a relegation battle. "Playing in a reserve side like Jong Ajax gave him the time to mature," Wijffels says.

Mossou dismisses the idea

Sjoerd Mossou counters with “Complete onzin”. He sees reserve teams as a lucrative advantage for elite clubs, allowing them to keep players longer without proving that such squads produce better talent. "The only proven benefit is financial, not developmental," he argues.

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Mossou challenges the De Jong narrative, suggesting the midfielder could have been loaned to Willem II or Sparta instead of staying in a reserve side. He also ridicules ten Hag’s claim that many current Dutch internationals have amassed fifty to sixty second‑division matches with Jong Ajax or Jong PSV, calling it “an incredible weak argument”.

Extending his critique, Mossou mentions legends such as Robin van Persie, Wesley Sneijder, Arjen Robben and Rafael van der Vaart, who never played for a reserve team because those structures did not exist. He adds that players like Gjivai Zechiël or Ruben van Bommel have benefited from loan spells at clubs such as Sparta, FC Utrecht, MVV and AZ, proving alternative pathways can be equally effective.

Referencing a study by an American scientist, Mossou highlights that the Dutch league’s biggest weakness lies in the lack of resistance at the lower end of the pyramid. He argues that strengthening the bottom clubs, which constantly exchange players with the Eredivisie, is the true solution, not granting extra privileges to the top.

Erik ten Hag, who sparked the discussion, declares the current system “waanzin” – madness that must be overturned. "Als it is up to Erik ten Hag, more (top) clubs should be allowed to field a reserve side in the Keuken Kampioen Divisie," the article notes, underscoring the divide among the country’s football thinkers.