FC Twente scout Jan Kemkens

9 June 2024

“We’re really on the up again”

Jan Kemkens has been a familiar face at the Marveld tournament for many years (since the beginning of the tournament!), serving as the head scout for his club FC Twente. He once spent a period at PEC Zwolle, only to quickly return to Enschede. He now says he’s introducing 5 new players who will be joining FC Twente from July 1st. Three of FC Twente’s players are in the Netherlands Under-15 Future team. They also played against Luxembourg this week. “These boys already have a lot under their belts, and now here, while we notice that the 5 newcomers are still lacking in physical intensity.” He also notes seeing many good players, but not ‘top-top’ ones. “The field of participants is fantastic again! The Danes from Nordsjaelland have an excellent youth academy, and then the Chinese team with various professional players and of course the Brazilians. Also, the whole entourage, how do they manage it every year? Then the comparison of the different playing styles, good care. Everything is very professionally organized! But what I find most fantastic is the accessibility of this tournament, a compliment to the empathetic ability of this club.”

With FC Twente, he is repairing the football academy with Heracles. “For U-15, we recruit boys from our region, for U-16, we really look beyond the region, but they must be boys who really add something! We’re really on the up again. The category of players 0-17/18 must push through to the top. The club is really going to grow again!”