The Ajax Women were preparing for the new season in the Spanish capital. This is a season in which Tolhoek wants to take the next step in her development, especially since Romée Leuchter has left for Paris Saint-Germain. Tolhoek is keen to fill the vacancy of the first striker that opened up after her leaving.
Besides Leuchter, Chasity Grant and Ashleigh Weerden also left for abroad, partly thanks to Ajax's excellent UEFA Women's Champions League campaign. But where one player leaves, another can rise. So, a season of new opportunities. That's how Tolhoek sees it as well.
First, where do you stand as a team now, Danique?
"We want to win every trophy. That already starts on Saturday with the Super Cup against FC Twente. But of course, some girls have left, so we have a fairly new and young team. But with Kay-Lee de Sanders, Sherida Spitse, Tiny Hoekstra, and Nadine Noordam, we have quite a bit of experience in the team. I think we have a good mix. In preparation, we also made good progress against OH Leuven, KRC Genk, and RB Leipzig."
To get straight to the point: are you the intended striker for the Ajax Women?
"Romée has left. So, a spot has opened up. I’ve openly expressed that I want to be Ajax's striker. I think this club offers the right environment for me. Everything feels familiar here, and I have good people around me. My goal for the coming years is to become Ajax's striker. It all starts with hard work. In the end, hard work here often pays off."
Does the outside world already have certain expectations of you?
"Last year, I had Romée ahead of me. Now it’s different. But as the second striker, I’ve learned a lot from Romée. She’s incredibly calm when finishing. That’s something I can still improve on. It also comes with experience: recognising situations. Romée was very strong at that. I’m quite goal-oriented, but I still have a playful element to my game. I need to be calmer in that regard."
You sound self-aware…
"A sports psychologist has been helping me with that for about four years. Such a psychologist teaches me how to deal with disappointments, for example. Or how to approach things I have no control over. I believe that if you’re mentally strong, everything becomes possible."
"If I become Ajax's striker, all eyes might be on me. What if I don’t score in five matches in a row? How do I deal with that? Or what if I score in ten matches in a row? How do I handle the attention then? We go through these kinds of scenarios together. I want to be prepared for such situations."
Have you already encountered such moments in your early career?
"Yes, at the Euros U19 last summer. I didn’t score in three matches in a row. That was frustrating, but I immediately thought: I must ‘be on’ for the next match. That worked out in the semifinals, where I scored the 2-0. A goal that essentially secured our spot in the final. I also scored in the final. So, I could still make a difference when it mattered."
How was the European Championship?
"There was a really good atmosphere in the team. I believe that this was partly why we managed to reach the final. Personally, it was my third European Championship. For many of the other girls, it was their first major tournament. I found my role in that to be quite special."
"It’s a shame we lost the final to Spain. Even though we were incredibly dominant, we conceded a goal in the last minute. Spain sat back and even played 5-4-1. We could have made history. It was the first major setback of my career. The silver medal is now hanging in my room. Initially, I wanted nothing to do with it because I wanted to win gold with the team. Now, I’m proud of it."
Many Ajax girls were part of the team: nine to be exact. Has this experience helped you?
"I think so. We’ve also discussed it here in Amsterdam, even during training camp. I’ve been playing with many of them for a long time. All in all, we look back on the European Championship with pride."
You mentioned your silver European Championship medal hanging in your room. Do you mean at your parents’ house in Zeeland?
"I’ve been living in Amsterdam since I was fifteen. I made that decision myself back then. Taking the train 2.5 hours each way every day is quite tough. So, it made sense to move in with a host family. I’ve switched host families once and have been living with a lovely family in IJburg for about three years now. I’ve built a good bond with them. They are a part of my achievements. They support me in everything in my career, and I know that."
"I think it’s very important that you feel at home with such a host family. I’ve matured a lot during that time. When I moved to Amsterdam about four years ago, I found it very exciting and often wanted to go home. I missed my family and friends. But I had to get through that."
How do you look back on it now?
"It was quite a challenge. But I’m not someone who gives up easily, even though I was homesick. I worked really hard to make it to Ajax’s first team. It didn’t just happen overnight. I consciously chose to leave home and everyone behind. In hindsight, it’s only made me stronger. I’ve always had a goal in mind: to become Ajax Women’s striker."
And now you’re in the flagship as the main striker.
"I might have had to give up a lot and work hard, but I’m doing something I really enjoy at the most beautiful club in the Netherlands. So I can’t complain. Look at where we are now, sitting on a terrace during a training camp in Spain. It’s beautiful, and I’m aware of that every day."
How important is the connection with the team when you see your family less often?
"That makes a huge difference. Of course, I miss my family and Zeeland. The peace of the village where I grew up, for example. But Amsterdam is also lovely. I’ve built a foundation here now as well. I also enjoy the moments I have with my family."
You have a fellow "Zeeuw" with the men’s team in Dies Janse. Do you two ever talk?
"Yes. We regularly talk to each other. We need to make Zeeland proud, of course. I think it’s special that two people from Zeeland are doing so well now. We both stay down-to-earth and keep our feet on the ground."
Do you use your home base in Zeeland to recharge?
"I love relaxing with friends and family. But also just hanging out with my family on the couch at home. It’s nice to not think about football sometimes."
The new season is just around the corner with the Super Cup against FC Twente and the UEFA Women’s Champions League qualifiers. Are you ready?
"Looking at this season, I really want to become the striker for Ajax Women. I need to keep growing in that role. I want to win trophies with Ajax. It would be great if I could stand out with my performances."
"For the Champions League, we have the same goal as last year: to reach the knockout stage. But realistically, we have quite a new and young team. We’ll approach it match by match. A favourable draw can help, but in the end, it doesn’t matter who you play against. As long as we believe that we can replicate last year’s success."
