PSV water polo player Julian van Oorschodt returns from Australia: “Eindhoven is a village compared to Sydney” | Sports area

“We played well at times,” said PSV Eindhoven player Julian van Oorschodt (23 years old). “But we have a young team, and De Zan is an all-time great team.” The water polo player from Sint Odenrode returned this summer from Australia, where he studied and played polo for about a year. Van Oorschodt did this at the University of Sydney. “I wanted to gain international experience,” he says. “In terms of studies and sports. It’s good to get out of your comfort zone. Why go to Australia? If you want to go abroad, go away immediately.”

He also played for PSV Eindhoven before the Australian adventure. PSV Eindhoven did not attract any players from outside this season. There is no money for that. Croatian goalkeeper Tomo Bogas left Eindhoven. PSV Eindhoven is giving a few boys from their youth the chance to get a taste of the English Premier League. The club was happy to have Van Oorschodt return to the old nest last summer.

What is the goal of PSV? “We are aiming for more than just executing in the Premier League,” says van Oorschodt. He added: “We want to finish the season in the top eight in the regular competition, so that we can participate in the qualifiers for the national championship.”

After three rounds of competition, the top eight positions appear to be very high for PSV Eindhoven, who also lost in the cup (7-15) to Utrecht on Sunday. Van Oorschodt sees it differently: “We lost the first match of the competition to Dunk by six goals. But we can continue for a long time with the current national champion. This says something about our team. There is a lot in the team: speed, technique and perseverance. But we lack experience. And that In the end, he breaks you against a big team.

The standard of water polo is higher in Australia than in the Netherlands. Van Oorschodt first played in the Sydney Premier League with the Sydney Uni Lions. This is a regional competition in New South Wales. “We won this competition,” says Van Oorschodt. “Our team was similar to PSV Eindhoven. But during the winter break all the Australian teams strengthened themselves. When the Australian Water Polo League started, four Olympians played with us. It was a battle for a place in the team. I played in the last weekend, unfortunately “I didn’t play in the final final. We lost that final battle. But the silver medal hangs nicely above my bed.”

Van Oorschodt is currently training at Katarina Hospital in Eindhoven. An applied physics student at TU/e ​​is working towards a master’s degree through a graduation project. He didn’t have to get used to anything when he returned to Holland. “Compared to Sydney, Eindhoven is a village,” he says. “But the village has its charm. Roy and Eindhoven immediately felt familiar again. Eindhoven is also a bit like coming home. This will be my tenth year at this club. Have I become a better polo player in Australia? I don’t swim twice as fast as I used to.” “Before. But I have gained one year of international experience, both personally and sportingly. I hope that PSV can benefit from this.”