Swansea City vice-captain Mike van der Hoorn says that talks about a two-year contract extension have stalled since the departure of former chairman Huw Jenkins.
“I don’t know my future yet,”
“When Huw was here there were talks about a two-year extension,”
“But he went and that has gone away.” – Mike van der Hoorn
The Dutch defender has spoken to BBC Sport Wales about the potential he sees at the club under current boss Graham Potter but has echoed the fans’ feelings that he needs backing to realise that potential.
One of our most consistent performers this season, van der Hoorn has previously spoken about his desire to play at the highest level possible but he has also said this week about how regular football – something he’s guaranteed here – is a big factor in his thoughts on his future.
He added:
“That’s one thing, but I also know what I have here and that’s a real value to me. I am playing every game here. I have to think this summer.”
The Dutchman must be wary of leaving the club and then either not playing regularly and possibly following in Alfie Mawson’s footsteps and joining a club that suffers Premier League relegation.
Mike also speaks like the fans do. I think the vast majority of us can see that there’s plenty of potential in the squad we have with Potter leading it that we could do some great things. But as our captain says, we need to keep the squad together and you get the feeling that van der Hoorn would be happy to say if that was a guarantee.
“There is an opportunity – we have to keep this group. You have to keep building also. I think the gaffer sees that,”
“With him I think there’s no doubt there is a bright future. If he gets support, it will be better and better.”
If he gets support, it’s a big if and the feeling around the club is that he won’t and if anything, he’ll get the opposite, then there’s no reason why we can’t target the playoffs next season.
There’s plenty of speculation and talk lately that there’s a £30m “hole” that needs filling this Summer so another mass exodus is to be expected. Apparently, these new contracts for the likes of Dan James and Mike van der Hoorn are all on hold until we see the likes of Jordan Ayew, Andre Ayew and Luciano Narsingh amongst others out and off the wage bill.
‘Our mentality needs to change’
But while there’s plenty of potential in the team, van der Hoorn has also touched upon something else that fans have often spoke about this season and that’s about our mentality and being “too nice”.
“You look at teams like Norwich who are up there, Sheffield United and Leeds – you couldn’t see much difference in our games against them,”
“But I think our mentality needs to change if we want to achieve something. We are just a little bit too nice.
“That’s also to do with being young. You get in the team and think ‘okay I am there’, but then you need to take another step.
“When you get in the box you need to have that feeling that you have to score for the team.
“At the same time for defenders, you have to clear that ball.”
Mike is right on the money there and we saw exactly that in our recent defeat at Nottingham Forest. We were cruising and in complete control but it wasn’t the first time that we dominated a game but later lost in the final 15-20 minutes.
Not only does van der Hoorn enjoy playing for the Swans under Potter, but he and his family are also happy in Swansea:
“I know my way round now and that makes it much easier, My family love it as well.”
There’s more than enough reasons for Mike to stay on here as he’s mentioned here but you can’t help but feel that our owners cancels them all out. A lack of ambition from them and yes while we might need to raise more money to cope with the effect of Premier League relegation, the big issue is the lack of investment from them that they first promised back in 2016.
We didn’t need or have to bounce straight back up, but what we have needed is some stability in terms of a young, developing and exciting squad that can develop under Graham Potter and works towards promotion in the near future.
Another mass exodus in the Summer will, of course, be a huge hinderance to that because there’s most definitely signs there that things could be bright with this squad and this manager – providing that, at the very least, the majority of it remain together for the start of next season.
