Eredivisie (women)
The Eredivisie Women was the first women's soccer league in the Netherlands. The "Honor Division " consisted of six clubs and triggered in August 2007 from Hoofdklasse as top flight. For the 2012/13 season the Eredivisie was replaced by a common league with Belgium, BeNe League.
History
In September 2006, the Dutch Football Association formed a working group to develop a concept for a new, more professional women's soccer league. Although the Dutch national team and club teams achieved better results in the past few years, the Dutch women's football is clearly in the shadow of Germany and the Scandinavian countries.
After the concept was, all 38 professional clubs were contacted to gauge how much interest there is in this project. Of these nine clubs clubs expressed spontaneously their interest. A total of six teams had taken up the game operation in August 2007. In the spring of 2007, the clubs had held tryouts and compiled their squad.
Long term, the League should be increased to ten clubs. For the season 2008/ 09, a seventh team was inducted into the league with Roda JC Kerkrade. The team has been disbanded due to financial problems of the club after a season. For the 2010/11 season the league was increased by the clubs VVV Venlo and FC Zwolle to eight clubs.
While most clubs in the Hoofdklasse have responded despite the degradation in the second division positively to the new league, the leaders of the FFC Heike Rheine reacted very angrily. The German Bundesliga relegation in the past had traditionally many Dutch people in the squad. While the crew is stuck in a relegation battle, according to President Alfred Werner have been made also the German players offers.
Structure
Each of the six teams in the Eredivisie was an offshoot of a famous football player from the men's club. The players and coaches have benefited from the existing structures. In the selection of sites and also geographical aspects played a role, so that each player had the opportunity to find a club near your home. Each team went with a squad of 20 players in the season.
Each player of the national team was given a choice between two clubs. The active abroad internationals of the change to the new league has been suggested, although not all players have returned to their homeland. The U-19 national team players were allocated to the clubs. For the remaining places, all the remaining players could practically apply. But you had to participate in multiple Sichtungsturnieren where a selection is made.
In addition, each team collaborated with a club from the Hoofdklasse. The associations of the quasi Hoofdklasse to farm teams of top clubs were. In the clubs of Hoofdklasse young, inexperienced players should get match practice.
For each association, the association calculated with a budget of 150,000 euros. In the first three years of the Association paid the travel expenses of clubs and set qualified trainer. The games were played on Friday evening and Thursday.
Objectives
With the new league, the Dutch Association wanted to professionalize the domestic women's football and lead to a higher athletic level. In the medium term they wanted to reduce the distance to the neighboring country of Germany and the Scandinavian countries. The national team should also benefit and for the first time to qualify for a major tournament. Short-term goal for the national team was the 2009 European Championship in Finland. Furthermore, the image of women's football should be improved and still existing prejudices are broken down.
Mode
The six participating teams wore in league system a quadruple round, ie each team played four times per season against any other team. A win there were three for one for a draw. The point was best team finish the season champion and took in the Netherlands participated in the UEFA Women's Champions League. In the first two seasons, there was neither up- nor down.
Master
- 2007/ 08: AZ Alkmaar
- 2008/ 09: AZ Alkmaar
- 2009/10: AZ Alkmaar
- 2010/11: FC Twente
- 2011/12: ADO Den Haag