AGONA Profile: Bart Schenkeveld, arrives in Athens with high hopes

In connection with the powerful Dutch center-back Bart Schenkeveld joining Panathinaikos, the AGONA Profile takes a closer look at his career to date.

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Strong Foundations Laid in the Netherlands

Schenkeveld was born on the 28th of August, 1991 in a small village called Den Hoorn. He started out at his local club, SV Den Hoorn, but by the age of six, he moved to Dutch giants Feyenoord. Having started out as a right-winger, he was transformed into a defender and rapidly rose through the Academy ranks. A major injury setback (partially tearing his cruciate ligament) set him back two years in terms of recovery, but his talent was evident and as a result, Schenkeveld made his debut with Feyenoord in 2009 as an 18-year-old in a 2-0 away win against ADO Den Haag.

A few months later, he signed his first-ever professional contract with the Rotterdam Giants but was loaned out to Excelsior. Following the conclusion of the loan move, Schenkeveld moved to Heracles Almelo in search of first-team football.

He became a regular fixture in the first team for Heracles Almelo when he was not injured but he was limited to 61 League appearances from 2012 until 2015. He then moved to PEC Zwolle in the hope that a change of scenery will improve his luck with injuries, however, this did not happen. In August 2015, just after signing with his new club, he would go on to miss the next half of the season.

Career Reinvigorated in Australia

A drastic change of scenery then ensued, as Schenkeveld made the left-field move to Australia to link up with A-league club Melbourne City on a two-year deal. The move paid dividends as the Dutch center-back went on to play 27 games in his first season and then 25 games in his second season.

Not only did Schenkeveld entrench himself in the side, but he also became one of the best defenders in the competition in the process. He made up for lost time after putting his prior injury troubles aside and consequently, the gamble to move to another continent at only 26 paid off.

He scored his only goal for Melbourne City on the 22nd of January, 2019, which proved to be a vital injury-time winner. Furthermore, Schenkeveld made the 2017-18 Hyundai A-league Team of the Season.

Perfect Attributes to Succeed at Panathinaikos

After two strong seasons in Australia, albeit in a competition with a drop in quality relative to most of Europe, Schenkeveld opted to return to Europe and Giorgos Donis pounced when he became available. At 28, the powerful 185cm center-back is at the peak of his career.

He is right-footed and can operate as a right-back if need be, but he is a tough-tackling, aggressive center-back that will play in the heart of defence for the Greens. This was the primary reason he was Donis’ first-choice option in the transfer market.

On top of this, the Trifylli now possess five center-backs in the squad, but the Dutchman also has the characteristics to differentiate himself. Due to his size, he is strong in the air and poses a threat at both ends of the pitch. In the 2017-18 season, he made a whopping 197 duels and 71 clearances. However, it does not end there. Schenkeveld is also impressive with the ball at his feet, a trait that none of the other Panathinaikos center-backs have. In the same season, he achieved a league-high 91% pass accuracy out of the 1126 passes he attempted.

Due to his ability to play with the ball at his feet, he can build attacks from deep positions (something which Donis has wanted since last season), whether it be out to the flanks or more centrally.

Schenkeveld on Joining Panathinaikos

Despite being Donis’ first choice all summer, the move did drag on and there was last second interest from Turkey, but ultimately the Greens got their man. Schenkeveld is delighted to link up with Panathinaikos on a two-year deal stating that the club has a “great name outside of Greece, with great fans that are very passionate about the team.” On top of this, he went on to say that “Athens is a great city to live in” and his aim is to “help make Panathinaikos great again.”

by Nick Tsambouniaris

Image Source: to10.gr

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