With Kaptein returning from her loan spell at FC Twente in her native Netherlands and linking up with her Chelsea teammates for the first time, we thought our pre-season tour of the USA was the perfect time to find out more about the 18-year-old! After Chelsea fans got to see Kaptein for the first time wearing blue in our pre-season friendly win over NJ/NY Gotham in New Jersey - now, they can get to know more about the person behind the player...
Who is your favourite American sportsperson?
Serena Williams.
What three words would you use to describe Chelsea FC?
Family, word-class and Blue.
If you could play with any Chelsea player, past or present, who would it be?
Millie Bright.
Do you have a pre-match routine or superstition?
There are a lot of things I do. I have to sort my jewelry and I always put, like, bands on my shinpads.
What has been your favourite part of the USA tour so far?
Walking out for the game against Gotham. I had goosebumps. It was just a beautiful experience.
Who is the best player you have ever played with, and why?
I think Danielle van de Donk. She is such a good person and player. She is a leader and a really good technical player.
How would your teammates describe you? Wieke hands over to Alejandra Bernabe for this one, who is sitting in on the interview...
Funny and a good person!
What are you most excited for at Chelsea this season?
The games. I'm also looking forward to getting to know everyone here.
What U.S. landmark would you most like to visit?
We're in New York right now, so Times Square. When I lived in Holland, it was not so busy and then coming to London was the next step - so, New York is an even bigger step!
I also would like to go to Miami for surfing.
Use one word to describe playing for Chelsea for the first time against Gotham…
Honoured.
Chelsea Under-21s Seek Redemption
Under-21s head coach Filipe Coelho previews the upcoming match on Friday night, when the Blues will host Everton in our second Premier League 2 home game of the season, which is set to take place at Kingsmeadow with kick-off scheduled for 7pm.
Addressing Performance Issues
Filipe Coelho was disappointed with Chelsea Under-21s' 2-1 defeat to Tottenham Hotspur last week, especially since it meant we missed out on the opportunity to secure our first points of the season in our opening match of the campaign against the current Premier League 2 champions. Despite that setback, Coelho plans to use the loss as a learning opportunity, while strengthening his team's mentality and addressing the performance issues he identified during the opening fixture.
Everton's Strengths and Chelsea's Focus
Our Friday night opponents, Everton, had a bright start to the season, opening their Premier League 2 campaign with an impressive 3-1 victory over Blackburn Rovers. The Portuguese coach acknowledges their strengths but believes his team will secure the victory by focusing on key areas for improvement.
'The mentality we are working on is collective and the team mentality must be there. When you lose, you see the real character, and it's important to work on the character of the boys because we have to look fantastic as a team. With top team performance, individual performances will come naturally.
'I told the boys that I cannot go deeper on the football side if the team mentality is not there. We have to solve some issues. It's normal, but yes, we have to be together.
'Against Everton, we want to maintain the good 20-minute performance that we showed at the beginning of the match against Tottenham and extend that for a longer period, not just 45 minutes. We understand that the other team will also play, but it's important for us to have a consistent match and build on the loss.'
Maintaining Focus and Building Resilience
Coelho emphasises the need for players to maintain focus throughout the week. Reflecting on the last match, he points out that Ato Ampah's opening goal came just after the 10-minute mark. However, he noticed that the team’s concentration and positive mindset declined, particularly after Spurs scored their second goal.
'We are so focused on ourselves, the way we prepare during the week and the way we prepare for the match. It's always about looking one step ahead in terms of the level we showed in the last match.
'I was pleased with the first-half of the performance. However, we need to maintain our focus. We have to stay in the game, continue to push through any situation and give our all until the final whistle.
'In Under-21s football, it's important to go on top of the things we can control and manage daily, and then show that on matchday, which is most important for us. All the players are still learning.
'It's still only the second week, but I feel the intensity was already there because of the many friendlies we've had. Now, with the competition, the intensity is even higher.
'We need to recover from our matches, train, and analyse our performance. It's important to reflect on what we did and make improvements for the next game. This process of reflection and adjustment is what makes a player great.
'The team is in good form and the players are prepared to develop, compete and fight for the three points.'
Team Unity and Leadership
The 39-year-old concluded by circling back to the importance of teamwork and his wish to see greater unity among his squad.
'I want to see team behaviours, team spirit, mentality and an aggressive mindset. I want them to show resilience because sometimes things don't go well, which is normal in football. But you have to show leadership and ownership.
'I want to see my team this Friday working together and holding a strong mentality. We need to play as a team, not as individuals.'
Tickets Available
Tickets are still available to purchase here to see Chelsea Under-21s go head-to-head with Everton at Kingsmeadow on Friday evening. Adult tickets are priced at £7, with junior and senior tickets valued at £5.
You can also get hold of tickets for our first Premier League International Cup fixture at Kingsmeadow against RB Leipzig at the same price. That match will kick off on Wednesday 28 August at 7pm.
