Dundalk midfielder Oostenbrink disappointed with loss

Dutchman Koen Oostenbrink was happy to make his SSE Airtricity League Premier Division debut, despite Dundalk FC going down 1-0 to St Patrick’s Athletic in Inchicore. The Lilywhites were already behind by the time the 24-year-old midfielder replaced Zak Bradshaw shortly after the hour-mark to get his first taste of League of Ireland football.

Prior to Friday night, Oostenbrink had only previously featured in the PTSB Leinster Senior Cup, coming on as a substitute in a 3-1 win at Malahide United, before starting in the 0-0 draw with Drogheda United at home as Dundalk finished second in Group A.

“I’m very happy to make my first minutes for Dundalk in a competitive match, but I’m not happy with the result today,” he said after recovering from calf and hamstring injuries which kept him out of the opening three matches of the Premier Division.

“They were just some small injuries. My calf first and a little bit of my hamstring, but nothing to really worry about. Just take some more time to get some minutes in the legs. What was it, like 30 minutes, something like that? It’s a good start for me.”

The ex-Netherlands U17 international became the first Dutchman to represent Dundalk since Elden de Getrouwe turned out for The Lilywhites in 1994. Dubliner Eddie van Boxtel, who was born in Amsterdam, also kept goal for Dundalk during the mid-nineties.

Without a club after leaving FC Eindhoven at the end of the 2022/23 season following their failed attempt at promotion to the Eredivisie, Oostenbrink joined Dundalk in January of this year and claims to have settled nicely since his arrival onto Irish shores.

“Just a few days before New Year’s, I got a call from my agent about the interest of Dundalk,” he recalled. “I think the day after, I had a Zoom meeting with the coach, with the gaffer and Garts (Brian Gartland), and actually five days later, I was already in Dundalk, so it was quick, everything was quickly arranged.

“We have a good group of players. Everybody’s very nice for me in the team, the staff, everybody around the club. It’s good for me, so it’s very nice.

“It’s a long time since I played 90 minutes. Besides Drogheda in the pre-season, I think it’s last May, my last competitive match, so it’s been a while. It’s just important for me to get more game time, more minutes in the legs and get better with time.”

Although not overly familiar with League of Ireland football prior to his arrival, Oostenbrink was more than aware of Dundalk as a result of their European exploits versus Eredivisie sides AZ Alkmaar and Vitesse Arnhem in 2016 and 2021 respectively.
The former PSV Eindhoven reserve-team player also drew comparisons between the League of Ireland and the Eerste Divisie, in which he scored two goals in 37 appearances.

“I knew Dundalk from when they played in Europe in the Netherlands against AZ and Vitesse.
“There’s a difference. I think the League of Ireland intensity is higher, more up and down than the Dutch League is. Sometimes you have some more time on the ball, just not as high as intensity as in the Netherlands.”

Following his debut against St Pats, Oostenbrink now hopes Dundalk can get their first league win of the season against Waterford at Oriel Park this Friday (kick-off, 7.45pm).

“It’s been a very tough start, but I think today we showed the character, especially after the last few games. It was an unnecessary result. We didn’t have to lose this game I think, but we’re still here with zero points today.
“We go again next Friday and we hope to get the first three points at Oriel Park.”