Reliable Pillar in the Deep Defence: Arthur Van Doren

Arthur Van Doren exudes a calming influence in the deep defence be it wearing the national jersey for Belgium or playing club hockey. The Red Lions’ solid game awareness, exemplary tackling, retrieving balls from lost situations, PC defending have enhanced his reputation as one of the world’s top deep defenders.

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Van Doren is doing his massive reputation as a world-class defender at the ongoing 6th Hockey India League for Kalinga Lancers. The 30-year-old fullback, who has been one of the support pillars behind Belgium’s success story on the international stage over the last decade or so – Belgium winning the 2016 Rio Olympics gold medal, winning the 2018 World Cup – he was also the key architects in Red Lions’ maiden 2019 EuroHockey Championship triumph at Antwerp.

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Van Doren, whose younger brother and goalkeeper Loic Van Doren, also plays for Belgium alongside vastly experienced Vincent Vanasch was named the FIH Player of the Year for two consecutive years in 2017 and 2018. Not just delivering for the Red Lions, Van Doren has also attained a lot of success at the club hockey level. He had started his club hockey journey for KHC Dragons that became the national champions in 2011.

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He moved to the Netherlands to play for HC Bloemendaal and won the first Dutch national title in the 2018-19 season. Van Doren was named the best player of the Hoofdklasse season in the 2020–21 season when he won his second league title with Bloemendaal. After spending six years in the Netherlands, he moved back to Belgium and now turns out for Braxgata – a club side that features big names such as retired Belgium internationals such as four-time Olympian Thomas Briels, fullback Loick Luypaert besides overseas players like international retired Dutch goalkeeper Pirmin Blaak, and the Ireland due of forward Ben Walker and midfielder Daragh Walsh.

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Van Doren is a thorn in the flesh for the forwardline of opposition sides – alongside his fellow Belgium team-mate Alexander Hendrickx, and the Indian trio of Sanjay, Sushil Dhanwar, and Partap Lakra, the ace deep defender is showing why he is regarded so highly in the world hockey circuit. “Van Doren is a hockey brain. He understands and reads the game very well. His presence helps us Kalinga Lancers to better control the game if it becomes a little bit of ping-pong hockey,” says Kalinga Lancers’ chief coach Valentin Altenburg in an exclusive chat with Hockey Passion.

The former Germany men’s and women’s hockey coach lavishes praise on Van Doren’s one facet that sets him apart from the rest. “He knows where the game flows and is doing a lot of anticipation. Not many people see also how much he is running – his off-the-ball running is a highly impressive,” observes Altenburg.

He shares his perspectives on what Van Doren brings to the team table. “He plays a very crucial part of our whole game. It’s also a huge pleasure to work with him off pitch because he’s really interested in also helping everyone within the team to grow. His knowledge transfer is hugely benefiting and massive for some of the Indian youngsters, who must be enjoying training and playing alongside a legend,” concludes the man who had guided Germany men to a bronze medal finish at the 2016 Rio Olympics.