I know Maastricht, but you have to live with it, son!

MVV Maastricht

(Running Full Dutch, French, Spanish, German and Belgian leagues, England on View Only)

"MVV Maastricht, full name Maatschappelijke Voetbal Vereniging Maastricht [maː.ˈstrɪxt.sə ˈvut.bɑɫ və.ˈreɪ̯.nə.ɣɪŋ]) is a Dutch professional football club from the city of Maastricht, founded on 2 April 1902. Because their logo is based on the city's coat of arms, an armed angel holding a red shield with a white star, they are nicknamed "de Sterrendragers" ("Wearers of Stars") and, in local dialect, "Us MVV'ke" ("our little MVV").

In 1902 in an establishment on the famous Vrijthof square, plans were made to found a Maastricht football team. It started with the name MVC (Maastricht Football Club) but they changed its name often during their first years. It was not until 1908 that their current name MVV (Maastrichtse Voetbal Vereniging) was adopted. 1952 was an important year for the team. MVV celebrated its 50th anniversary and the call to establish professional football in the Netherlands became louder. In the 1954–55 season the official KNVB and the professional football organisation (NBVB), supported by the newly founded professional teams, put their differences aside and a semi-professional league was born. In the new competition (Eredivisie) the top nine teams of the NBVB and the KNVB leagues were to participate. MVV came in third and was allowed entry in the new league.

A young and talented squad, led by coach and former MVV goalkeeper Frans Körver, won the second division again in 1997. A massive number of almost 50,000 fans celebrated this achievement on the market square. Yet the fifth relegation followed in 2000, forcing the renowned team to celebrate their 100th anniversary in the second division. Breaking with the tradition of promoting after two seasons, MVV even came in 18th in the 2004 season. Their poorest season in history. Currently, the club is still in the second division and occupying a 10th position on the all-time Eredivisie list.

In 2008, it was proposed to merge the Limburgish clubs MVV, Roda JC, VVV-Venlo and Fortuna Sittard to create a new club called FC Limburg.[1] The merger was however cancelled after the province Limburg denied its backing of the project."

Well. Here we are. My FM15 thread. I didn't think I would get this, because I didn't think my ancient Macbook Air would run it. And then when it did, I didn't think I would enjoy it, much the same as i didn't FM14. But here we are, back again. Let's hope this thread gets nominated for an award this year eh? Haha. Enjoy reading!

Right, I should explain myself a little here.

FM15 seems to be a much different animal than 14. I stole a formation in the first week of 14 and it worked for me the entire game's life. But I wanted more. I enjoyed my tactical tinkerings on FM12 with Santarcangelo and I was burning to really try to get something up for this one.

What I love about FM15 is that, while the tactics screen has got worse, the fact that your players move slightly, according to their mentality, has somehow unlocked a door for me. Like sunlight streaming down on my face, it actually made sense as to what I was putting out there! So, I started with a basic 4-4-2, with a false 9 and a poacher up top. It really didn't last more than a few friendlies as it just wasn't creating. So, I changed the formation into a 4-4-1-1. Went for counter, route one and exploiting the middle. The MCR went from being a DLP (s) to an AP (s) and voila, it was born.

This is my manager profile too.

I'm already a season into the game, so forgive the lack of screenshots of players etc etc.

Well, it was a rocking good season!! We finished as Champions after a great season. It started off with a great run in which we only lost one game in the first half of the season. However that defeat, a 1-6 hammering at the hands of a rampant Fortuna Sittard, set off a lot of alarm bells, culminating in the formation change I discussed in the previous post. We then managed to conceded a lot of late goals to snatch draws from the jaws of victory. The game against Achilles '29 as we went 3-1 & 4-2 up and still only managed a draw. However, despite all that, we managed to seal a playoff spot in the second phase! Our first season's hat-trick came as we beat Jong PSV 4-2. Chuba Akpom netting three. However, immediately afterwards, we went on a run of only 2 wins in 7 games, culminating in a 0-5 defeat to NEC Nijmegen.

This, I felt, was because the teams were now wise to my long ball counter attacks. So I tweaked a little and we got back on the winning trail. And how! with a 7-0 thrashing of FC Emmen on the back of an Issa Kallon hat-trick. At one point, there were 6 teams within two points of the summit, however, we slowly pulled away and a 3-1 win against Helmond Sport settled the destination of the title! Our final game was a victory run out with all the XI being youth players and we lost a close one 0-1 to SC Telstar.

- Table - Fixtures 1 - Fixtures 2 -

Well, this wasn't a good season for cup football as we were beaten 3-1 by De Graafschap with goals at the end of the first half and near the end of the game.

- Results -

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Transfers

Well, we had little to no money this season in both wages or budget this season, so it was loan city. I raided Arsenal for most of their youth players for the season. We were fine for the early part of the season, but then injuries started to bite, leading to three free agent signings and when we had a crisis in the season, I had to loan in yet another striker to help and he responded with 11 goals in the back end of the season to push us to the title

- Transfers -

So. My finances are so bad, I was forced to let last year's PoY Bryan Smeets go on a free transfer. He wanted a raise on the £6k p/w that he was being already paid and the board would not fund a raise. Same with three other players on more than £4k p/w....

Ooh, a Dutch save. Great start so far.

Ooh, a Dutch save. Great start so far.

Thanks man. Appreciated.

It's Aug 1 & so far, we've managed to bring in 5 players to the club, spending £2.1k in the process, as well as extending 3 loans for another season...

We are in serious danger of going back down without winning a game as we haven't been able to strengthen anywhere, just replace what left on free transfers. We're up to the hilt on wages, no room for a transfer budget and we are looking shaky.

The board would not sanction more wages to keep maybe 3 players as I've previously said. Now we're promoted, they still won't give us any money and all loans now cost wages, which we can't give them. I had Gael Kakuta on loan and he was perfect for my formation, but for the want of £2k, we had to let his trial peter out. Last year's loan sensation, Alex Kiwomya, just signed for PSV as we couldn't match his wages. Ditto a young ex-Ajax defender.

I am literally at my wits end, atm. Oh, and we have PSV next..

Yikes Deisler...

Yikes Deisler...

MVV Maastricht

End of Aug 2015 Transfer Window

Well. Well, well, well, well... Well-y, Well-y, Well... OK, I'll stop that..

This was one of the most turbulent off-seasons I've ever known. Purely as I had zero power to do anything. No money for anything.

Football-wise, we began our Eredivisie season with a 0-6 thumping at the hands of FC Gronengen. And we were damn lucky it was nil. Our next match was against PSV Eindhoven. Yet, despite the look of the 0-3 scoreline, we played well enough. Luckily, by this point, summer signing GK Damien Martinez was fit and ready. Then came a battling 1-1 draw with FC Dordrecht. AMRC Gedion Zelalem bundling home from a corner after 6 mins to give us our first goal in the league that season. However, cruelly, a long-range shot cannoned off a defender and left Martinez stranded to give them an undeserved draw. Our tails up and buoyed by some new signings, we thrashed out our first win back in the Eredivisie with a AMLC Tobias Sana-inspired 4-2 win over Go Ahead Eagles. The guy was everywhere, setting up two goals and scoring one himself! Finally this month, we put another block in the foundation with a stunning Gedion Zelalem-led 5-2 victory over Heracles Almeo. This put us in 10th place at the end of the month.

- Results - Table -

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Transfers

As you have all read, my struggles were real this offseason. I valiantly tried to replace the quality that left, but I could only bring in two players that really I felt that could really help us attempt to stay in the division. GK Damian Martinez was signed on a free from Arsenal. He was an upgrade at the position and would be an excellent addition. However, he suffered an injury almost as soon as he got to the club and missed the first two games of the season. Secondly, we grabbed MRLC Rodney Sneijder on a free from Almere City. He would be a talented player to play on the right of the midfield and his passing would be fantastic for our team ethic.

However, we struggled massively to bring ANYONE else in. We either had not enough wage budget or no transfer budget... A shaft of light appeared when I got a message in my inbox that Genk, my parent club, had players available for loan. I made an enquiry and they didn't want any money for them!!! So I brought in 5 loans from them, just to give us more depth. Then, the shining bright light in the dark, my constant visiting of the boardroom paid off with a request for more wages that was granted!! YEAH!

I promptly then brought in three defenders in DR Ben Gasser, DC Isaac Vorsah & DLC Edison Braafheid. Finally, I picked up M/AMLC Tobias Sarna, recently released from AFC Ajax and striker Nikita Rukavytsya.

Selling-wise, we let a few players go on frees, sold a complaining MC Luis Peixoto to AA Gent for £250k and, VERY reluctantly, we sold D/WB/MRL Marco Ospitalieri to Club Brugge for £625k. We really needed him, but sadly we needed the money more.

- Transfers -

Best of luck with MVV

Best of luck with MVV

Thanks man

Decent start with MVV

Decent start with MVV

Thanks man. Hard second season though

Oyyyy.. *rubs face*

Ah, Christ... We're so badly suffering with a small squad

4-2 down, a long through ball on 70 minutes sees my quick striker on to it in a flash.. Beats the goalie to the ball, knocks it past him... Score, we're 4-3 down and we have a chance to get that tying goal! He jogs up to the goal, rolls the ball towards the empty net... it came off the inside of the post, rolled across the line and came OUT via the other post..

Dear, sweet Christ in Heaven..

MVV Maastricht

End of Jan 2016 Transfer Window

- Table -

Well, a very mediocre first half of the Eredivisie for us. A lot, lot, LOT of two-goal leads we thrown away. We stumbled through two games, before providing FC Den Bosch with only their second point of the season with our first two-goal collapse. Then came an utter surrender to Feyenoord, 0-5. It was really disappointing, and a lot of goals came from set pieces. This game meant that I would change my focus to defending set pieces. However, redemption came with a thumping 3-0 win over ADO Den Haag. Our second two-goal collapse came at the hands of FC Utrecht, leaving us with a 2-2 draw. The Vitesse Arnhem game was a real kick in the teeth. we were 0-4 down inside 20 minutes. We netted just after their fourth and looked strong after the half too. We pulled it back to 2-4 and blew an absolutely glorious chance to pull it back to 3-4. Dammit.

We then went on a streak of 7 games without a win, giving up a two-goal lead another three times. Battling defeats to PSV Eindhoven (0-3) and AFC Ajax Amsterdam (0-2) were overshadowed by losses to FC Dordrecht (2-4) and Heracles Almeo (3-5).

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In the KNVB Beker, we disposed of Feyenoord Amateurs with a sluggish 1-0 win, courtesy of on-loan Genk winger Jentil Gaethofs's far post finish. Our Third Round matchup was against rivals Roda JC. And we roared into a 2-0 lead, thanks to goals from Gaethofs & Nikita Rukavytsya, however an embarassing OG, let them back in it. And on 92 mins, they curled a 32 yard free-kick into the top right hand corner. 2-2. This demoralised our guys, particularly as we were in a tough run of games, due to our injury list and small squad size. And then, on 103 mins, the Roda JC striker threw himself over Hector Bellarin's outstretched leg, without contract and fooled the ref into giving a penalty. They dispatched it and knocked us out 2-3. I was fuming and let rip in the press. Bizarrely, the KNVB didn't discipline me. Mainly because I was right.

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Transfers: None. Literally none. I had no money and no wage budget.

2015-16 Youth Intake

Ahmed Afkir

Marcel Blaauw (not pictured as fast-tracked into the first team)

Martin van Dam

Tresor Mutombo

Evan Tunistra

MVV Maastricht

2015-16 Season Review

Well, this was a flaming bag of poop, yet still managed to make the board's expectation of not going immediately down. We struggled mightly all season, only getting 5 wins all season. We went through an absolutely soul-crushing run of SIXTEEN game winless streak at one point, conceding 25 goals in 6 games. Our downfall seemed to be either the crossed ball into the box, a direct free-kick or a rocket from the edge of the area. The worst was to come at the end of the season. Having come back from 3-1 down to lead 4-3 and then concede late on to draw 4-4 with SC Cambuur Leeuwarden, I was looking forward to the next game against fellow strugglers Willem II Tilburg...

Surprise, surprise, we found ourselves 0-2 down at HT, but a bit of encouragement seemed to work wonders. As, in a eight minute spell, we scored 4 goals! Including one from ST Marcel Blaauw, an Academy graduate. Bouyed by the two results, we travelled to face Vitesse Arnhem, who we only narrowly lost against before. The stage was set and it delivered. Delivered unbridled carnage. We were massacred 1-8. Every goal came from outside the box, our defense didn't know which way to turn. We stood off, they turned and scored. We hustled, they got away and scored. It was the worst result in FM history for me. Tobias Sana's penalty was merely a blip on the day...

Finally, we travelled to AZ Alkmaar for the final game of the season. I played a lot of the kids, as you'll see below, and although they gave a good account of themselves, we were stuffed 2-5, with only Nikita Ruavytsya & Issa Kallon goals to show for it... We're now into the Relegation Playout and I do not see us escaping.

- League Table - Results -

Nothing much to say here, that hadn't been said earlier. A Third Round capitulation at the hands of our biggest rivals was a portent of what was to come for the rest of the season...

---------------------------------

Manager's Thoughts

It's been a rough year. Made much harder by the lack of investment into the club. I'm going to lose another lot of player this year to free transfers and I have no way of replacing them. If we go down, which I honestly believe we will, the chink of light is that we'll have the chance to loan players for no money! Weeee..... *lone streamer*

Nikita Rucksack (so called because we carried him all season) wasn't the player we hoped, when we signed him. He's taking up £7k wages and I need him off the books, so hopefully he'll go in the summer. I have a number of promising players that could make the step up if we were playing in the Jupiler League next season, but if we survive, I don't see much hope for us again.

Jentil Gaethofs & Tobias Sana were two bright spots in the season, even if the goalies are useless in this ME. Sana was the only player to finish the season with a 7.00+ record & Gaethofs was a beast on the left wing, scoring 10 goals from that position. He's out of contract at the end of the season, so I PRAY we can sign him..

10 May 2016

Eredivisie Relegation Playoff Second Round, First Leg

Seacon Stadium, Venlo

8,000

53oF 20:45 k/o

MVV Maastricht...............2

Jentl Gaethofs 74, Nikita Rukavytsya 90

VVV Venlo..................................3

A cool, clear night greeted us in Venlo for our Relegation Playoff match. All the hype before the match was surrounding whether we could do it and, on recent form, I privately felt we couldn't.. I kept faith with my usual XI, with only Slovenian right back Ben Gasser in for the injured Hector Bellarin.

The whistle blew and we kicked off a match to save our Eredivisie future. Sadly, we were undone as early as the 12th minute. A floated corner into the box was uncontested and the VVV striker rose to head home the opener. 0-1. I held my head in my hands, surely this wasn't going to be a capitulation like the end of the season. I immediately and passionately shouted encouragement from the touchline. Sadly, it meant nothing as on 29 minutes, a 25 yard free-kick went sailing over the wall and beyond the grasping dive of Martinez. 0-2. Sigh. However, signs of life were shown and on 41 minutes, Gaethofs broke down the left, shimmied past a defender and threw a looping cross into the box. Rukavytsya came steaming in and 100 times out of 100, it's a goal. This one wasn't. He headed straight into the keepers hands. I'm tearing hair out on the bench.

Half time comes and I tell them that they're unlucky and I have faith in them. However, it wasn't until the 74th minute that we really sparked into life. Rukavytsya picked the ball up on the halfway line and dribbled into an area with three defenders waiting for him, however, he slipped the ball sideways to Tobias Sana, who took three steps and fed an on-rushing Jentl Gaethof, who's low, hard shot squirmed underneath the VVV keeper! 1-2! I leapt up in joy! We were back in it. I shouted for them to tighten up and we were looking more and more dangerous as the game went on. However, on 83 minutes, a long, looping cross was headed out by Vorsah, only as far as the VVV midfielder, standing 30 yards out. He hit a beautiful half volley which Martinez could only parry onto the post and into the path of the VVV striker who was all alone in front of the empty net. 1-3. Agony.

There was still time on 90 minutes for Sneijder to feed Braafheid on the left hand side and his deep cross saw Nikita Rukavytsya crash the ball home and give us a second-leg lifeline.

PoM; VVV Venlo player

14 May 2016

Eredivisie Relegation Playoff Second Round, Second Leg

De Geusselt, Maastricht

8,800

53oF 19:45 k/o

MVV Maastricht...............1 (3)

Issa Kallon 6

VVV Venlo..................................1 (4)

We walked out to a wall of noise, our long-suffering fans trying to lift their heroes for one last shot at heroics. I briefly considered a 3-4-3 to just try and take them out early, but I stuck with the same formation, replacing Stef Peeters at CM (D) with youth product Mauritz Coenen, Arsenal loanee Dan Crowley for the injured captain Geert-Aande Rooda and finally, Issa Kallon in as the lone striker, replacing Rukavytsya. I wanted to play teenage sensation Marcel Blaauw, but he suffered a 4 month injury between the two games. These changes, plus added offensive tactics , I hoped would lead us to a Third Round matchup with SC Heerenveen.

Our dreams of taking them by storm lasted exactly 2 minutes, as a low 25 yard free-kick found it's way through the wall and surprised Martinez, or so it seemed, as he fumbled the ball out into the path of the VVV striker, who rolled it home. 0-1. Facepalm. The entire ground went silent. Jesus, why me...

A foul, deep out on the right, saw Rodney Sneijder cross the ball in for Issa Kallon to steal in front of the defence to tap it home for the equaliser! 1-1! There was not another notable moment in the game, despite us controlling it, until 41 minutes. A deep cross from Gasser saw Rukavytsya head against the bar when he REALLY should have done better.

Half-time and I told them I was happy with the effort (which I was!). Once I saw the eyes glaze over, I knew I had lost them and the game. I tried to pull it back, but it was too late. The rest of the game just meandered by, despite putting us on overload and trying desperately to get that one goal, it never happened.

The final whistle blew and silence came around the ground. I trudged back to the dressing room, where I sat head in hands.. We were relegated..

PoM: VVV Venlo player

Barely a day later, two players came to me, requesting transfers. One was Nikita Rukavytsya, who I was happy to let go. However, the other was Damian Martinez who was adamant that he wanted to leave, despite assurances. So that one is a kick in the teeth and makes me scramble for a new goalie as I alienated the other two and told them they were not having their contracts renewed.. Awkward.

A weight off my mind, at least.

Sucks to go down, but at least you're still employed. And you have Marcel Blaauw.

Sucks to go down, but at least you're still employed. And you have Marcel Blaauw.

The employed thing was most on my mind. Now I can go at this next season with a clear head

Unlucky with the relegation great news they kept you on

Unlucky with the relegation great news they kept you on

Thanks man. Yeah, I was lucky to survive, hopefully we're back up next year

Gotta be better than the skinflint owner I have now

Here goes...

MVV Maastricht

End of Aug 2016 Transfer Window

This was going to be a hard one. Trying to pick the team up after our ignominious relegation was always going to be hard. I was given a £220k warchest (ACTUAL MONEY) and a £70k wage budget, with a brief to get to the playoffs. We also got a new chairman. He cleared the club's debts and granted a Youth Training facility upgrade. Good lad. I'll be looking at him throughout the year to upgrade everything youth-wise. We've got some great starlets, but I could do with a steady stream. I also signed a new two year deal which was a good thing that the old chairman did!

We kicked off the season at home to fierce rivals Roda JC. The fans were restless and a derby match made the atmosphere very heated. The team ended up being booed off as they lost 0-1 to Roda. Things didn't get much better in the second match, however a late Tobias Sana tap-in rescued a 1-1 draw with Helmond Sport. Another poor performance at home to FC Oss in a 1-2 defeat, a late goal by Jentl Gaethof not withstanding, meant that we were staring at the wrong end of the table, with a very big hangover from last season.. However, a combination of rest and a different approach by teamtalk worked for the next match with a 2-0 defeat of FC Emmen. It still took a Chuba Akpom double off the bench to get us through. Confidence, however fragile, works and we then defeated SC Heerenveen 2-1, thanks to a Chupa Akpom tap-in and a glorious Rodney Sneijder finish. We finish the window in 10th place.

- Table - Fixtures -

---------------------------------------

Transfers

Well. This was a saga. No sooner had we gone down, than two players beat their way to my door to leave. Then it just became a procession. Nikita Rukavytsya got his move, a £1.8m move to Valenciennes FC in France. Next to knock on my door was Cristian Chertic, who wanted a move home to Romania. He left in a £42k + 50% deal with AFC Astra. Club captain Geert-Aande Rooda, a guy who I signed on a free and made captain, then wanted out. He got a £1.7m move to Terek Grozny in Russia, along with Dino Halliovic who got his dream move back to Dinamo Zagreb for £120k + £50%. Finally, recently capped Slovenian right back Ben Gasser wanted out. So I sold him to Red Bull Leipzig for £2.2m.

Also coming to me were Damian Martinez, Tobias Sana & Edison Braafheid. Every one of them 'had heard' there was a team interested in them and wanted out. All, bar Martinez & Rooda, I allowed to go as long as their valuation was met because I am not keeping a player that does not want to be here. With Martinez and Rooda, I begged them to stay, but it fell on deaf ears. Bizarrely, when the window closed, both Sana and Braafheid decided they'd like to stay. Weird that. Finally, we sold Stef Peeters for £190k to Waasland-Beveren. Not bad for a £2.1k outlay, and defender Nick Kuipers to RC Mons for £350k. He'd been bitching about no playing time so it was easiest just to let him go.

Incoming, we had just as much of a fun time. Signing were ex-loanee widemen Jentl Gaethofs & Lucas Wabarcq, both from Genk. They'd done so well for me on loan that I jumped at the chance to have them permanently. Also, Man City defender Mathieu Bossaerts came in on a Bosman (Thank you, City!). One that I'd wrapped up earlier in the season was Fulham attacking midfielder Chris David on a Bosman free and, how stunned was I, to see his stats? HOYD Volker Piekarski then signed defender Jonas Gelaesen on a free from K. Sint-Truidense V.V., with my blessing. We then signed a goalie, Norwegian experienced keeper Rune Jarstein, a ex-Barcelona youth player in midfielder Agostinho Ca and in a MASSIVE coup, the top scorer at the 2016 European U-19 Championship, Bernd Radojewski from Borussia Monchengladbach. Which, just goes to show, you should always sign your youth players. I got loanees Dan Crowley & Hector Bellerin back for a third season from Arsenal, along with Gedion Zelalem for his second stint with the club and also, ex-Arsenal, now Newcastle striker Chupa Akpom on loan.

I then settled down, before realising I was a wee bit light in the goalie department, especially if Martinez got his move, so I signed Peter Leeuwenburgh, whose AFC Ajax contract had been recently terminated

- Transfers -

great news that the new chairman has been more proactive for you

Ouchy! Tough season! Still, you'll come back stronger, learn from the lessons etc. etc.

Unlucky with the relegation but hopefully you come back stronger,sometimes you have to take a step back to move forward!

Silly as it may sound I kind of like seeing a thread that's not instant success, very interesting to see if you can bounce back!

great news that the new chairman has been more proactive for you

Yep! I haven't approached him with anything else yet, but it's a decent start

Ouchy! Tough season! Still, you'll come back stronger, learn from the lessons etc. etc.

Well, I hope so. We seemed to only concede the same goals and my strikers, frankly, weren't up to the task. Let's hope for better this season

Unlucky with the relegation but hopefully you come back stronger,sometimes you have to take a step back to move forward!

Well, yes. I always thought that, once the board wouldn't give us anything in terms of money for signings until much later, that we had gone up too fast.

Silly as it may sound I kind of like seeing a thread that's not instant success, very interesting to see if you can bounce back!

I think it's more satisfying for me, personally, as I've created this tactic. Everything about it is mine, so I'll live or die by it,

Tough season to take but it could be a blessing in disguise and you could come back stronger. You'll bounce straight back up

Hope you can get back to Eredivisie

Tough season to take but it could be a blessing in disguise and you could come back stronger. You'll bounce straight back up

Thanks man. Things will be hard, but I'm hoping!

Hope you can get back to Eredivisie

Me too! Thanks for reading!

Job done by the end of October. We can all go home now.

Feet up time! See you in May!

You secure a play off spot already and you're in October? :confused:

You secure a play off spot already and you're in October? :confused:

The Jupiler League has 4 'periods' where teams will a good record (I don't quite know the criteria) get a playoff spot.

MVV Maastricht

End of Jan 2017 Transfer Window

- Table -

It's been a frustrating Jupiler League season so far, to be honest. We've played well, but there have just been far too many draws for us. A last gasp draw against Jong Ajax, where perennial backup Lucas Walbrecq netted in the 91st minute to rescue the 1-1 draw set the tone. 1-1 was also the score for our next game against Almere City as, in a reversal, we conceded the late goal to negate Chris David's goal midway through the first half.

Two big wins against FC Den Bosch (4-0) and SBV Excelsior (4-2) gave us hope, and it was these wins that clinched us a playoff spot. We then came back from 2-4 down to draw 4-4 against Sparta Rotterdam behind new signing Junior Hoilett's hat-trick. A nice string of 3 wins came to a screeching halt with a 2-4 defeat against RKC Waalwijk. This game seemed to spark off the stutter, with just 3 wins in the next 11 games. Only 3 defeats, mind. But still not enough to make us rise in the table. We finished the period in 9th place. Highlight of the season so far was the 55 yard strike by Dan Crowley in a 4-2 win over Jong Ajax.

We kicked off our KNVB Beker campaign against lower division side Harkemase Boys. I played a massively youth-orientated side and we squeaked a 1-0 win thanks to Tobias Sana's goal. The Third Round matchup was against high-flying Eredivisie side FC Groningen. Knowing I had no chance and being more bothered about the league, I put out another scratch side and was heavily beaten 0-3.

When I know I can stay up in the Eredivisie, I'll concentrate on the cup. Right now, it's merely a distraction.

- Results -

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Transfers

It was one in, two out in all this. First off, we were offered free agent ML/AMRLC/ST Junior Hoilett by his agent. As he fitted my criteria for a striker (quick), I snapped him up. Thanks to this signing, I was able to let young striker Bernd Radojewski go on loan to Willem II Tilburg. Rodney Sneijder came into my office, midway through the month, and asked me to allow him to move to SC Cambuur. I asked him to stay and he wasn't interested. So I put his price at something I would accept and left it at that. Finally, Arsenal came in with a jaw-dropping offer for young midfielder Richard Sœbo. £3.1m PLUS 50%. I snapped their hand off, as this would fund any Bosman signings I would wish to make!.