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"RKC! From outta nowwhere!! Waalwijk! What a move!!!"

Deisler26

By Deisler26,
in FM Career Updates

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Deisler26

Deisler26

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RKC Waalwijk

End of Jan 2024 Transfer Window

Results

A tough match against Feyenoord Rotterdam provided our first Eredivisie points in September. A stumbling 2-2 draw heralded an excellent 1-0 win over debt-ridden PSV Eindhoven, which was swiftly followed by a second consecutive 1-0 win, this time over sc Heerenveen. We then suffered two ridiculous 0-1 reverses, against AFC Ajax Amsterdam & FC Twente Enschede. We run over both teams and got sucker-punched twice. Dammit.

A Wouter Derks brace gave us a 4-1 win over Willem II Tilburg and we followed up that with a excellent 2-1 win over long time antagonists AZ Alkmaar. These two wins started a nine-game winning streak, including a Joost Kuipers hat-trick-inspired win over ADO Den Haag. We then played FC Utrecht in the second of back-to-back league games (we won the first, 2-0). Embarassingly, we went down 1-2. A rebound 3-0 win over NAC Breda was helpful, although we followed it up with a sucker punch 0-1 loss to Vitesse Arnhem.

Our final match of January saw us monster relegation-threatened FC Groningen 4-0, behind a debut hat-trick from Lucas van der Ploeg. That win saw us finish the period 1st in the Eredivisie. However, we've all seen this movie before with RKC, so I'm not confident.

- Table - - Results -

In the KNVB Beker, we struggled against lower-division opposition in the form of Jupiler League Fortuna Sittard, with youth players Casey Rutten & Coen Maas scoring in a 2-2 draw, before winning 4-2 on penalties. We then tore apart NAC Breda Reserves in a 5-1 hammering, behind a double from Donovan Moentari. In the Fourth Round, we comfortably dispatched SC Telstar 3-1, with a Queensy Menig brace showing the way! We've gone from never getting past the Fourth Round, to past twice in two years!

In the UEFA Europa League, we started our campaign at home to Girondins de Bordeaux, in arguably the hardest match of the group. However, a Wouter Derks double saw us sweep to a 3-1 win. This buoyed us to follow up with a 5-0 away hammering of SK Sturm Graz, helped by a brace from Co Gootjes. We then settled the home/away ties against Olympiakos SF Piraeus with back-to-back 2-0 wins. As we were basically qualified, I played a scratch team and went very defensive in the away match against Girondins de Boredaux. And it resulted in a late 1-2 loss, which I had no worries about. Finally, we romped home 4-0 in the final match against SK Sturm Graz. This meant we went through as Group Winners and was handed a tough First Knockout Round tie.

- Euro Results - Cup Results -

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Transfers

First off, we sold 34 year old club captain Kevin Strootman to FC Krasnodar in Russia for £1.4m. He was still going well, but he was coming up to contract renewal and I didn't feel comfortable in playing out £23k+ for 2+ years on an aging player. Also, long serving defender Ingo van Weert was sold to NAC Breda for £72k. He was superseded in the team and wasn't getting any games. We then sold promising young Greek defender Giannis Verbis to Arsenal for £625k + 50% sell on. One less nationality at the club.. Finally, depth forward Queensy Menig was sold to Konyaspor in Turkey for £550k on deadline, due to the new arrival.

Incoming were young midfielders Jeffrey van Gerven (£2.1m, PSV Eindhoven) and Bram van Santen (£650k, Vitesse Arnhem). Both were players for the future, although van Gerven was slightly more ready as we took advantage of PSV's horrible finances to make this deal. Next came goalie Mickey van der Hart for £2.7m from KRC Genk. I'd had him on previous FM's and he was an upgrade to Menno Vink who was out of contract in the summer. We also signed Olympique Marseille striker Lucas van der Ploeg on a Bosman, but paid £650k to get him early. Finally, due to Nunnely's injury, I signed Liverpool's Anwar El Ghazi on loan until the end of the season.

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Deisler26

Deisler26

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RKC Waalwijk

End of 2023/24 Season Review

Results

We saw in February in the Eredivisie with two bumbling draws against the class of the league. We drew 2-2 with PSV Eindhoven, who were later denied a licence to play in Europe, due to being in administration. We took the lead twice, but lost it each time. Next was a fairly even 1-1 draw against Feyenoord Rotterdam, our closest challengers. Robert de Graff netted his first ever goal for the club and we were pegged back by a future signing later on.

This lead us up to a good 3-1 win over sc Heerenveen, Lucas van der Ploeg hit two and there was a first club goal for Jeffrey van Gerven. The brakes were firmly jammed on though as we came away pointless against AFC Ajax Amsterdam who, once again, took a battering and escaped with a sucker punch 0-1 win.

We then proceded to go on a three game winning streak, including a 4-0 win over Willem II Tilburg. We were flying along, until the team just decided to choke and we then drew two on the spin, a 0-0 against lowly FC Den Bosch and a last gasp draw against VVV Venlo. We left it even later against SBV Excelsior, who I thought were going to deny us ANOTHER title.. A corner headed out was knocked back in to Co Gootjes, who laid it off to Jordy Goosens on the far edge of the box who crashed home a shot to give us a 1-0 win.

This seemed to inspire the team, especially as rivals Feyenoord Rotterdam failed to win. A 3-2 win over Heracles Almeo put us in pole position. We were four points ahead with two games to go.. Win or match Feyenoord's result and the Eredivisie would be ours. We tore into ADO Den Haag, almost overwhelming them and once Donovan Moentari netted into the far corner on 36 minutes to make it 1-0, there was going to be only one winner. Ex-RKC full back Terry Lartey Sanniez scored a calamitous own goal on 56 minutes to double our advantage to 2-0 and then Co Gootjes cut in from the right and fired home on 78 minutes. This sealed a 3-0 win and the Eredivisie title!!! I also got a nice note in the inbox after.

The final game was against Roda JC Kerkade and, due to our title win, I played a few youth players. And one, Tom Visser, decided to make an impact, scoring from close range after less than 60 seconds on his first team debut to give us a 1-0 lead. Youth striker Donovan Moentari also netted to put us back in the lead at 2-1, but it took Anwar El Ghazi's experience to get the win as he pounced on a loose ball to slam home on 88 minutes to give us a 3-2 win.

Board League Target: Achieve UEFA Europa League Qualification

Actual League Result: 1st of 18, WINNERS

- Table - Results - Stats -

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The KNVB Beker was within striking distance again! We'd made it to the Quarter Final, thanks to a win on penalties over Fortuna Sittard (2-2p) and wins against NAC Breda Reserves (5-1) and SC Telstar (3-1). And we'd landed a home tie against FC Den Bosch. Joost Kupiers opened the scoring for us with a low drive, which set the scene for the Co Gootjes show. He hit a superb hat-trick to power us to a 4-1 and a semi final date with FC Utrecht.

This Semi-Final came in the middle of a torrid set of games (10 in 30 days). The only goals came in a 7 minute spell in the middle of the first half. Joost Kuipers smashed home the opener on 20 minutes to make it 1-0., only to have us pegged back after 27 minutes, as they headed home from a corner to make it 1-1. We wearily toiled without reward through 120 mins to make it to penalties. I traditionally don't have the best relationship with penalties, as I've lost more shootouts than I've won (the early round win over FS was my first career win). But we netted all 6 penalties to scrape through 6-5.

The day of the Final dawned in Rotterdam as we were back for the second year in a row to face FC Twente Enschade. We'd had a decent record against them in the season so far and we were hungry to retain the cup. Right from the off, they seemed more intent in kicking us out of the game than playing and we struggled to make an impact early. It took til a few minutes before HT to strike. Joost Kuipers played a one-two with Co Gootjes on the edge of the area before smashing the ball home, high into the net. 1-0. This seemed to deflate Twente and we struck again just after HT. A deep corner was retrieved by Joost Kuipers and he turned his marker before curling the ball into the far corner. 2-0. This killed the game and I went defensible from 60 minutes to ride out the game and collect our second KNVB Beker trophy!

Board Cup Target: Semi-Final

Actual Cup Result: WINNERS

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In the UEFA Champions League, we easily beat Galatasary S.K, before we failed to show up against S.S Lazio in the Best Placed Playoff. This dropped us into the UEFA Europa League Group Stage with Girondins de Bordeaux, SK Sturm Graz & Olympiakos SF Pireus. With four straight wins to open the group, we qualified easily and faced Lille OSC in the First Knockout Round. And the first game, away in France, was settled just after half time. Co Gootjes opened the scoring on 52 minutes, his trademark cut inside the full back and fire home giving us the lead. 1-0. Barely 10 minutes later, young striker Donovan Moentari escaped his marker to make it 2-0. So, we had a lead to take back to Waalwijk. And, we were in the midst of our punishing schedule, so I packed the team with anyone who was fitter than 90% and went ultra defensive and a 0-0 saw us through to the Second Knockout Round!

This gave us a tie against Arsenal in the Second Knockout Round and this was just a bridge too far. They beat us easily 0-2 at home and only a own goal gave us any veneer of respectablity as they won 1-2, which sent us out 1-4 on aggregate.

UCL Target: Make Group Stage

Actual UCL result: Out in Best Placed Playoff

EL Target: Make First Knockout Round

Actual EL Result: Out at Second Knockout Round (lost 1-4 on aggregate to Arsenal)

- Europa League Results -

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Deisler26

Deisler26

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RKC Waalwijk

2023/24 Johan Cryuff Shield

27 July 2024

Amsterdam ArenA

Johan Cryuff Shield

Feyenoord Rotterdam 1 - 0 RKC Waalwijk

A gusty day in Amsterdam sees us walk out for our second consectutive appearance in Holland's traditional curtain raiser. Both our Eredivisie and KNVB Beker trophy shined bright as we file out past it. Our opponents today were the team that we beat to the title. Feyenoord Rotterdam.

Our huge problem was that we were missing 7 players to the Dutch U-23 Olympic team, and we barely had enough talent to make a full bench. The game therefore became a damage limitation exercise and we just worked hard to try and not lose.

Sadly, on 58 minutes, a turn by the Feyenoord midfielder, saw him free to smash it home from 25 yards to put us down 0-1. We had no answer for them and we spluttered to a dull defeat.

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Deisler26

Deisler26

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Fantastic season! Took quite a lot of persistence and building over the course of the previous years, but your patience has been rewarded.

Not a bad Champions League group there now.

Thanks man. Yeah, I'd want third, sneakingly looking at second.

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Deisler26

Deisler26

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RKC Waalwijk

End of Aug 2024 Transfer Window

It's September. I was given the brief of Qualify for the UEFA Europa League in the Eredivisie and was given a huge £609k wage budget and £8.95m for transfers. This would be perfect for my plans.

Results

In the Eredivisie, we kicked off our campaign at home to Willem II Tilburg. And what a lightning start to the season we had. Returning hero Kees Cocu scored a pair as we dispatched them 3-0. Sadly, we fell 0-2 to FC Utrecht in the next game. The backups just didn't get it done and we were .500 for the season already. This did not give me hope going into a tough match against Feyenoord Rotterdam. However, we dominated in a solid 2-0 win, thanks to Joost Kuipers' double.

Our final league game of the month saw us play FC Den Bosch. We had an exhausted side, due to the backup players being away in the Dutch U-23 Olympic side and it showed as we were rusty and lethargic. And the early pacesetters showed us what as they thumped us 0-3. What a horrible result. This left us in 12th!!!

- Table - - Results -

We flunked the opening of the season too, losing to Feyenoord Rotterdam, 1-0 in the Johan Cryuff Shield

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

Transfers

Just the three buys this offseason. Home-grown midfielder Kees Cocu returned from FC Bayern Munchen for £6.25m. Bayern had bought in three £10m+ midfielders this season and Cocu was going spare. Best thing was that I got £3m back as part of the 50% sell on. Also coming in were two young players for the future. 20 year old defensive midfielder Peter Görtz came in for £1.1m from FC Utrecht and 16 year old right winger Leo Huisting came in for only £250k from Heracles Almeo.

Sales-wise, We saw Menno Vink go off to Kayserispor for £300k, as he was surplus to requirements. Central defender Raymond Drost was also a player who was complaining about game time and was constantly being loaned out because of it, so he was sold to FC Nürnberg for £300k. Finally, Belgian U-19 starlet Laurens Goosens was sold to Chelsea for £3m + 50%.

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Deisler26

Deisler26

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RKC Waalwijk

End of Jan 2025 Transfer Window

Results

A tough match against AZ Alkmaar provided our first Eredivisie points in September. A stumbling 2-2 draw paved the way for a 2-0 win over FC Oss, which was swiftly followed by a 1-0 win over VVV Venlo. A run-of-the-mill 2-1 win over Roda JC Kerkade saw us then suffer a ridiculous 0-1 reverse against NAC Breda. We run over NAC and got sucker-punched. Dammit.

Goals from Joost Kuipers and Donovan Moentari gave us a 2-0 win over ADO Den Haag and we followed up that with three 3-0 wins in 4 games. PSV Eindhoven, SBV Excelsior & Heracles Almeo all fell to the sword, with only a 0-0 draw with AZ Alkmaar punctuating the rampage, although we followed it up with our, now-usual, sucker punch 0-1 loss to AFC Ajax Amsterdam.

Back-to-back Eredivisie wins over Vitesse Arnhem (3-0 & 2-1) saw us then take apart sc Heerenveen 4-0, behind a second half 3-goal barrage. Our final match of January saw us throw in a depleted and inexperience side against Willem II Tilburg , to earn a gutsy draw 0-0. That win saw us finish the period 2nd in the Eredivisie.

- Table - - Results -

In the KNVB Beker, we stormed past SC Telstar 5-2, on the back of a Donovan Moentari hat-trick and he did it again, next match, firing three past SC Genemeiuden, who barely got out of their half all game..., as we romped home 4-0. We then put three past MVV Maastricht in an easy 3-0 win.

In the UEFA Champions League, we started our campaign at away to Atletico Madrid, in arguably the hardest match of the group. However, a solid defensive effort saw us come away with a 0-0 draw. This buoyed us to follow up with a 3-2 beating of Sporting Clube de Portugal, helped by the fact that we were 3-0 up at HT!. We then settled the home/away ties against CSKA Moscow with a 2-1 win away and a 1-1 draw at home. We had a good 2-1 win at home to a suprisingly poor Atletico, which put us in the driving seat against Sporting. However, it came in a logjam of fixtures, so the youth was sent out to Portugal and they came home on the end of a 1-4 beating. This meant we went through as Group Runners Up and was handed a tough First Knockout Round tie.

- Euro Results - Cup Results -

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

Transfers

First off, we sold defender Jorrit Hendrix. He was 31 and I wanted to go younger on defence. So when Dynamo Kiev came in with a £4.1m bid, I packed his things and sent him off. Next out the door was a huge surprise. When SL Benfica came in with a whopping £10m bid + 50% for Harrie van den Berg, it made perfect sense to sell high. Finally, I let Donovan Moentari go on loan to En Avant de Guingamp.

My incoming signings were all to replace the above players. Defender Matthijs de Ligt came in from Juventus for £3m, defensive midfielder Chris Kersten came in on loan from Manchester City and finally, an old friend of the club, forward Javairo Dilrosun came in from Bayer 04 Leverkusen for £3.8m.

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