Football Season Guide

A season full of question marks is about to start for AZ. In fact, they begin life without coach John Van Den Brom after 5 undoubtedly successful campaigns, they made the top 4 four times, while his successor, his assistant Arne Slot, at 40, is at his first experience as a head gaffer. In the past campaign, AZ obtained a top 4 finish especially due to their home performances, while they were not as exciting when travelling. Coach Slot will thus be expected to improve from that point of view if they are to remain in the elite of the Dutch football. Slot will be able to count on a squad pretty similar to the past season's one. Seuntjens was the sole key player to have quit over the summer: he was attracted by Genclerbirligi and will certainly be missed in the midfield as he had provided a good deal of goals and assists. The likes of Maher and Van Rhijn also left but only the former had enjoyed an almost-regular status in the past campaign. Clasie, arriving from Feyenoord via Southampton, could be the man set to replace him in the heart of the midfield. Other than that, AZ mostly had players returning from loan while the young Sugawara, on loan from Nagoya Grampus, is likely to get some playing time at the back. Last season AZ had most goals from their midfielders but things might change this time around, especially if Boadu manages to repeat all the wonders he had allowed to be half-seen before getting injured.