Football Season Guide

The past season was unforgettable for Go Ahead Eagles as they obtained their best Eredivisie finish in over 50 years, ending up 7th, while they also triumphed in the KNVB Beker for the first time, defeating AZ Alkmaar, thus qualifying to the European competitions in back-to-back seasons for the first time ever. Truth be said, the campaign had started off rather disappointingly with Coach Simonis replacing Hake in the middle of the preseason, and an early elimination from the Conference League. They struggled for goals and won only once in the initial 6 games but then became almost unbeatable at home and a tough nut to crack also for the top sides. This, despite losing their best player, Oliver Edvardsen, to Ajax in January. By the end of March, they concentrated all their energies on the Cup, winning only 1 out of the last 8 league games. Just like the previous campaign, Go Ahead lost the architect of their memorable season over the summer, since Simonis left for giants Wolfsburg. 38-year-old Melvin Boel, who did well in the Feyenoord youth system and had a positive past season at Dordrecht, will thus be the new man at the helm. Go Ahead Eagles were far from active during the transfer campaign, opting to leave the squad almost unchanged and hoping to repeat all the good done last season. Only starting midfielder Llansana was let go, with Twigt ready to step into the XI after learning the job in the past campaign. Blomme, returning from loan, will be his deputy on the bench. The money obtained from Llansana’s sale was invested signing a new striker, 25-year-old Margaret, who did well at Waalwijk and could represent the alternative for Smit, especially if Victor Edvardsen keeps acting as an attacking midfielder, as he well did in the second half of the last season. Boel will have to solve the goalkeeping dilemma which characterized the past campaign with De Busser and Plogmann fighting for the n.1.