Football Season Guide

After the unexpected relegation last year, Heracles Almelo immediately redeemed themselves by returning straight to the Eredivisie. They did it grandly by winning the Eerste Divisie on 85 points, the same as their only real rivals PEC Zwolle, but with a better goal difference. Their strength was undoubtedly the attack, capable of scoring 103 goals, 49 coming from 3 players, Samuel Armenteros (17), Emil Hansson (16) and Nikolai Laursen (16). Moreover, Hansson was also the best assist man of the league (19). They also performed quite well in defense, 42 goals conceded, and goalkeeper Michael Brouwer kept 15 clean sheets. Great credit also goes to coach John Lammers who often had the courage to field a very offensive line-up like the 4-2-1-3...unlikely to be able to repeat it in the Eredivisie. Unfortunately, in the summer top scorer Armenteros left alongside other regular starters such as defender Marco Rente, midfielder Lucas Schoofs and winger Ismail Azzaoui. In the transfermarket so far, they strengthened the flanks with the arrivals of full-backs Jetro Willems and Jannes Wieckhoff and winger Bryan Limbombe. Forward Jizz Hornkamp, coming from Willem II, will have the task of not making Armenteros regret alongside experienced Mario Engels.