Football Season Guide

FC Emmen

In


Lorenzo Burnet (def), Koge), Oussama El Azzouzi (mid), Groningen), Peter van Ooijen (mid), Jeff Hardeveld (def), Heracles), Jeroen Veldmate (def), Go Ahead Eagles), Teun Bijleveld (mid), Heracles), Kyan van Dorp (gk), PSV U21), Leonel Miguel (def), Groningen U21), Jeredy Hilterman (att), Utrecht U21), Indy Groothuizen (gk), Vejle), Jasin Assehnoun (mid), Lahti), Michael Brouwer (gk), Heracles - loan), Azzeddine Toufiqui (mid), Caen), Arnaud Luzayadio (def), Orleans)

Out


Simon Tibbling (r)(mid), Randers), Kerim Frei (sp)(att), Karagumuruk), Caner Cavlan (r)(mid), Bandirmaspor), Robin Jalving (gk), Heracles), Nick Bakker (r)(def), Ferhat Görgülü (sp)(def), Ricardo van Rhijn (r)(def), Paul Gladon (sp)(att), Keziah Veendorp (r)(def), Robbert de Vos (sp)(mid), Hilal Ben Moussa (sp)(mid), Marko Kolar (sp)(att), Wisla Plock), Michael de Leeuw (k)(att), Groningen), Sekou Sidibe (sp)(mid), U Craiova), Nikolai Laursen (r)(mid), Heracles), Stefan van der Lei (gk), Dennis Telgenkamp (sp)(gk), retired), Denis Granecny (sp)(def), Banik - end of loan), Michael Verrips (r)(gk), Sheffield United - end of loan), Luka Adzic (sp)(att), Anderlecht - end of loan), Jean-Pierre Rhyner (sp)(def), Cadiz - end of loan)

Emmen are back in the second division after three exciting years in the Eredivisie, with the team finding the challenge too tough this time against bigger and more resourceful clubs. They gave it all until the end and at least avoided automatic relegation after some great wins in the final few weeks, but a loss to NAC Breda in the play-offs meant that the Red and Whites are relegated. Dick Lukkien has been a great servant for the club in recent years and he remains as a coach this season as the task is to get back at the first time of asking. As usual after relegation, a big chunk of the squad is moving on to new clubs and there is certainly going to be a drastic overhaul ahead of the new season. Two of the more talented players in the squad in Peruvian pair Sergio Pena and Miguel Araujo are still with the club but it is very much a question mark if they are retained beyond August. The biggest loss of the summer so far is of veteran striker and talisman Michael de Leeuw, who scored 13 goals last season and at times put the team on his back. A few others that have been part of the journey in recent years in Caner Cavlan and Nick Bakker are also leaving and will be tough to replace. But Lukkien has been busy adding good players to the squad and the likes of Lorenzo Burnet, Peter van Ooijen, Jeff Hardveld and Jeroen Veldmate are all proven at the high end of this division and should make Emmen a force to be reckoned with. Jeremy Hilterman, who has done well with Utrecht U21s last year, is primed to be the main striker and, if he can carry the responsibility, this Emmen side looks like the favourite for the title at the moment.

Target


The squad has a good balance and can certainly challenge for promotion.