Football Season Guide

Eredivisie

Netherlands

Eredivisie

2016/2017

Heracles Almelo

In

Robin Pröpper (def) (De Graafschap), Brandley Kuwas (att) (Excelsior), Daryl van Mieghem (att) (Excelsior), Sander Thomas (att) (PEC Zwolle)

Out

Wout Weghorst (r) (att) (AZ Alkmaar), Gonzalo Garcia-Garcia (sp) (att) (Anorthosis - loan ended), Coen Gortemaker (sp) (def) (Achilles '29), Rick Hemmink (sp) (mid) (Achilles '29), Gino Bosz (sp) (def) (SC Cambuur), Bas Sibum (sp) (mid) (retired)

Heracles Almelo were probably the biggest surprise of the previous Eredivisie season, finishing at the sixth spot on the league table and winning the Europa League play-offs. It will definitely be tough to repeat this success, but they will certainly go for it. However, their main target is to finish the season somewhere halfway the ranking table, between the 8th and 12th position. Qualifiying for the preliminary round of the Europa League led to enormous celebrations in and around Almelo and it was of course a huge achievement, as it will be their first participation in a European club tournament since the foundation of the club in the year 1903. Still they do not only want to enjoy their Europa League campaign, but they also want to claim a few good results. Several players have left the club, from which Wout Weghorst is the biggest name. The striker saw his good previous season being rewarded with a transfer to AZ Alkmaar. Several other players will leave Heracles as well, but those were not regular players during the previous season. The Almelo side wants Vincent Vermeij, who had a good season at De Graafschap, to replace Weghorst. A few players have already been added to the squad for the upcoming season. Wingers Brandley Kuwas and Daryl van Mieghem have already been taken over from Excelsior and defender Robin Pröpper came over from the relegated side of De Graafschap. It looks likely that Iliass Bel Hassani will leave the club. He was one of the best players at Heracles Almelo in the previous season and he is aiming for a new step in his career. Experienced Ramon Zomer and Mark-Jan Fledderus have decided to stay at Heracles Almelo for at least one more season, which is definitely good for the club, because apart from these two, the Heracles squad contains quite a lot of young players. Last but not least coach John Stegeman will continue his job in Almelo. He has become some kind of hero at Heracles, after keeping the club in the Eredivisie in 2014/2015, following a disastrous start of the season, and reaching the Europa League play-offs in the next season and even winning them.

Target

Several years ago the main goal for Heracles Almelo was staying in the Eredivisie, but they are aiming for a higher classification on the ranking list now, since they have been a stable factor in the Eredivisie in the last few seasons. A position between 8 and 12 on the league table at the end of the season will satisfy them, as the 6th place at the end of the previous season was simply exceptional.