Football Season Guide

PEC Zwolle

In


Anouar El Azzouzi (def) Dordrecht, Lennart Czyborra (def) Genoa, Odysseus Velanas (mid) NAC Breda, Jenno Campagne (mid) free-agent, Kenneth Vermeer (gk) MLS Pool, Ferdy Druijf (att) Rapid Wien on loan, Younes Namli (mid) Sparta Rotterdam, Zico Buurmeester (mid) AZ Alkmaar, Thomas Lam (def) Melbourne City, Anselmo GarcĂ­a MacNulty (def) Wolfsburg

Out


Haris Medunjanin (mid) Castellon, Jimmy Kaparos (mid) Schalke 04 II, Stijn Meijer (att) released, Jordy Tutuarima (def) released, Thomas Beelen (def) Feyenoord, Rav van den Berg (def) Middlesborough, Chardi Landu (att) Emmen, Tomislav Mrkonjic (mid) released, Younes Taha (mid) Twente, Hicham Acheffay (att) released, Gervane Kastaneer (att) released, Thomas van den Belt (mid) Feyenoord, Gabi Caschili (def) Cambuur

Back in the top flight after only one season in Eerste Divisie. PEC Zwolle dominated the league alongside Heracles Almelo (another team that had just been relegated from the Eredivisie) and finished the season with 85 points, the same as the black and whites, but ended in 2nd place due to the worse goal difference. A great job by coach Dick Schreuder, whose qualities have not gone unnoticed, enough to find a bench in Spain. Former Heerenveen Johnny Jansen will lead PEC in this new Eredivisie experience. The whole team had an important season, in particular goalkeeper Jasper Schendelaar, who kept 15 clean sheets, and experienced centre-forward Lennart Thy, league top scorer with 23 goals. Both will remain in the blue and white shirt unlike two other players who have been fundamental: midfielder Thomas van den Belt (16 goals scored), who moved to Feyenoord, and the young and talented Younes Taha who moved to Twente. Another great loss is the one of centre-back Rav van den Berg bought by Middlesbrough. As for the arrivals so far in attack they added forward Ferdy Druijf, on loan from Rapid Wien, and attacking midfielder Odysseus Velanas. In defense the most important arrivals are the ones of German right-back Lennart Czyborra and Thomas Lam.

Target


Like all newly promoted teams PEC will have the goal of fighting for staying in the topflight, but they have a certain experience at this level.