Great to see how far you've came with this squad already.

Good time to get back to the top of the league as well just before the winter break.

Best of luck - keep this fantastic updates up.

Haha, thanks man! Looking forward to your Ajax update :)

Amazing progress mate, this has made me want to get back into my story tonight!

Thanks a lot mate! :)
 
View attachment 276753

January Update


Transfers

Players OUT


So the only two players going out were loans. Youngster Daryl Boons who looks very promising goes out on loan to Fortuna Sittard, hopefully he can get some Eredivisie playing time there, along with Cihat Celik who goes out on loan to Roda.

View attachment 276748 View attachment 276747


Players IN


The first player to join us was youngster Giancarlo Perez, the Costa Rican international had already agreed to join us in the summer. He will fit in to the 1st team and is currently 3rd choice CB. We lacked back up at Left Back, and then Javi Noblejas said he wanted to leave 'for Champions League football' -_- So we loaned Cristian Cuevas from Chelsea. We play attacking Wing Backs, so he is a good fit. We then looked for a few more youngsters. Juan Alejandro Ocampo will join us from Deportivo Cali for around 800k, and he looks a real talent. Hopefully we can nurture him into a top player for us. We then signed, Franco Pereyra, the most exciting of the lot. This guy is the real deal. I am so happy we have managed to sign him. A few clubs wanted him on loan, but I wouldn't let him go as I think he is good enough for our first team straight away. The Uruguayan is a young Luis Suarez in the making! Can't wait to see how he ends up.

View attachment 276742 View attachment 276741 View attachment 276740 View attachment 276743

It is worth noting as well that Franco Pererya has just won the Golden Boot for the U20 South American World Cup, with 8 goals! The award has been won by Neymar, Cavani, Adriano and Gabriel Barbosa..

View attachment 276738


Results

21/1/17 / De Graafschap v Excelsior

View attachment 276728

What a performance from us! We absolutely destroyed Excelsior from the first whistle. Cristian Cuevas made his debut because I benched Noblejas due to his off-field actions, and he scored 2 and got 2 assists! We were really good, apart from Borja Granero getting sent off again..

29/1/17 / Fortuna Sittard v De Graafschap

View attachment 276726

We started the game really well, and won a penalty but van den Boomen missed it. We then missed a couple of real chances and the game was 0-0 at half time. We played with a real edgynous, and we just couldn't score. A really poor result, 2 points lost.


POTM

View attachment 276723

After two really good performances, Kenneth Omerou is the POTM. He is developing well, but will have to fight for his place due to young Centre Backs we have coming through in Giancarlo Perez, Daryl Boons and Bertrand Moussa.


Eredivisie

View attachment 276735

We are still top of the league, but we have dropped silly points and it may come back to haunt us. We should be at least 5 or 6 points clear, but we have failed to turn dominance into wins on numerous occasions. Ajax are coming!

Fixtures

View attachment 276732

So after an emphatic home win and a poor away draw, we are loosing our grasp on 1st place. A huge month coming up, 4 wins would be brilliant for our title chances and really put pressure on the other teams.
 
View attachment 276502

February Update


Results

4/2/17 / FC Utrecht v De Graafschap

View attachment 276495

Wow, after Cuevas' great start he got sent off, and we were completely embarrassed by Utrecht. We had a shocker, especially the defense as you can tell by the result.

12/2/17 / De Graafschap v AZ

View attachment 276494

A very open game in such an important game for us, we had to get 3 points after the disappointment vs Utrecht. Franco Pereyra made his debut for the club, and he won the game for us with 2 goals and an assists. Extremely pleasing that he is playing so well already, but the defense were poor again.

18/2/17 / FC Groningen v De Graafschap

View attachment 276491

A superb performance from the lads and a brilliant result. We were solid defensively for the first time in 3 games, Pereyra scored 2 again!

25/2/17 / De Graafschap v Heracles


View attachment 276490

A solid performance to end the month, the second 2-0 victory in a row. Pleasing that all 3 of our strikers got on the score sheet.


POTM

View attachment 276487

Without question Franco Pereyra is POTM. He has come in off a brilliant performance at the U20 South American Cup, and scored 5 whilst getting 1 assist in 3 games! What a start for the young man. He only was in the lineup due to injurys to Bonazzoli and Torres at the beginning of the month, and he hasn't looked back!


Transfer News

Joao Teixeira has left the club. Krasnador came in with a bid for him, and although I would rather have kept him I was more than happy to sell him for 6.2 million which is what I was able to negotiate to. He hasn't been performing brilliantly and had started moaning about leaving.

I instantly re-invested this money, and activated Lucas Boye's release clause of 6 million euros. So he will officially join us permanently at the end of the season.

View attachment 276484 View attachment 276483


Eredivisie

View attachment 276501

So the table is very tight at the top, it was even tighter before Ajax drew to sc Heerenveen at the end of the month. It is a 4-horse race with only 7 games left, I think it is too late for Feyenoord even if they win all their games.

Fixtures

View attachment 276500

After the shocking performance at the beginning of the month we ended fairly strongly. Very tough games coming up in March, Vitesse and Feyenoord away could easily decide the outcome of our season.​
 
PSV totally off the pace without Depay it seems? Great update apart from that strange demolition.

Good re-investment of your money in Boye too.

Keep it up.
 
PSV totally off the pace without Depay it seems? Great update apart from that strange demolition.

Good re-investment of your money in Boye too.

Keep it up.

Cheers man, the strangeness doesn't stop in March I can assure you! XD
 
View attachment 276435

March Review


Results

5/3/17 / De Graafschap v Willem II

View attachment 276432

After three good wins, this happens. Borja Granero is on his last chance after his 3rd red card in the league this season. The truth was though, we had lost the game way before this. Out classed by Willem II in our own backyard. A huge blow.

12/3/17 / Vitesse v De Graafschap

View attachment 276429

This game will be remembered for years as one of the best matches in a vital game between the two sides in history. Bonazzoli scored for the first time in ages to make it 1-1 with 15 minutes left. We had the momentum with us and pushed for the winner in a vital game. In the 91st minute, Medran knocked down a ball to Pereyra, who ran on to it, GOAL! 2-1! We has surely snatched the win in the 91st minute! Vitesse instantly put pressure on us, Achentah hit one from at least 30 yards out and.. it went in. 2-2. Unbelievable. I thought we had won the game, but it looked like we had lost 2 points right a the end in a real-6 pointer. It wasn't over though, we pushed right on and won a free kick right on the edge of the box. Branco van den Boomen stepped up, but it hit the wall, it fell kindly too him though, Pereyra was wide open, he laid it off to him.. GOAAAL! 3-2! PEREYRA scores his second goal in injury time and we win the game 3-2! SCENES.

17/3/17 / Feyenoord v De Graafschap

View attachment 276428

This will be the last time Borja Granero plays for De Graafschap. His 4th red card of the season, he is responsible for this loss in a crucial game. Credit to the other boys, we almost salvaged something from the game, but the 10 men couldn't hold on.

POTM

View attachment 276426

Branco van den Boomen is POTM for March, Our captain has kept our team going, through motivation as well as inspiring performances. He has been one of the best players in the Eredivisie all year, and deserves all the credit he gets.


Eredivisie

View attachment 276434

After we lose twice in three games surely we still can't be top? We are some how, only on goal difference, but the title is in our hands. We win our remaining 4 games and I am sure we will be Champions for the second year running. Ajax dropped to 4 points behind, but Vitesse and sc Heerenveen are there to pounce if we drop any points.

Fixtures

View attachment 276433

A mixed end to the season. The final two games will be absolutely crucial. sc Heerenveen away will be the decisive game in the title race I believe. However, we have to play PSV on the final day, and sc Heerenveen must face Vitesse on the final day! So no matter what happens, it is going to be very close, and very very exciting!​
 
Last edited:
The positive is you still lead the league (Captain Obvious over here).

So with only four games left I hope you can hold on and retain the title, what an achievement that would and to get the Champions League revenue again would no doubt do you wonders.
 
The positive is you still lead the league (Captain Obvious over here).

So with only four games left I hope you can hold on and retain the title, what an achievement that would and to get the Champions League revenue again would no doubt do you wonders.

Cheer mate! Yeah from where we are the minimum I am expecting is 2nd place and Champions League. End of season update just coming :)
 
View attachment 276376


April Update


So we went into the final month of the season knowing the title was in our hands. 4 big wins away from becoming back-to-back Eredivisie champions.



Results

1/4/17 / De Graafschap v Zwolle

View attachment 276374

We start the last month off with a game at home to Zwolle. They are mid-pack after a decent season, but their
attention is on the Dutch Cup Final. We handed a comprehensive victory to them, we were in control from the start. Cristian Cuevas, Erick Torres and Lucas Boye were on top form. A great way to start the month.

It would seem other results are going our way, our closest challengers sc Heerenveen lose to FC Utrecht! Just like we did earlier in the year.


View attachment 276372


8/4/17 / De Graafschap v SC Cambuur

View attachment 276371

Our next match would be another home game, this time against SC Cambuur, who are fighting relegation. Another top performance from the lads saw us win easily, 3-0. 2 wins out of 4.

16/4/17 / sc Heerenveen v De Graafschap

View attachment 276370

An absolutely huge game. We knew going into this that if Vitesse slip up and we win, we will be crowned champions with a game to spare. We went 1-0 up through another Franco Pereyra goal, but they fought back quickly, it was 1-1 at half time. I made sure to tell the boys just to enjoy the game, and their performance would come after that. We were the better team, but we couldn't get the breakthrough we needed, the game ended 1-1. Luckily for us, Vitesse did draw 1-1 away at Feyenoord. That did mean we would've been crowned Champions by now if we had managed to find a winner. This was hard to get out of our head, but we now had 2 weeks to focus on the final game of the season, away at PSV..


Eredivisie / Battle for the Title

View attachment 276369

So this is how the table looks going into the final game of the season. We are 2 points clear at the top, but we have to play PSV away from home. Ajax have won 3 out of 3 this month as I guessed they would, making one last push for the title. sc Heerenveen and Vitesse have both dropped points, and it will be a struggle for either of them to win the league from where they are. If we can draw, and Ajax don't win, we will win the league due to our superior goal difference over Vitesse and sc Heerenveen.

The final day promises to be dramatic, thrilling, but agonizing for those who don't come out on top.

Last season we went into the final day as underdogs and managed to come out victorious, can we do the job as favourites? Time will tell..
 
Last edited:
View attachment 276356

Final Day Update

So we went into the final day knowing what we could achieve today. But the boys as well as myself kept our heads down, and tried to concentrate on the task in hand.

Results


30/4/17 / PSV v De Graafschap

2:30pm, the final day in the Eredivisie kicked off. 6 minutes in, news filtered through that Ajax had scored an early goal against Excelsior. If things stayed the same they would be Champions. This news fueled our passion, and we pressed high on PSV. In the 14th minute, Marco Asensio won a free kick around 25 yards out. He picked the ball up, stepped back, BANG! 1-0! We were leading! PSV seemed rattled, we looked to capitalise while we could. 1 mintue later we pushed forward, Cuevas put a ball in to the danger area, Boye got on the end of it, GOAL! 2-0! We were leading 2-0 in PSV only 15 minutes in! What a start! In the 40th minute Duvan Zapata scored, but it was ruled offside. Half time, it was 2-0. Ajax still led 2-0, and sc Heerenveen were leading Vitesse 1-0, effectively killing Vitesse's chance at the title.


The 2nd half was underway. 57 minutes in, PSV had a corner, it was whipped in, we half dealt with it but it fell to Yassin Ayoub, BANG, a thunderbolt, 2-1. We looked edgy, 1 goal was currently the difference between the title and 2nd place. PSV piled on the pressure, and in the 66th minute, the ball was whipped in and fell to Duvan Zapata 10 yards out, BA- what a save! Gudino pulls off an unreal save, the game is still 2-1! A few minutes later Bonazzoli and Zakaria Bakkali was introduced to the game, could he be the man to come back and haunt PSV?! 77 minutes in, Lucas Boye runs down the left with ball, he whips in an early ball, Bonazzoli looks to latch on to it, he shoots first time, GOAAAAL! 3-1! We had a 2 goal lead again, there was only 15 minutes left! Only a few minutes later, Ayoub is running into the box and Riedal fouls him, a silly Adam Maher scores and the game is back to 3-2, 10 minutes left. 86 minutes in, PSV are all over us, the ball is whipped into the box and falls to Ayoub, who scores! 3-3. With only a few minutes left it looks like we have just seen the title slip through our fingers! We pushed every man forward, and Duvan Zapata caught us out, 4-3 to PSV. It looked like it was over. We pushed forward and won a penalty, the game was leveled at 4-4 by Branco van den Boomen, but it was too late.


Ajax had won their game 1-0 despite getting a man sent off, and won the league on goal difference, by 4 goals.


View attachment 276353

View attachment 276352


This is how the final league table looked.

View attachment 276351


I will look back on this season as a season of what could have been, and what we missed out on, despite some phenomenal performances from us. We finished 1 point less than last season, whilst Ajax finished 1 point more. I am sure we have qualified for the UCL in 2nd place, but it does mean we will have to go through the qualifying rounds which may be tough.

We will come back with vengeance next season, that is for sure.
 
Last edited:
Man, what a thrilling campaign this is! Excellent last update, just as in the previous season. I'm sure your boys will come back stronger. In fact, you lost the title because these silly silp ups like the one against Willem II.
 
Man, what a thrilling campaign this is! Excellent last update, just as in the previous season. I'm sure your boys will come back stronger. In fact, you lost the title because these silly silp ups like the one against Willem II.

Thanks mate. Yeah I know, the Willem II game and the FC Utrecht game stand out, but we were 3-1 up with 15 minutes to play in the last game! We just couldn't get over the line.
 
Ahh unlucky mate, loved the way you wrote up the action on the final day though!

You won't believe how similar the end of the season was to my first season at Den Haag though...

http://www.fm-base.co.uk/forum/foot...do-den-haag-losing-title-last-day-season.html

So basically, I know exactly how you feel XD

Haha, thanks mate :)

Yeah, was heartbreaking! Just thinking that we were 2 goals up with 15 minutes left! :( Your league ended even closer than mine though!

Gutted for you man!

I hope you are! :mad:
 
You have lost the title,indeed,but you've done an amazing work ...Im sure you"re gonna win it next year...Ajax is more rich than you,you fought till the last moment...Great update,great season...Congrats !PS:waiting for the awards :D
 
Top