FC Groningen #73: Ain pronkjewail in golden raand

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Holla: ‘Ik schoot hem lekker binnen’

FC Groningen won in een matige wedstrijd uiteindelijk dik verdiend met 3-0 van De Graafschap. Met twee assists en een doelpunt was Danny Holla de architect achter de overwinning.

Holla was uiteraard tevreden met het resultaat, maar het veldspel was volgens de jongeling niet geweldig. “We speelden niet goed ook al creëerden we wel kansen. Na het doelpunt werd het wel wat rustiger, maar toch is de 2-0 in de tweede helft dan lekker. Je weet natuurlijk nooit.”

Door het midden
“We speelden te veel ballen door het midden en moesten meer de zijkanten zoeken. Dat is in de rust ook gezegd.” Toch had ook Holla weinig te klagen. “Ook al was het deze keer geen goede wedstrijd, we winnen wel en zijn eigenlijk niet in de problemen geweest.”

Juichen
Voor Holla was de 1-0 zijn eerste doelpunt in de Eredivisie. “De bal werd goed weggelegd door Marcus Berg en ik schoot hem lekker binnen.” Holla scoorde afgelopen woensdag voor de beker, uit bij Telstar, zijn eerste goal in een officiële wedstrijd van FC Groningen. Juichen deed hij toen niet. In Euroborg liep de middenvelder na zijn treffer wel met zij armen in de lucht. “Die goal tegen Telstar was niet zo bijzonder. Nu wilde ik het publiek toch een beetje oppeppen.”

Buitenspel
Bij de 2-0 en de 3-0 stond Holla aan de basis van de treffer. Uit een corner scoorde Andreas Granqvist en vlak voor tijd zette Marcus Berg de eindstand op de borden. Zelf dacht de Zweedse spits buitenspel te lopen.
“Het was al een paar keer op het randje en ik dacht nu weer buitenspel te staan. Gelukkig was het niet zo en mocht ik door.” Helemaal tevreden was Berg ondanks zijn doelpunt niet.

“Voor een spits is het altijd lekker als je scoort, maar ik heb maar twee echte kansen gekregen. Eén uit twee is niet slecht, toch zou ik graag nog meer willen creëren,” aldus de spits die komende woensdag met Zweden tegen Oranje speelt.

FC Groningen

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"The Swedes is a success'

Sportbladet visited Groningen - the club where Swedish players are at the top of the course: "Dream Players for a coach"

GRONINGEN-Ameland. One came, was number two, three came, came fourth - and fifth grade will eventually.

In January, five Swedes could play in Groningen.

- The Swedes are a success for us. We are following several players in the headlines, "said coach Ron Jans.


2006 was inaugurated FC Groningen new arena Euro Borg. Revenues and average audience grew.

In the early 1970s played goalkeeper Jan Nordstrom in the Dutch North Club. Since the mid 90's there has been an American character in Groningen.

Mathias Barbera followed by Magnus "Ölme" Johansson and Mathias Florén.

But the blue-yellow element has never been so clear now.

- Our four Swedish players are really good. Petter Andersson has made many goals and played well. What Marcus Berg and Fredrik Stenman may all know, "said Groningen charismatic klubbdirektör Hans Nijland.

- But right now I am most pleased with the recruitment of Andreas Granqvist. He is one of the best defenders in the entire league. Have you seen his solomål? wonder Nijland and aimed at Granqvist first goal for Groningen, a DRIBBLE raid from their own pitch, the home premiere against Utrech.

The Swedish landslagsbacken never got it to work when he took the move from Brighton to Wigan and Premier League.

After a loan back to the HIF bought last summer Groningen off the Swede from Wigan for a million, then less than 10 million.

- He is already worth the money several times, "said businessman Nijland.

Last summer he sold the egne son, attacking Stefan Nijland, 20, to PSV after the Dutch masters in vain tried to get to negotiations on nugget Groningen, Marcus Berg.

- Jan Rekers, PSV's klubbdirektör, telephoned me and said they wanted to buy Berg.

- I said 'OK, Jan, we can have a meeting - if the price we are discussing is 20 million. " There was no meeting, Nijland says with a laugh.

PSV bought Nijland jr instead - and Groningen in turn acquired flash Petter Andersson from Hammarby.

Nijland says with Sportbladet at a soccer field in the idyllic village Hollum, capital of the island of Ameland, just outside the northern Dutch coast.

Turistön Ameland, one of FC Groningen major sponsors and this windy November day at the North Sea visiting team's players and leaders of the island's schools in a joint fitness projects.

Nijland do not want to stop talking about Swedish players.

- We do not see any problem with the players is lost. We are looking at getting well paid for them. Then we can acquire new Swedish players ...

- I would have liked Rasmus Lindgren was with us, but he had a clause in his contract that made that Ajax could buy him for 2.5 million euros (23 million). On the other hand, we bought him for 300 000 euro (2.7 million).

Have you been close to purchase another American player this year?

- We follow several pieces. We gave Robin Söder an offer, but he wanted to stay in Sweden, says Nijland.
"We are in seventh place economically"

German football league has the last 27 years totally dominated by the big three.

Not since AZ won the championship 1981, no other club than Ajax, Feyenoord and PSV managed to take home the title.

The dominance can be seen even financially. Ajax, Feyenoord and PSV has sales of 400-500 million annually, depending on how far they go in any Champions League games.

After the follow large batches AZ, Twente and Heerenveen with costs totaling 250-300 million.

- We are in seventh place economically. We metabolize 17 million (170 million) of which our spelartrupp yesterday of 7.5 million in salaries and other costs, "said Hans Nijland.

- Our ambition is to fight for a place in Europe each season. But then we need to increase turnover up to 25-30 million annually.

How do you do it?

- By Groningen city expanding our stadium Euro Borg, from the current 20 000 seats to 30 000-35 000 within three years. We have agreed on the deployment of the municipality. We pay 1.2 million euros a year in rent, "said Nijland.

On the arena side is Holland ten years before Sweden.

More modern, comfortable stadiums and higher average audience (18 523 spectators compared with the headline 7 787) makes the Dutch clubs can pay relatively attractive salaries to the Swedish player.

Many of the Swedes in the Eredivisie has years of salary, around 3-5 million gross. Big stars have been considerably more. Ajax should have offered the attacker Klaas Jan Huntelaar over 30 million a year.

A sports tax for foreign players around 30 percent also Holland economically beneficial.



Two North Dutch club, Heerenveen and Groningen, Marcus Berg was on the summer of 2007.

When Berg visited Groningen late one evening, the club took with him into the Euro Borg's grass and lit up the whole stadium.

- They showed that they really wanted me, and there were two Swedes in the club. It facilitated the social, "says Marcus Berg.

What does it mean to be four Swedes on the team?

- It is almost advantages. In addition to the football part, we are also good friends in private.

Disadvantages?

- We may not be a small part in the team. But we are not together still. I am thinking about it and not talk English all the time. It is disrespectful to the other guys.

14 cases first season, already seven so far makes the rumors surrounding Berg continues to spin.

Last summer was PSV and Nancy French no.

The strongest rumor now is that Ajax go in with a jättebud on the Swede if it sells the star Huntelaar, for example, Arsenal when the transfer window opens in January.

Berg is willing to play left in Holland.

- The goal is obviously to get to a bigger club or a major line. Is there a team that often plays in the Champions League is a big advantage. It is then that may face the very best. Ajax and PSV often play in the Champions League, "said Marcus Berg.

Common to both the English players and management in Groningen is that no one sees FC Groningen as a final station in his career, but as a springboard - to the larger clubs and the Swedish national team.

Thanks to the many injuries was Petter Andersson surprisingly called up to the Swedish World Cup qualifier squad against Portugal last month.

Meanwhile, ex-Hammarby's success in Holland continued. Andersson has made five goals in the league and is once again set aside in the National Team that will meet Holland in Amsterdam on Wednesday.

- I was surprised that I came up with the squad. Several of the injured players are back. At the same time, it has gone well for me here and succeed in Holland chances are greater to join the national team than if you play in the headlines, "said Petter Andersson.

What's the biggest difference compared with the headline?

- The game is more offensive. There is a lot one-man. Makes her hubby is the large surfaces. We are training more in Groningen, compared with Hammarby, there are more days with dual passports. And then we can run clean technology exercises, which to train DRIBBLE.
"Looks like more Swedes here"

Three of four Groningen Swedes are in the squad against Holland. Only the left hill Fredrik Stenman, who had been wounded, missing.

- English and Scandinavian players are adapting quickly. It is the team player, they work hard, they manage their data. It is often dream player for a coach. It is good business for us and very often also for the player. To play in the Eredivisie is a good education in professional careers. They become better players over the years in Holland, says Groningen coach Ron Jans.



If Marcus Berg is left in Groningen in the spring of 2009 may well be the four Swedes been joined by more fellow countrymen.

- Four players are not max. I like to see more good English players in Groningen. At the same time, we do not have to get Dutch players, "said Ron Jans.

What are you looking for?

- We want a left defender so we have a backup to Fred (Fredrik Stenman). We have other left-shot players, but nobody who can play LEFT good. We are looking for an attacker and a center defender. We have a young central defender from Argentina, Matías Cahais, who do not like it here. It is better that he moves back and find a new club there or elsewhere.

Groningen solicitation efforts led by coach Jans, club directors Hans Nijland and Henk Veldmate along with a couple scouts.

This season has seen many Groningen allsvenska matches.

- I saw Elfsborg-Kalmar, it was partly to Mattias Florén (formerly of Groningen) plays but also to look at Ishizaki. It is a pity he is injured, "said Ron Jans.

- I have also seen Gais Ljungs-AIK and-kile-Gothenburg - it was an adventure ...

Why the games?

- We wanted to see IFK Gothenburg Sigurdsson and Bjärsmyr.

Are you interested in them?

- We follow them.

When Sportbladet are stingy winds on Ameland and talking with Jans and Nijland calling Henk Veldmate to talk about including Hammarby LEFT Emil Johansson and Malmo FF's Ola Toivonen.

Groningen can challenge the major teams for the title this season?

- Realistically no - but it is not impossible. If we can strengthen the squad in January so the possibility exists. Are we a couple, three additional players that we have a brigade that can better harm, so does the chance badly, "said Ron Jans.

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- Jan Rekers, PSV's klubbdirektör, telephoned me and said they wanted to buy Berg.

- I said 'OK, Jan, we can have a meeting - if the price we are discussing is 20 million. " There was no meeting, Nijland says with a laugh.