Football Season Guide

RKC Waalwijk had a very difficult season. After a terrible start with four defeats in the first four rounds, they managed to move up the standings, but always remained on the edge of the relegation zone. Only thanks to a final flash did they manage to avoid relegation. They finished in 15th place with the same points as 16th Excelsior, but avoided the playouts thanks to a better goal difference. Their strong point was definitely their defense, the eighth worst in the entire Eredivisie, but on the other hand they only scored 38 goals…pretty normal considering coach Henk Fraser's purely defensive game. During the summer transfer market three key pieces of the defense left, Shawn Adewoye and Juriën Gaari, but above all their best player, goalkeeper Etienne Vaessen who went to Groningen. Replacing Vaessen is Yanick van Osch from Cambuur, a good goalkeeper, but probably not at the same level as his predecessor. On the contrary, there are still many holes to fill in the defense at the moment. Another excellent farewell was that of striker David Min, RKC's top scorer last season with 10 goals, who, after starting on the bench, was crucial in the final part of the season. The Polish Oskar Zawada has arrived to replace him, but he has been playing for two seasons in a minor league like the New Zealand one.