Dutch Jupiler League
Michael Den Heijer (Unattached FC)
Looks to be doing well in pre season with the first team at NEC. Played a full 90 minutes in a 2-2 draw with SC Heerenveen.
That's their second division right? What position does he play?
Holding mid or CB from memory
Dutch second division, correct. The team got relegated last season from the eredivise and should look strong to push for promotion this season.
No one mentioned this - what are his ties to NZ?
No one mentioned this - what are his ties to NZ?
has been in the mix at age-group level, played for AK City for a bit.
Product of Onehunga( WYNRS) and Saint Kentigern. Played under 17 for NZ but got cut by Bazley as late stage in 20s rotation.
Did he like passing the ball too much?
ha ha ha
Likes to play football, not rugby.
No one mentioned this - what are his ties to NZ?
has been in the mix at age-group level, played for AK City for a bit.
His auntie goes to every City home game
Is he a likely starter?
If he is, he will be playing at a level higher than a lot of our current midfielders.
Played for their Reserves last season but has been promoted to first team squad. They only just avoided relegation last season so will be a tough learning curve but great he's got the opportunity
They didn't avoid relegation.. they lost the playoff. Hence Michael is getting a good run preseason and is a chance to make the first team during the season proper.
They didn't avoid relegation.. they lost the playoff. Hence Michael is getting a good run preseason and is a chance to make the first team during the season proper.
Ha! Fred told me that the other weeks - whoops!
An unused sub as NEC start season with 3-1 home win. Decent crowd of over 9,000
Actually a really decent level he's at right now, and NEC are arguably the biggest and best team in the Eerste Divisie. Can't be too long until we see him in white, looking forward to his progress
On the bench against Go Ahead Eagles yesterday.
The lads at The Niche Cache talk to Michael:
A nice little article - interesting that he said he took himself out of the U20 team because he didn't like the style of football played or being coached.
Also, a bit sad to hear no one from NZF has been in touch. Ring him up NZF and say, hey congrats on picking up a pro gig. We will keep an eye out on your progress.
That's not how NZF works. Even top players have to go out of their way to tell NZF what their status/movements are.
What a great article - love those kind of stories! Good on him for going to knock on NEC's door and securing a contract!
Historical and pretty place to live also Nijmege
NEC lead 2nd division by 4 pts from Ajax II after 16 games.
Seems Den Heijer is an ever present in NEC's large match day squad, but yet to taste a minute of first team action.
I randomly bumped into Michael in Amsterdam a couple weeks ago. Was fairly honest about his situation, said he’s mostly playing reserves/not close to first team football yet but is loving the challenge and is of course working hard. He offered to hook me up with tickets to a game in Nijmegen so will probably take him up on that at some stage. Good kid.
As an update a 2-1 win for NEC over Helmond Sport keeps them right in contention for the sole automatic promotion spot.
Really tight at the top with NEC (70 points played 35 games) being 2 points behind top of the table Fortuna (72 points played 36 games) but having a game in hand. 38 game regular season.
NEC play their catch game away to Ajax II on Monday. Big game. Being a Monday higher risk that some Ajax first team squad members will released for a game & match fitness?? Fortuna have Ajax II as their last game.
Spots 2-5 go into promotion playoffs. However as Ajax II & PSV II currently occupy two of those spots - and they cannot be promoted to the top flight - these playoff spots will be given instead to the highest ‘regular’ teams that don't make the playoffs, ie likely teams 6-7.
NEC are a big club for 2nd Div - attracting home crowds 10-11K, not that far behind the crowds that Ryan Thomas & Zwolle attract in the top flight.
Heijer appears as a consistent bench warmer on Soccerway (24 times in match day squad), but still yet to play a single minute. I guess with the promotion battle so tight, coaches not in a position to blood a 21 yr midfield tyro.
So if NEC get promoted, you would think he would be better to try another weaker team in the Dutch Div 2 to get some playing time.
Still a young guy, who would have learnt alot about Dutch football this season.
Yeah I caught up with Michael again when he played Jong FC Utrecht and he seemed frustrated to not be getting game time. I took it as a sign that he’s training well and competing for a spot. Always hard to crack a winning team tho, especially in his position. Agree that he might be best to remain in the Jupiler league next season if they are promoted.
Not sure if many are aware but the NEC Jong Ajax game is actually a replay of a game earlier in the season between the two sides whereby a clerical error by KNVB allowed a Jong Ajax player to play when he should have been suspended. Jong Ajax won the game and would be sitting top currently had the result stood. NEC get another crack which of course is a good result for Michael’s side. Any result is a bonus. Agree Ajax could load the team up with first team players a bit (within the rules) but they have a fairly decent side as it is. Some of the youth players get paid more annually than some of the entire Jupiler league teams!
Some of the youth players get paid more annually than some of the entire Jupiler league teams!
Yeah read that comment somewhere else. Sounds like a lot of the Jupiler clubs, not happy that the Jong (II sides of the big clubs like Ajax) teams are lumped in their competition. All a large political leg up for the big Dutch clubs, with their youth players having their development sped up by regular match play, at a reasonably high level in Div 2 - so greatly benefiting their first teams stay dominant in the top flight.
Anyway hopefully Heijer can crack it in Holland. He's still young at only 21. NEC must rate him a bit, if he is making their match day squads. Just hard to break into a winning side chasing promotion hard.
Yeah that’s certainly a subject of contention over here. There’s positives and negatives of course.
Michael’s NEC lost 0-1 to Jong Ajax tonight. Two games to go and both Fortuna and Jong Ajax should pick up maximum points, although Jong PSV could be difficult for Fortuna, and Jong FC Utrecht, albeit cemented in last place could also cause problems as they’ve had a late season resurgence of sorts. Mid table teams Volendam and MVV Maastricht are capable but I can’t see a club like Ajax tripping up in this position.
Cheers Topleft.
How many teams can be promoted from Jupiler League?
On Soccerway looks like just the 1 automatic promotion spot - with only bottom team of Eredivisie automatically relegated, and next two bottom Eredivisie teams going into relegation/promotion playoffs with 4 teams from the Jupiler League.
As Ajax II can't be promoted, them winning the Jupiler title is not the end of the world for NEC if Fortuna slip up at all in their last 2 games, and NEC can grab 2nd - ie be the highest team on the table that qualifies for automatic promotion.
Could well be some last day league drama!!
Yeah that’s certainly a subject of contention over here. There’s positives and negatives of course.
Michael’s NEC lost 0-1 to Jong Ajax tonight. Two games to go and both Fortuna and Jong Ajax should pick up maximum points, although Jong PSV could be difficult for Fortuna, and Jong FC Utrecht, albeit cemented in last place could also cause problems as they’ve had a late season resurgence of sorts. Mid table teams Volendam and MVV Maastricht are capable but I can’t see a club like Ajax tripping up in this position.
Cheers Topleft.
How many teams can be promoted from Jupiler League?
On Soccerway looks like just the 1 automatic promotion spot - with only bottom team of Eredivisie automatically relegated, and next two bottom Eredivisie teams going into relegation/promotion playoffs with 4 teams from the Jupiler League.
As Ajax II can't be promoted, them winning the Jupiler title is not the end of the world for NEC if Fortuna slip up at all in their last 2 games, and NEC can grab 2nd - ie be the highest team on the table that qualifies for automatic promotion.
Could well be some last day league drama!!
Yeah that’s certainly a subject of contention over here. There’s positives and negatives of course.
Michael’s NEC lost 0-1 to Jong Ajax tonight. Two games to go and both Fortuna and Jong Ajax should pick up maximum points, although Jong PSV could be difficult for Fortuna, and Jong FC Utrecht, albeit cemented in last place could also cause problems as they’ve had a late season resurgence of sorts. Mid table teams Volendam and MVV Maastricht are capable but I can’t see a club like Ajax tripping up in this position.
Yeah that’s certainly a subject of contention over here. There’s positives and negatives of course.
Michael’s NEC lost 0-1 to Jong Ajax tonight. Two games to go and both Fortuna and Jong Ajax should pick up maximum points, although Jong PSV could be difficult for Fortuna, and Jong FC Utrecht, albeit cemented in last place could also cause problems as they’ve had a late season resurgence of sorts. Mid table teams Volendam and MVV Maastricht are capable but I can’t see a club like Ajax tripping up in this position.
I got off the coach and tried it once - never again lol - and I'm not American.... Some great great delicacies on offer though. If you ever did a Contiki/Top Deckl/Autotours trip in the 80s, you will have had a group photo taken there in full national dress.
Horribly off topic, but here is the offering at one of the Volendam food carts
It’s the same as it used to be then! There weren’t many tourists around when I was there though.
I used to go there a lot [ I was a tour guide] and it was never ever really crowded. We only used to stay for about an hour though as we scooted around the countryside visiting a windmill and a cheese factory, looking at tulips etc. Nice place.