Football Season Guide

Since Advocaat's arrival in the Autumn of 2019, Feyenoord never lost in a domestic competition for over a year. By December, though, the players lost confidence in the veteran coach once it became clear that he would leave at the end of the season. From then they managed 6 wins in the last 17 games, but they qualified for the new-born European Conference League via the playoffs. Arne Slot, Advocaat's replacement, was hired after making his name in just 18 months spent at AZ as head coach, where he came close to winning the Eredivisie title, had it not been for the Coronavirus outbreak, before being sacked, months later, for indulging in talks with Feyenoord. The summer saw the Rotterdam outfit limiting their investments as they let plenty of players go while only signing a few. In particular, they don't look to have addressed last season's key problem, the lack of a prolific striker. Jorgensen, Linssen, Bozenik and Pratto all failed to deliver consistently as Feyenoord scored only 64 goals, 10 less than second-placed PSV and 38 less than Ajax, the Eredivisie winners, but no new centreforward has been hired yet. Moreover, key star Berghuis, capable of 87 goals and 64 assists in 199 games played for Feyenoord, was let go to Ajax. They acquired a like-for-like replacement in right-winger Jahanbakhsh, who had done well at AZ but struggled at Brighton & Albion Hove. 10 more players left but most of them only played supporting roles, like defenders Nieuwkoop, Botteghin and Spajic, who lost his starting status midway through the past campaign. With 36 goals conceded last season, Feyenoord had the 3rd best defence in the Netherlands but they saw a chance for improvement by signing the experienced Austrian centre-back Trauner and the young Norwegian full-back Pedersen. Goalkeeper Marsman, who did well during Bijlow's absence due to injury, left for the USA but was replaced by experienced Marciano, coming from Scotland. The arrival of Til, one of Slot's favourites at AZ, on loan from Spartak Moscow, represents an interesting move: the attacking midfielder needs a fresh start after a past poor campaign and he could provide much-needed creativity offensively and goals, as the pre-season proved.