After a frenzied amount of press activity on day 1, things began to settle down for the six new imports into the Dutch managerial couldron, and it quickly became apparent that there was huge financial disparity between the big clubs and the not-so-big. With this in mind, the managers set about isolating their key targets and trying to wheel 'n' deal to find the best deals.
In an attempt to sure up his defence,
Matt Connolly has made a £70k offer for well-regarded defender
Reinhard Breinburg - his club,
Dordrecht, are thought to be unlikely to sell.
Vitesse manager
Connolly is also apparently in talks with fellow newcomer
Dan Cuthbert - who manages
NEC - about a possible loan move for
Theo Dams. It is thought the talented young left-back would act as cover for the first-team, and it seems a deal is likely to be reached in the near future.
Connolly's interest in reported main summer target
Jhon van Beukering continues - after reportedly scouting the striker personally,
Connolly is said to have approached
Cuthbert regarding the 23 year old's availability. There is also rumoured interest from one other unnamed Dutch club.
Cuthbert negotiates a price, allegedly in the region of £2m for the speedy striker, and
Connolly confirmed that
"we have made an official bid."
In a show of great loyalty,
Van Beukering has told
Vitesse manager
Connolly in no uncertain terms that he is not interested in moving clubs. The striker went on record to say that he wanted to
"help the new manager achieve great things" at
NEC.
Connolly has made contact with
Willem II's out of contract midfielder,
Steef Nieuwendaal.
Influential playmaker
Theo Janssen ties up a new contract, keeping him at
Vitesse until 2012. Fans are said to be extremely relieved at this news, as most
"cannot imagine Vitesse without him."
Promising wing-back
Colin van Mourik also signs new deal, ensuring his future until 2011.
René Higuita, 40, signs for
NAC Breda. It is the first signing by new manager
Carlos Calheiros.
Andres Oper has agreed to join
Vitesse on loan from
Roda JC. It is rumoured that the friendship between the two new foreign managers helped to clinch the deal.
Nick Austin realises that he is in fact in the company of an ex-BBC newsreader,
Michael Buerk, as heated negotiations persist regarding the transfer of an
Excelsior player to
Roda.
Connolly publicly praises
Burke for his handling of the Estonian striker
Andres Oper's temporary transfer.
Onur Kaya has been compared to cornerstone of the Belgian 1954 World Cup team,
Victor Mees.
Connolly responds indifferently to such claims, as he hasn't a clue who
Victor Mees is.
Negotiations with
Dordrecht seem set to break down, as
Vitesse have a second bid for
Reinhard Breinburg rejected.
35-year-old, ex-Brazilian international,
Marío Jardel has signed for
NAC Breda, becoming new Portuguese boss
Carlos Calheiros' second transfer coup so far. The veteran striker is reportedly
"delighted" at the opportunity to play in such a high-profile league, and has vowed to
"score the goals" to repay the manager's faith.
Dion Esajas has also put pen-to-paper as the creative striker signs for
NAC Breda to complete a busy day of activity for the Dutch club.
Esajas has already made the fans aware that he hopes to form a good understanding with fellow new-boy,
Marío Jardel.
Partizan Belgrade have dismissed rumours that
Stevan Jovetic may soon move to one of Europe's elite leagues. The 17-year-old was said to be a target for a number of Dutch clubs, though no offers were made.
Growing fears over the future of
Vitesse winger
Anduele Pryor have been allayed, as the pacey wide-man has committed his future by signing a contract worth £9k a week.
Calheiros continues to be the most active manager in the transfer market, securing the services of 17-year-old
Herenveen youngster
Jeffrey Gouweleeuw. Reports suggest that
Herenveen will be paid a small fee, in line with FIFA's policy regarding players who have been developed in local academies.
Although the fans are happy that
Calheiros is taking the initiative and bringing in some new faces, a few feel that he has
"not given our boys a chance" and are angered by the lack of faith shown in the current squad.
vs.
SBV Excelsior visit
Zwarte Leeuw in their first friendly, giving new charge
Nick Austin his first chance to see his team in action. He has opted to play a strong team in the first half, and they have taken to what appears to be a strangely blue-coloured playing surface.
Voskamp opens the scoring after 20 mins with a looping header.
Rogerio Pereira's effort for
Zwarte is disallowed for offside after 49 minutes.
Schoenmakers capitalises on some dilly-dallying to fire the ball past
Excelsior's keeper after 69 minutes, giving
Zwarte a well-earned equaliser.
Austin, although clearly dismayed, managed to see the positive post-match, claiming only that he was
"glad we didn't lose." He also singled out influential playmaker
Sebástian Pardo for special praise.
"Pardo is clearly the best player the club has ever seen so hopefully his loan can be extended." Tongue-in-cheek, he went on to claim;
"If Pardo gets injured, I will resign."
Guirane N'Daw, Senegalese defender, signs for
Vitesse on loan from
FC Sochaux-Montbélliard, becoming
Connolly's second loan acquisition. The powerful, athletic defender will help to provide some much-needed defensive cover.
Nick Austin bemoans the lack of available players for reasonable prices.
"Considering the funds available to most clubs, I find it surprising that managers are able to put such inflated valuations on, what are - quite frankly - average players, with only a little genuine ability."
Reports are surfacing that
Burke is on the verge of landing his first signing, highly-rated Spaniard
Daniel Guijo-Velasco, from
SBV Excelsior. The fee is believed to be in the region of £250k, with a part split over instalments. Following
Austin's recent comments to the media regarding players being overvalued, he described that he believed the two new managers had reached a
"fair price."
Michael Burke's Roda JC have pulled off a real transfer coup by landing
Everton's Nigerian international striker,
Victor Anichebe on loan for the duration of the season. The news will be to the relief of many
Roda fans, who have seen many of their rivals, also under the guidance of new bosses, be more active in the transfer market.
Burke was quick to point out that he felt he had
"landed a real gem of a player." It is rumoured that
Vitesse boss
Matt Connolly played some part in the deal, though we are unclear of the details at this time.
One of the theories being banded around has it that written into the deal was a clause stating
Anichebe, who seemed favourite to join
Vitesse on loan, is not to feature in matches against
Vitesse for the duration of his time in The Netherlands.
Steef Niewendaal is staying put, having signed a contract extension at
Willem II. He revealed that is pleased to be staying with the club where he feels so at home.
vs.
Vitesse's second friendly under the guidance of new boss
Connolly was a drab affair with lowly
FV Pirmasens. The game finished 0-0 and was highly forgettable.
"I am happy with the way we controlled the midfield, as we would expect to in a game like this," claimed
Connolly,
"though this is no excuse for lacklustre finishing." One real moment of quality from debutante
Andres Oper - a second-half substitute - saw him turn and hit the crossbar with an audacious 35-yard strike with his first touch.
Rejecting ofers from
Corinthians,
Belenenses and
Maccabi Tel-Aviv, Brazilian international
Alessandro has put pen-to-paper and signed for
Vitesse on a free transfer. Although reports from Brazil are emanating that he is not fully-fit,
Vitesse boss
Connolly appears to have pulled off a great achievement in getting the attack-minded right-sided defender to sign for his club.
"We are delighted to announce the signing of Alessandro - he has genuine quality and is the sort of player that can take us forward into a new era of attacking football," stated
Connolly, much to the delight of the gathered fans. It appears
Alessandro could well become a fan favourite in no time if he lives up to the billing.
vs.
VfB Lübeck 0
NAC Breda 1 - ex-Tranmere full-back
Tyrone Loran scores winner. This match was overseen by
NAC Breda's assistant manager, with reports surfacing that
Calheiros was back home in his native Portugal for "personal reasons."
Belgian target man
Giuseppe Rossini joins
Excelsior predictably, on loan, from
FC Utrecht until end-of-season. It is
Austin's first piece of incoming business, and after bemoaning prices he is said to be relieved to be able to make his mark in the transfer market at last.
"He has shown me he wants to play football - and that is welcome. He is a big lad and I am sure he will do well," commented the new boss on his new signing.
Van Beukering has turned down the chance to return to former stamping ground
Vitesse, citing that he has only recently joined
NEC and is doubtful of what is to be gained from moving on so quickly.
Cuthbert is said to have mixed feelings about retaining his star striker, as certain corners of the media are reporting that the transfer money had already been tied up into other deals.
Carlos Calheiros returns from short break back in native Portugal. He is quick to play down suggestions that he is not settling well to life in Holland.
Rutger Worm is reportedly unsettled at
NEC.
Cuthbert has told the pacey winger he will be allowed to leave the club should they receive an appropriate offer.
Abubakari Yakubu has agreed terms with Greek giants
PAOK in a deal worth £1.5m. The Ghanaian centre-back claimed playing in Europe was just
"too good to turn down." The transfer was thought to be allowed to happen as a way of financially paving
Jhon van Beukering's move to
Vitesse.
Calheiros signs yet another ex-international in
Bonaventure Kalou on a free transfer. He is said to be convinced that
Kalou will become
"a club hero."
Cuthbert, who has thus far been quiet on the transfer scene, has secured the transfer of
József Kanta, a 23-year-old Hungarian international midfielder, from
MTK Budapest. It was feared that the transfer may not be allowed to take place, due to the dubious scouting laws in place in Hungary which eventually proved the undoing of former
NAC Breda boss
Ernie Brandts, though
NEC managed to push the transfer through for a reported £250k.
Cuthbert was then swiftly on the case closer to home, agreeing a deal with
PSV's Género Zeefuik which will see the hot prospect join
NEC on loan for the season.
Veteran Dutch winger
Jan Gerver becomes
Cuthbert's latest acquisition.
SBV Excelsior fans have been sent into raptures at the news that ex-
Lazio sweeper
Salvatore Fresi has signed for them on a free transfer. The 34-year-old had been out of contract, and is said to be pleased at the prospect of playing regularly again.
Austin was quick to play down suggestions that one makes a team, but could not hide his delight at the signing of a player whom he still regards as
"international standard."
vs.
Minnows
Stade Athlétique Spinalien, of the French CFA – Group A took on
NAC Breda, who were back under the guidance of new manager
Carlos Calheiros after a short leave of absence.
The new boss had to watch on in dismay as first
Grégory Humbert put the lowly hosts in front after 25 minutes and then
Morad Mohamed extended the lead ten minutes later, to give
Epinal a 2-0 half-time lead and pile on the misery for
Calheiros.
The French side were more-than-a-match for
Calheiros’ band of new signings in the first half.
Marío Jardel pulls one back just shy of an hour gone, although the game petered out and it is another poor result which saw some pessimistic fans question the new manager’s approach – although it is surely too early for such assessments?