There are rare moments in a club’s history when the regular league schedule becomes a massive, surreal inconvenience. On page 5 of this matchday programme, manager Erwin van de Looi pens his “De Warming Up” column under the most extraordinary circumstances. Just days earlier, on a historic Wednesday evening, FC Groningen defeated Excelsior 3-0 to reach the final of the KNVB Cup for the first time in 26 years. The city erupted in pure, unfiltered euphoria, but professional football is unforgiving: on Sunday, they had to face SC Cambuur in the Eredivisie.
Van de Looi’s text captures the raw emotional whiplash of football management. He explicitly mentions the “enormous release of tension” (De ontlading was afgelopen woensdag enorm) and admits his nerves during the first twenty minutes of the semi-final. Reading this column is like stepping into the dressing room while the celebratory champagne is still drying on the floor, yet the manager is desperately trying to force his squad to focus on a gritty battle for 8th place in the league.
The column perfectly encapsulates the magic of the Euroborg during that incredible cup run. Van de Looi praises the interaction between the fans and the players, noting that the stadium’s roaring energy was the ultimate stimulant. He urges everyone to keep the dream of winning the cup in the back of their minds (Met de bekerfinale in het achterhoofd), but demands three professional points against Cambuur. It is a masterclass in psychological balancing—acknowledging a generational milestone while keeping the squad grounded.
A Look into the Future
Fast forward to May 2015, and Van de Looi’s cautious optimism would explode into legendary status. FC Groningen would go on to defeat PEC Zwolle in De Kuip, winning their first-ever major trophy. By 2026, Erwin van de Looi is firmly enshrined in the club’s Hall of Fame as the man who delivered the holy grail. This seemingly routine column against Cambuur remains a beautiful, nervous artifact from the exact moment the club dared to believe that destiny was finally on their side.