The spring of 2015 brought a mix of anticipation and mounting frustration to the Euroborg. As FC Groningen prepared to face FC Dordrecht on March 8, manager Erwin van de Looi used his regular “De Warming Up” column to address a painful recent trend: dropping points in the dying moments of matches.

“FC Groningen is in a difficult phase of the season,” Van de Looi openly admitted to the fans. The scars from recent outings against SC Heerenveen and ADO Den Haag were still fresh. Against ADO, Groningen had controlled the game, only to concede a late equalizer that felt like a defeat. “In the first half, we put a lot of pressure on the opponent… Actually, we were barely in trouble until the final phase. But then, one eventually flies in. Painful.”

Despite the setbacks, the manager’s message was one of defiant optimism. He refused to let his team sit down in despair. “If you look at the last match, our attitude is fine. You can also see that we are close. Our next chance to turn things around is this afternoon against FC Dordrecht.” Van de Looi demanded efficiency in front of goal and ruthlessness in defense, calling on the Euroborg crowd to push the team over the line in what he deemed a “must-win” home fixture.

A Look into the Future

This exact resilience would soon become the defining characteristic of Van de Looi’s tenure. While the league form was occasionally frustrating, this grit translated perfectly to knockout football. Just two months after this column was printed, Van de Looi would lead FC Groningen to their first-ever KNVB Beker victory, immortalizing himself in the club’s history and proving that his team was, indeed, “close” to something special.