As the Eredivisie season enters its final month, the front office of a football club must shift its focus from the current campaign to the next. Page 29 of the April 2014 matchday programme provides a fascinating, transparent look at FC Groningen‘s squad management, detailing a flurry of contract decisions under the blunt headline “CONTRACT BIZOT VERLENGD; KIRM VERTREKT” (Contract Bizot extended; Kirm leaves).
The best news was saved for the goalkeeper. Marco Bizot, who had established himself as a reliable, point-saving number one throughout the turbulent season, saw his option picked up, tying him to the Euroborg for another two years. The club also rewarded its youth, extending the contracts of the recently recalled Yoëll van Nieff and the unfortunate Nick Bakker, who was recovering from a devastating ACL tear. Extending a severely injured player is a touch of class that speaks volumes about the club’s internal culture.
However, football is a ruthless business, and the paragraph also confirms departures. The club officially announced that Slovenian veteran Andraž Kirm would leave after two years. Kirm had been a model professional, even acting as a translator for younger players, but the club was moving in a different direction. The text also notes the ongoing uncertainty surrounding several other players and reiterates the impending blockbuster transfer of 17-year-old Richairo Živković to Ajax. It is a perfect snapshot of the Eredivisie lifecycle: securing the core, protecting the youth, and letting the veterans move on.
A Look into the Future
The contract extensions announced on this page laid the defensive foundation for the greatest achievement in the club’s history. While Marco Bizot would eventually be sold to KRC Genk that summer (making this extension a smart piece of business to secure a transfer fee), players like Van Nieff and the previously extended Johan Kappelhof would go on to lift the KNVB Cup in 2015. As for Andraž Kirm, he departed with the respect of the fans, continuing his career in Cyprus and Slovenia, making way for the next generation of northern talent.