Timing is everything in football. When the matchday programme for the clash against ADO Den Haag went to print in late April 2013, FC Groningen was riding a massive wave of regional euphoria. In his traditional “De Warming Up” column on page 2, manager Robert Maaskant captures the exact mood of a squad that had just found its rhythm at the most critical point of the season.
The headline reads, “Prijzen aan het einde verdeeld” (Prizes are distributed at the end), reflecting the tense race for the European playoff spots. But Maaskant’s mind immediately wanders back to the events of two weeks prior: a resounding 3-1 victory in the Northern Derby against arch-rivals SC Heerenveen. “It was a great afternoon for everyone present,” Maaskant recalls. “Afterward, the players celebrated with the crowd. That’s what you do it for as a trainer. I even came outside one extra time to join them.” This emotional high was followed by a crucial away win in Almelo against Heracles, marking their sixth away victory of the season and cementing their belief that the playoffs were within reach.
Looking ahead to the evening’s opponent, ADO Den Haag, Maaskant projects quiet confidence. He notes that Groningen had already beaten the team from The Hague twice that season—once in the league and once in the cup at the Euroborg. With a brutal final stretch looming against PSV, VVV-Venlo, and Ajax, this match was the absolute must-win anchor for their European ambitions.
A Look into the Future
Viewed from 2026, this column represents the peak of Robert Maaskant‘s tenure in the North. We know from the subsequent Ajax programme that he would leave the club at the end of this very season. The 3-1 derby victory over SC Heerenveen he so fondly recalls here stands as his crowning emotional achievement at the Euroborg. The momentum he describes in this text ultimately carried the team into the playoffs, proving that in the Eredivisie, a well-timed derby win can salvage an entire campaign.