In modern football, managers often speak in sanitized, PR-approved clichés about their opponents. However, the Northern provinces of the Netherlands operate on an entirely different frequency of mutual respect and rivalry. The programme dedicates a full column to visiting SC Cambuur manager Henk de Jong, an absolute cult figure in Frisian and Groninger football. The headline says it all: “Voor mij een speciaal duel” (For me, a special duel).
De Jong is not just a visiting manager; he is deeply intertwined with the fabric of FC Groningen. Having previously worked as a coach within the club’s youth academy, his return to the Euroborg is framed not with hostility, but with the warm familiarity of a local derby. While the official “Derby of the North” is reserved for sc Heerenveen, De Jong accurately points out that for the fans traveling from Leeuwarden, playing Groningen feels like a massive, red-circle fixture on the calendar.
His words in the interview reflect the pragmatic, down-to-earth mentality shared by both provinces. He admits that FC Groningen is an excellent team, tough to play against, but immediately counters with pure Northern bravado: “Als je als tegenstander niet goed druk zet, gaan ze met je op de loop. We zullen ons echter niet ingraven en gaan vol voor de winst” (If you don’t press well, they will run over you. However, we won’t dig ourselves in and will go full for the win). It is a refreshing display of fearless attacking intent from a visiting coach.
A Look into the Future
Henk de Jong’s legacy only grew more legendary after 2015. Over the next decade, his emotional, open-hearted management style turned him into one of the most universally loved figures in Dutch football, battling severe health issues while still achieving miraculous promotions with Cambuur. By 2026, reading his confident words in this old matchday programme feels like revisiting the manifesto of a Northern football icon. He proved that you can cross provincial borders, manage fierce rivals, and still be universally respected as a true gentleman of the game.