The football calendar has a funny way of accelerating reunions. In the matchday programme from August 2013, FC Groningen announced that veteran Belgian defender Jonas Ivens was being sent on loan to RKC Waalwijk to find playing time. Fast forward just a few weeks to September 21, and page 5 of the new programme features manager Erwin van de Looi preparing to face his own player.
In his “De Warming Up” column, Van de Looi reflects on a turbulent few weeks, including a proud 1-1 draw against Ajax and a painful 4-2 derby loss away at sc Heerenveen. But he dedicates a specific section of his text to an “Oude Bekende” (Old Acquaintance). “At RKC, FC Groningen meets an old acquaintance: defender Jonas Ivens,” Van de Looi writes. “It is very good for him that he found another club. He has been of great value to FC Groningen and I am sure he is in the right place in Waalwijk. I wish him a lot of success, except for tonight. Tonight we want to keep the three points here.”
This dynamic highlights the strange psychological chess match of the loan system. Van de Looi had to prepare his attackers to exploit the weaknesses of a defender he had managed just weeks prior, while Ivens arrived at the Euroborg knowing exactly how the Groningen coaching staff operated. It added a layer of intense personal rivalry to an otherwise standard Eredivisie fixture.
A Look into the Future
As we noted in our previous archival dive into the 2013 season, this loan spell did not end in a fairy tale for Jonas Ivens. While Van de Looi wished him well here, RKC Waalwijk would go on to suffer a miserable season, ultimately being relegated from the Eredivisie. Ivens’ return to the Euroborg that night was one of the few highlights in a grueling campaign that effectively ended his career at the highest level of Dutch football. Van de Looi, meanwhile, successfully navigated these early-season tactical challenges, eventually building a squad that would lift the KNVB Cup the following year.