SC Heerenveen are building momentum in the Eredivisie with a convincing away win while also seeing transfer speculation heat up around one of their players. The 0-4 victory over Sparta Rotterdam last Saturday was their first win in five matches and pushes Robin Veldman's side up to tenth place in the table with nine points.
Levi Smans, who provided two assists in the match, stressed the importance of honesty within the group. "We do tell each other the truth," said the midfielder, who stated he is returning to his old form. That openness appears to be working, as after a run of poorer results, the performance in Rotterdam was a clear statement. Manager Veldman was full of praise. "Everything that was in it came out on this evening," he reacted, referring to the combination play, the goals and the spirit his team displayed.
Willemsen
Simultaneously, there is unrest regarding the future of another player. Willemsen has indicated he is open to a transfer, provided a substantial fee is offered. The ambitious player suggested a move to a nice club in the Premier League could be achievable. For Veldman, this means he must continue to seek competition in midfield, a position where he says he has not yet found the ideal reinforcement. The team must now prepare for the next fixture, an away match against PSV Eindhoven, who currently sit third. The current lineup and injury status can be found on our squad page.
The victory in Rotterdam was secured by goals from Nolhan Courtens, Jacob Trenskow, Maxence Rivera and Marko Farji. It was a welcome boost after earlier disappointments, like the draw with Telstar and the defeat to AZ. The positive atmosphere now radiating from the team contrasts with the gnawing uncertainty Smans previously sensed within the squad. There was also self-criticism, for instance from Meerveld, who said his duels too often play out the same way.
With this standout performance in their back pocket, Heerenveen look ahead. The coming weeks are vital to consolidate their position in mid-table and potentially close in on the top half. The full schedule up to the winter break can be checked in the fixtures. The team travels to Eindhoven in two weeks for the match against PSV, an important benchmark for their progress this season.
More detail at FeanOnline
The 0-4 win over Sparta Rotterdam was overshadowed by personal issues for one of the goalscorers. Jacob Trenskow, who scored the 0-2, did not celebrate his goal and made a talking gesture. The Danish top scorer stated he has received a lot of online hate in recent weeks. "The last two weeks were difficult," Trenskow told Omrop Fryslân. "Many people sent me negative messages on Instagram." The player, now on three goals this season, wants to put it behind him quickly. Heerenveen are tenth with nine points.
The 0-4 win over Sparta Rotterdam brought mainly relief, said Levi Smans. The midfielder, who provided two assists, stated the team had been gnawed at by earlier matches they dominated but did not win. "That gnaws at the team," Smans told Omrop Fryslân. The victory, with goals from Courtens, Trenskow, Rivera and Farji, moved Heerenveen into 10th place with 9 points from 7 games.
