41 days on the announcement, and a year of quiet, unwatched rehabilitation behind it. ADO Den Haag lose a player for a season; he loses something harder to name.
Sergiño Dest and a teammate went at it, and not about football. Training grounds are small places and a long season makes them smaller.
Squad17 Jul 2028
Jan Žambůrek has improved at 27, which nobody expected
Careers are supposed to plateau and then decline, and the players who ignore that are always the ones who were listening on the training ground. 3 points of it, over months, at an age where the direction normally only goes one way.
Add another name to the list: Ural have asked the question everybody in the game has been asking about Caleb Kramer. The answer from ADO Den Haag has not changed — yet.
Another week, another link, another denial nobody quite believes. ADO Den Haag know the market decides these things, not the back pages — but the back pages are louder.
Nobody upstairs has said anything, which is the loudest thing they could do. Results buy silence in this game; the account at ADO Den Haag is running low.
The board’s statement ran to three sentences and one of them mentioned results. Interim Coach has managed long enough to translate: win soon, or the next statement is shorter.
“This is not anger. I have thought about it for months, and nothing that has happened lately changed my mind.” The request is on a desk at ADO Den Haag, and it is not being withdrawn.
The offer from Burgos for Jur Schipper was heard out and sent back the same day. First bids are rarely meant to succeed; they are meant to find out how loudly the door closes.
Sergiño Dest was at the centre of it, and by the time it was pulled apart there were three or four others involved. Training grounds are small places and long seasons make them smaller.
Somebody said out loud what several people thought about how hard another man trains, and Jonas Jensen-Abbew was in the middle of it. The one dressing-room argument that is genuinely about football.
ADO Den Haag asked and Feyenoord said no without discussing a figure. It is the least ambiguous answer in football and the one clubs most often come back to test.
The phone has started ringing about Caleb Kramer again, and this time the name on the line is Excelsior. ADO Den Haag are listening politely and promising nothing.
Fee agreed, wages agreed, and Excelsior waiting with a shirt. Nobody at ADO Den Haag is pretending otherwise, and the supporters have stopped asking whether and started asking when.
ADO Den Haag have made the call to Lecce. No fee, a share of the wages, and a spare shirt in the position where the squad has been thinnest all season.
“Nobody here is above being told.” It was not said with a name attached, but the dressing room can count, and so can everybody who was listening.
Squad19 Jun 2028
Diogo Tomás falls out with a teammate over standards
The oldest argument in any dressing room and the only one that is genuinely about football: one man thinks another is not putting enough in. It is also the row a manager privately does not mind having happened.
Something was said to Rasmus Wiedesheim-Paul and then it happened. In this industry that passes for remarkable, and the dressing room noticed faster than any supporter could.
Another week, another link, another denial nobody quite believes. ADO Den Haag know the market decides these things, not the back pages — but the back pages are louder.
The speculation has reached the stands, and the stands have answered. ADO Den Haag would like this settled before it becomes the only thing anybody asks about.
The clubs have settled the fee and he has settled his wages. What remains is a medical and a photograph, and around ADO Den Haag people have started saying his name in the past tense.
A medical, a signature, a shirt held up in front of a sponsor’s board. ADO Den Haag have done the hard part with PSV, and the part that remains is the part supporters actually see.
It was not about football and everybody who saw it knows that. Two men who have to play together on Saturday said things at ADO Den Haag this week that will take longer than a week to unsay.
The oldest argument in any dressing room and the only one that is genuinely about football: one man thinks another is not putting enough in. It is also the row a manager privately does not mind having happened.
“Some decisions take a long time. This one took ten minutes, and most of that was finding a pen.” Clydel Kigongo and ADO Den Haag agree another 5 years.
“It had gone on long enough. I would rather have it out than leave it sitting there.” Ten minutes behind a closed door at ADO Den Haag, and both men came out saying it was fine.
Sergiño Dest was at the centre of it, and by the time it was pulled apart there were three or four others involved. Training grounds are small places and long seasons make them smaller.
Squad13 Mar 2028
Words at ADO Den Haag training over how hard people work
Somebody said out loud what several people had been thinking. Jonas Jensen-Abbew is at the centre of it, and the squad will now find out whether the standard rises or the pair of them simply stop speaking.
“There are things I liked and things we will be doing on Tuesday until they are right.” 0‑0, and a manager who had already decided what Tuesday looked like.
Another week, another link, another denial nobody quite believes. ADO Den Haag know the market decides these things, not the back pages — but the back pages are louder.
The crowd waited for a goal that never came. De Graafschap defended in numbers and left with what they came for, and the two sides could be playing still without troubling a scorer.
In brief
The dugoutMats Egbring knocks on the manager's door
Bones knit. That is the one merciful thing about this injury and the reason ADO Den Haag will talk about it more openly than they would about a knee. He will be back, and roughly when they say.
Position 18 and 19 points, and the table gets read bottom-up in this part of town. The calendar has stopped being a schedule and started being a countdown.
Some afternoons a goalkeeper is the team. 8 saves, several of them the sort nobody expects to see stopped, and a scoreline that flatters everybody in front of him.
“I have nothing bad to say about this place. I just need to be somewhere else.” It is in writing now, which changes what ADO Den Haag can pretend not to have heard.
Sergiño Dest was at the centre of it, and by the time it was pulled apart there were three or four others involved. Training grounds are small places and long seasons make them smaller.
Somebody said out loud what several people thought about how hard another man trains, and Illaijh de Ruijter was in the middle of it. The one dressing-room argument that is genuinely about football.
Brutal, unambiguous and, for all the horror of the moment, usually less career-shaped than the ligament everybody fears more. 47 days, a clean timeline, and a return date somebody can actually plan around.
Position 16 and 17 points, and the table gets read bottom-up in this part of town. The calendar has stopped being a schedule and started being a countdown.
“This is not anger. I have thought about it for months, and nothing that has happened lately changed my mind.” The request is on a desk at ADO Den Haag, and it is not being withdrawn.
5 without a win now, and the ground has developed the special quiet of a crowd that expects the worst. One scrappy 1-0 would cure most of it; that is the maddening part.
Every footballer has an answer to the question about his boyhood club, and most of them never get to act on it. Timothy Meunier has, at ADO Den Haag, and the first month will show what that does to a man.
Sergiño Dest was at the centre of it, and by the time it was pulled apart there were three or four others involved. Training grounds are small places and long seasons make them smaller.
Two or more conceded in each of the last 4 matches. It is not one mistake repeating itself, which would be the easier thing to fix; it is a different one every week.
In brief
The dugoutThe manager makes an example of Donát Bárány
A bone, which is the one injury with a calendar attached. ADO Den Haag will name a return date and, unusually for this business, will probably be right about it.
It was not about football and everybody who saw it knows that. Two men who have to play together on Saturday said things at ADO Den Haag this week that will take longer than a week to unsay.
Somebody said out loud what several people thought about how hard another man trains, and Jonas Jensen-Abbew was in the middle of it. The one dressing-room argument that is genuinely about football.
It is not much of a headline and it is the reason players believe the next promise. ADO Den Haag told Donát Bárány something would happen and then it happened, which in this industry passes for remarkable.
“I am grateful for the games, but I did not become a footballer to be somebody else's spare part.” He wants to be at ADO Den Haag, and 0 appearances in 20 say he has earned the hearing.
Some afternoons a goalkeeper is the whole of the defence. 10 saves, several of them the kind nobody expects to see made, and ten outfield players who owe him a drink.
Bones knit. That is the one merciful thing about this injury and the reason ADO Den Haag will talk about it more openly than they would about a knee. He will be back, and roughly when they say.
Sergiño Dest and a teammate said things this week that will take longer than a week to unsay. It was not about football, and both of them play on Saturday.
Squad8 Nov 2027
Words at ADO Den Haag training over how hard people work
Somebody said out loud what several people had been thinking. Jonas Jensen-Abbew is at the centre of it, and the squad will now find out whether the standard rises or the pair of them simply stop speaking.
He is 23 and the ground already sings his name, which is a thing that happens to local boys and almost never to signings. Everything from here is measured against an affection he did nothing to earn except be from here.
“Things were said to me before I signed. I am not going to repeat them, but I remember all of them.” Hatayspor have not answered, which is an answer of sorts.
Oğuz Aydın and a teammate went at it, and not about football. Training grounds are small places and a long season makes them smaller.
Squad1 Nov 2027
Renato Nhaga falls out with a teammate over standards
The oldest argument in any dressing room and the only one that is genuinely about football: one man thinks another is not putting enough in. It is also the row a manager privately does not mind having happened.
“It had gone on long enough. I would rather have it out than leave it sitting there.” Ten minutes behind a closed door at Hatayspor, and both men came out saying it was fine.
“It is not the end of the world and it is not good enough. Both of those are true.” The manager, after a 0‑0 draw, said the honest thing and then went to say it again inside.
He used to be one of the options. He is now one of the men the options are picked around, and the change happened quietly enough that only the dressing room noticed on the day.
The 88th minute, half the ground already edging towards the exits, and Luka Reischl decided nobody was going anywhere. Zwolle had no time left to answer.
“Some decisions take a long time. This one took ten minutes, and most of that was finding a pen.” Kilian Nikiéma and ADO Den Haag agree another 5 years.
Sergiño Dest and a teammate said things this week that will take longer than a week to unsay. It was not about football, and both of them play on Saturday.
There is a particular warmth a ground reserves for a 23-year-old it feels ownership of. Luka Reischl has it now, and everything he does for the rest of his time here will be measured against the goodwill he was handed for free.
Squad11 Oct 2027
Pascal Mulder falls out with a teammate over standards
The oldest argument in any dressing room and the only one that is genuinely about football: one man thinks another is not putting enough in. It is also the row a manager privately does not mind having happened.
“I am grateful for the games, but I did not become a footballer to be somebody else's spare part.” He wants to be at ADO Den Haag, and 0 appearances in 10 say he has earned the hearing.
4 without a win now, and the ground has developed the special quiet of a crowd that expects the worst. One scrappy 1-0 would cure most of it; that is the maddening part.
Sergiño Dest and a teammate said things this week that will take longer than a week to unsay. It was not about football, and both of them play on Saturday.
At 24 the improving is meant to be over. It is not: 4 points better than the mark taken at the start of the year, which is the sort of thing that happens to players who take the boring parts of the job seriously.
Squad13 Sep 2027
Luka Reischl falls out with a teammate over standards
The oldest argument in any dressing room and the only one that is genuinely about football: one man thinks another is not putting enough in. It is also the row a manager privately does not mind having happened.
Behind, and beaten by any honest reading, until minute 85. Roda had the points in their pocket and a corner of the ground still believed, which is generally when it happens.
Every footballer has an answer to the question about his boyhood club, and most of them never get to act on it. Şahin Kalınsazlıoğlu has, at Hatayspor, and the first month will show what that does to a man.
Squad30 Aug 2027
Renato Nhaga falls out with a teammate over standards
The oldest argument in any dressing room and the only one that is genuinely about football: one man thinks another is not putting enough in. It is also the row a manager privately does not mind having happened.
Kayserispor made Hatayspor work for it, but the scoreboard read 1‑0 at the end and the table does not ask how.
Player ratings30 Aug 2027
Funsho Bamgboye was on a different afternoon to everybody else
8.17. There are performances a supporter describes to somebody who was not there and cannot quite convey; this was one, and the number does not help either.
Not a run of form — an actual step up, held for months. At 20 he is doing things at this level he could not do at the start of the season, and the coaching staff will tell you exactly which of them.
Somebody said out loud what several people thought about how hard another man trains, and Engin Aksoy was in the middle of it. The one dressing-room argument that is genuinely about football.
It has been denied twice and printed three times, which is the usual arithmetic. Until Musa Danjuma signs something — a contract at Hatayspor or anywhere else — this column belongs to him.
A season-long audition: ADO Den Haag still own him, but the shirt and the minutes are Hatayspor's to give. A loan is a bet both clubs believe they are winning.
It was not about football and everybody who saw it knows that. Two men who have to play together on Saturday said things at Hatayspor this week that will take longer than a week to unsay.
Hatayspor asked and Arouca said no without discussing a figure. It is the least ambiguous answer in football and the one clubs most often come back to test.
“If you cannot run for the shirt, somebody else will wear it.” No name was used and none was needed; every player in that room knew who it was for.
Squad26 Jul 2027
Words at Hatayspor training over how hard people work
Somebody said out loud what several people had been thinking. Engin Aksoy is at the centre of it, and the squad will now find out whether the standard rises or the pair of them simply stop speaking.
Everyone has stopped pretending: Ankaragucu will make the call about Yunus Azrak this week. Hatayspor have a number in mind, and the number is not shy.
It is never announced and it is entirely visible: the biggest afternoons of the season keep containing him. A press box works this out long before anybody at the club confirms a word of it.
“It was not right for me. I am not going to explain why to anybody except the people I owe an explanation to.” A deal agreed between two clubs, and a player who declined to be part of it.
$720.0K on the table at Willem II. The manager wanted him, the board agreed a number, and the only voices still to be heard are the ones at the other club.
ADO Den Haag offered $920.0K; Feyenoord said it was not close. The manager will be told the money is still there for the right player, which is what managers are told.
Sergiño Dest was at the centre of it, and by the time it was pulled apart there were three or four others involved. Training grounds are small places and long seasons make them smaller.
Not a run of form — an actual step up, held for months. At 20 he is doing things at this level he could not do at the start of the season, and the coaching staff will tell you exactly which of them.
Squad14 Jun 2027
Matěj Šín falls out with a teammate over standards
The oldest argument in any dressing room and the only one that is genuinely about football: one man thinks another is not putting enough in. It is also the row a manager privately does not mind having happened.
De Graafschap will keep picking him until June and will get nothing for him after it. Hugo Lacroix has pre-agreed a move to ADO Den Haag, and the only people who lose in that arrangement are the ones who let the contract run down.
In brief
The dugoutThe manager makes an example of Jalen Hawkins
A brace, and Jalen Hawkins takes the afternoon — 9.30
There is a particular kind of quiet from an away end watching one man score twice. Jalen Hawkins provided it, and the 9.30 beside his name is if anything generous to everybody else.
Sergiño Dest and a teammate said things this week that will take longer than a week to unsay. It was not about football, and both of them play on Saturday.
Somebody said out loud what several people thought about how hard another man trains, and Matěj Šín was in the middle of it. The one dressing-room argument that is genuinely about football.
He is 22 and the ground already sings his name, which is a thing that happens to local boys and almost never to signings. Everything from here is measured against an affection he did nothing to earn except be from here.
Successful dribbles: 17. He went past people as if he had been told there was a prize for it, and by the end the full-back had stopped pretending to try.
“Some mornings you wake up and you are still a long way from everything you know.” It is not the football and it never was; ADO Den Haag are dealing with a man who wants a different country.
“The players deserve the credit. My job was easy today.” It was not, and everybody in the room knew it; after 2‑1, Rick De Jong could afford to be generous.
In brief
The dugoutThe manager makes an example of Milan Hokke
The name of Jesse Bal has come up in conversations ADO Den Haag were not part of. Nothing formal, nothing signed — but nothing about it accidental either.
Everything agreed with Feyenoord, everything agreed with the player; a doctor is the only person left to persuade. The photograph is a day or two away.
It was not about football and everybody who saw it knows that. Two men who have to play together on Saturday said things at ADO Den Haag this week that will take longer than a week to unsay.
Yannick Eduardo scored, and precious little else went right: 1‑2 to Heerenveen, and a quiet walk to the dressing room.
Squad4 Jan 2027
Words at ADO Den Haag training over how hard people work
Somebody said out loud what several people had been thinking. Juho Kilo is at the centre of it, and the squad will now find out whether the standard rises or the pair of them simply stop speaking.
Successful dribbles: 17. There is a particular sort of despair on a full-back's face by the seventieth minute, and it was on display.
The dugout4 Jan 2027
The view from the dugout
“We will look at it, we will learn from it, and we go again.” The three sentences every manager keeps for a 1‑2 defeat, delivered by Rick De Jong to a room that had heard them before.
79 days on the estimate, and a long, private, unglamorous year of a rehabilitation nobody watches. ADO Den Haag lose a footballer; he loses considerably more than a season.
Sergiño Dest was at the centre of it, and by the time it was pulled apart there were three or four others involved. Training grounds are small places and long seasons make them smaller.
Not a run of form — an actual step up, held for months. At 20 he is doing things at this level he could not do at the start of the season, and the coaching staff will tell you exactly which of them.
Beaten 0‑1, and beaten fairly. The manager kept his words short afterwards, which was probably wise.
Squad12 Oct 2026
Words at ADO Den Haag training over how hard people work
Somebody said out loud what several people had been thinking. Jesse Bal is at the centre of it, and the squad will now find out whether the standard rises or the pair of them simply stop speaking.
“The supporters are entitled to be angry. So am I. We will put it right.” 0‑1, a manager saying the necessary things, and a dressing room that heard a different version of them.
It is never announced and it is entirely visible: the biggest afternoons of the season keep containing him. A press box works this out long before anybody at the club confirms a word of it.
Sergiño Dest was at the centre of it, and by the time it was pulled apart there were three or four others involved. Training grounds are small places and long seasons make them smaller.
At 20 he is doing things this season that he could not do last season, and doing them every week. Form comes and goes; this has stayed long enough to be called something else.
Squad14 Sep 2026
Words at ADO Den Haag training over how hard people work
Somebody said out loud what several people had been thinking. Matěj Šín is at the centre of it, and the squad will now find out whether the standard rises or the pair of them simply stop speaking.
“We were not good enough today and I am not going to dress it up.” Rick De Jong after 0‑1, in the tone of a man who knows the next question and does not intend to answer it.
Every squad has one of these fixtures for somebody every season. This one is Sergiño Dest’s: the club that knew him first, the supporters who will decide in the first minute whether to applaud, and ADO Den Haag needing him to play as if none of it matters.