The NEC Chronicle
Boardroom29 Mar 2027
The silence upstairs is getting loud at NEC
Nobody on the board has said anything against the manager, which is the point — they have stopped saying anything for him either.
Squad29 Mar 2027
A fracture rules Jetro Willems out for 87 days
Bones knit. That is the one merciful thing about this injury and the reason NEC will talk about it more openly than they would about a knee. He will be back, and roughly when they say.
Market29 Mar 2027
Jamiro Monteiro hands in a written request
“I have nothing bad to say about this place. I just need to be somewhere else.” It is in writing now, which changes what NEC can pretend not to have heard.
The dugout29 Mar 2027
Nikolas Polster: that is not what I was promised
“Things were said to me before I signed. I am not going to repeat them, but I remember all of them.” NEC have not answered, which is an answer of sorts.
Squad29 Mar 2027
Tjaronn Chery in a row with a teammate
It was not about football and everybody who saw it knows that. Two men who have to play together on Saturday said things at NEC this week that will take longer than a week to unsay.
The dugout29 Mar 2027
No hiding place for Philippe Sandler
“I pick players who do the work. All of it.” No name was spoken; every camera still turned to Philippe Sandler, and the manager let it.
Market29 Mar 2027
NEC promote Owen Aké from within
The academy exists for exactly this morning. Owen Aké has come through every age group the club runs and has now been handed a senior number, and the people who coached him at twelve will be the proudest in the building.
Market29 Mar 2027
NEC promote Jasper Brobbey from within
The academy exists for exactly this morning. Jasper Brobbey has come through every age group the club runs and has now been handed a senior number, and the people who coached him at twelve will be the proudest in the building.
Market29 Mar 2027
One of our own: Tim Strootman joins the NEC first team
Clubs spend fortunes looking for players and occasionally find one down the corridor. Tim Strootman is that, and the reception he gets on his first appearance will be different in kind from the one any signing receives.
In brief
- Squad Words at NEC training over how hard people work
- The dugout Virgil Misidjan knocks on the manager’s door
- Looking ahead Bryan Linssen faces his old club