Dirk Proper

Defensive Midfielder - Heerenveen
19 Feb 2027
Friday
Process

Marked for Dirk Proper

25 Edition

The Heerenveen Courier

18 Jan 2027
From our football correspondent Crisis

Match

A hiding for Heerenveen

Beaten 0‑3 by Feyenoord, and beaten everywhere it matters. The inquest starts on the training pitch on Monday morning.

Match

The wait goes on for Heerenveen

8 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.

Squad

Guus Til 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 Heerenveen this week that will take longer than a week to unsay.

Squad

Words at Heerenveen training over how hard people work

Somebody said out loud what several people had been thinking. Jacob Trenskow 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.

Player ratings

Ringo Meerveld was unplayable

Successful dribbles: 20. 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.

The dugout

The manager makes an example of Dirk Proper

“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.

The dugout

Luuk Bergwijn faces the questions

“We were not good enough today and I am not going to dress it up.” Luuk Bergwijn after 0‑3, in the tone of a man who knows the next question and does not intend to answer it.

Squad

Marko Farji wants out of the dugout

“I did not sign to watch. Nobody does.” The oldest complaint in the game, and Heerenveen will have to answer it with minutes or with a move.

Squad

Bookings catch up with Maas Willemsen

One yellow too many, and a match watched from the stand. The most avoidable absence in football, and Heerenveen will feel it on Saturday.

In brief

Back issues
17 Edition

The Heerenveen Courier

23 Nov 2026
From our football correspondent Upbeat

Squad

Guus Til 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 Heerenveen this week that will take longer than a week to unsay.

Squad

Words at Heerenveen training over how hard people work

Somebody said out loud what several people had been thinking. Ringo Meerveld 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.

Match

Heerenveen see off Zwolle

Three points for Heerenveen, 2‑1 the final word against Zwolle in a contest settled by the finer margins.

The terraces

Heerenveen supporters have found a favourite in Marko Farji

There is a particular warmth a ground reserves for a 22-year-old it feels ownership of. Marko Farji 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.

Player ratings

One of those days for Jacob Trenskow

There is a version of this player everybody suspected was in there, and on this evidence it is. 8.23, and no argument anywhere in the ground.

Player ratings

One of those days for Marko Farji

There is a version of this player everybody suspected was in there, and on this evidence it is. 8.12, and no argument anywhere in the ground.

The dugout

A satisfied Luuk Bergwijn

“The players deserve the credit. My job was easy today.” It was not, and everybody in the room knew it; after 2‑1, Luuk Bergwijn could afford to be generous.

The dugout

Guus Til knocks on the manager’s door

“Thirty minutes, door closed, everything said. We shook hands after.” Whatever was in the room stayed in the room, and Guus Til trained the next morning like a man with less to carry.

The dugout

Anas Zniti dropped after a run of poor form

The one version of being left out a player cannot argue with, and the one he takes worst. Somebody else has been better and the team sheet says so, in public, every week until it changes.

In brief

1 Edition

The Heerenveen Courier

3 Aug 2026
From our football correspondent Steady

Squad

Dirk Proper stays put

“The easiest signature of my career.” Dirk Proper and Heerenveen agree another 4 years, and the manager can plan around him rather than about him.

Squad

Words exchanged at Heerenveen

Dylan Vente 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.

Squad

Words at Heerenveen training over how hard people work

Somebody said out loud what several people had been thinking. Ringo Meerveld 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.

Transfer targets

Door shut on Paolo Rizzi

Heerenveen asked and Mattersburg said no without discussing a figure. It is the least ambiguous answer in football and the one clubs most often come back to test.

Market

Nobody at Heerenveen has picked up the phone to Dirk Proper

49 months to run and not a word offered. A club that lets the calendar negotiate for it usually ends up losing to the calendar.

Transfer targets

Heerenveen try to borrow Jefferson Cuadrado

La Equidad have been asked whether they would lend him. Loans are agreed quickly or not at all, and this one will be one or the other by the weekend.

The dugout

Ringo Meerveld knocks on the manager's door

“It had gone on long enough. I would rather have it out than leave it sitting there.” Ten minutes behind a closed door at Heerenveen, and both men came out saying it was fine.

Market

Mats Egbring told to find a new club

“They were honest with me, and I would rather know.” Mats Egbring has been informed he is not in the manager's thinking at Heerenveen.

Market

Heerenveen and Sam Kersten are talking past each other

“There is a gap, and pretending there is not helps nobody.” Neither side has moved, and the calendar is working for exactly one of them.

In brief