2015–16 AZ Alkmaar season
 | This article needs additional citations for verification. (June 2015) |
 | |
| Full name | Alkmaar Zaanstreek |
|---|---|
| 2015/16 season | ||
|---|---|---|
| Chairman | René Neelissen | |
| Manager | John van den Brom | |
| Ground | AFAS Stadion | |
| Eredivisie | NA | |
| KNVB Beker | NA | |
| Europa League | NA | |
|
| ||
During the 2015–16 season AZ will compete in the Eredivisie for the 18th consecutive season the KNVB Beker and the Europa League after qualifying for the 3rd qualification round due to finishing 3rd the previous season.
Background
European football returns after a one-year hiatus. John van den Brom finished third last season with Marco van Basten his assistant. Several key players moved elsewhere including captain Nemanja Gudelj and fan favourite Simon Poulsen.
Several youth players have been promoted to the first team the same year the club won the Rinus Michels award for best youth academy and youth development programme in the Netherlands, beating Feyenoord who won this award each of the five preceding years.
Transfers
Arrivals
- The following players moved to AZ.
| Name | Position | Previous club | Fee | Date | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 |
 Joris van Overeem |
CM | Dordrecht |
Return from loan | June 2015 |
|
Fernando Lewis |
LW | Dordrecht |
Return from loan | June 2015 |
|
Raymond Gyasi |
RW | Roda JC |
Return from loan | June 2015 |
|
 Denni Avdic |
ST | Heracles |
Return from loan | June 2015 |
|
 Eli Babalj |
ST | PEC |
Return from loan | June 2015 |
|
 Jonas Heymans |
LB | Willem II |
Return from loan | June 2015 |
|
Jop van der Linden |
LB | Go Ahead Eagles |
Free | June 2015 |
|
Gino Coutinho |
GK | Excelsior Rotterdam |
Free | June 2015 |
|
 Levi Garcia |
FW | Central FC |
Undisclosed | June 2015 |
|
Vincent Janssen |
CF | Almere City |
€100,000 | June 2015 |
|
 Alireza Jahanbakhsh |
FW | N.E.C. |
Undisclosed | August 2015 |
|
 Rajko Brežančić |
LB | FK Čukarički |
Undisclosed | August 2015 |
Departures
- The following players moved from AZ.
| Name | Position | New club | Fee | Date | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 |
Nemanja Gudelj |
CM | Ajax |
€6 million | June 2015 |
|
Wesley Hoedt |
CB |  Lazio |
Compensation | June 2015 |
|
 Simon Poulsen |
LB | PSV |
Free | June 2015 |
|
 Esteban Alvarado |
GK | Unattached | Free | June 2015 |
|
Yves de Winter |
GK | Sint-Truidense V.V. |
Free | June 2015 |
|
Steven Berghuis |
FW |  Watford F.C. |
undisclosed | July 2015 |
|
 Aron Jóhannsson |
ST |  Werder Bremen |
€5 million | August 2015 |
Loans
- The following players moved to new clubs whilst under contract at AZ.
| Name | Position | New club | Loan period | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
|
Eli Babalj
|
CF | Adelaide United
|
30/06/2017 |
Pre-season friendlies
The first training session for the new season began on 28 June. Friendlies were arranged with smaller teams in the Netherlands as well as two additional friendlies against foreign teams touring the Netherlands. A training camp is also arranged the week before competitive football in the Europa League by 30 July.
| 4 July 2015 | Dirkshorn Regional Selection XI | 2-7 | AZ | Dirkshorn |
De Bruin  26' De Bruin 44' |
[1] | van Overeem 32' Janssen 54' Janssen 74' Gyasi 81' Janssen 86' Lewis 87' Lewis 90+1' |
Stadium: Sportcomplex De Veersloot Referee: Luca Cantineau |
| 8 July 2015 | AFC '34 | 1-8 | AZ | Robonsbosweg, Alkmaar |
Inecia 45' |
[2] | Janssen 5' Janssen 19' van Overeem 22' Janssen 27' Van der Linden 38'(pen.) Mühren 46' Helmer 78' Helmer 88' |
Stadium: Gemeentelijk Sportpark Referee: Sander Brito de Roque |
| 11 July 2015 | Fortuna Sittard | 0-5 | AZ | Sittard |
| [3] | Janssen 35' Dos Santos 44' Janssen 52' Van Overeem 55' Luckassen 79' |
Stadium: Offermans Joosten Stadion Referee: Jeroen Sanders |
| 14 July 2015 | AZ | 3-1 |  Dundee United | Dirkshorn |
| Henriksen 21' Luckassen 56' Gouweleeuw 78'(pen.) |
[4] | Spittal 28' |
Stadium: Sportpark Veersloot Referee: Danny Makkelie |
| 18 July 2015 | AZ | 3-0 | SC Telstar | Alkmaar |
| Janssen 24' Luckassen 50' Janssen 66' |
[5] | Stadium: AFAS Stadion Referee: Martin van den Kerkhof |
| 24 July 2015 | AZ | 1-0 |  Al Wasl | Putten |
| Mühren 75' |
[6] | Stadium: Sportpark Puttereng Referee: Steven van der Vrande |
Statistics
|
Top goalscorers
|
Goals conceded
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Europa League
AZ qualified for the 3rd qualification round of the Europa League after finishing the league in 3rd position in the previous season. Due to previous runs in the competition the club has a high coefficient and is seeded for the draw meaning a favourable draw against weaker opposition is likely. The first game is scheduled for 30 July with the return leg on 6 August.
| 30 July 2015 Europa League Third Qualifying Round, First Leg | AZ | 2-0 |  İstanbul Başakşehir | Alkmaar |
Van der Linden 17'(pen.) Janssen 63' |
[7] | Babacan (GK) | Stadium: AFAS Stadion Attendance: 11,723 Referee: Kevin Clancy |
| 6 August 2015 Europa League Third Qualifying Round, Second Leg | İstanbul Başakşehir | 1 - 2 (1 - 4 agg.) | AZ | Başakşehir, Istanbul |
| Doka Madureira 45' Gençer Cansev  74' |
Summary | Henriksen 21' Johansson 74'van Overeem 75' |
Stadium: Başakşehir Fatih Terim Stadium Attendance: 5,289 Referee:  Carlos Clos Gómez |
| 20 August 2015 Europa League Play off, First Leg |  Astra Giurgiu | 3 - 2 | AZ | Giurgiu |
| Fernando Boldrin 25' Oros 30'Alibec 41'Dandea 45+3'Enache 52'Pedro Queirós 72' |
Summary | van Overeem 9' Henriksen 11' 22'Janssen 13'Luckassen 40'Johansson 73' |
Stadium: Stadionul Marin Anastasovici Attendance: 3,712 Referee:  Slavko Vinčić |
Statistics
|
Top goalscorers
|
Goals conceded
| ||||||||||||||||||
Eredivisie
| 9 August 2015 Eredivisie Matchday 1 | AZ | v | Ajax | Alkmaar |
| Stadium: AFAS Stadion |
| 15 August 2015 Eredivisie Matchday 2 | Excelsior | v | AZ | Rotterdam |
| Stadium: Stadion Woudestein |
| 15 August 2015 Eredivisie Matchday 3 | AZ | v | Willem II | Alkmaar |
| Stadium: AFAS Stadion |
| 30 August 2015 Eredivisie Matchday 4 | AZ | v | Roda JC | Alkmaar |
| Stadium: AFAS Stadion |
| 12 September 2015 Eredivisie Matchday 5 | De Graafschap | v | AZ | Doetinchem |
| Stadium: De Vijverberg |
| 20 September 2015 Eredivisie Matchday 6 | Groningen | v | AZ | Groningen |
| Stadium: Euroborg |
| 26 September 2015 Eredivisie Matchday 7 | AZ | v | Heracles | Alkmaar |
| Stadium: AFAS Stadion |
| 4 October 2015 Eredivisie Matchday 8 | AZ | v | Twente | Alkmaar |
| Stadium: AFAS Stadion |
| 4 October 2015 Eredivisie Matchday 9 | Cambuur | v | AZ | Leeuwarden |
| Stadium: Cambuur Stadion |
| 25 October 2015 Eredivisie Matchday 10 | Feyenoord | v | AZ | Rotterdam |
| Stadium: De Kuip |
| 1 November 2015 Eredivisie Matchday 11 | AZ | v | NEC | Alkmaar |
| Stadium: AFAS Stadion |
| 8 November 2015 Eredivisie Matchday 12 | Vitesse | v | AZ | Arnhem |
| Stadium: GelreDome |
| 21 November 2015 Eredivisie Matchday 13 | AZ | v | Heerenveen | Alkmaar |
| Stadium: AFAS Stadion |
| 29 November 2015 Eredivisie Matchday 14 | PSV | v | AZ | Eindhoven |
| Stadium: Philips Stadion |
| 4 December 2015 Eredivisie Matchday 15 | AZ | v | ADO | Alkmaar |
| Stadium: AFAS Stadion |
| 13 December 2015 Eredivisie Matchday 16 | PEC | v | AZ | Zwolle |
| Stadium: IJsseldelta Stadion |
| 19 December 2015 Eredivisie Matchday 17 | AZ | v | Utrecht | Alkmaar |
| Stadium: AFAS Stadion |
| Winter Break | v | 22 December 2015 - 14 January 2016 |
| 16 January 2016 Eredivisie Matchday 18 | Roda JC | v | AZ | Kerkrade |
| Stadium: Parkstad Limburg Stadion |
| 24 January 2016 Eredivisie Matchday 19 | AZ | v | Feyenoord | Alkmaar |
| Stadium: AFAS Stadion |
| 27 January 2016 Eredivisie Matchday 20 | AZ | v | Cambuur | Alkmaar |
| Stadium: AFAS Stadion |
| 30 January 2016 Eredivisie Matchday 21 | NEC | v | AZ | Nijmegen |
| Stadium: Goffertstadion |
| 6 February 2016 Eredivisie Matchday 22 | AZ | v | Vitesse | Alkmaar |
| Stadium: AFAS Stadion |
| 13 February 2016 Eredivisie Matchday 23 | Heracles | v | AZ | Almelo |
| Stadium: Polman Stadion |
| 20 February 2016 Eredivisie Matchday 24 | AZ | v | Groningen | Alkmaar |
| Stadium: AFAS Stadion |
| 28 February 2016 Eredivisie Matchday 25 | Ajax | v | AZ | Amsterdam |
| Stadium: Amsterdam ArenA |
| 5 March 2016 Eredivisie Matchday 26 | AZ | v | Excelsior | Alkmaar |
| Stadium: AFAS Stadion |
| 12 March 2016 Eredivisie Matchday 27 | Willem II | v | AZ | Limburg |
| Stadium: Koning Willem II Stadion |
| 20 March 2016 Eredivisie Matchday 28 | Twente | v | AZ | Enschede |
| Stadium: De Grolsch Veste |
| 2 April 2016 Eredivisie Matchday 29 | AZ | v | PSV | Alkmaar |
| Stadium: AFAS Stadion |
| 10 April 2016 Eredivisie Matchday 30 | Heerenveen | v | AZ | Heerenveen |
| Stadium: Abe Lenstra Stadion |
| 16 April 2016 Eredivisie Matchday 31 | AZ | v | PEC | Alkmaar |
| Stadium: AFAS Stadion |
| 20 April 2016 Eredivisie Matchday 32 | ADO | v | AZ | The Hague |
| Stadium: Kyocera Stadion |
| 1 May 2016 Eredivisie Matchday 33 | AZ | v | De Graafschap | Alkmaar |
| Stadium: AFAS Stadion |
| 8 May 2016 Eredivisie Matchday 34 | Utrecht | v | AZ | Rotterdam |
| Stadium: Stadion Galgenwaard |
Statistics
|
Top goalscorers
|
Goals conceded
| ||||||||||||||||||
League table
Template:2015–16 Eredivisie table
KNVB Beker
| 23 September 2015 KNVB Beker; Round 2 | AZ | 6 - 1 | VVV-Venlo | Alkmaar |
| van der Linden 8' (pen.) Tanković 37' 82'Mühren 70'Henriksen 78' 80' |
Summary | Kristiaan Haagen  7'Kruijsen 13'Fleuren 48'van Crooy 69' |
Stadium: AFAS Stadion Attendance: 7,188 Referee: Richard Liesveld |
| 29 October 2015 KNVB Beker; Round 3 | Telstar | - | AZ | Velsen |
| Stadium: Telstar Stadion |
Statistics
|
Top goalscorers
|
Goals conceded
| ||||||||||||||||||
Squad Performance
| Player | League starts | (pen.)
|
|
|
Cup starts | (pen.)
|
|
|
European starts | (pen.)
|
|
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Goalkeepers | ||||||||||||
01. Sergio Rochet
|
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 16.Gino Coutinho
|
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 25.Nick Olij
|
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Defenders | ||||||||||||
| 02.Mattias Johansson
|
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 03.Jeffrey Gouweleeuw
|
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 04.Jan Wuytens
|
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 05.Rajko Brežančić
|
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 14.Jop van der Linden
|
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 15.Donny Gorter
|
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 17.Djavan Anderson
|
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 23.Derrick Luckassen
|
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 24.Ridgeciano Haps
|
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
33. Pantelis Hatzidiakos
|
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 34.Joris Kramer
|
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Midfielders | ||||||||||||
06. Celso Ortiz
|
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 08.Joris van Overeem
|
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
10. Markus Henriksen
|
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 19.Dabney dos Santos
|
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 20.Thom Haye
|
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 26.Stijn Spierings
|
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
36. Alexander Sigurdarson
|
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 38.Thomas Ouwejan
|
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 40.Jeremy Helmer
|
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Attackers | ||||||||||||
| 07.Guus Hupperts
|
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 09.Alireza Jahanbakhsh
|
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 11.Muamer Tankovic
|
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 12.Vincent Janssen
|
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 21.Robert Mühren
|
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 22.Achille Vaarnold
|
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 27.Raymond Gyasi
|
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 28.Levi Garcia
|
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 29.Fernando Lewis
|
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
International Appearances
The following first team players either played or were involved for their respective national teams during the season:
Toulon Tournament
Three players were involved in this invitational tournament for youth teams throughout the world and all played for the Netherlands under 21s or Jong Oranje. The Netherlands team failed to progress from the group stages after two wins and two draws; France and The United States of America progressed from group A.
| Date | National Team | Player | Opposition | Appearances | Goals | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 27 May 2015 | U21 |
3.Derrick Luckassen | U23 |
1 | 0 | U21 3-2 U23
|
| 8.Thom Haye | 1 | 0 | ||||
| 10.Joris van Overeem | 1 | 0 | ||||
| 29 May 2015 | 10.Joris van Overeem | U23 |
1 | 0 | U21 1-3 U23
| |
| 31 May 2015 | 3.Derrick Luckassen |  U23 |
1 | 0 | U21 5-1 U23
| |
| 8.Thom Haye | 1 | 0 | ||||
| 4 June 2015 | 3.Derrick Luckassen |  U21 |
1 | 0 | U21 0-4 U21
| |
| 8.Thom Haye | 1 | 0 | ||||
| 10.Joris van Overeem | 1 | 0 |
Gold Cup
Aron Jóhannsson is the only internationalist from the CONCACAF association eligible to play in this tournament.
| Date | National Team | Player | Opposition | Appearances | Goals | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8 July 2015 | |
9.Aron Jóhannsson |  |
0 | 0 | 2-1
|
| 11 July 2015 | 9.Aron Jóhannsson |  |
1 | 0 | 1-0
| |
| 14 July 2015 | 9.Aron Jóhannsson |  |
- | - | x-x
|
EURO 2016 Qualification
| Date | National Team | Player | Opposition | Appearances | Goals | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 12 June 2015 | |
17.Steven Berghuis |  |
0 | 0 | 0-2
|
Friendlies
| Date | National Team | Player | Opposition | Appearances | Goals | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5 June 2015 | |
9.Aron Jóhannsson | |
1 | 0 | 3-4
|
| 5 June 2015 | |
17.Steven Berghuis | |
0 | 0 | 3-4
|
| 10 June 2015 | |
9.Aron Jóhannsson | |
1 | 0 | 1-2
|
| 4 July 2015 | |
9.Aron Jóhannsson |  |
0 | 0 | 4-0
|
UEFA Ranking
After the 2014-15 season where AZ did not compete in European competitions the club fell 8 places to 44th.
This places the club in third place overall in domestic terms: Ajax (26) lead PSV (30) following AZ (44), FC Twente (45) and Feyenoord (95).
| Rank | Country | Team | Points |
|---|---|---|---|
| 42 | |
Liverpool | 47.078 |
| 43 |  |
Metalist Kharkiv | 47.033 |
| 44 | |
AZ | 45.612 |
| 45 | |
Twente | 43.695 |
| 46 | |
Roma | 43.602 |
- As of 28/05/2015[1]