Shedender's "Journeyman" Career

Since I arrived at PSV I have been eagerly awaiting my first Eredivisie fixture and that arrived ten days after joining the club as my new charges travelled to relegation threatened RKC with the side hovering just one place above the bottom while a win could send my new side to the summit of the league table.


My reign at PSV has started with maximum points following a two one win away to struggling RKC. We took the lead after only two minutes when Lens found himself in space to put the ball into the net and as we continued to be the better side Mertens doubled the score after twenty-eight minutes but we were unable to add more to our tally and conceded a goal after sixty-eight minutes when Schreurs halved the deficit but we held on.


PSV have moved top of the table following my first win in my first game against RKC. We're only top on goal difference at the moment with Vitesse in second place. Ajax have had a shocking first half to the season and are down in ninth.

Silly move from the PSV manage to leave for Stuttgart but there we go, doing well but then theres no surprise there!

good luck in Holland my Ajax save me and PSV are very far ahead of the rest !

Indeed it did seem a silly move on his part Dan but I'm just pleased to have had a chance to manage in Holland were I had an excellent save with Ajax and then later Feyenoord (same save) a few years ago. I've only played the one game to date.

To be expected George, PSV and Ajax are the two biggest clubs in Holland.


We entered January with my first win under my belt since arriving at PSV, with the 2-1 away success at RKC on New Years Eve. The first month of twenty fifteen saw us play twice in the league against NEC away from home and Roda JC at the Phillips Stadion along with a home Dutch Cup quarter final vs. Vitesse.


January started with a tricky trip to NEC as I looked to make it back to back victories since arriving at the club and a fifty-fourth minute strike from central midfielder Defour ensured we picked up a single goal victory and kicked off the New Year with maximum points.

We then entertained Roda JC at home and picked up a two one victory in front of our own support. After a scoreless first period we broke the deadlock in the fifty-ninth minute through striker Lens but Roda equalised ten minutes later courtesy of Lebedynski but a last gasp strike from Lens for his second of the game ensured three points.

Our final game in the month was a quarter final tie in the Dutch Cup as we hosted Vitesse in what was expected to be a tough game and it proved just that as a single goal, struck in the one hundred and eighteenth minute sealed a semi final birth with Heerenveen.


We are just a single point clear at the top of the table come the end of January with FC Twente in second place and Vitesse in third. Ajax remain to have a poor season as they're down in eighth but thirteen points behind the second place team so I expect them to start climbing the table. Feyenoord remain to flirt with relegation, down in fourteenth.

On the back of four games unbeaten since arriving at PSV February turned out to be the busiest month of the season as the Europa League returned with it's first knockout round as we played Spanish side Athletic in a two legged affair. Those two games turned out to be two of seven that had to be played this month with five being in the Eredivisie.


Before I start the February round-up I completed three signings in January (but I forgot to take a screenshot). Strikers Heitmann and Suazo arrived along with attacking midfielder Cesar. I'm sure both Heitmann and Cesar could prove to be excellent signings, Suazo is just back-up for experience purposes.

And things didn't start off great as we suffered a shock reversal at the hands of VVV-Venlo, going down three two despite having a two nil lead at half time and that annoyed me slightly as goals from January signing Cesar and defender Gouweleeuw looked to have us in control but the home side came back strong in the second half and a treble from Cooper ensured a shock win against the odds.

We did bounce back however with a 2-0 home success over Fortuna Sittard as another January signing Heitmann opened the scoring after seventeen minutes before Cesar struck for the second game running after sixty-five to seal the points. The points were never in doubt even after Strootman was sent off for two yellow cards on sixty-nine minutes and that means he'll miss the trip to Heracles.

The trip to Heracles turned out to be an absolute stunning performance, wrapping up an excellent six one away success in the process despite not taking the lead until the thirty-first minute when Mertens broke the deadlock and then the same man doubled the lead four minutes into the second half and then van Meel made it three. A Gouweleeuw own goal on sixty-one minutes proved just to be a consolation goal for the home side as substitute Lens struck twice on seventy-three and ninety minutes in between an own goal through Davidson.

We stayed on the road for the second straight game as we made the trip to Vitesse in what was going to be a tough ask but the points were shared along with six goals. The three all draw saw us take the lead from the penalty spot after just ten minutes as Cesar converted but goals from Vydra and Bony turned the game around just before half time to give the home side a two one lead but two goals in as many second half minutes from Cesar for his second and Lens turned the game around again but Bony's second goal of the game on sixty-six minutes saw the points shared.

For the third game running the side had to travel, this time to the sunny climates of Spain to face Athletic Bilbao and we slipped up and headed home with a two one defeat but still in the tie and even took the lead after thirty-seven minutes when Gouweleeuw headed home but the hosts left it late and struck inside the final six minutes to turn the game around - Aduriz and Muniain scoring,

Our final league game of the month saw us host rivals Feyenoord but we could only pick up a point as just like the VVV-Venlo game the side squandered a two nil lead but this time it was messed up late and that left me bewildered. A double from winger Narsingh looked to have won us the game as he struck in the thirty-fifth and eighty-second minute but two goals inside four minutes from Janmaat on eighty-four and Immers on eighty-eight saw the points shared.

And the month concluded with us exiting the Europa League despite being victorious in the second leg against Athletic, we picked up a three two win but exited on the away goals rule and three of the goals came in the final twenty minutes of normal time as Joseph-Monrose opened the scoring on seventy minutes before an eighty-first minute goal from Lens turned the tie around but Iraola's goal, six minutes remaining forced extra time. A penalty from central midfielder Strootman on ninety-eight minutes again turned the tie in our favour but Aduriz struck two minutes later to send the Spaniard's through.


Still top of the table and the gap has stretched to a massive two points so it's still very tight and all to play for going into the business end of the season and just eight games remaining as I look to wrap up the league title despite only arriving at the club late December, similar to Galatasaray. Ajax are doing slightly better (so that should cheer Dyrim up, if he's an Ajax fan) but MVV look doomed for the drop.

The business end of the season is upon us with just eight league games remaining and a league and cup double looking possible, we entered March looking to maintain our spot at the top of the Eredivisie and had four games to play - three were extremely tough as we had Twente away before hosting both Ajax and AZ Alkmaar in three consecutive games before ending the month with a Dutch Cup semi away to Heerenveen.


We started March with a must win home clash against De Graafschap and picked up maximum points following a two goal win as both of the goals arrived in the opening ten minutes through Lens on three and Cesar on ten but I would have loved more goals but settled for two after Mertens was shown a second yellow card after forty minutes and off he went, was fined two weeks wages for his stupid dismissal.

Our second game of the month saw us make the journey to Twente and could only settle for a point that I would have taken before kick off, following a scoreless first half the home side took the lead a minute into the restart through Castaignos but Heitmann levelled proceedings with only eleven minutes left to share the spoils.

The side then hosted Ajax and we produced an excellent home performance to defeat them three nil with Cesar scoring what turned out be the only goal of the first half after thirty-two minutes but he doubled his tally for the day and ours on fifty-eight minutes before striker Lens, who I believe had only scored the one league goal before I arrived made it three on sixty-six.

We played our second home game in succession when we entertained AZ Alkmaar in our final league game of the month and could only share the points despite Lens opening the scoring on twelve minutes, we were unable to hold on for back to back victories as Jansson equalised with five minutes left.

The Dutch Cup semi final trip to Heerenveen finished the month and we're in the final despite a 0-0 draw after one hundred and twenty minutes, the game went to a penalty shootout. We won the shootout 3-2 to set up a final date with Heracles.


The gap at the summit has got a point bigger so it's now three after we completed an unbeaten month with two draws and two wins from our four league fixtures. Vitesse are in second, three points behind Utrecht and Ajax remain fifth but can still win the league against the odds but it'll take a miracle.

Grats on reaching the cup finals, you can't afford muchdrawing in the league, Vitesse still is there to jump at you.

And I bet you said "grats on reaching the cup final" begrudgingly, didn't you? We have four games in the league remaining Dyrim and I feel we need to win all four to ensure we've won the league.


We reached the penultimate month of the season with our league challenge still alive as we played three league games in April along with our Dutch Cup final that seen us face Heracles.


We started the crucial month with a trip to Utrecht and produced our most dismal performance since I took over at the end of December, crashing to a 3-0 defeat. Kuyt scored twice in the first half as he struck after thirteen and forty-five minutes before Gerndt sealed the points after sixty-five minutes but the points were never in doubt.

One week later we faced our second away game as we made the trip to Groningen in a must win Eredivisie match and my PSV charges did pick up the points as youngster Heitmann, signed in the January transfer window, struck the winner in the first minute of second half stoppage time.

The final league game of the month saw us play our first home game in April as we edged past ADO Den Haag thanks to a single goal that arrived after thirty-five minutes courtesy of Lens.

April came to an end with the Dutch Cup final versus Heracles and the side produced their best performance of the month to win the cup four one. Goals inside the opening twenty minutes from Lens and Cesar had us seemingly in control before Vejinovic pulled one back in first half stoppage time but Lens' second of the game on sixty-three minutes before Mertens added a fourth four minutes later.


That disgusting defeat at the hands of Utrecht has seen us surrender top spot with just one league game remaining and Vitesse are top on goal difference and face NEC on the final day while we host relegated MVV so I expect us to pick up maximum points while Vitesse will hopefully slip up so I can pinch the title to go along with the cup success.

The final month of the season was upon us with all the games kicking off at the same time. We hosted relegated MVV while Vitesse are also at home but face a much tougher task against NEC. We need to pick up three points and hope Vitesse either draw or lose their league game. How will it go?


We done our job the hard way as we picked up a three one home victory over relegated MVV but all the goals came in a dramatic nine minute period. With the game looking set to end in a draw and the league title getting away from us Darida opened the scoring on eighty-two minutes but Bola stunned us with an equaliser a minute later. With the game entering stoppage time Jorgensen headed home to send our fans into raptures before Heitmann sealed the win.

The question is though, did our victory even make a difference?


Unbelievable! You can't make this s**t up. We've pinched the league title on the final day following our three one success over MVV but Vitesse could only manage to pick up a point against tenth place NEC. Ourselves and Vitesse will be playing in next season's Champions League while Ajax, Twente and Heracles will be in the Europa League - Ajax and Twente due to finishing third and fourth respectively and Heracles due to being runners-up in the Dutch Cup and us qualifying for Europe through the league.

A lucky title is a title non the less. Now lets see how your going to move forward with PSV.