# 2015–16 AZ Alkmaar season

During the 2015–16 season AZ competed in the Eredivisie for the 18th consecutive season the KNVB Cup and the Europa League after qualifying for the 3rd qualification round due to finishing 3rd the previous season.

## Background

European football returned 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 were 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 was also arranged the week before competitive football in the Europa League by 30 July.

### Statistics

| Rank | Player | (pen.) |
| 1. | Janssen | 10 |
| 2= | van Overeem Luckassen | 3 |
| =4. | Lewis Helmer Mühren | 2 |
| =7. | Gyasi Dos Santos Henriksen Van der Linden Gouweleeuw | 1 1 1 0(1) 0(1) |
| Total Total inc. pen. | Total Total inc. pen. | 25 (2) 27 |
| Against | Scorers | (pen.) |
| Dirkshorn Regional Selection XI | De Bruin x2 | 2 |
| AFC '34 | Inecia | 1 |
| Fortuna Sittard | NA | 0 |
| Dundee United | Spittal | 1 |
| SC Telstar | NA | 0 |
| Al Wasl | NA | 0 |
| Total | Total | 4 |

## 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 had a high coefficient and was seeded for the draw meaning a favourable draw against weaker opposition was likely. The first game was scheduled for 30 July with the return leg on 6 August.

### Statistics

| Rank | Player | (pen.) |
| =1. | Janssen Van der Linden | 1 0(1) |
| Total Total inc. pen. | Total Total inc. pen. | 1 (1) 2 |
| Against | Scorers | (pen.) |
| İstanbul Başakşehir | | |
| Total Total inc. pen. | Total Total inc. pen. | |

## Eredivisie
### Statistics

| Rank | Player | (pen.) |
| 1. | | |
| Total | Total | |
| Against | Scorers | (pen.) |
| Total | Total | |

#### League table

| Pos | Teamvte | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification or relegation |
| 2 | Ajax | 34 | 25 | 7 | 2 | 81 | 21 | +60 | 82 | Qualification for the Champions League third qualifying round |
| 3 | Feyenoord | 34 | 19 | 6 | 9 | 62 | 40 | +22 | 63 | Qualification for the Europa League group stage |
| 4 | AZ | 34 | 18 | 5 | 11 | 70 | 53 | +17 | 59 | Qualification for the Europa League third qualifying round |
| 5 | Utrecht | 34 | 15 | 8 | 11 | 57 | 48 | +9 | 53 | Qualification for the European competition play-offs |
| 6 | Heracles Almelo (O) | 34 | 14 | 9 | 11 | 47 | 49 | −2 | 51 | Qualification for the European competition play-offs |
* ↑ Feyenoord qualified for the Europa League group stage by winning the 2015–16 KNVB Cup.
* ↑ Four teams played for one spot in the UEFA Europa League third qualifying round.

## KNVB Cup
### Statistics

| Rank | Player | (pen.) |
| 1. | | |
| Total | Total | |
| Against | Scorers | (pen.) |
| Total | Total | |

## 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 |
| 27 May 2015 | U21 | 8.Thom Haye | U23 | 1 | 0 | U21 3-2 U23 |
| 27 May 2015 | U21 | 10.Joris van Overeem | U23 | 1 | 0 | U21 3-2 U23 |
| 29 May 2015 | U21 | 10.Joris van Overeem | U23 | 1 | 0 | U21 1-3 U23 |
| 31 May 2015 | U21 | 3.Derrick Luckassen | U23 | 1 | 0 | U21 5-1 U23 |
| 31 May 2015 | U21 | 8.Thom Haye | U23 | 1 | 0 | U21 5-1 U23 |
| 4 June 2015 | U21 | 3.Derrick Luckassen | U21 | 1 | 0 | U21 0-4 U21 |
| 4 June 2015 | U21 | 8.Thom Haye | U21 | 1 | 0 | U21 0-4 U21 |
| 4 June 2015 | U21 | 10.Joris van Overeem | U21 | 1 | 0 | U21 0-4 U21 |

### Gold Cup

Aron Jóhannsson is the only internationalist from the CONCACAF association eligible to play in this tournament.
| Date | Player | 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 | Player | 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 | 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