During the final week of the transfer window, FC Utrecht's focus wasn't on incoming or outgoing players. Instead, it revolved around the coaching position, as head coach Michael Silberbauer was dismissed by the club after a poor start to the season. What is Utrecht's current situation?
Searching season start
The season start in Utrecht can easily be labeled as chaotic. With defeats against PSV (2-0), sc Heerenveen (0-2), and PEC Zwolle (1-0), the Domstedelingen began the Eredivisie season without any points and even without scoring a goal. Coach Michael Silberbauer was evidently in search mode: he utilized a total of 22 different players in these matches, the joint highest number among all clubs this season, alongside Almere City.
![](https://d3et0fncpz2hhr.cloudfront.net/clubs/_1367x1367_fit_center-center_80_none/Copyright-ProShots-21928073.jpg)
Match between PSV - FC Utrecht, FC Utrecht players disappointed after the PSV - Utrecht match. (12-08-2023)
Firing coach, the right choice?
After Silberbauer's dismissal, Rob Penders temporarily takes charge at FC Utrecht, hoping for a shock effect. However, in recent years, it hasn't been shown that a coaching change benefits the Domstedelingen. Out of the last twelve Eredivisie matches following a coaching change, only one was won (D5, L6). What Utrecht can hold onto: the latest match in this sequence was against Feyenoord, which ended in a tidy 1-1 draw.
Date | Opponent | Score | Outcome | Debuting Coach |
---|---|---|---|---|
06/08/2011 |
VVV-Venlo |
0-0 |
G |
Erwin Koeman |
22/10/2011 |
sc Heerenveen |
1-4 |
V |
Jan Wouters |
08/08/2014 |
PEC Zwolle |
0-2 |
V |
Rob Alflen |
08/08/2015 |
Feyenoord |
2-3 |
V |
Erik ten Hag |
19/01/2018 |
AZ |
1-1 |
G |
Jean-Paul de Jong |
16/09/2018 |
FC Emmen |
1-2 |
V |
Marinus Dijkhuizen |
23/09/2018 |
Feyenoord |
0-1 |
V |
Dick Advocaat |
04/08/2019 |
ADO Den Haag |
4-2 |
W |
John van den Brom |
08/11/2020 |
Ajax |
0-3 |
V |
René Hake |
02/04/2022 |
RKC Waalwijk |
1-1 |
G |
Rick Kruys |
06/08/2022 |
RKC Waalwijk |
2-2 |
G |
Henk Fraser |
08/01/2023 |
Feyenoord |
1-1 |
G |
Michael Silberbauer |
![](https://d3et0fncpz2hhr.cloudfront.net/clubs/_1367x1367_fit_center-center_80_none/Copyright-ProShots-21926335.jpg)
Match between PSV and FC Utrecht, coach Michael Silberbauer of Utrecht. (12-08-2023)
Toornstra Against Former Love
On Sunday, Utrecht plays for their first points of this Eredivisie season. There's a good chance that Feyenoord icon Jens Toornstra will be in action. He played 234 Eredivisie matches for Feyenoord and secured the league title, two KNVB Cups, and the Johan Cruijff Shield twice with them. Interestingly, he's also well acquainted with scoring against Feyenoord: he's done so three times for FC Utrecht, including in last season's meeting at the Galgenwaard. Only five players have scored more often for Utrecht against Feyenoord in the Eredivisie.
![](https://d3et0fncpz2hhr.cloudfront.net/clubs/_1367x1367_fit_center-center_80_none/Copyright-ProShots-22007386.jpg)
Match between FC Utrecht and SC Heerenveen. Utrecht player Jens Toornstra. (20-08-2023)
Eredivisie table
![AFC Ajax logo](https://d3et0fncpz2hhr.cloudfront.net/clubs/ajax/_24x24_fit_center-center_85_none/AFC-Ajax-logo.png)
![Almere City FC logo](https://d3et0fncpz2hhr.cloudfront.net/clubs/almere-city-fc/_24x24_fit_center-center_85_none/Almere-City-FC-logo.png)
![AZ logo](https://d3et0fncpz2hhr.cloudfront.net/clubs/az/_24x24_fit_center-center_85_none/AZ-logo.png)
![FC Groningen logo](https://d3et0fncpz2hhr.cloudfront.net/clubs/fc-groningen/_24x24_fit_center-center_85_none/FC-Groningen-logo.png)
![FC Twente logo](https://d3et0fncpz2hhr.cloudfront.net/clubs/fc-twente/_24x24_fit_center-center_85_none/FC-Twente-logo.png)
![FC Utrecht logo](https://d3et0fncpz2hhr.cloudfront.net/clubs/fc-utrecht/_24x24_fit_center-center_85_none/FC-Utrecht-logo.png)
![Feyenoord logo](https://d3et0fncpz2hhr.cloudfront.net/clubs/feyenoord/_24x24_fit_center-center_85_none/Feyenoord-logo.png)
![Fortuna Sittard logo](https://d3et0fncpz2hhr.cloudfront.net/clubs/fortuna-sittard/_24x24_fit_center-center_85_none/Fortuna-Sittard-logo.png)
![Go Ahead Eagles logo](https://d3et0fncpz2hhr.cloudfront.net/clubs/go-ahead-eagles/_24x24_fit_center-center_85_none/Go-Ahead-Eagles-logo.png)
![Heracles Almelo logo](https://d3et0fncpz2hhr.cloudfront.net/clubs/heracles-almelo/_24x24_fit_center-center_85_none/Heracles-Almelo-logo.png)
![Logo nec](https://d3et0fncpz2hhr.cloudfront.net/clubs/nec-nijmegen/_24x24_fit_center-center_85_none/logo-nec.png)
![NAC Breda logo](https://d3et0fncpz2hhr.cloudfront.net/clubs/nac-breda/_24x24_fit_center-center_85_none/NAC-Breda-logo.png)
![PEC Zwolle logo](https://d3et0fncpz2hhr.cloudfront.net/clubs/pec-zwolle/_24x24_fit_center-center_85_none/PEC-Zwolle-logo.png)
![PSV logo](https://d3et0fncpz2hhr.cloudfront.net/clubs/psv/_24x24_fit_center-center_85_none/PSV-logo.png)
![RKC Waalwijk logo](https://d3et0fncpz2hhr.cloudfront.net/clubs/rkc-waalwijk/_24x24_fit_center-center_85_none/RKC-Waalwijk-logo.png)
![Sc Heerenveen logo](https://d3et0fncpz2hhr.cloudfront.net/clubs/sc-heerenveen/_24x24_fit_center-center_85_none/sc-Heerenveen-logo.png)
![Sparta Rotterdam logo](https://d3et0fncpz2hhr.cloudfront.net/clubs/sparta-rotterdam/_24x24_fit_center-center_85_none/Sparta-Rotterdam-logo.png)
![Willem II logo](https://d3et0fncpz2hhr.cloudfront.net/clubs/willem-ii/_24x24_fit_center-center_85_none/Willem-II-logo.png)
# | Club | GS | W | V | G | DV-DT | DS | P |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 |
![]() |
4 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 18-3 | +15 | 12 |
2 |
![]() |
4 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 5-0 | +5 | 10 |
3 |
![]() |
4 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 6-3 | +3 | 10 |
4 |
![]() |
4 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 7-3 | +4 | 8 |
5 |
![]() |
3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 5-3 | +2 | 6 |
6 |
![]() |
4 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 5-3 | +2 | 6 |
7 |
![]() |
4 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 4-3 | +1 | 6 |
8 |
![]() |
3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 7-3 | +4 | 5 |
9 |
![]() |
4 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 5-4 | +1 | 5 |
# | Club | GS | W | V | G | DV-DT | DS | P |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
10 |
![]() |
3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 5-2 | +3 | 4 |
11 |
![]() |
3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 4-4 | 0 | 4 |
12 |
![]() |
2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2-2 | 0 | 3 |
13 |
![]() |
4 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 4-7 | -3 | 3 |
14 |
![]() |
4 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 2-7 | -5 | 3 |
15 |
![]() |
4 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 4-11 | -7 | 3 |
16 |
![]() |
4 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 2-7 | -5 | 2 |
17 |
![]() |
4 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 2-12 | -10 | 1 |
18 |
![]() |
4 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 2-12 | -10 | 0 |
Legend
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