Nando Pijnaker (Sligo Rovers | Ireland)

Not in match day squad as Rio Ave (15th), lose 0-2 to top of the table Sporting. RA had one of their bench players (midfielder) shown a red card!
https://us.soccerway.com/matches/2021/05/05/portugal/portuguese-liga-/rio-ave-fc/sporting-clube-de-portugal/3355575/

Rio Ave 2 points above relegation playoff spot with 3 games left. 3 teams below them all with a game in hand.

Not in match day squad as Rio Ave (15th) lose 0-1 at Santa Clara (7th).

Rio Ave definitely in danger of the drop (after last season qualifying for Europe). Only 1 point above relegation playoff spot, and 3 points above automatic drop. 2 games left.

Tough match hosting Porto next. Porto (2nd) with a win will lock in their UCL spot. So for Rio Ave survival will likely come down to their last game, away to bottom of the table Nacional (who could already be relegated by then).

A season in the Portuguese 2nd tier, might be good for Pijnaker's chances of more playing time though.

Rio Ave (17th) with a 0-2 loss to Porto (2nd).
So Rio Ave slip into an automatic relegation spot with 1 game left. Like his old U20 team mates Woud & Stanger, Pijnaker could be in a 2nd tier league next year.

Good news for Rio Ave (31 pts) is they play at last placed Nacional - who are already relegated, in their last game.

RA can overtake Farense (31 pts/better GD & 16th), Boavista (33 pts & 15th). All 3 play away in last round against teams with nothing to play for.

Rio Ave finish season 16th, and in the relegation playoff spot.
A 2-1 win over last placed Nacional to finish the regular season. Winner 94th minute. No Pijnaker.

Segunda Liga (2nd tier) finishes this weekend. For the moment Arouca (3rd), would be Rio Ave's opponent in the 2 legged promotion/relegation playoff series.

But could still also be either Académica (4th) or Vizela (2nd).

Looks like Pijnaker's season with Rio Ave II in the 3rd tier, finished back in April.
https://us.soccerway.com/matches/2021/04/10/portugal/ii-divisao/rio-ave-ii/felgueira-1932/3368711/

So relegation/promotion playoff opponent (2 legs) for Rio Ave, is confirmed as Arouca who finished 3rd in the 2nd tier.

Rio Ave in trouble. Lose 1st leg of the promotion/relegation playoff 3-0 at 2nd tier Arouca. No Pijnaker in match day squad.

Relegation to the Segunda Liga, may actually of course be good for Pijnaker re game time next season. 2nd leg this weekend.

Rio Ave meekly succumb losing 2nd leg 0-2, so a 5-0 loss on aggregate to Arouca.

Down to the 2nd tier they go. Coaching clean out? What will relegation mean for Pijnaker? He made the bench 8 times for the first team, but no playing minutes.

Out of curiosity his previous club in Switzerland, Grasshopper - achieved automatic promotion to the Swiss top flight this season.

From this week's Flying Kiwis.

https://youtu.be/UvupE5I2HnM

Nando Pijnaker never played for the Rio Ave first team this season. He did sit on the bench eight times in the Primeira Liga but as far as appearances went he got all of those with the youth team. Nando might be a better bet of breaking through next season though after Rio Ave were relegated.

A win over last-placed Nacional in their final game (with a 90th min winner) snapped an 11-game winless streak and coupled with Farense losing heavily that same day it meant that Rio Ave dodged automatic relegation and earned themselves the chance to play-off for their survival. But that went disastrously. They lost 3-0 away and then 2-0 at home to Arouca over two legs. Absolutely thrashed 5-0 on aggregate and that’ll do it. For a team that started the season playing Europa League qualifiers against AC Milan... that was a rotten mess of a campaign.

Portuguese 2nd tier kicks off, and Rio Ave make a bit of a statement with a 5-1 win over Académica, ie they are looking to immediately return to the top tier. Académica were 4th in the Segunda Liga last season, just missing the promotion/relegation playoff, which Rio Ave lost to promoted Arouca.

Pijnaker not in match day squad.

Not in match day squad as Rio Ave draw 1-1 at Farense. Farense like Rio Ave were relegated from the Primeira Liga, last season so likely a promotion rival.

If Pijnaker can't crack squads in the Segunda Liga, maybe time to look at a loan deal somewhere. He played too well at the Olympics, to languish around the Portuguese 3rd tier for another season.

coochiee

Not in match day squad as Rio Ave draw 1-1 at Farense. Farense like Rio Ave were relegated from the Primeira Liga, last season so likely a promotion rival.

If Pijnaker can't crack squads in the Segunda Liga, maybe time to look at a loan deal somewhere. He played too well at the Olympics, to languish around the Portuguese 3rd tier for another season.

Their loss!

CB is their strongest position though. In the Primeira Liga, their arguable best two players were their two centrebacks, and this season they still have Aderllan Santos (unreal for this level, shaky last few years but was at Valencia two years ago) and Hugo Gomes (Brazilian, scored last week, won the Segunda Liga title last year). Frustrating when we all know he'd make a huge impact at a higher level

Maybe he should join his mates in Denmark, must be a step up on the level he is playing at the moment and looked ok at the olympics 

Not in matchday squad as Rio Ave lead Varzim, 1-0 at HT.

Unless he's injured, time for a loan deal somewhere. Hasn't had a minute of league action (1st or 2nd tier) for Rio Ave, and last in a match day squad March this year.

Bear in mind that a lot of these Kiwis not getting game time just yet haven't had very much offseason at all. Not surprising that coaches would want to give the likes of Pijnaker, Stamenic and Garbett an extended rest, seeing as they're not key players

mrsmiis

Bear in mind that a lot of these Kiwis not getting game time just yet haven't had very much offseason at all. Not surprising that coaches would want to give the likes of Pijnaker, Stamenic and Garbett an extended rest, seeing as they're not key players

Fair point, only Wood, Bell, McCowatt and Just have gone back into regular game time. I’d still be a bit disappointed if he’s not getting involved sooner rather than later, he showed what he can do at the Olympics, three clean sheets against Korea, Romania and Japan is no mean feat, and certainly up against better players than in the Portuguese second tier.

mrsmiis

Bear in mind that a lot of these Kiwis not getting game time just yet haven't had very much offseason at all. Not surprising that coaches would want to give the likes of Pijnaker, Stamenic and Garbett an extended rest, seeing as they're not key players

Not so with Garbett, as summer league in Sweden so he left effectively mid season, and had a proper off season prior.

But yeah good point with the other two, so hopefully just getting a short break from football.

Edit - Rio Ave beat Varzim, 3-0 despite being down to 10 men from 64 mins. They are 2nd on the table behind Benfica II.

Not in match day squad as Rio Ave (2nd) host Leixões (3rd). 
Needs a loan deal somewhere.

Rio Ave beat Leixões 2-1 to go top of the 2nd tier.

Announced he's got the loan he needed and it’s to Helsingør, to join Cal and Eli Just. Dalton Wilkins also leaving Helsingør on loan to Kolding IF who are the division below.

Good move for him, hopefully he gets some regular playing time.

Hopefully Helsingor gets promoted, Nando signs permanently, and opens a fast food store. 

.

Rusty Dunks

Good move for him, hopefully he gets some regular playing time.

Hopefully Helsingor gets promoted, Nando signs permanently, and opens a fast food store. 

  Peri Peri Bacon. Danes love their bacon. 

Well what I said earlier on this page occurred, right as always

Helsingør played a friendly against Lyngby today, so gave starts to all their players that didn’t get such a run on the weekend, and had just U19 players on the bench, yet Pijnaker still wasn’t involved. I can’t seem to find anything suggesting why he hasn’t played, no news about an injury of the like.

He hasn’t been on the bench for the last four games, two of which were before the international window where he started both games, so he was obviously fit enough then. He only has 11 league minutes (one appearance) all season, and is on loan, which in theory means he should expect more game-time as they have no reason to ease him in over a longer period. 

Apparently his loan ends on the 31st of December, so there’s only one game left for him at Helsingør, but if they’d sent him back to Rio Ave early, you’d expect some notice about that. Either way, next year he’ll need to find a team more willing to play him, whether that’s at a lower level or not.

Helsingør are top of the table, with 3-4 experienced CBs on their books. And Danish 2nd tier has one round left, before long winter break

You'd really think he'll be back to Portugal, to at least train with Rio Ave, and work on best move for him next.

With the OFC announcement about that tourney starting 2 matches outside FIFA window, Hay may prefer he is just a fringe player somewhere come late March.

coochiee

Helsingør are top of the table, with 3-4 experienced CBs on their books. And Danish 2nd tier has one round left, before long winter break

You'd really think he'll be back to Portugal, to at least train with Rio Ave, and work on best move for him next.

With the OFC announcement about that tourney starting 2 matches outside FIFA window, Hay may prefer he is just a fringe player somewhere come late March.

His loan deal expires on December 31 anyway.

Really needs to find a club where he can crack the first team, seems like a real talent form his all white games. Surely must be on the nix radar at least for at least a loan

AucklandPhoenix

Really needs to find a club where he can crack the first team, seems like a real talent form his all white games. Surely must be on the nix radar at least for at least a loan

Loan Nix? 

Actually not the silliest idea out there. Would know a few of the team from Olympics for sure, and you expect straight away would push Laws for a spot (left sided CB).

But who knows what plans Rio Ave, have for him. Plus whether he'd just prefer to stay in Europe himself.

Game time pending....
https://www.sligorovers.com/pijnaker-joins-rovers-on-loan-from-rio-ave/ 

Good move in terms of game time. Hopefully he can get some good minutes under his belt. 

Good long season in Ireland too - 36 matches + Cup games + Conference League Qualifiers (way down the line). I hope it works out well for him. Just needs his chance to perform and hopefully he works his way up from there.

Well travelled young man for such a young age too.

Phil Jones

Game time pending....
https://www.sligorovers.com/pijnaker-joins-rovers-on-loan-from-rio-ave/ 

Yes seems an age since he's played any club football, so if this is the move that he needs to make fair enough. Though disappointing level really, when he has actually played pretty well recently for the AWs. Must be the Kiwi player to Ireland move that Jacob Spoonley hinted at recently.

Will team up with Ryan de Vries at Sligo, and get some Euro Conference League action.

coochiee

Phil Jones

Game time pending....
https://www.sligorovers.com/pijnaker-joins-rovers-on-loan-from-rio-ave/ 

Yes seems an age since he's played any club football, so if this is the move that he needs to make fair enough. Though disappointing level really, when he has actually played pretty well recently for the AWs. Must be the Kiwi player to Ireland move that Jacob Spoonley hinted at recently.

Will team up with Ryan de Vries at Sligo, and get some Euro Conference League action.

de Vries is gone, I'm relatively sure

Bit unfortunate after a good Olympic campaign to have so much time not playing. Hopefully he can impress and kick on. 

mrsmiis

coochiee

Phil Jones

Game time pending....
https://www.sligorovers.com/pijnaker-joins-rovers-on-loan-from-rio-ave/ 

Yes seems an age since he's played any club football, so if this is the move that he needs to make fair enough. Though disappointing level really, when he has actually played pretty well recently for the AWs. Must be the Kiwi player to Ireland move that Jacob Spoonley hinted at recently.

Will team up with Ryan de Vries at Sligo, and get some Euro Conference League action.

de Vries is gone, I'm relatively sure

Looks like you are correct. From Flying Kiwis.

Throughout a thrilling January of transfers involving New Zealand footballers, it would have been nice to get a Ryan De Vries contract extension with Sligo Rovers after two fine years there. But considering that they’ve signed a new striker and reallocated his #9 jersey it seems that ain’t about to happen or it would have already done so by now. 

coochiee

mrsmiis

coochiee

Phil Jones

Game time pending....
https://www.sligorovers.com/pijnaker-joins-rovers-on-loan-from-rio-ave/ 

Yes seems an age since he's played any club football, so if this is the move that he needs to make fair enough. Though disappointing level really, when he has actually played pretty well recently for the AWs. Must be the Kiwi player to Ireland move that Jacob Spoonley hinted at recently.

Will team up with Ryan de Vries at Sligo, and get some Euro Conference League action.

de Vries is gone, I'm relatively sure

Looks like you are correct. From Flying Kiwis.

Throughout a thrilling January of transfers involving New Zealand footballers, it would have been nice to get a Ryan De Vries contract extension with Sligo Rovers after two fine years there. But considering that they’ve signed a new striker and reallocated his #9 jersey it seems that ain’t about to happen or it would have already done so by now. 

De Vries now works as a recruitment consultant for an Auckland based firm - saw it pop up on linkedin

Part of a back 5 as Sligo travel to Derry City.

Mata on the bench.

Edit - full game Pijnaker & Mata subbed on in 87th minute in a 0-0 draw.
https://www.sofascore.com/team/football/sligo-rovers/3190

Starting as Sligo (6th) host Dundalk (4th). This time in a back 4.

Mata on the bench. First home game of the season for Sligo.

Edit - full game Pijnaker in a 0-0 draw. Mata looks like was an unused sub.

FNH9BrsXwAsKnra.jpeg 155.3 KB

Making an impact straight away. Some very positive comments on his play and how he has proven to have been an excellent signing so far. 

Keep up the good work lad. 😎👍

Really thought he stood out in the Olympics campaign and in the white shirt since given how little game time he's had over the last year. By all accounts already setting things on fire at his new club. If he can solidify a season or two of regular footy under his belt I'm sure the sky will be the limit for our Nando. Go hard boy!