Ryan Thomas (PEC Zwolle | Netherlands)

64’ PEC Zwolle gaat wisselen: Ryan Thomas komt in het veld voor Ody Velanas. (0-1) #vitpec pic.twitter.com/IDgvI8ZtT3

— PEC Zwolle (@PECZwolle) October 27, 2023

Gets on for his second appearance of the season, after 4' last time out against Excelsior.
 
Hopefully he can continue on from here and get more minutes in the legs. God, the poor guy has missed so much football over his career. Here's to him being on the upswing from here on out. 🤞🏻

Went down with a grimace within a couple minutes of coming on lmao. Almost ripped up my All Whites shirt then and there

Thankfully, he was alright - went down the other end and immediately had a great goal-saving clearance. Unfortunately Zwolle couldn't withstand the Vitesse onslaught and they concede late though a bit of a GK error, game ends 1-1

A solid 25-30 mins. All the fingers & toes crossed for the rest of the season.

Another 25 mins for Ryan Thomas as he works his way back to full match fitness for PEC Zwolle #FlyingKiwis

Helped his side hang on for a battling 1-1 draw away to Vitesse

Usually Thommo’s best known for his creative passing but here’s a crucial goal-line clearance instead… pic.twitter.com/kAmdlTSp4o

— The Niche Cache (@thenichecache) October 27, 2023

Dutch Cup first round. Zwolle travel to 3rd tier AFC (10th in the Tweede Divisie).

https://us.soccerway.com/matches/2023/11/01/netherlands/knvb-beker/amsterdamsche-football-club/bvo-fc-zwolle/4254847/

No Thomas as like Garbett's Breda, Zwolle get upset 1-0 at a 3rd tier club.

So no Dutch Cup trophy for Thomas & Zwolle this season.
April 2014, a 19 yr old Ryan with 2 goals in Zwolle's famous 5-1 final upset of Ajax. Should have had a hat trick!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sESTrAsz93o

Zwolle (9th) host Fortuna Sittard (11th).
https://us.soccerway.com/matches/2023/11/05/netherlands/eredivisie/bvo-fc-zwolle/fortuna-sittard/4096754/

More mins in the legs. Starts and gets 52 mins (1-0) in a 2-0 win.
Next is a trip to his old paymasters at PSV.

PSV (1st) host Zwolle (8th).
https://us.soccerway.com/matches/2023/11/12/netherlands/eredivisie/psv-nv/bvo-fc-zwolle/4096759/

The only two clubs of Thomas's 10 yr pro career. He actually made his pro debut for Zwolle at PSV on 03/11/2013. Symmetry.
https://us.soccerway.com/matches/2023/11/12/netherlands/eredivisie/psv-nv/bvo-fc-zwolle/4096759/

Glory's Darryl Lachman was a team mate of Thomas that day. The 2 cities are 155km apart. Home body Thomas doesn't like to travel far.

Thomas starts for Zwolle.
Edit - PSV up 2-0 at HT.

PSV do it easy 4-0. Thomas off at 62 mins (3-0)

Reading this I'd be a bit pessimsitic about him having much involvement with the AWs this WC cycle. Sounds like his knees are half shot. Maybe he'll do a Winnie Reid for the 2030 WC (if he's not too old at 35 & still quality), stop playing club football for 12 mths and try nurse himself into a WC buildup swansong.

From Flying Kiwis

Ryan Thomas to BD.nl: “I'm a bit done with all those problems. I may have the quality to play higher, but my body doesn't cooperate. If I had other knees, I would have had a completely different career. It's the way it is, I can't change it.”

Thommo also added in that interview that he was taking painkillers for his knee during the latter stages of last season, which he accepts was risky but Zwolle did achieve promotion so it was worth it in some ways. Then despite hoping to be able to pick things back up smoothly in preseason he found he was battling through the pain again and in the top division the pace of the game is just too hectic to be going in at 70-80%.

So he went to Belgium to have some shockwave treatment on his knee tendon which seems to have done the trick. Fingers crossed anyway.

Poor guy, had the highest ceiling I've seen in a NZ player in the modern game. Just was a type of talent that we don't normally get technically, tactically and instinctively. Wish him the best for the rest of his career.

Np

Poor guy, had the highest ceiling I've seen in a NZ player in the modern game. Just was a type of talent that we don't normally get technically, tactically and instinctively. Wish him the best for the rest of his career.

Unreal player and it’s always been such a privilege to watch him play for NZ. I’ll forever think “what if” about his shot vs Peru that so nearly crept in.

Zwolle (8th) host RKC Waalwijk (15th).

https://us.soccerway.com/matches/2023/11/25/netherlands/eredivisie/bvo-fc-zwolle/rkc-waalwijk/4096769/

60 mins (1-2) in a 1-2 loss.

Zwolle (11th) travel to Volendam (17th/2nd last)
https://us.soccerway.com/matches/2023/12/02/netherlands/eredivisie/fc-volendam/bvo-fc-zwolle/4096777/

Thomas gets through 87 minutes as Zwolle hit 5 in a dominant display. 

Yipe a 5-0 win. Thomas in a deep midfield role.
Garang Kuol (on loan from Newcastle) on at 57 mins for Volendam. 

Zwolle (9th) host NEC (12th)
https://us.soccerway.com/matches/2023/12/09/netherlands/eredivisie/bvo-fc-zwolle/nijmegen-eendracht-combinatie/4096787/

Thomas off at 52 mins (0-2) in a 1-3 loss.

From Flying Kiwis. Not great news with Thomas actually coming off injured against NEC.

Then, to make matters, worse, Ryan Thomas limped off after 52 minutes. There’s no further information to be found just yet and that’s annoying because with Thommo’s injury history any knock is something to worry about... but then also given his injury history there’s a tendency to be very cautious with him. So this could be something or it could be nothing. We’ll find out in due course, s’pose. There’s a month off soon for the winter break, thus chances are he sits out the next game and can have a rest from there.

This was his manager speaking prior to the NEC Nijmegen game...

Jonny Jansen: “I look back on the first half of the season with satisfaction. Without discounting results and players, I would like to highlight Sam Kersten and Ryan Thomas. I think it is admirable how Sam has managed to fight back after a long-term injury and is now a strongman in the defense. What is also great is that Ryan is growing step by step towards 100% competition fitness. We can really use his experience.”

Zwolle (11th) travel to a struggling Ajax (5th - 21 pts behind leaders PSV!).
https://us.soccerway.com/matches/2023/12/17/netherlands/eredivisie/afc-ajax/bvo-fc-zwolle/4096800/

A 2-2 draw. No Thomas. Zwolle don’t play again until 14th Jan, so hopefully that’s time enough for Ryan to get over his latest injury

Eredivisie restarts. Zwolle (11th) with a trip to Marco Rojas's old club Heerenveen (9th)
https://us.soccerway.com/matches/2024/01/13/netherlands/eredivisie/bvo-fc-zwolle/sportclub-heerenveen/4096805/

Still in sick bay as Zwolle draw 2-2.

Niche Cache.

No Ryan Thomas for PEC Zwolle as they lost 3-1 against NEC Nijmegen. Needless to say he missed out due to injury... although it was only a minor thing and they only classified him as doubtful in the days leading up to the match, rather than ruling him out entirely. Maybe next week – Thommo has made seven Eredivisie appearances so far this term. 

Nah it's all over for Ryan's season, and I think for any lingering hopes he would play for the All Whites again now too 

unfortunately made of glass. Had some ability, sad really that he never really got to showcase it for club or country.

Zwolle (10th) travel to AZ (4th)
https://us.soccerway.com/matches/2024/01/20/netherlands/eredivisie/stichting-az/bvo-fc-zwolle/4096814/

2-2 draw. No Thomas

From Flying Kiwis. Sadly it is bad news yet again.

Needs more knee surgery, and out until the next Dutch season. Really does sound from earlier statements that his knees are a mess (virtual bone on bone?), and his remaining career could be sort of month by month. Real shame. Just as well the AWs's midfield stocks are so strong these days.

When Ryan Thomas missed last week’s Eredivisie match, the first game back from the short winter break, they said he was only doubtful rather than anything serious. Either they were lying or they didn’t yet know. ‘They’, in this case, being local media reports. It’s not the news anyone wants to read but it turns out that Thommo needs yet another knee surgery and his season is over.

PEC Zwolle: “Ryan Thomas (29) has suffered a knee injury. Hospital scans have shown that the midfielder has to undergo knee surgery. As a result, the season for Thomas comes to an early end. After returning to PEC Zwolle in late-2022, Thomas made seven performances in the Eredivisie this season. He played his last game at home before the winter break against NEC Nijmegen. Good luck Ryan and on to a speedy recovery!”

This will be at least the third time that he’s required season-ending knee surgery in his career and he isn’t even 30 years old. Thomas has spoken several times about the mental toll these long recoveries have taken on him. Let’s just hope there’s another chapter or two remaining in this book, though you’d hardly blame him if he’s had enough of this. This one really sucks.

8 games to go in the Eredivisie season and Zwolle are 13th (28 pts) 6 pts above the drop zone. So they should be safe from relegation in their first season back in the top flight.

https://us.soccerway.com/national/netherlands/eredivisie/20232024/regular-season/r77314/

How far off from retirement do we think he is? 

Must be about done, as bad as Hay was, maybe even worse.

Wonder if Auckland or Wellington are options as an impact/bench player, shorter season and less pressure may prolong his career.

My understanding is he has a Dutch wife and Dutch kids and is settled. Maybe could be tempted for a season or two but wouldn’t seem too likely given his injury record.

The Eredivisie is only 34 games long, and doesn't have playoffs. So only 8 matches longer than the ALM. Sure there are a few Cup games but there are friendly of breaks, with winter, FIFA windows etc.

Thomas is also a bit of a legend at small club Zwolle, after his 2 goals in that famous Dutch Cup final win 10 years ago. If he continues playing, he'll almost be able to pick and choose when he plays to some small extent, ie the club will give him some flexibility. Plus all the medical/physio stuff there will know his body inside out, and be the best informed to keep him fit.

If he does come back from this latest setback it will be at Zwolle I reckon. Plus yeah it's well documented he is real Dutch family homebody these days. I think even his parents (expat Brits) ae back in the UK these days.