Still out injured, as PSV recover from being 1-0 down to beat Thomas’s old side Zwolle, 4-1.
PSV go into 3rd for the moment ahead of Willem II
Ryan Thomas (PEC Zwolle | Netherlands)
Played first half in a friendly 1-2 loss to Club Brugge in Qatar.
Increasing story in this week's Flying Kiwis. Gutierrez played 2nd half in Qatar.
"rumours that PSV have rejected an offer from Besiktas (home of Tyler Boyd, ex-Flying Kiwi) for Mexican midfielder Erick Gutierrez, a fella who Ryan Thomas seems poised to replace in the starting eleven. Gutierrez travelled to Doha with the rest of them but the transfer window’s open all month so could be an ongoer."
Another 2-1 loss in a Qatar friendly, against a Belgian side. This time AS Eupen.
Thomas again subbed off with the starting side at HT.
PSV pinch a point at lowly VVV (16th) with a very late 92nd equaliser, to make it 1-1.
Full game for Thomas, who is credited with the assist.
PSV 4th on table.
From this week's Flying Kiwis.
Match highlights. https://youtu.be/-1vX-VkZNJQ
Go to 11.30 mins in re Thomas's lovely cross for his assist.
There is also a sequence early on, where he hits a bad back pass, almost leading to VVV scoring - but he fair sprints back to try atone for his error.
"Although they did fight back for the draw. With twenty seconds remaining in stoppage time, Thomas made a sprinting run towards the left wing where he picked up the ball and whipped in another excellent cross on his left foot... and this time Dumfries was there and made no mistake. A 1-1 draw ain’t flash but it’s better than a loss and Ryan Thomas played a huge part in that with the assist. It’s taken a long time for him to settle into a prominent role at PSV but we might finally be there now. Hopefully that means people realise what a massive thing it is to have a player like Ryan Thomas at a club like PSV Eindhoven."
No Dutch Cup trophy for Thomas this season.
PSV knocked out away at 2nd tier NAC Breda.
2-0 win to Breda. PSV with Baumgartl sent off at 60 mins (straight red), when they were down 1-0.
Thomas subbed off at HT (0-0). Hopefully just a workload issue with PSV playing 3 times this week.
Thomas watches from the bench as PSV blow a chance to go 3rd.
Held to a 1-1 draw by Twente, who score late at 87 mins.
PSV with player sent off at 75 mins.
Bit of a shark going down in Eindhoven. Club has received an offer from Spurs for Steve Bergwijn, so he didn't play at Twente. Fans are revolting for this and other reasons. Some tried to storm the club offices apparently after the match.
Bit of a shark going down in Eindhoven. Club has received an offer from Spurs for Steve Bergwijn, so he didn't play at Twente. Fans are revolting for this and other reasons. Some tried to storm the club offices apparently after the match.
Sounds a bit like what went down at Sporting 2-3 seasons ago. Wonder if other players will try to force moves claiming 'safety concerns'
Bergwijn gone to Spurs
Watches from the bench as PSV lose 1-0 at Ajax.
PSV remain 5th.
Starting as Willem II (4th & 40 pts) visit the Philips Arena. Playing as a ten. PSV 5th & 36 pts.
Big game for both teams as they try and chase AZ (2nd & 47 pts) - and that 2nd Champions League spot.
Unfortunately Woud back on the bench for Willem II, with McGarry.
https://twitter.com/i/status/1226203526671609856
Like a good flare the home fans. Does sound like emotions have been running high last few weeks in Eindhoven
https://twitter.com/i/status/1226194505126367232
Starting as Willem II (4th & 40 pts) visit the Philips Arena. Playing as a ten. PSV 5th & 36 pts.
And he scores! First goal since Sept 2017, when was at Zwolle.
PSV lead 2-0
Starting as Willem II (4th & 40 pts) visit the Philips Arena. Playing as a ten. PSV 5th & 36 pts.
And he scores! First goal since Sept 2017, when was at Zwolle.
PSV lead 2-0
Finishes 3-0 to PSV, who stay 5th, but close to within a point of Willem II (4th).
Thomas subbed off at 78 mins.
https://twitter.com/i/status/1226238596526592000
Woud & McGarry watch it all from the pine.
Watched the game tonight, was a bit of a shock to see Ryan playing so high but I wasn’t surprised that he did so well there. Has all the attributes to play almost any midfield role and showed that at Zwolle. Hopefully he gets to settle into that position
A day for Kiwis scoring in Europe. Pity no game for Wood this weekend.
Thomas's goal was a nicely grafted down the left, basically a one-two really, with some average defending leaving him in a big hole.
Should be a big confidence boost to him.
4 mins highlights here.
https://oms.vidstreamup.com/player/html/FH3NkcAUrwYL0?popup=yes&autoplay=1
The 3rd goal an OG, is rather funny. Thanks god Woud wasn't the keeper for that.
Currently 2-0 up against ADO Den Haag, Thomas playing further forward again and getting the second goal. 70th minute rifght now.
Currently 2-0 up against ADO Den Haag, Thomas playing further forward again and getting the second goal. 70th minute rifght now.
A header.
No goals in 2.5 years, then 2 in a week! Great stuff.
81 mins in a 3-0 win away. Up 2-0 when he came off.
ADO Den Haag (2nd last) coached by Alan Pardew, with 4 Brits in their starting lineup.
PSV climb to 3rd (42 points) for the moment.
2nd placed AZ (47 points) lost earlier this morning.
Willem II play tomorrow.
Thomas really doesn't get enough credit for what he has achieved in playing for one of the biggest clubs that any NZ player has played for, especially considering the serious injury he had to overcome.
Hopefully PSV (42 pts) can run down AZ (47 pts) for that 2nd Champions League (Qualifiers) spot.
Be great to see Thomas in that comp next season.
Currently 2-0 up against ADO Den Haag, Thomas playing further forward again and getting the second goal. 70th minute rifght now.
A header.
No goals in 2.5 years, then 2 in a week! Great stuff.
81 mins in a 3-0 win away. Up 2-0 when he came off.
ADO Den Haag (2nd last) coached by Alan Pardew, with 4 Brits in their starting lineup.
PSV climb to 3rd (42 points) for the moment.
2nd placed AZ (47 points) lost earlier this morning.
Willem II play tomorrow.
Odd he scored the second goal in two games that PSV won 3 - 0 and both scored in the 70th minute. What are the chances. Appears to be playing in the number 10 role for PSV, not so good for the All Whites where he'd have to play deeper to accommodate Singh.
Currently 2-0 up against ADO Den Haag, Thomas playing further forward again and getting the second goal. 70th minute rifght now.
A header.
No goals in 2.5 years, then 2 in a week! Great stuff.
81 mins in a 3-0 win away. Up 2-0 when he came off.
ADO Den Haag (2nd last) coached by Alan Pardew, with 4 Brits in their starting lineup.
PSV climb to 3rd (42 points) for the moment.
2nd placed AZ (47 points) lost earlier this morning.
Willem II play tomorrow.
Odd he scored the second goal in two games that PSV won 3 - 0 and both scored in the 70th minute. What are the chances. Appears to be playing in the number 10 role for PSV, not so good for the All Whites where he'd have to play deeper to accommodate Singh.
Seems like he made some sort of pact with the devil.
Full game in a 2-1 win at Vitesse (7th).
PSV remain 4th, 5 points behind AZ (2nd).
Ajax (1st) lost at Heracles, and are now only 3 points ahead of AZ.
2 very big games next weekend. PSV host Feyenoord (3rd), and Ajax host AZ.
From this week's Flying Kiwis. Taken from a feature article on PSV's website.
His initial trial with PEC Zwolle
“That was an exciting period. PEC hinted that they never usually cooperated on such requests, mainly because they had no money for them. It was like: okay, if you can come here yourself, you get a ten-day trial. My parents and I had just enough money for a ticket to the Netherlands; A one-way ticket. Declan [Edge] told me that if it didn't work out, he would arrange the ticket back for me. So that ticket wasn't there yet. I arrived in the Netherlands and immediately trained the next day. That was not very chill with a jet lag, I must say. I really had a bad feeling about that training. I thought: I'm sure they will let me train for ten days and then tell me it won't be happening. A few days later I played against an amateur team with the reserves and that went really well. In fact, they immediately offered me a contract to come play for the second team that season. The club was only afraid that I still had to go back, because they didn't know that I didn't have a return ticket, haha.”
The Injury
Thommo: “At first I thought: okay, six to nine months. I’ll be the one who does it in six months.”
Nikky, his fiancee: “We were very positive at the start, but it was also his first major injury. It was also the first time I saw him in tears, but we had the feeling that we would soon get over it together. [But then] he put on some sort of mask and I saw that he was not doing well, but didn’t immediately know why because he didn't want to talk.”
Ryan: “It was so frustrating that my head constantly wanted things my body could not do. It was often a step forward, and two back. I took that home, but I didn't talk about it.”
Nikki: “You can safely call his behaviour during this period depressed.”
Ryan: “I can't say a bad word about the boys in the selection and the staff. Even though I only trained with the group for two weeks, they always gave me the feeling that I could go to them. But I am not really the type that the team looks for boys to deal with outside of football. After a day at the club, I prefer to be with my family rather than visit teammates every day.”
Nikki: “You are sitting there [watching PSV play] looking at a team that doesn't really feel like ‘your’ team,. Ryan couldn't really watch football during the injury.”
Ryan [smiling]: “I actually only watched PSV, so I could answer when the coach asked me something.”
His New Secondary Striker Role
“I really like it. The place is more attacking than I was used to, but it is going very well. The partnership with Sam is also going well and for me it is very nice that I have again picked up my goal. Despite the fact that I am not yet very old, I can also add something to the team in terms of experience. We only have a few players older than 26, so the team is very young. On the one hand, it is good to have so much talent, but it is difficult to immediately convert that into results and titles. Immediately there is so much pressure on those young boys who already help lead our team. The past few weeks have been a search. We had fallen so far that we no longer looked like PSV. We then went back to basics, the basics that led us all to this beautiful club. Making dirty meters, working hard and winning, ugly or beautiful. The rest will then come naturally, you are now seeing that more and more.”
Nainggolan did something similar for Roma a few years back. It worked really well getting him further up the pitch as he helped win the ball back more quickly, assisted and got a few goals too.
Big match in Dutch football, and full game for Thomas as PSV (4th, 46 pts) draw 1-1 with Feyenoord (3rd, 47 pts).
Credited with the assist for PSV's goal. Nice soft first touch from a long ball.
https://highlightsfootball.net/video/psv-eindhoven-vs-feyenoord-highlights-3/
Both PSV and Feyenoord will be hoping AZ (2nd, 50 pts) lose or draw against Ajax (1st, 53 pts) later today.
Easier to grab the 2nd Champions League spot off AZ, than chase down Ajax you'd think.
great touch silky as
Big match in Dutch football, and full game for Thomas as PSV (4th, 46 pts) draw 1-1 with Feyenoord (3rd, 47 pts).
Credited with the assist for PSV's goal. Nice soft first touch from a long ball.
https://highlightsfootball.net/video/psv-eindhoven-vs-feyenoord-highlights-3/
Both PSV and Feyenoord will be hoping AZ (2nd, 50 pts) lose or draw against Ajax (1st, 53 pts) later today.
Easier to grab the 2nd Champions League spot off AZ, than chase down Ajax you'd think.
AZ beat Ajax 2-0!
From this week's Flying Kiwis. Thomas playing 10 at PSV, may not be a long term move.
"Plus here’s PSV’s caretaker manager Ernst Faber talking about the decision to put Thomas into that number ten role, that shadow striker role as Thommo calls it... including how he struggled defending energetic players like Thomas back when he was playing and also how Guus Hiddink played a role in the decision. Apparently it’s still viewed mostly as a temporary fix for the club. The idea is presumably that after this season they’ll sign a more natural player for that role and Thomas will go back to being a deeper midfielder where he still says he prefers to be (although he’s not complaining – he’s happy to play anywhere after such a long absence).
Thomas mentions a bit about how Hiddink’s role unfolds at the club in that Fox Sports interview too, with Old Guus apparently encouraging him to relax and trust his natural game as he saw the fella being a bit too eager as he tried to get back after that injury.
EF: “Such a mobile player who then pops up again in the rush hour and then again in midfield. When do you cover and when do you not? I used to struggle with that as a defender. You discuss that within your staff, you talk about it with Guus Hiddink in his role as advisor. Then you take the plunge. What did Ryan think of it? He didn't have time to say yes or no.”
Quality content."
Thomas in Eredivise team of the month
Looks like Eredivisie teams need to get a bit more creative with their kit designs!
Was gonna say, they love a bit of red and white
Thomas joined one of the most illustrious clubs in the Eredvisie, immediately injured himself badly and was out for over a season before playing a game. That sort of luck would kill the career of most footballers, but he's come back and within a short couple of months has made himself into one of the key cogs in the PSV midfield. He's a fudgeing legend in my book, and should be the example that all aspiring kiwi footballers look up to.
Full game in a 1-0 win at Groningen.
PSV stay 4th, 1 pt behind Feyenoord and 7 points AZ and Ajax.
All 3 teams above PSV have a game in hand.
Eredivisie postponed until April.
Getting this info from Soccerway
Thomas has the worst luck. Horrific year long injury, fights his way into the starting lineup, does really well for a few weeks then the season is cancelled due to a global pandemic. No way will the Eredivisie resume by April either, Holland is about to get much worse over the next few weeks
Thomas has the worst luck. Horrific year long injury, fights his way into the starting lineup, does really well for a few weeks then the season is cancelled due to a global pandemic. No way will the Eredivisie resume by April either, Holland is about to get much worse over the next few weeks
At least everyone in the league is in the same situation. And footballers are still getting paid regardless of whether they play or not right?
Thomas has the worst luck. Horrific year long injury, fights his way into the starting lineup, does really well for a few weeks then the season is cancelled due to a global pandemic. No way will the Eredivisie resume by April either, Holland is about to get much worse over the next few weeks
At least everyone in the league is in the same situation. And footballers are still getting paid regardless of whether they play or not right?
For how long?
No broadcasting = no €
No crowds = no €
From this week's Flying Kiwis. Will have a new gaffer at PSV, when people start playing football again.
Met trots presenteren we onze nieuwe hoofdtrainer.
????? ??????? 
#ErIstHier
Another bit of news. Ryan Thomas’ next manager will be Roger Schmidt with the German coach unveiled to replaced caretaker Ernest Faber who is seeing out whatever remains of this campaign followed Mark van Bommel’s sacking back in December. That’s Roger Schmidt, not Fritz Schmid by the way. Schmidty is 53 years old and has been coaching in China with Beiking Guoan the last couple years though before that he had decent success with Red Bull Salzburg and Bayer Leverkusen.
At Leverkusen he once got sent off and refused to leave the dugout, causing a delay of eight minutes during which the players were escorted off the pitch. Sounds like a bit of a character then. Hey as long as he recognises the talent he’s got in Thommo then all goods. Schmidt does have a reputation for attacking, energetic and exciting football... and he gave Sadio Mane his debut in European footy. You get the feeling his success with the club might depend a whole lot on what he can do in the transfer window though.
Roger Schmidt: “I had a good feeling with PSV from the first interview. Of course I knew the club professionally, but I had no specific knowledge of philosophy. During the many conversations with Toon Gerbrands and John de Jong I got a good picture of the way of working and I always realised that PSV’s vision of top football suits me. Dutch football has always pleased me and I am really looking forward to working in a completely new environment for me. PSV is completely behind the way of footballs that I stand for. And I support PSV’s demand that the club always play for prizes. My teams play football to win, always.”