[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"football-site-config":3,"world-cup-status-en":27,"news-detail-az-alkmaar-what-echteld-s-permanent-deal-means-for-staff":61,"news-related-az-alkmaar-what-echteld-s-permanent-deal-means-for-staff-en":110,"news-related-match-az-alkmaar-what-echteld-s-permanent-deal-means-for-staff-en":215},{"adSlots":4,"affiliateMode":5,"brandName":6,"contentStrategy":7,"currency":8,"friendLinks":9,"homepageLayoutKey":10,"leagueFocus":11,"locale":12,"planVisibility":13,"seoDescription":14,"seoTitleTemplate":15,"siteCode":10,"siteName":6,"siteType":10,"subscriptionMode":5,"timezone":16,"id":17,"tenantID":18,"primaryDomain":19,"countryCode":20,"logoUrl":21,"faviconUrl":21,"theme":22,"seoKeywords":24,"status":25,"ads":4,"focusLeagues":26,"affiliatePolicies":26},[],"shared","Football Prediction Platform","scores_predictions","USD",[],"main",[],"en-US",[],"Football fixtures, results, free predictions, subscriptions, and clearly labeled partner links.","{page} | Football Prediction Platform","America\u002FNew_York",323900000000000000,1,"football.easytestdev.online","US","",{"primaryColor":23},"#1677ff","football predictions, football fixtures, football results","active",null,{"active":28,"leagueId":29,"leagueName":30,"leagueImagePath":31,"seasonId":32,"seasonName":33,"startingAt":34,"endingAt":35,"daysToStart":36,"daysToEnd":37,"phase":38,"includeQualifying":39,"hostCities":40},true,"326135624916537344","World Cup","https:\u002F\u002Fmedia.api-sports.io\u002Ffootball\u002Fleagues\u002F1.png","326255613308833792","2026\u002F2027","2026-06-11","2026-06-28",-37,-20,"finished_recent",false,[41,42,43,44,45,46,47,48,49,50,51,52,53,54,55,56,57,58,59,60],"Atlanta","Boston","Dallas","East Rutherford","Guadalajara","Houston","Kansas City","Los Angeles","Mexico City","Miami","Monterrey","New-York","New York New Jersey","Philadelphia","San-Francisco","San Francisco Bay Area","Seattle","Toronto","Vancouver","Zapopan",{"article":62},{"awayTeamId":63,"awayTeamName":64,"body":65,"category":66,"excerpt":67,"homeTeamId":68,"homeTeamName":69,"id":70,"leagueId":71,"leagueName":72,"matchId":73,"matchName":74,"publishedAt":75,"slug":76,"sourceName":77,"sourceURL":78,"teamId":79,"teamName":80,"teamIds":81,"teamNames":95,"title":109},"326255038072623104","AZ Alkmaar","AZ Alkmaar has officially confirmed the permanent appointment of Leeroy Echteld as head coach, converting his temporary role into a contract that runs until mid-2028. The 57-year-old Amsterdammer, who stepped in following the departure of Maarten Martens, has now been given the long-term reins at the AFAS Stadion. This decision signals a vote of confidence from the club's board in the direction Echteld has set since taking charge.\n\nThe move provides much-needed stability for a club that has seen significant turnover in its coaching ranks in recent years. Echteld's predecessor, Maarten Martens, had a relatively short tenure, and before him, Pascal Jansen led the team from late 2020. Securing Echteld on a multi-year deal allows AZ to build a coherent long-term project, something that is crucial for competing consistently at the top of the Eredivisie and in European competitions.\n\nA key part of Echteld's vision is maintaining the continuity of his backroom team. He has publicly advocated for the current technical staff to remain intact, a group that includes assistants Robert Franssen, Jan Sierksma, Maarten Stekelenburg, and Ron Vlaar. Franssen, in particular, represents a thread of continuity, having been part of the AZ setup since the end of 2020 when Jansen was appointed. Keeping this core together is essential for implementing a consistent playing philosophy and tactical identity.\n\nHowever, Echteld also revealed a specific area where the club is looking to strengthen its support structure. In a moment of candor during a media interaction, he disclosed that AZ is actively searching for a specialist focused on set-piece situations. \"We are looking at a specialist in the field of standard situations,\" Echteld stated, glancing towards the club's press officer with a smile. This admission, though slightly premature, highlights a clear tactical priority for the coaching staff.\n\nThe pursuit of a set-piece specialist is a telling strategic move. In modern football, the margins between victory and defeat are often razor-thin, and set-pieces—corners, free-kicks, and throw-ins—represent high-value opportunities to score or create chances. For a team like AZ, which aims to challenge the traditional dominance of Ajax, PSV, and Feyenoord, maximizing efficiency from these situations could provide a critical competitive edge, especially in tightly contested matches.\n\nThis focus also reflects a broader trend in elite football, where clubs are increasingly investing in specialized coaching roles. From throw-in coaches to penalty analysts, the technical staff is becoming more nuanced and data-driven. By adding a set-piece specialist, AZ is aligning itself with this forward-thinking approach, seeking to gain marginal gains that can accumulate over a long season.\n\nFor the current squad, the addition of such a specialist could have a direct impact on player development and match preparation. Players would receive more tailored training on routines, movement, and delivery, potentially improving the team's goal threat from dead-ball situations. Defensively, it would also mean a more organized and drilled unit when facing opposition set-pieces, an area where lapses can be costly.\n\nThe implications for the Eredivisie are also noteworthy. If AZ successfully integrates a set-piece expert and sees tangible improvements, it could prompt other clubs in the league to follow suit, raising the overall tactical sophistication of Dutch football. It underscores AZ's ambition not just to participate, but to innovate and lead in specific aspects of the game.\n\nLeeroy Echteld's permanent appointment and his clear-eyed plan for the technical staff mark a new chapter for AZ Alkmaar. The commitment to stability, combined with a targeted enhancement of the coaching team, suggests a club that is thinking strategically about how to bridge the gap to the very top. The search for a set-piece specialist is a small but significant piece of that larger puzzle.\n\nBased on reporting from Voetbal International.","news","Leeroy Echteld's AZ contract extended to 2028. He confirms the club is actively seeking a set-piece specialist to bolster the technical staff.","326257563425312768","Feyenoord","328241724197441537","326135624748765184","Eredivisie","327052725097336832","Feyenoord vs AZ Alkmaar","2026-05-08T16:40:00Z","az-alkmaar-what-echteld-s-permanent-deal-means-for-staff","Voetbal International","https:\u002F\u002Fwww.vi.nl\u002Fnieuws\u002Fechteld-verklapt-az-wil-specialist-toevoegen-aan-technische-staf","326222707169431552","Anderlecht",[79,68,63,82,83,84,85,86,87,88,89,90,91,92,93,94],"326257536372051968","326257546094448640","326257551245053952","326257554264952832","326257561592401920","326257563085574144","326257569154732032","326257575404244992","326257590348550144","326257686389723136","326257563052019712","326222713142120448","326257545754710016",[80,69,64,96,97,98,99,100,101,102,103,104,105,106,107,108],"Metz","Tottenham","WSG Wattens","Wellington Phoenix","FC Midtjylland","Willem II","Metalurh Zaporizhya","Vanløse","Sporting Kansas City","Together","Ajax","Canada","Newcastle","AZ Alkmaar: What Echteld's Permanent Deal Means for Staff",[111,137,168,192],{"awayTeamId":112,"awayTeamName":113,"body":-1,"category":66,"excerpt":114,"homeTeamId":92,"homeTeamName":106,"id":115,"leagueId":71,"leagueName":72,"matchId":116,"matchName":117,"publishedAt":118,"slug":119,"sourceName":120,"sourceURL":121,"teamId":122,"teamName":123,"teamIds":124,"teamNames":130,"title":136},"326257563194626048","PSV Eindhoven","Michel, recently relegated with Girona, takes the helm at Ajax on a contract until 2028. The Spanish coach faces a task to restore the Dutch giants' glory.","337336321917849601","326329519185072128","Ajax vs PSV Eindhoven","2026-06-02T18:39:01Z","michel-to-ajax-coach-signs-until-2028-after-relegation","L'Equipe","https:\u002F\u002Fwww.lequipe.fr\u002FFootball\u002FActualites\u002FRelegue-avant-son-depart-de-gerone-michel-devient-l-entraineur-de-l-ajax-amsterdam\u002F1681252#at_medium=RSS_feeds","326255041704890368","Rayo Vallecano",[122,92,112,125,79,126,127,128,129,68],"326257638553686016","326222712936599552","326255038034874368","326255039846813696","326257565669265408",[123,106,113,131,80,132,133,134,135,69],"Huesca","Paraguay","FSV Mainz 05","FK Partizan","Girona","Michel to Ajax: Coach Signs Until 2028 After Relegation",{"awayTeamId":-1,"awayTeamName":-1,"body":-1,"category":66,"excerpt":138,"homeTeamId":-1,"homeTeamName":-1,"id":139,"leagueId":71,"leagueName":72,"matchId":140,"matchName":21,"publishedAt":141,"slug":142,"sourceName":143,"sourceURL":144,"teamId":145,"teamName":146,"teamIds":147,"teamNames":157,"title":167},"Alejandro Grimaldo hints at summer exit as Denzel Dumfries emerges as Real Madrid target. Transfer rumors intensify around Bayer Leverkusen and Inter stars.","337324149091340289","0","2026-06-02T09:50:39Z","why-grimaldo-flirts-with-transfer-dumfries-to-real","Kicker","https:\u002F\u002Fwww.kicker.de\u002Ftransferticker-953155\u002Fartikel#omrss","326255039712595968","Başakşehir",[145,148,149,150,151,152,153,154,155,79,94,156],"326257534270705664","326257580877811712","326257599160782848","326257760532434944","326257783785656320","326257534396534784","326257565535047680","326257539769438208","326257546392244224",[146,158,159,160,161,162,163,164,165,80,108,166],"Werder Bremen","Mito Hollyhock","Istra 1961","İstanbulspor","Istres","Bayer Leverkusen","Real Madrid","Inter","Nottingham Forest","Why Grimaldo Flirts with Transfer: Dumfries to Real?",{"awayTeamId":-1,"awayTeamName":-1,"body":-1,"category":66,"excerpt":169,"homeTeamId":-1,"homeTeamName":-1,"id":170,"leagueId":71,"leagueName":72,"matchId":140,"matchName":21,"publishedAt":171,"slug":172,"sourceName":173,"sourceURL":174,"teamId":68,"teamName":69,"teamIds":175,"teamNames":183,"title":191},"Raheem Sterling, 31, arrested for drug-driving after M3 crash. On bail, the ex-England star joined Feyenoord in February, but his career slide deepens.","336211070785949697","2026-05-30T16:25:20Z","sterling-s-drug-driving-arrest-what-it-means-for-his-career","BBC Sport","https:\u002F\u002Fwww.bbc.com\u002Fsport\u002Ffootball\u002Farticles\u002Fc1l212ez1m0o?at_medium=RSS&at_campaign=rss",[68,176,177,178,179,180,181,182],"326257546220277760","326257546258026496","326222712496197632","326257545918287872","326257812931874816","326222711682502656","326257545968619520",[69,184,185,186,187,188,189,190],"Chelsea","Manchester City","Netherlands","Liverpool","Stamford","England","Arsenal","Sterling's Drug-Driving Arrest: What It Means for His Career",{"awayTeamId":-1,"awayTeamName":-1,"body":-1,"category":66,"excerpt":193,"homeTeamId":-1,"homeTeamName":-1,"id":194,"leagueId":71,"leagueName":72,"matchId":140,"matchName":21,"publishedAt":195,"slug":196,"sourceName":143,"sourceURL":197,"teamId":153,"teamName":163,"teamIds":198,"teamNames":206,"title":214},"Rogier Meijer leaves his role as assistant at Bayer Leverkusen to become Sparta Rotterdam's new head coach, returning to the Eredivisie after one year.","334258960569733121","2026-05-25T07:08:08Z","how-meijer-s-leverkusen-stint-led-to-sparta-head-coach-job","https:\u002F\u002Fwww.kicker.de\u002Fbayers-co-trainer-meijer-wird-chefcoach-bei-sparta-rotterdam-1222579\u002Fartikel#omrss",[153,199,145,200,201,150,202,203,204,178,205,79,93],"326257563765051392","326255040920555520","326257593141956608","326257606744084480","326257613643714560","326257563534364672","326222712076767232",[163,207,146,208,209,160,210,211,212,186,213,80,107],"Sparta Rotterdam","Beitar Jerusalem","Chattanooga","Beijing Guoan","Hassania Agadir","NEC Nijmegen","Germany","How Meijer's Leverkusen Stint Led to Sparta Head Coach Job",{"awayScore":18,"awayTeam":216,"description":220,"homeScore":18,"homeTeam":221,"id":73,"kickoffAt":225,"length":226,"leagueId":71,"leagueName":72,"leagueSlug":227,"probabilityLabel":72,"slug":228,"status":229,"tvStations":230,"venueCity":231,"venueName":232},{"code":217,"id":63,"imagePath":218,"name":64,"slug":219},"AWY","https:\u002F\u002Fmedia.api-sports.io\u002Ffootball\u002Fteams\u002F201.png","az-alkmaar","Feyenoord and AZ Alkmaar clash in a crucial Eredivisie fixture, with both sides needing maximum points to bolster their European qualification hopes. A win here could prove decisive in the race for Champions League or Europa League spots. The outcome will significantly shape the final standings with only a few matches remaining.",{"code":222,"id":68,"imagePath":223,"name":69,"slug":224},"HME","https:\u002F\u002Fmedia.api-sports.io\u002Ffootball\u002Fteams\u002F209.png","feyenoord","2026-05-10T14:45:00Z",90,"nl-eredivisie","feyenoord-vs-az-alkmaar-2026-05-10","finished",[],"Rotterdam","De Kuip"]