In the cup final two years ago, Jari de Busser was the great tormentor of AZ. The then Go Ahead Eagles goalkeeper excelled and took two penalties in the penalty shootout. Now he wears the AZ shirt. “I’m not going to say it too loudly here,” says the new signing about the cup win in 2025 after the first training.
De Busser played the best game of his life against AZ. He brought the cup to Deventer for the first time in club history. “I will certainly be reminded of it a few more times. I’m not going to start talking about it right away,” says De Busser along the training field. “Then you don’t immediately fit in well with the group when you come in with that.”
Fight under the bar
The 26-year-old goalkeeper has been brought in to increase the competition under the bar. He will compete with Rome-Jayden Owusu-Oduro to become the number one under the bar. AZ also has veteran Jeroen Zoet and Hobie Verhulst as reserve goalkeepers.
Nothing is yet known about the division of roles. In the coming weeks, the technical staff will assess who stands out during training and during practice matches to ultimately become the first goalkeeper. “This year they want to do it differently,” says Owusu-Oduro. “I can be disappointed now, because I was the first goalkeeper for two years. But for me it is to be fit and to show myself better than before.”
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In recent years, Owusu-Oduro has struggled with his fitness. He missed quite a few matches and that didn’t bother him. “When you look at yourself and see scars, it’s shocking. That has gone on in my head for too long. Then you become a little more careful.”
There was a large selection on the training field. Many players have returned from their loan spells. Still, five players were missing. Ibrahim Sadiq, Maxim Dekker, Zico Buurmeester, Lequincio Zeefuik and Mayckel Lahdo have been told that they can leave.
Give pressure
It is nice for trainer Leeroy Echteld that he has a large group at his disposal. Unlike last season, he can now build something from scratch. Echteld joined last season after the dismissal of Maarten Martens. “You can now work in a very structured way,” says Echteld, who wants to pay a lot of attention to fitness. “Especially that we can put a lot of pressure on our opponent’s half.”
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AZ will play a practice match against Jong AZ in Dirkshorn next Saturday. A week later, the Alkmaarders practice against AA Gent. For AZ, the season starts with the battle for the Johan Cruijff Shield against PSV on August 2 at 6 p.m. AZ’s first competition match is at home against ADO Den Haag on Saturday, August 8.
