2008–09 AZ Alkmaar season

AZ Alkmaar
2008–09 season
Manager	Louis van Gaal
Stadium	AFAS Stadion
Eredivisie	1st
KNVB Cup	Quarter-finals
Top goalscorer	League: Mounir El Hamdaoui (23); All: Mounir El Hamdaoui (24)
	← 2007–08 2009–10 →

During the 2008–09 Dutch football season, AZ Alkmaar competed in the Eredivisie, playing their 42nd season of competitive football (Alkmaar '54 and FC Zaanstreek had merged to form AZ in May 1967).

Season summary edit

The club won its first Eredivisie title since 1981 and remains the second top flight title in its history to this day. The club secured 80 points in the 34 games under Louis van Gaal and finished 11 points ahead of second placed FC Twente. AZ were knocked out of the KNVB Cup in the quarterfinals suffering a 2-1 home loss to NAC Breda, although they did secure a notable 1-0 (aet) win over PSV Eindhoven in the third round.

van Gaal left the club at the end of the season to join FC Bayern Munich and was succeeded by Ronald Koeman.

First-team squad edit

Squad at end of season^[1]

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.


No.	Pos.	Nation	Player
1	GK	CRO	Joey Didulica^{[notes 1]}
2	DF	NED	Kew Jaliens
3	DF	NED	Gijs Luirink
4	DF	MEX	Héctor Moreno
5	DF	BEL	Sébastien Pocognoli
6	MF	NED	David Mendes da Silva
7	MF	NED	Jeremain Lens
8	MF	NED	Stijn Schaars
9	FW	BRA	Ari
10	FW	MAR	Mounir El Hamdaoui^{[notes 2]}
11	MF	BEL	Maarten Martens
14	DF	EST	Ragnar Klavan
15	DF	DEN	Simon Poulsen
16	MF	FIN	Toni Kolehmainen


No.	Pos.	Nation	Player
18	MF	BEL	Mousa Dembélé
19	DF	NED	Kees Luijckx
20	MF	NED	Demy de Zeeuw
22	GK	ARG	Sergio Romero
23	MF	NED	Nick van der Velden
24	MF	AUS	James Holland
25	DF	FIN	Niklas Moisander
26	MF	NED	Marko Vejinović
27	MF	AUS	Brett Holman
28	DF	BEL	Gill Swerts
29	FW	ITA	Graziano Pellè
—	MF	NED	Kevin Brands
—	MF	ISL	Jóhann Berg Guðmundsson

Left club during season edit

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.


No.	Pos.	Nation	Player
10	MF	GER	Simon Cziommer (on loan to FC Utrecht)
12	DF	NED	Milano Koenders (on loan to NEC Nijmegen)
14	MF	NED	Ryan Donk (on loan to West Bromwich Albion)


No.	Pos.	Nation	Player
21	GK	NED	Boy Waterman (on loan to ADO Den Haag)
33	MF	NED	Gregory Nelson (on loan to RBC Roosendaal)

References edit

^ "FootballSquads - AZ Alkmaar - 2008/09".

Notes edit

^ Didulica was born in Geelong, Australia, and represented them at U-23 level, but also qualified to represent Croatia internationally through his parents and made his international debut for Croatia in April 2004.
^ El Hamdaoui was born in Rotterdam, Netherlands, and represented them at U-21 level, but also qualified to represent Morocco internationally and made his international debut for Morocco in February 2009.

[1] "FootballSquads - AZ Alkmaar - 2008/09".

[2] Didulica was born in Geelong, Australia, and represented them at U-23 level, but also qualified to represent Croatia internationally through his parents and made his international debut for Croatia in April 2004.

[3] El Hamdaoui was born in Rotterdam, Netherlands, and represented them at U-21 level, but also qualified to represent Morocco internationally and made his international debut for Morocco in February 2009.

[1]

[notes 1]

[notes 2]