NEC Nijmegen - Definition and Overview

NEC Nijmegen

Full name	NEC Nijmegen
Nickname	NEC
Founded	1900
Ground	Stadion de Goffert, Nijmegen
Capacity	12,500
Chairman	Hans van Delft
Manager	Cees Lok, Ron de Groot
League	Eredivisie
2003-04	Eredivisie, 14th
Kit_body_redhalf.png Image:kit_body_redhalf.png 　 Home colours 　 Away colours

NEC Nijmegen is a Dutch football club founded in 15 November 1900.

They have had their share of top world class players in the past including Guus Hiddink. The team's home ground is the 12, 500 seater Stadion de Goffert. The club prides itself that it was born out of hard work and dedication and that the working-class founders started playing football not on any grass pitch but in the streets of Nijmegen. It was originally called 'Eendracht' meaning 'Unity' in Dutch. The team played well and in 1903, after a merger with the actual Nijmegen home team, their professional status was assured. The club name NEC is an acronym of 'Nijmegen Eendracht Combinatie'.

The club has not won any major tournaments to date although they managed to attain runners-up placing in the Dutch Cup competition in 1973, 1983, 1994 and 2000 which was not a bad result for a team regularly faced with their prospective talents quickly moving on elsewhere for pastures new. They however, are not short of talents within their ranks as they have experienced goalkeeper Dennis Gentenaar, defenders Rob Wielaert and Björn van der Doelen as well as wingers Romano Denneboom and Tininho. Romano Denneboom is particularly expected to achieve greater things in the future as he was selected for the Dutch national team recently. Recently, the club's management has sacked coach Johan Neeskens who although having a wealth of international experience both as an international player and as a coach, could not string together enough wins since October 2004 . The club's coach has yet to be decided, with Neeskens' assistants, Cees Lok and Ron de Groot taking over on an interim basis. Its kit colors are green, black and red.

2004/2005 squad