Discipline Over Talent: AZ Manager Leeroy Echteld Livid After Player Tardiness and Shakhtar Loss

In the high-stakes environment of European knockout football, the margin between victory and defeat is often measured in minutes. For AZ Alkmaar, though, those minutes became a matter of discipline and a source of intense frustration for caretaker manager Leeroy Echteld.

Following a bruising 3-0 defeat to Shakhtar Donetsk in the first leg of the Conference League quarter-finals, Echteld did not hide his anger. While the scoreline was disappointing, the manager was “witheet”—livid—over the conduct of two players who failed to meet the basic professional requirements of punctuality during the critical lead-up to the match.

The incident has sparked a conversation about team culture and the non-negotiable nature of professional standards at the Eredivisie club, especially as they face a daunting task to overturn the deficit in the return leg.

The Cost of Tardiness

The disciplinary crackdown centered on two first-team players: Elijah Dijkstra and Ro-Zangelo Daal. According to reports, Dijkstra arrived late on Wednesday, while Daal, a striker in strong form, failed to arrive on time for a team briefing on the day of the match.

For Echteld, these were not mere scheduling mishaps but violations of the foundational rules he established at the start of the season. The manager has been clear that while tactical flexibility is part of the game, commitment and punctuality are absolute.

“At the start of the season, we agreed on a few clear rules,” Echteld explained. “The first is that you grant one hundred per cent… The next rule is simple: be on time. If you’re late, there’s no going back.”

The consequences were immediate and severe. Despite Daal’s recent form, Echteld stripped him of his starting spot, relegating the striker to the bench for disciplinary reasons. In his place, Ibrahim Sadiq was deployed as the left winger to fill the void in the attacking line.

Tactical Disruption and a Tough Night in Kraków

As the match was played in Kraków, Poland—a neutral venue necessitated by the ongoing war in Ukraine—the team was already operating away from its usual comforts. The addition of last-minute lineup changes due to disciplinary issues added an unnecessary layer of instability.

Echteld admitted that these forced changes hampered the team’s preparation. “If you within two days two times must change, that is not beneficial,” he noted, suggesting that the lack of consistency in the starting XI impacted the squad’s cohesion on the pitch.

The match itself began with a semblance of balance. Echteld expressed initial satisfaction with the performance, noting that AZ remained equal with Shakhtar throughout the first half. However, the composure vanished after the break. A lack of sharpness in the second half allowed Shakhtar to seize control, eventually pushing the score to a painful 3-0.

The frustration was shared by the players. Captain Sven Mijnans observed that the team dropped too deep after the first goal, a tactical retreat that invited further pressure. Midfielder Kees Smit echoed this sentiment, describing the 3-0 result as “painful” and noting that while AZ attempted to play more football after conceding the first goal, the momentum shifted decisively after the second.

AZ Starting Line-up vs. Shakhtar Donetsk:

• Goalkeeper: Zoet
• Defense: Maikuma, Goes, Penetra, Van Duijl
• Midfield: De Wit, Mijnans, Smit
• Attack: Patati, Parrott, Sadiq

The Philosophy of Leeroy Echteld

To understand the severity of Echteld’s reaction, one must look at his approach to leadership. Now serving as the caretaker manager of AZ, the 57-year-old former midfielder brings a career’s worth of experience from across Europe—having played for Heerenveen, HFC Haarlem, and spells in France with Cannes and Austria with Austria Lustenau.

Echteld’s transition from player to coach has been marked by a steady climb through the ranks, including time with Jong AZ and the Netherlands U21 as an assistant. His current tenure at AZ is defined by a demand for intensity and fight, traits he believes are only possible when a squad adheres to a strict collective discipline.

The manager noted that while the squad’s intensity and commitment in training have been rising, the recurrence of tardiness is a frustration he can no longer overlook. He had previously addressed the squad during Wednesday’s training regarding general conduct, but when the issue resurfaced on match day, he felt compelled to follow through with sanctions.

“It’s exceptionally frustrating that this keeps happening,” Echteld said. “I addressed it yesterday, and today it happened again, so I have to follow through.”

Looking Ahead: A Critical Fortnight

AZ now finds itself in a precarious position. To advance in the Conference League, they must produce a near-miraculous comeback in the return leg in Alkmaar. The psychological weight of a three-goal deficit is heavy, but the internal friction caused by the disciplinary issues may prove just as challenging to manage.

The timing is particularly grueling. The return leg against Shakhtar occurs just three days before a massive domestic milestone: the final of the KNVB cup tournament against NEC.

Despite the fatigue and the disappointment of the Kraków trip, Echteld has ruled out the possibility of resting players or “saving strength” for the cup final. The manager is determined to fight for the European tie, insisting that the team will do everything in its power to return to the competition.

However, the primary goal for the coming week is not just tactical, but cultural. Both Daal and Dijkstra were allowed to come off the bench in the first leg, but their path back to the starting XI depends on their ability to align with the manager’s expectations. Echteld’s message to the group following the loss was blunt: “I hope that it is now finished. If we aim for to achieve something this season, it must be finished.”

For AZ, the road back from 3-0 requires more than just goals. it requires a squad that is fully synchronized, both on the pitch and in the locker room.

Next Checkpoint: AZ Alkmaar hosts Shakhtar Donetsk in the return leg of the Conference League quarter-finals in Alkmaar, followed by the KNVB cup final against NEC.

Do you think the manager was too harsh by benching a player in form for a quarter-final, or is strict discipline the only way to maintain a winning culture? Let us know in the comments.