The American Volleyball Coaches Association has named The Master’s University’s Braden Van Groningen as the NAIA Player of the Year Van Groningen led The Master’s with 301 kills (3.96/set) this past season collected 30 blocks and added 18 service aces “Braden has been the backbone of our team all season and this honor is incredibly well deserved,” said TMU Head Coach Jared Goldberg “His impact goes far beyond the stat sheet To be named National Player of the Year is a reflection of the way he’s elevated not only his own game Van Groningen’s 3.96 kills per set rank him No “I’m incredibly grateful to be honored with this award,” Van Groningen said “This recognition is truly a reflection of the continual effort and support of my teammates and coaches It’s a great way to cap off my college career but now the focus shifts to finishing strong this week in Iowa.” For more information visit GoMustangs.com You can be the first one to leave a comment Δdocument.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value" As Head of Partnerships, Linda liaises with new partners. She coordinates all ongoing collaborations and connects our journalistic editorial and commercial articles. She is not only the connector behind our articles, but also all of our events. and xylene (BTX) – also known as aromatics – from waste plastics These chemicals are used in a wide range of products aromatics are still produced from fossil oil but BioBTX aims to change that with a new factory The aromatics that BioBTX focuses on comprise a significant portion of the chemicals derived from fossil oil “So we are talking about enormous quantities Our technology has the potential to reduce the environmental impact of the chemical industry significantly the rest of the chain will become greener too” director of strategic development at BioBTX from medicines to paint and from clothing to packaging,” he says it is so important to produce BTX in a more sustainable way we have to move away from fossil raw materials That is why plastic waste is a good substitute The company is currently preparing to build its first factory BioBTX will focus entirely on using waste plastic as a raw material we are contributing to a solution for the growing problem of plastic waste,” he says BioBTX's more sustainable aromatics are identical to those produced from fossil oil “We can use the chemical industry's existing infrastructure little will change; they can continue to work in the same way.” The price of sustainable aromatics will be slightly higher initially “We still have a number of developments to go through but ultimately we can compete with fossil-based prices." BioBTX is currently the only company in Europe that produces BTX from waste plastic there are only three companies that focus on BTX Our two competitors are based in the United States The market is so large that there is enough room for several companies," says Vries the goal is to build multiple factories around the world.” Groningen-based BioBTX recently raised €80 million This story is the result of a collaboration between NOM and our editorial team IO+ is an independent journalism platform that carefully chooses its partners and only cooperates with companies and institutions that share our mission: spreading the story of innovation This way we can offer our readers valuable stories that are created according to journalistic guidelines Want to know more about how IO+ works with other companies? Click here We are IO+, an independent journalism platform where the future of the Netherlands takes shape and innovators come together. Text description provided by the architects. KAAN Architecten unveils the Education Centre University of Groningen: an innovation hub and study landscape KAAN Architecten has completed the Education Centre University of Groningen (Anda Kerkhoven Centre) The 12,000 m² building forms the new heart and main entrance of the Healthy Ageing Campus The architecture embodies these principles creating a space that prioritises the well-being of its users © Sebastian van Damme"The new Anda Kerkhoven Education Centre will bring a fresh identity to this part of the campus while connecting and reinforcing the surrounding buildings a new public space comes to life," concludes Vincent Panhuysen You'll now receive updates based on what you follow Personalize your stream and start following your favorite authors If you have done all of this and still can't find the email Five people were injured in a serious collision between a van and a car in Mussel, a village in the Groningen province, on Wednesday morning. The accident, which occurred around 7:30 a.m. on the N366, also known as A.G. Wildervanckweg, left three individuals seriously injured, RTL reported. Emergency services responded swiftly to the crash with multiple fire teams dispatched from Ter-Apel A trauma helicopter was also called to the scene All five individuals involved in the accident were taken to nearby hospitals for treatment Local authorities have not released the identities of those involved The exact cause of the collision remains unclear and authorities are investigating the incident Groningen Airport Eelde (GRQ) is a Dutch regional airport located in the Northern Netherlands and serves the upper half of the country Nearly 4 million residents live within a 90-minute drive GRQ is not slot-restricted and has capacity to accommodate growth in the congested Dutch aviation market The 2025 programme includes two new routes: Sunweb’s new series to Heraklion with SKY Express adding additional peak summer capacity alongside Corendon and a new exclusive connection from the Netherlands to Knock (Ireland West Airport) This route will be operated by Emerald Airlines on behalf of BBI Travel This marks BBI Travel’s second exclusive destination from GRQ following three successful years of winter seasonal flights to Scandinavian Mountains Airport in Sweden Groningen Airport welcomed over 113,000 passengers with most of the passenger traffic coming from seasonal holiday charter flights This trend is expected to continue in 2025 and Transavia operating routes to popular destinations in Spain the airport aims to expand its network across the leisure With strong partnerships with tour operators guaranteed seat allotments on select routes will help airlines minimize risks when launching new services to GRQ Groningen Airport had scheduled services to Munich (daily) The latter two are the most popular business destinations for passengers in the GRQ catchment area along with several other unserved opportunities remain highly sought after by travelers and businesses in the region As a member of Routes 360, the only digital platform dedicated to route development, GRQ has uploaded multiple route opportunities to its profile The airport offers tailor-made new route incentives to attract new services Discover the latest available routes and identify new business opportunities Routes 360 is a powerful digital platform designed for the aviation community, allowing them to build brand presence, promote route opportunities, communicate key messages to engaged contacts, and access the most up-to-date industry information.<\/p>Empower your route development strategy today.  Get free air transport news, insight and analysis from our award-winning editors delivered to your inbox daily. Predicted lineups are available for the match a few days in advance while the actual lineup will be available about an hour ahead of the match The current head to head record for the teams are FC Groningen 13 win(s) Luciano Valente is ranked 3 in big chances created in the competition (11) Have scored 4 goals in their last 5 matches Fabian de Keijzer is ranked 3 in saves per match in the competition (3.7) Luka Kulenovic has the most shots on target per match for Heracles (1.2) 23 Apr 2025 18:00:00 GMT?FC Groningen won 4–1 over Heracles on Wed 23 Apr 2025 18:00:00 GMT.InsightsHave scored 4 goals in their last 5 matches FC Groningen is playing home against Heracles at Euroborg on Wed Looking to access paid articles across multiple policy topics Interested in policy insights for EU professional organisations “There is no request at this moment” for extra gas production in Groningen Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte said after the governments of the Netherlands and Germany held bilateral consultations amid the ongoing energy crisis Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte affirmed that there had been "no request" for extra gas from Groningen Donec et orci aliquet nisl suscipit molestie sed sit amet tortor Duis vel urna ac mi sollicitudin lacinia mollis sit amet lorem Sed finibus erat nec libero scelerisque fringilla Morbi at orci sed urna vulputate vulputate Get a subscription on Euractiv Pro and elevate your political insight Routes is part of the Informa Markets Division of Informa PLC The Greek airline SKY Express will operate a series of charter flights between Groningen Airport Eelde and Heraklion in Summer 2025 These flights will be operated during the summer holiday period in July and August SKY Express will operate these flights on behalf of tour operator Sunweb who is returning to Groningen Airport Eelde (GRQ) after having operated occassional charter flights in 2023 and 2024 This series will be the first full-charter series for Sunweb at Groningen Airport Eelde.  Heraklion is not a new destination that is offered from Groningen Airport Eelde Tour operator Corendon operates two flights per week to the Greek holiday island from April through October Tom RoekRoute Development Analyst+31 (0)625162142t.roek@gae.nlwww.groningenairport.nl Groningen moved into the European Playoff spots with a comfortable 4-1 win over Heracles Almelo Ninth spot in the Eredivisie will be good enough for a spot in the European playoffs this season and both Groningen and Heracles are in the mix for the spot Groningen had the lead with Luciano Valente playing a lovely ball over the top for Marco Rente to net against his former side Jorg Schreuders quickly doubled the lead with a strike into the top corner Thomas Bruns pulled one back for Heracles and they then went in search of an equaliser before the break Groningen went into the break ahead and early in the second half Leando Bacuna made it 3-1 with a penalty after a handball An unfortunate own goal by Brian De Keersmaecker then made it 4-1 before the hour mark and that proved to be the final goal of the game Groningen climbs into ninth spot but they are only ahead of Heracles on goal difference 60' GOAAAAAL!! Valente schiet op de paal, maar de rebound gaat via Heracles-speler De Keersmaecker over de doellijn. (4-1)#GROHER pic.twitter.com/19neXqiHiA XHTML: You can use these tags: <a href="" title=""> <abbr title=""> <acronym title=""> <b> <blockquote cite=""> <cite> <code> <del datetime=""> <em> <i> <q cite=""> <s> <strike> <strong> Please enable JS and disable any ad blocker your new go-to podcast to spice up your weekday mornings with relevant news and behind-the-scenes from Brussels and beyond From the economy to the climate and the EU's role in world affairs this talk show sheds light on European affairs and the issues that impact on our daily lives as Europeans Tune in to understand the ins and outs of European politics Dare to imagine the future with business and tech visionaries Deep dive conversations with business leaders Euronews Tech Talks goes beyond discussions to explore the impact of new technologies on our lives the podcast provides valuable insights into the intersection of technology and society Europe's water is under increasing pressure floods are taking their toll on our drinking water Join us on a journey around Europe to see why protecting ecosystems matters and to discover some of the best water solutions an animated explainer series and live debate - find out why Water Matters We give you the latest climate facts from the world’s leading source analyse the trends and explain how our planet is changing We meet the experts on the front line of climate change who explore new strategies to mitigate and adapt From psychedelic Japanese folk music to industrial post-rock techno Expo music festival Eurosonic Noorderslag (ESNS) has proven once again it’s a fertile spot for discovering exciting new music talent As the latest edition draws to a close in Groningen here are the top five acts Euronews Culture saw at ESNS With perhaps the most spellbinding performance of the entire festival Italian musician Daniela Pes brought the entirety of the Stadsschouwburg into a silent awe – an impressive feat among the chatty ESNS crowds electronic beats loop and spiral around each other as sparse percussion drags us into a meditative state Over and through this cuts Pes’ haunting vocal melodies Songs like ‘Illa Sera’ hypnotise with their serpentine structure building to intense catastrophic cacophonies Pes explained that although she often writes her lyrics in her Gallurese dialect a northeastern Sardinian dialect that most Italians can’t parse the words aren’t meant to have meaning in the traditional sense “I had to find a way to escape and to free myself and to free my expression,” she says It’s an effective tool to make Pes one of the most beguiling acts of the festival Mitsune immediately strike a chord in a line-up filled to the brim with indie bands Mitsune are one of ESNS’s most intercontinental bands this year with members hailing from Australia At the centre of the band is a duo of shamisen players The traditional Japanese folk instrument is something like an Asian banjo with percussive qualities alongside its distinctive stringed twang The two shamisen players are flanked by a double bassist and a percussionist bringing the traditional melodies of Japan into jazz-infused psychedelic modernity Mitsune live is a highly theatrical experience the percussionist has a solo that has the audience questioning if he’s on the verge of a breakdown as he stacks his drums into a tower and allows random objects to cascade down Mitsune is a live act you need to see to believe English artist Ruthven has the most boldly sonorous voice of anyone at ESNS this year brings his 2024 debut album ‘Rough & Ready’ to life with all the vigour the future-funk tracks had on record Singing as he plays a keyboard with a bassist and drummer by his side quietly enjoying the grooves of earworms like ‘Cautious’ Switching back and forth between his grin-inducing falsetto and lower registers his songs are quietly confident in their swagger It's impossible not to groove along with the band His intimate approach to funk speaks for itself jumping between the mic and the keys became slightly awkward I wonder if trying to pass over the instrument to another band member and tackling the mic alone could give Ruthven the chance to shine even brighter as a future star transformed the Vera club into a den of bacchanalian bliss The Krautrock-inspired trio perform with minimal electronic interference creating their repetitive swirling beats that entice audiences entirely through the crunchy heft of guitars and drums create soundscapes through epic tracks that embody the electronic body music (EBM) moniker that Kraftwerk coined to bring post-punk to the dancefloor A tonic for the end of the festival that doesn’t soothe but grabs you by the lapel and forces you to dance in spasmodic rhythm Treating the guitar almost as a percussion instrument to create music with a snarl that you can dance to A dense fog descended over the Netherlands on the opening day of ESNS cancelling many of the flights in and out of Schiphol many of the international attendees were heavily delayed While I took my train from Amsterdam to Groningen I watched the clock painfully knowing I was missing Icelandic artist Sunna Margrét’s set it feels unfair to miss out one of our biggest discoveries of the festival because of a cancelled flight Creating some of the most complex musical tapestries Margrét sings and speaks in ethereal tones mostly in English with occasional tracks in Icelandic Influences abound from trip-hop to Krautrock Margrét recreates her enigmatic sound with heavy lashings of atmosphere organizers called for a silent march in honor of the victims of war in Gaza saying that “we are all traumatized and bruised and even though we will have to recover days This was our declaration of war.” At a walkout Monday protesters decried the excessive police violence Sanction) demands targeted at Israeli institutions it seems like the police intervention did non de-escalate the conflict — instead it may mark the beginning of even fiercer confrontations between the University and pro-Palestine protesters Bank of England granted political independence Chinese Exclusion Act barred Chinese laborers from US Dutch architecture practice KAAN Architecten completed the new Education Centre University of Groningen (Anda Kerkhoven Centre) adjacent to the University Medical Center Groningen (UMCG) The city is dubbed as the "capital of the north" Groningen is the largest place and the economic and cultural centre of the northern part of the Netherlands The 12,000 m² building forms the new heart and main entrance of Healthy Ageing Campus This new facility has been designed to support learning Groningen hosts a student population of over 60,000. KAAN Architecten has designed the first education centre in a planned series of shared facilities to support clinics research and industry on the Healthy Ageing Campus The project reconnects the campus to Groningen’s historical city centre after extensive development in the northern area of the UMCG The plot became available by removing the existing road extending from the city centre the building serves as a recognisable landmark reinforcing the connection between the campus and the city Apart from the integration of patio gardens at different levels and high-quality public spaces designed by Felixx Landscape Architects the new Education Centre links various UMCG facilities It also enriches the northern entrance of the campus by extending the outdoor public space into the interior enhancing the direct connection and fluid circulation throughout the buildings Education Centre University of Groningen by KAAN Architecten At the core of Healthy Ageing is the creation of a health-promoting environment The Education Centre's design emphasises comfort It invites students to engage with the campus beyond classes From open group workstations to sheltered individual areas the Centre fosters knowledge sharing among students Its welcoming facade and vibrant program give the campus a fresh identity The project features five distinct volumes These volumes connect to the central foyers and enhancing accessibility and interaction throughout the building The positioning of the volumes is decided in response to the visuals and the spatial quality of the complex The horizontal foyer is framed by a transparent facade facing the public square The patios mark the transition to existing buildings at different levels and introduce light into the lower floors It is organised within and around brick volumes -the “seminar halls”- with a food court meeting rooms and an independent commercial area The vertical foyer connects the “seminar halls” with the “learning tower” A wide and comfortable staircase combined with study spaces works as a continuity of the public space on every floor To promote stair usage to contribute to healthy ageing the elevators only stop on odd-numbered floors requiring users to walk up or down one floor deep windows characterise the tower’s brickwork façade and offer a play of openings with diverse the building’s pleasant and accessible green roof terrace strengthens the green heart of the campus The programme has been rationally organised with enough flexibility to allow easy changes to the spatial arrangement in the future Two of the three lecture halls consist of platforms rather than fixed seating making different types of teaching settings possible The tower’s standardised grid with a finer grid of technical installations and a larger structural span also allows for various spatial arrangements and green views ensure a healthy and sustainable environment a range of sustainable materials with low environmental impact is utilised throughout the building’s life cycle These natural materials are chosen for their ability to change over time and age gracefully Both the exterior and interior walls are covered in regionally sourced brickwork The selected light sandy brick colour contributes to the creation of a warm atmosphere The interior doors and window frames are made of massive oak and the foyer's floors and walls are made of concrete Brick walls combined with smooth yet tactile exposed concrete define the space and imbue it with a robust urban feel while still being a friendly interior space With its high ceiling and roof construction semi-visible through the metal mesh the horizontal foyer is brightened by subtle daylight penetrating through the skylights above and the facade’s glazing “The new Anda Kerkhoven Education Centre will bring a fresh identity to this part of the campus while connecting and reinforcing the surrounding buildings Technical installations advisor.- Sweegers en de Bruijn Haren.Management.- KAAN Architecten + University of Groningen .Contract management.- ZRi Den Haag.Financial advisor.- B3 Bouwadviseurs University of Groningen (RUG). Emmen.Construction advisor.- abt Wassenaar Rinsumageest.Constructor W(erktuigbouw).- De Groot Installatiegroep Emmen.Constructor E(lectrical).- Harwig Installatietechniek Competition phase.- June - December 2019.Design phase.- February 2020 – January 2022.Expected construction start.- January 2022.Construction phase.- 2022 - 2024.Completion.- June 2024 Sebastian van damme, Marcel Ijzerman.  KAAN Architecten is a Dutch architectural firm based in Rotterdam with over 30 years of experience in a wide range of scales and typologies Vincent Panhuysen and Dikkie Scipio founded KAAN Architecten in 2014 Through a collaborative and analytical design approach and the Dutch building traditions of sustainability and welfare This is further refined by merging practical and academic expertise which supports their response to the increasingly challenging complexities and contradictions of the built environment the firm comprises an international team of architects KAAN Architecten believes that cross-pollination between projects and disciplines fosters the essential critical discourse within the firm KAAN Architecten has engaged in a diverse array of projects within both the public and private sectors project teams have evolved to become progressively multidisciplinary and dynamic Their unwavering focus is on fostering a culture of continual evolution recognising this paramount approach in a profession that undergoes rapid transformation At the heart of KAAN Architecten’s philosophy is the belief that all projects acquire distinctive character through an architecturally curated layered dialogue involving all stakeholders This approach extends to developing enduring relationships with clients each project becomes an opportunity for meaningful engagement achieving architectural solutions that resonate with the diverse voices and perspectives involved Kees Kaan was the founding partner of Claus en Kaan Architecten Kaan graduated from the Faculty of Architecture at TU Delft in 1987 Since 2006 he has been a professor of Architectural Design at TU Delft and initiator of the Complex Projects Chair The Chair's research focuses on large-scale projects that characterise this era of rapid global urbanisation In 2019 Kaan was appointed Chairman of the Architecture Department he has been a Principal Investigator at the Amsterdam Institute for Advanced Metropolitan Solutions (AMS) since 2016 Kees Kaan is a lecturer and member of various juries and boards in the Netherlands and abroad Numerous books and exhibitions have been dedicated to his body of work Kees Kaan was officially inducted as a member of the Académie d'Architecture · Vincent Panhuysen brings expertise and vision to each project he undertakes His impact on the architectural landscape is profound with a diverse portfolio encompassing court buildings Panhuysen's approach to design is marked by a deep commitment to the entire process his architectural ethos transcends passing trends emphasising a timeless elegance rooted in relaxed functionalism Central to his design philosophy is a dedication to creating spaces that prioritise spaciousness and clear organisation hallmarks evident in the work of KAAN Architecten His role as a visiting professor at Delft University of Technology further underscores his commitment to shaping the future of architecture through education and mentorship For his special and careful guidance in the renovation of the Provinciehuis of North-Brabant Vincent Panhuysen was awarded the "Commissarispenning" a medal of merit from the Commissioner of the King Wim van de Donk · Dikkie Scipio has been trained in various disciplines She holds a master’s degree in applied arts and interior design from the Royal Academy of Arts in The Hague and afterwards qualified as an architect at the Rotterdam Academy of Architecture she owned a gallery in Amsterdam and a design studio in Utrecht ranging from large-scale master plans in urbanism and architecture to furniture and interior design She is an expert in managing complex projects and processes with a particular focus on museums and heritage renovation As a spokeswoman for integrated art and craftsmanship in architecture her views have been featured in many publications and documentaries she has been a professor at the Münster University of Applied Sciences where she holds a chair in Architectural Design In 2023 Dikkie Scipio was recognised as Woman Architect of the Year by the Prix des Femmes Architectes Archive Architecture The current head to head record for the teams are FC Groningen 4 win(s) Thijs Oosting has the most shots on target per match for FC Groningen (0.8) Luciano Valente has created the most big chances for FC Groningen (9) Have scored 11 goals in their last 5 matches FC Twente haven't lost to FC Groningen in their last 11 meetings (6W, 5D). Sem Steijn is the competition's top scorer (18) 01 Mar 2025 19:00:00 GMT?FC Groningen vs FC Twente on Sat 01 Mar 2025 19:00:00 GMT ended in a 1–1 tie.InsightsHave scored 7 goals in their last 5 matches FC Twente haven't lost to FC Groningen in their last 11 meetings (6W FC Groningen is playing home against FC Twente at Euroborg on Sat Every contribution counts — we must act now Greeks all around the world remembered and protested the Tempi rail disaster and the government corruption at its root Friday was a day of big sorrow and grief in my home country Two years ago there was a horrific train crash that killed 57 people and traumatised hundreds physically and psychologically this was not an accident but an event that was caused by the intentional diversion of funding of the governments minimising services and staff was transporting illegal highly flammable dissolvers (used to illegally dissolve gasoline) which initiated a massive fireball due to which many people who had survived the crash were burnt alive with their voices being heard on 112 recordings crying due to lack of oxygen minutes before their devastating death I only joined the demonstration in Groningen for about 30 minutes because I was with my young kids I was impressed with the number of the mostly young Greek community that I saw being present It was on a Friday at 18:00 so what I missed was the many young families that live in the north of the Netherlands there was a very powerful and emotional vibe with several resonating speeches I felt the emotions of anger and solidarity shared by the people The feeling of disgust was not only about this horrible incident but also due to the underlying causes that made it happen which are the primary reasons that so many Greeks have emigrated and don’t see any way of returning the government together with the justice system (which they appoint) and many others have systematically and intentionally destroyed a lot of evidence and try to avoid any blame It is therefore the sorrow and grief greatly more devastating to most Greeks that feel so helpless in changing such corrupted political and judicial systems Ancient Greece was the birth of democracy that makes us Greeks so proud of – I only hope that my fellow Greeks who still remain back home can be strong enough to bring back a true democracy that one day we will be proud again Do you live in or around Groningen and want to join the Groningen Collective? Click here to join the Telegram chat for new members and you will be onboarded as soon as possible Do you want to be informed of DiEM25's actions? Sign up here Hopefully we will all pause for two minutes to reflect on the atrocities committed in the past As Romanians prepare to head to the polls on May 4 and 18 they do so under the shadow of a deep betrayal of democracy those who challenge the dominant narratives are silenced Despite international rulings and mounting evidence of genocide the Central Bank of Ireland continues to approve Israeli war bond sales across the EU  Trey Van Groningen considered four-year universities in Southern California and Florida but it was hard for him to look past the small city in Iowa that has long been a second home for his family The Ripon Christian senior recently committed to Dordt University where he will continue is golf career and study agriculture business and I’m excited to go there and see what I can do.” Dordt competes in the Great Plains Athletic Conference of the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics Jon Crane coaches both of the Defenders’ men’s and women’s golf teams “It’s a great school and is really what I was looking for,” Van Groningen said “The golf our there is a lot different with the wind and the weather so I’m going to change my game a little bit and adapt They have a great program and great coaches I’m excited to work with them and play with my brother again The Van Groningen brothers have played big parts in Ripon Christian’s current dynastic run under coach Christian Manes Trey helped the Knights garner a fourth consecutive Sac-Joaquin Section Division VI championship He earned All-Southern Athletic League honors and placed fourth individually with an even-par 72 score in the SJS Division VI Tournament held at Cherry Island Golf Course in Elverta the Knights set a program-record low for an 18-hole tournament with a 378 score Van Groningen’s goal in his senior season is to break through at the SJS Masters Championships and earn a spot in the NorCal tournament Ripon Christian placed 12th as a team at Masters as they’ve moved into the more competitive Trans-Valley League and SJS Division V field With five of their top six players returning from last season “I’m hoping to make it past Masters this year,” Van Groningen said I was a couple strokes away from getting (to NorCals) My goal is to win Masters and bring the team (to NorCals) A dead swordfish was found on the mudflats near the Eemshaven in Groningen. “The swordfish is truly a rarity on the Dutch coast,” Wouter van der Heij of the Waddenvereiging told RTV Noord only three have been found in the past hundred years because these lightning-fast animals are very difficult to see when alive,” Van der Heij said Hobby photographer Martin Knol from Winsum spotted the dead swordfish on Tuesday “I took a photo when I saw something floating by,” he told the broadcaster Zeer zeldzame zwaardvis aangespoeld bij de Eemshaven in Groningen https://t.co/r2Ruu7ze4H The dead animal was taken to Ecomare on Texel on Wednesday where scientists will try to figure out what killed the swordfish and how it ended up at the Eemshaven Swordfish are not typically found in the North Sea They’re usually found in the Mediterranean Sea and the deeper oceans Ecomare curator Pierre Bonnet is very impressed by the find “This is really extremely rare,” he told the broadcaster He hopes to give the specimen a place in his nature museum after the research “I would like to make a cast of it and preserve the skeleton The Dutch economy grew by 1 percent in 2024 mainly due to the termination of gas extraction The economy did grow in the other provinces The Groningen economy shrank by 4.1 percent last year after a decline of 9.1 percent in 2023 Gas extraction in that province started getting phased out in 2018 but extraction in the Groningen field stopped completely last year The economy also contracted in Noord-Friesland Economic growth was the strongest in Drenthe and Zeeland CBS noted the largest regional growth in the Noord-Holland region of IJmond (4.5 percent) This increase was almost entirely driven by industry Steel producer Tata Steel is located there the economies in the four large cities showed stronger growth than the rest of the Netherlands Business services also ensured growth in this city which still showed the strongest growth in 2023 preparing and assembling this grand opus for a decade and tonight/today it finally comes to fruition He has some pretty serious pre-show formailities to get through first however he comes out onstage in a sloppy t-shirt and pyjama pants and gives a loooong monologue to begin proceedings from Steve Vai to his accountants (because he ‘sucks at money’) to his dogs he plays a wild solo acoustic version of ‘Let it Roll’ It reminds me very much of the beautiful acoustic tour of Australia he did back in 2019 He holds the live audience utterly spellbound One hour and fifteen minutes after the start of the livestream a little epigram about moths appears on the rear screen It’s clear from the get-go that we are in for an emotional and musical roller-coaster ride everything quickly becomes a wall of sound in typical style a bombastic orchestral assault on the senses the music and presentation goes through myriad aural and emotional shifts - sometimes it explodes sometimes it drifts into acoustic and washy ambience this aural journey has gone into myriad disparate but cohesive musical directions we are treated to an onstage spectacular of almighty proportions The term ‘rock opera’ does not really do this production justice lead singer of the Chinese progressive metal band Ou whose vocal contributions to the piece are very substantial and really quite superb and her presence here is eye and ear-popping She is a fantastic and idiosyncratic addition to proceedings and crouching) at front and centre of it all is the monumental presence of the great man and his persona lends the piece the drama and tension it needs It’s actually strange to see him play live for so long without an electric or acoustic guitar in his hands He doesn’t even touch a guitar until forty-five minutes into the show and then he plays some beautiful ambient lines for a few minutes and sets it aside again to have been there in person would have been a once in a lifetime experience but watching it from the other side of the world even if I did have to get up before the crack of dawn is still wondrous – the quality of sound and vision is superb and the stream does not falter a single time The magnitude of this production fairly boggles the mind To bring this all together across two continents It’s no wonder he felt the need to thank so many people in the intro and then shake the hand of virtually everyone in the front row when the show is done This performance is the next massive step in the monumental ongoing evolution of a prodigious musical talent Get your own stream right here Data+University of Groningen takes leading role in autonomous economyRector Jacquelien Scherpen at Autonomous Systems Conference: “We have everything we need to play a leading role in the autonomous economy” Bart, co-founder of Media52 and Professor of Journalism oversees IO+, events, and Laio. A journalist at heart, he keeps writing as many stories as possible. As a former researcher in measurement and control technology, Scherpen is no stranger to the field of autonomous systems. Since taking office as rector in September 2023, she has been making strategic use of that expertise. “Even though as rector I am a bit further removed from the day-to-day research, I am still very involved in this topic,” she said. Her speech was a plea for cooperation, agility and regional strength. The University of Groningen has been working with partners in the region for years on the technology of the future. Part of the Mechanical Engineering master's program was moved to the north in collaboration with the Drachten Innovation Cluster, the province of Fryslân and the municipality of Smallingerland. “It took some doing, but it has become a great success,” says Scherpen. It is an example of how the university is actively strengthening the region. During the National Autonomous Systems Congress, the Science Track will show how research is driving innovation in autonomous technologies. Within the Drachten Innovation Cluster, high-tech companies, knowledge institutes and government agencies work closely together on the development of autonomous systems. “The Netherlands wants to be a leader in this field,” said Scherpen. “And the north, with Drachten at its core, shows how this can be done: with joint projects, shared infrastructure and a culture of open innovation.” Education is crucial in the transition to an autonomous economy. The University of Groningen is therefore investing heavily in innovative courses, including the recently launched Engineering Doctorate Autonomous Systems. This two-year post-master's program focuses on practice-oriented innovation within companies and fits in seamlessly with the themes of the conference. The RUG explicitly presents itself as a so-called fifth-generation university. “We are not only broadly academic, but also a technical university,” Scherpen explained. “This combination enables us to tackle issues integrally: from ethics to engineering, from economics to automation.” During the Autonomous Systems Conference, the business track will show how Dutch companies successfully utilize this technology. This also means that the university consciously focuses on social impact. “We must be agile,” said Scherpen, “and respond to the major transitions of our time: in healthcare, agriculture, manufacturing and the energy transition.” Autonomous systems are indispensable in this, she says. “They make processes smarter, work less labor-intensive and more sustainable. But other work will also take its place, and we need people for that.” An important concern for Scherpen is attracting and retaining technical talent in the Northern Netherlands. “We train excellent engineers, but they don't always end up here. We want to change that.” The demographic decline makes this challenge all the more urgent. Especially when you consider that the Northern Netherlands has the lowest percentage of students who choose a science and technology profile. “We must do something about this together,” she urged. ‘By showing how important technology is, and by inspiring students.’ The conference in Drachten is a good example of this, she believes: ”It shows where we want to go and what we have to offer.” 2025 Groningen-born VVD MP Roelien Kamminga is taking over from Koen Schuiling Photo: ANP/Peter HilzVVD MP Roelien Kamminga has been named as the new mayor of Groningen who took early retirement after being charged with exposing himself in his car has been an MP for the right-wing Liberal party since 2021 having previously worked as a civil servant and returned there around the time she stood for parliament “I’m very pleased and honoured to have been appointed,” Kamminga said “It’s a once in a lifetime opportunity especially for someone who was born and raised in the province of Groningen.” Her predecessor, Schuling, stood down last September, a year before he was due to retire, claiming he no longer had the energy for the job The 66-year-old spent his term dealing with high-pressure issues such as the coronavirus pandemic and supervising compensation for homeowners whose houses were damaged by gas drilling But it soon emerged that the mayor had been put under pressure to resign by home affairs minister Judith Uitermark after he was fined for masturbating in his car beside the A7 motorway last March but the decision was upheld by a judge in Zwolle two weeks ago The former mayor has lodged an appeal against the verdict We could not provide the Dutch News service without the generous support of our readers Your donations allow us to report on issues you tell us matter and provide you with a summary of the most important Dutch news each day Many thanks to everyone who has donated to DutchNews.nl in recent days We could not provide this service without you Please help us making DutchNews.nl a better read by taking part in a short survey A Dutch judge convicted former Groningen Mayor Koen Schuiling of public indecency on Wednesday, finding him guilty of masturbating in his car despite his denials The case stemmed from an incident on March 25 when Schuiling was reported to police by a truck driver who alleged that he saw the man engaged in a personal sex act in his car while driving on the A7 highway Schuiling, 65, resigned as mayor of Groningen in September 2024 He cited health reasons caused by overwork during a period when he was pushing the national government on limiting natural gas extraction in the region and asylum seeker policies it later emerged that the public indecency case prompted pressure from Interior Affairs Minister Judith Uitermark to convince the politician to step down claiming that he was experiencing severe abdominal pain due to a medical condition and was merely trying to relieve the discomfort He said that he had loosened his belt and placed his hand on his abdomen the sight of which was misinterpreted by the truck driver The milk truck driver said he saw Schuiling behind the wheel of a red Saab and they were alongside each other on the highway for some time It was there he witnessed the mayor masturbating and he decided to confront Schuiling at a turnoff The truck driver said he saw Schuiling in a state of undress but the mayor said that was not the case as he was driving in a white undershirt He said he had loosened his belt because of his discomfort The police report noted that Schuiling had admitted to taking his pants off but Schuiling said in court he had merely unbuckled them found the truck driver’s testimony to be credible and noted that it was corroborated by Schuiling’s own statements The judge also pointed to the fact that Schuiling had his interior car lights on and had driven alongside the truck before pulling ahead The Public Prosecution Service (OM) also argued that Schuiling’s behavior was consistent with previous reports of inappropriate behavior in his car It emerged several months ago that Schuiling was accused of this in October 2023 and February 2024 He said each incident involved some sort of misunderstanding related to abdominal medical complaints dating back to 2022 but the OM said the medical records Schuiling provided do not support his claim argued that there was insufficient evidence to convict his client He pointed out that there was only one witness to the alleged incident and that Schuiling’s medical condition reasonably explains his behavior Koops also argued that there was no evidence of sexual intent on the part of Schuiling “There is no reason for me to doubt the truck driver’s statement There is also no evidence of a false report The driver did not even want to press charges at first,” the judge said when handing down the sentence The amount of the fine matched the amount initially demanded when Schuiling was accused of the crime He has the option of filing an appeal within 14 days Player ratingsFlashscoreTillman made his presence known early on expertly curling the ball in the right corner from outside the box to give PSV the lead after just 11 minutes Former World Cup finalist Ivan Perisic doubled the visitors' lead 15 minutes later by powerfully heading in a Richard Ledezema cross, catching Groningen stopper Etienne Vaessen off-guard at his near post FC Groningen would not back down from the fight and came close on more than one occasion, largely thanks to an excelling Luciano Valente who controlled the play with his creativity and passing abilities The Italian-Dutch midfielder would play a huge part in Groningen's equaliser just six minutes after PSV's 2-0, setting up Dave Kwakman with a perfect defence-splitting pass before his fellow midfielder beat Walter Benitez with a well-timed curled effort Stije Resink then came close to the equaliser but his furious effort was stopped by the Argentine goalkeeper Key match statsFlashscoreA tame second half saw Groningen have more trouble creating chances against PSV and concede a third with just 15 minutes to go, but Luuk de Jong's goal was ruled out for offside PSV would eventually get their third goal as Johan Bakayoko would head in a loose ball in the 88th minute PSV kept the gap of five points to Feyenoord intact after their 1-0 win over AZ earlier on Saturday FC Groningen slid down the Eredivisie standings with a loss dropping to tenth and outside the playoff spots View all the match statistics on Flashscore. Not many people know it, but the Groninger Museum hosted one of the biggest ever Vincent Van Gogh exhibitions more than a century ago. The exhibition How Van Gogh came to Groningen will tell the story of the determined Groningers and enterprising students who brought modern art to the northern Netherlands in the 1890s. The exhibition will open on 30 November 2024. How Van Gogh came to Groningen sparkles with bold, experimental personalities, people who transformed the zeitgeist and the culture. Like its 1896 predecessor, the show features work by the Dutch painter Jan Toorop, Belgian symbolists, and French printmakers including Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec – all innovators who challenged the art establishment. Johanna van Gogh-Bonger, Vincent's sister in law, was another key figure; most of the 128 Van Gogh works shown in Groningen came from her collection. After the exhibition, on the advice of the “art tsar” H.P. Bremmer, influential Groningen professors including Gerard Heymans began collecting Van Gogh’s work. Lecturers at the Minerva Art Academy recognised his importance and transmitted it to the artists of De Ploeg. Van Gogh’s paintings provided seminal inspiration for their bright palette. In short, the fin de siècle was a thrilling, decisive time in Groningen when a lot went on. How Van Gogh came to Groningen is an unmissable show for anyone interested in the history of modern art. 19 Mar 2025 17:00:00 GMT?.css-1txiau5-AnswerContainer{color:var(--GlobalColorScheme-Text-secondaryText2);}Schalke 04 won 1–0 over FC Groningen on Wed 19 Mar 2025 17:00:00 GMT?Schalke 04 won 1–0 over FC Groningen on Wed 19 Mar 2025 17:00:00 GMT.About the matchSchalke 04 is playing home against FC Groningen at Parkstadion on Wed a shortened game week consisting of just six games was all the Eredivisie had to offer this past weekend The weekend kicked off Friday evening with a game involving one of the two teams from the top five - FC Utrecht. The third-placed team visited Heracles Almelo knowing a win would keep them in second-placed Ajax's stride With Sebastien Haller leading the line for the second game running, Utrecht got off to a good start and almost claimed the lead through Haller and Yoann Cathline The high-flying visitors eventually had to concede the opener when Thomas Bruns bagged his second goal in three games with 30 minutes remaining coming after a bright opening phase of the second half from Heracles The home side kept on controlling most of the second half but had to swallow a late equaliser when Utrecht standout Souffian El Karouani very neatly converted a free-kick one minute into injury time and salvaged a point for Ron Jans' side Not even 24 hours later, PSV would host NAC Breda in what should've been the game which would see the home side return to winning ways after two winless league matches since the restart But instead of a fierce start to a revenge game, PSV would concede first yet again when Feyenoord loanee Leo Sauer put NAC in front after 26 minutes possibly throwing the home fans into an even further spiral The story of PSV's recent disappointments has been one of defensive regression After the reigning champions conceded just 13 goals in the opening 17 games of the Eredivisie campaign they conceded more than half that in the three games following the Christmas break with AZ and NAC Breda scoring a total of seven goals against the Eindhoven team PSV have conceded a lot of goals in recent timesFlashscorePSV conceded at least two goals in the last three consecutive league games making this the third streak of such in the last ten years PSV have conceded at least two goals in three consecutive league games just nine times this century For comparison: Ajax follow PSV with 13 of such streaks But even with all the defensive malfunctioning PSV are still top of the league and are four points clear for the time being With Ajax's next game being the 'Klassieker' against Feyenoord who knows how big PSV's lead will be after next week As big a game that will be for the two giants, just as big was the Derby of the North between FC Groningen and Robin van Persie's sc Heerenveen With Heerenveen trying to fix their reputation and the team morale after the gutting cup defeat away at amateurs Quick Boys a derby win against severely struggling Groningen would give the team a major boost On the opposite side stood an FC Groningen team which had won just two league games since the second week of the campaign and more importantly hadn't won a derby since November of 2018 After an hour of gritty derby football, Groningen academy product and Italian youth international Luciano Valente made a sold out Euroborg erupt with just his second goal of the campaign - one which would decide the derby and earn Groningen only its third derby win in the last ten years Groningen manager Dick Lukkien relished the manic home support after the pivotal victory "The stadium was magical tonight," said Lukkien "There was a good atmosphere and then there is a nice reciprocity with a team that goes all out and gives everything." Afterwards, Sunday's games gave PEC Zwolle and Sparta immense boosts in their battles against relegation Just a week after their impressive win over league leaders PSV, PEC beat Fortuna Sittard 4-1, partially thanks to a Dylan Vente brace which gives the team a six-point gap to the relegation zone Later on the day, Sparta Rotterdam manager Maurice Steijn finally claimed his first win in his second stint at the club when struggling Sparta beat Europa League outfit AZ 2-1 after a chaotic apotheosis After Shunsuke Mito put the visitors in front after 72 minutes, AZ's golden substitute Mexx Meerdink scored his third goal in four league games three minutes into stoppage time But Steijn's Sparta wouldn't leave without the three points, as shown by Arno Verschueren's thunderous goal just two minutes later - a goal which would also end a frustrating search for a goal for the Belgian midfielder who hadn't scored all season after scoring a combined 18 goals in the two campaigns prior who managed Ajax during their downfall in late 2023 was in charge of his ninth game in Alkmaar and finally got his first win since getting fired by the record champions With a home game against FC Groningen next on the schedule Steijn and Sparta will be hoping to give their morale yet another boost The fierce derby between FC Groningen and sc Heerenveen started with the tragic news of a Groningen fan having collapsed just before kick-off News of his eventual passing later reached the stadium and gave the win an emotional extra layer Groningen had been struggling to find form and last in early November when Willem II left the far North after a 2-0 defeat Groningen finally claim their fifth win of the season after securing their fifth consecutive clean sheet in a home game nicknamed 'The Pride of the North' have been struggling mightily in their first Eredivisie season after clinching promotion at the first time of asking Once a KNVB Cup winner and in recent times more than once a participant of the UEFA Cup and Europa League they were relegated following the 2022/23 season after a period of severe mismanagement and underperformance Having built newfound success on a foundation made from academy products 'FCG' found their way back to the Eredivisie after a sensational end of the 2023/24 season in the Eerste Divisie in which they snatched a win away at Telstar in the final seconds before beating rivals Roda JC on the last day of the regular season in a straight battle for automatic promotion FC Groningen won their only major trophy just 10 years agoSTANLEY GONTHA / EPA / ProfimediaAfter winning the opening two games of the current Eredivsie campaign and drawing the next three seven losses followed in the next eight league games leaving Groningen gasping for air in the lower regions of the table But after wining their first derby in nearly seven years, the former team of the likes of Luis Suarez, Arjen Robben, Virgil van Dijk, and Ronald Koeman hope to build on newfound optimism and the glimmer of hope in dire times in the Euroborg On the other side of the derby win stood a defeated Heerenveen side which lost their third consecutive match in all competitions The negative streak started just a week-and-a-half ago in the foggy dunes of Katwijk aan Zee a seaside town which amateur club Quick Boys call home The surprising amateurs beat Heerenveen 3-2 after extra time and seemingly sent the team into a spiral now managed by Premier League legend Robin van Persie won the Eredivisie match leading up to the cup tie with 4-2 away at NAC Breda but lost both games after that disastrous Thursday night in Katwijk aan Zee first conceding a 2-0 home defeat to Ajax and now losing their first 'Derby of the North' since November 2018 Robin van Persie has won none of his last three games as Heerenveen managerČTK / imago sportfotodienst / Pieter van der WoudeWith these losses Heerenveen missed the opportunity to really solidify their place in the hunt for a spot in the playoffs for European football The Frisian side have 24 points to their name currently the holders of the last playoff spot and PSV all coming up in the next five weeks Van Persie will really have to step up his game if he wants to have a shot at playing in the Conference League next season and turn his debut season as manager into a resounding success you and your team are down 1-0 and you're fighting to stay in the title race It's a scenario many young talents will have dreamt of in the tireless chase of their football dreams and now a scenario Souffian El Karouani has turned into a reality The Dutch-Moroccan left-back found himself in a situation in which he could either crown himself a hero or send his team packing in a crucial part of the season proving El Karouani does and will not blink when the lights get brightest The eleven best performers from last weekend's Eredivisie gamesFlashscoreAfter netting two goals in PSV's first league win of 2025, Guus Til has earned himself the title of Player of the Week with a Flashscore rating of 9.2. Til is joined by team-mates Luuk de Jong and Joey Veerman after their roles in the 3-2 win over NAC Breda Souffian El Karouani snatched the third-highest rating of the week after securing a point for FC Utrecht with his last-minute free-kick Along with PSV, FC Groningen have three players in this week's Team of the Week after their derby win over Heerenveen. Midfielder Stije Resink stole the show with a complete performance in the pivot who is starting to get used more and more to the switch from reactive to proactive football," said Dick Lukkien Sparta's Shunsuke Mito's opening goal against AZ and PEC Zwolle's Dylan Vente brace away at Fortuna Sittard also made their way into the best XI of this past week's Eredivisie Two men have been arrested in connection with a stabbing that occurred early Saturday morning in Groningen. Police responded to a report of a fight involving multiple individuals on Oude Ebbingestraat around 2:20 a.m. Upon arrival, officers found two men with injuries from a stabbing and quickly apprehended the suspects nearby The arrested individuals are a 19-year-old man from Groningen and an 18-year-old man from Lelystad Both were taken into custody at the scene shortly after the incident Authorities are investigating their possible involvement in the attack a 23-year-old man from Groningen and a 42-year-old man without a fixed address were transported to a hospital for treatment forensic investigators were dispatched to the scene where they conducted an extensive search for evidence The police are also reviewing security camera footage from the area and speaking with witnesses to better understand the motive behind the attack Authorities are asking anyone who may have seen or heard anything related to the stabbing to come forward They are especially interested in any video recordings from the time of the incident such as footage from surveillance cameras or dash cams or those wishing to remain anonymous can reach Crime Stoppers at 0800-7000 The Netherlands is famous for its capital city but the country has much more to offer visitors my city has everything Amsterdam has to offer without the crowds and bus tours that seem to be at every corner Groningen is a student city in the northern Netherlands you'll likely actually hear passersby speak Dutch I've made it my home and can truly say that if you're traveling to the country for an authentic Dutch experience Earlier this year, an eatery in Amsterdam went viral for supposedly selling stroopwafels for 10 to 13 euros a pop Many Dutch locals balked since they can usually be bought from street trucks for just a few euros This is just one example of how sky-high prices can be in Amsterdam, especially when it comes to food. After all, it is one of the most expensive cities to visit according to data collected by travel company Rustic Pathways this year I've found many prices are lower in Groningen than in Amsterdam head to our Vismarkt to get one the size of your face for no more than 3 euros Vondelpark in Amsterdam is a well-known park as it sits to the side of the famed Rijksmuseum It's beautiful, but it gets so busy with about 12 million visitors a year It's often full to the brim with children playing Fortunately, Groningen has beautiful parks, like Noorderplantsoen, that welcome fewer visitors and feel less crowded The large public park has a pond surrounded by a playground and a little café where you can stop for a coffee or lemonade Noorderplantsoen is the place to be — students mingle and the entire vibe is incredibly carefree If Noorderplantsoen feels like a bit too much for you The Prinsentuin sits in the center of Groningen — just behind the Martini Tower the tallest church steeple in the city — and has gardens with benches The Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam is one of the biggest in the world and houses iconic artworks from Rembrandt's "The Night Watch" to several Van Gogh and Monet paintings But Groningen also has its own art scene in the form of the Groninger Museum a unique building across from the train station that houses an array of modern art pieces And in Grote Markt (the main square of Groningen) is the Groninger Forum which is kind of like the nucleus of the city and countless activities every day of the week you can see an incredible view of Groningen including major landmarks like the Martini Tower In 1998, Houtman became the stadium speaker at De Kuip, home of his former team, Feyenoord but he recently had to announce his upcoming retirement after receiving the diagnosis of Alzheimer's The banner made Houtman visibly emotional and warmed the hearts of all those in attendance. Before the match, Houtman gave ESPN an update about his health. "I actually still feel quite good," said Houtman. "The advantage was that when they discovered it, by chance actually, I never smoked or drank alcohol. That all seems to help. To delay it - let me put it this way." Besides his 200 games for FC Groningen, Houtman also played 150 games for Feyenoord - the club he's now served for 27 years as the stadium speaker "Football is incredibly alive in Groningen, and Feyenoord and Groningen have huge fanbases. I've always liked that, to do it for those people." Houtman will officially put down his microphone in May of this year, right after the football season ends. The former star striker is at peace with this. "Feyenoord has a place deep in my heart, and the club and supporters deserve the very best. I therefore consider it appropriate to step aside." The current head to head record for the teams are Feyenoord 15 win(s) Feyenoord haven't lost to FC Groningen in their last 9 meetings (4W, 5D). Have scored 6 goals in their last 5 matches Luciano Valente has created the most big chances for FC Groningen (10) 02 Apr 2025 18:00:00 GMT?Feyenoord won 4–1 over FC Groningen on Wed 02 Apr 2025 18:00:00 GMT.InsightsHave scored 10 goals in their last 5 matches Feyenoord haven't lost to FC Groningen in their last 9 meetings (4W Feyenoord is playing home against FC Groningen at Stadion Feijenoord on Wed Koen Schuiling was forced to resign as mayor of Groningen by the Minister of Interior Affairs Judith Uitermark, NOS reported The ministry was set to suspend Schuilding if he did not announce his departure by October This came after the former mayor was fined for allegedly masturbating in public The 65-year-old Schuiling announced his resignation in September. He stated that he did not have the energy to perform his duties mentioning the toll the gas extraction files and asylum seeker measures took on him But it soon became apparent that this was not the sole reason which led to Schuiling being issued a fine of 250 euros that he disputes is allegedly related to masturbation in public An attempt to combat the pain was interpreted as offensive by another road user that was not the case,” Schuiling said about the incident in September Dagblad van Het Noorden has obtained documents from the justice department that stated that Schuiling has been reported for inappropriate behavior in his car on two previous occasions The mayor was not summoned for those two previous cases Schuiling maintains that all three cases are based on a misunderstanding Schuiling is now appealing a fine that the Public Prosecution Service gave him The case will be heard by the magistrate in Zwolle on Wednesday The former mayor stated that the fine was not the reason for his resignation but did admit that it sped up the process He did not do any departure interviews as “they would only be about this incident,” a spokesperson said at the time Arjen Robben reveals his choice in Lionel Messi vs Cristiano Ronaldo debate Legendary former Bayern Munich winger Arjen Robben is officially stepping into his first independent managerial role The 41-year-old Dutchman has been appointed head coach of the U14 team at Groningen the club where he both started and ended his playing career Robben had already been involved with Groningen’s youth setup in various supporting roles His journey into coaching began unexpectedly in January 2022 when he took charge of the U14 team at local fifth-tier club Be Quick — leading them to a league title and sparking his passion for coaching "The fact that we’ve inspired Arjen Robben to the point where he accepted a head coach position fills us with pride and it’s clear he’s highly motivated and dedicated," said Byron Bakker Robben now returns to the club not just as a legend but as a mentor for the next generation his family has deep ties to Groningen: both his sons 12-year-old Kai and 16-year-old Luka Robben Luka has already made waves as part of the Netherlands U17 national team Nogomania.com is a premier destination for football enthusiasts delivering fresh and in-depth content from the heart of the Ex-Yu region's football scene.