Johan Plat named Rinus Michels Manager of the Month for October

SC Cambuur started October in fourteenth place in the Eredivisie. The newly promoted side had collected five points from their opening seven match rounds and were still waiting for their first away win of the season. That came in the first match after the international break.

Away at PEC Zwolle, Plat’s side kept a clean sheet for most of the game before substitute Nicolas Binder settled the contest late on: 0-1. A week later, AZ, who were top of the league at the time, provided a stern test at the Kooi Stadion. Cambuur fell behind twice but ultimately took a point from the match: 2-2.

Plat’s team then really hit their stride. Away at fellow newly promoted side Willem II, Cambuur recorded the biggest top-flight away win in the club’s history with a 1-6 victory. It was also the first time the Leeuwarden side had scored six goals in an away match in the Eredivisie.

Another convincing win followed against Go Ahead Eagles. SC Cambuur led 3-0 at half-time and extended their advantage to 4-0 after the break. In doing so, they also equalled the club record of seven consecutive matches unbeaten in the top flight.

With three wins and one draw, SC Cambuur collected ten points in October. Only Ajax matched that total during the same period. For Cambuur, it was also the highest points tally the club had ever recorded in a single month of Eredivisie football.

The team also made history in attack. Their thirteen goals were another club record for a single month in the top flight. What stands out most is their efficiency. Cambuur registered 58 shots and 6.6 Expected Goals in October, ranking eleventh and tenth respectively among all clubs. Even so, no team scored more goals.

At the other end of the pitch, the numbers were just as impressive. Cambuur conceded only three goals, the lowest total of any club in October. Their 42 shots faced and 4.3 Expected Goals against also both ranked among the two best figures in the league.

The strong month also resulted in a significant rise up the table. Cambuur were still fourteenth at the end of September, but finished October in ninth place. No other club climbed as many positions during that period.

For Johan Plat, this is his first Rinus Michels Manager of the Month award. The former FC Volendam and PEC Zwolle player began his first season as a head coach in the Eredivisie last summer. He succeeded Henk de Jong at SC Cambuur, with De Jong continuing as assistant coach.

Plat is also the first SC Cambuur coach or player to receive a monthly award since the awards were introduced. Earlier this season, the Rinus Michels Manager of the Month awards went to Giovanni van Bronckhorst in September and Leeroy Echteld in August.

The Rinus Michels Manager of the Month award is determined using a data model developed by Hypercube, which takes into account both absolute performance (how good were the results achieved?) and relative performance (how much better or worse were those results than expected?).

The model considers factors including results, goals scored and conceded, the current strength of the team itself and the strength of the opposition, including home advantage. Several indicators are used to assess team strength, including the squad’s market value, the Euro Club Index (ECI) and the Euro Player Index (EPI).

The Rinus Michels Manager of the Month award is an initiative of Eredivisie CV, Coaches Betaald Voetbal, De Voetbaltrainer and ESPN.