What On Earth Is Going On At Vitesse Arnhem? 

As a dutchman... I always get exited when I see Alfie is going to discuss something dutch... And not just for the pronounciations and sarcasm... Also... you did a good job on "Stichting Betaald Voetbal Vitesse"

Fortuna Sittard isn't the oldest Dutch pro club; that would be Sparta Rotterdam.

Interesting video as always, Alfie. Although, I feel the need to correct a fact you stated: the oldest active club in the Netherlands are Sparta Rotterdam and not Fortuna Sittard, who aren't even close to being the oldest

I love how even without the 18 point deduction they’d still be bottom 😂

Oh boy, I was expecting this. Time to get the popcorn after celebrating Willem II's promotion and taking Vitesse's place in the Eredivisie :)

I am completely flabbergasted. I really thought foreign owners with absolutely no ties to a club couldn't just use the club for their own good and destroy the future of the institution alongside breaking thousands of fans hearts. edit: spelling

There is no option to start in the 3rd tier in the Netherlands. They have to start at the bottom, which is level 10

Hey, man, could you do a video on Argentinian football? There are 24 teams in the first division, 38 in second (Even more in lower leagues) that's because the AFA is corrupt and takes out relegations as it pleases, and in every promotion there's controversy. Two examples of this are Barracas Central and Deportivo Riestra, neither of them have proper instalations and playing against them means that every possible advantage will be given to them. One of them even faked an Adidas sponsorship.

On the subject of Gelderland teams, shout out to De Graafschap, who went from almost not existing in the summer to a promotion charge.

I wonder how much willpower it took not to title this "Vitesse Arnhem: a bridge too far?".

Visited Arnhem last year. Amazing city, the battle museum is free to enter and definitely recommended. Nijmegen was better though. 😉

Somehow there’s a team worse than Sheffield United in Europe’s top flights

If Ipswich get promoted will you do a video on them? Insane story

I'm a Norwich supporter, but if Ipswich holds on and gets promoted, I think Ipswich Town should get the "remarkable rise of" treatment.

should do a video about what on earth is going on at Vålerenga. They got relegated last season for the first time in over 20 years and is now struggling in the 2nd division (Obosligaen) and having lost a couple of key players including Steffan Strandberg who had to retire early due to a blood cloth in his leg and he was advised to retire by doctors and medical staff or it could have become life threatening.

Nice ''short'' summary of what's going on at Vitesse. One small correction though: Fortuna Sittard isn't the oldest active club in Dutch football, that's, Sparta Rotterdam. .Fortuna Sittard was the first team to start paying their players, so that's probably where the confusion comes from.

3 - they played Liverpool in a uefa cup tie in 2003

I heard about this and was hoping you'd make a video about it, it turned out to be an even wilder ride than I'd been expecting.Great job as usual!

Haven't started watching yet... but I just wanted to comment to say: FINALLY, I KNEW THAT THIS WAS COMING! As a football club, especially from a European country, you of course cannot go through such a crisis without Alfie making a video about it!

And NEC are having a good season :) As an Ajax fan from Nijmegen (so I like NEC too), I do very much hope Vitesse continues to exist. It’s a shame for any football club to just vanish…

You should do a video on Troyes. They've been taken over by the City Football Group in 2020 and while they briefly enjoyed success, now they're practically double relegated down to Championnat National while their best player has never played a single minute for them due to being on loan at Girona.

As a staunch supporter of De Graafschap, which means I, ehrm, rather dislike Vitesse, I'd like to thank you, Alfie, for this enjoyable half an hour of Schadenfreude.

Nice to see an english video about my club Vitesse. I hope they manage to exist in the future.

One of the better things of Vitesse, is that they play a match each year honouring the veterans of Operation Market Garden, the Battle of Arnhem.

Congrats on 600k Alfie!

Perfect video, just in time. Because a few hours ago, I was looking at the standings in the Netherlands and I noticed the 2 points and wondered to myself: "What on Earth is going on at Vitesse Arnhem?"

Yo Alfie, loved the video man, as always!

Thanks, Alfie! Brilliant as always.

Another very informative video. Thanks Alfie

That moment when it’s you club up for the what on Earth series. Wish us luck boys, we’re going to need every last bit of it

I have a public playlist for the what on earth series, love watching every one of them

lovely vid mate

Your research is on point, fantastic! 👌

There was a team in Bahrain last season named budayia which also ended in -1 points but for them they got deducted 6 points when they had 5

Amazing video as always! Funny thing to mention is that even though Slutsky was a close friend of Abramovich, he had a pretty well reception in the Netherlands. This was mostly due to his silly interviews and never ending optimism. He was also given the nickname ‘The Big Friendly Russian’ (or ‘De Grote Vriendelijke Rus’ in dutch) as a result of this. You should look it up, it’s pretty funny!

As a kid, I used to go through the Master League mode of PES 5 multiple times turning less-powerful teams into juggernauts. Did this with Bolton, Lecce, R. Sociedad, and of course Vitesse! I never really knew anything about the real Eredivisie and presumed Vitesse were on the lower end of the division based on their stats, so it's surprising to find out Vitesse initially went on to do well in the division and supply Chelsea!

2nd oldest after Fortuna Sittard? Sparta Rotterdan was founded in 1888. Fortuna Sittard in 1968.

Cool to see them in a video!!

Grats on 600k subs!!!

Thank you HITC SEVENS

A what on earth is going on right after a we need to talk? You are really spoiling us

Love to hear your video on Birmingham City for the "what on earth is going on at" series!

Still enjoying your effort connecting every video to Hull City 👍🐯🐅

Today I learned that Leonid Slutsky has been manager at Hull

Alfie, would love to see your take on Ipswich town. 194 points and 191 goals over the past 2 seasons

Videos have been slapping lately

YES LETS GO I REQUESTED THIS VID !!

Good of you to include the trouble surrounding the GelreDome, which is just way to ambitious a stadium for a humble club like Vitesse. They have struggled to fill it (and pay for it) ever since it was constructed.

Vitesse is, in some way, an example of the extent of sportswashing. Owned by a proxy of the Russian government to do Muscovy's bid. They have short-term successes, but not long term stability. Unfortunately, it is not the only thing. Kazakhstan's UEFA membership since 2002 (which I am still asking for a video) despite gross human rights violation, Russia hosting the 2018 World Cup, to how Qatar and Saudi Arabia won World Cup bids and China's football gamble, all have a significant connection to it.

40 years of over spending comes to an end finally

Im still happy with the 10 years of playing good football and all the amazing players weve had. We all knew from the start it was shady business and Vitesse was a ticking time bomb. This kind of adversity will bring the fans closer to the club, which has been missing for quite some years due to the foreign investments and endless loans. I hope they can play in the second division next year, but even when they can do that, the drama will not be over. Its still going to be fc hollywood on the Rhine

reckon u could do a vid on az alkmaar? doing a youth onky save with em on fm atm n would love to know more abt their history. must be a good story about being a new ish club and kinda solidifying as the 4th challenger (along w maybe twente) for the league

we had a similar owner years back, who said we would be in the UCL in 5 years. only to be arrested a few weeks later in dubai. now we are still in the second tier and just missed out on automatic promotion.

Alfie can you do a video on Morecambe? We've got an owner who's wanted to sell since 2022 yet wants top dollar, we've had points deduction this season due to his failure, we've been under an efl embargo and in the last two weeks have lost the manager and have only one player for next season.

what is going on with sj quakes, oakland roots, the town fc? Alfie please respond

Chance missed to use a 'Bridge too far' pun,

Some bit of history of the glory days under Aalbers would have been nice. Including how it controversially ended

A Muscovy investment, how surprising. And that's how it has gone to this situation now.

If Vitesse's professional license is revoked, it would also mean that promotion back to the top two leagues is for now impossible. Because most dutch amateur teams have very little money, some years ago they decided, together with the KNVB to stop promotion to and relegation from the dutch second tier (eerste divisie/keuken kampioen divisie) because it would instantly bankrupt almost every club if they suddenly had to pay proper wages to all their players. Because of this, Vitesse would be stuck in amateur football until they remove the promotion/relegation rule. (or find some weird messy workaround that nobody really wants like the KNVB tends to do)

Ipswich video coming soon?

@HITC Sevens make a vid about Dinamo Bucharest ! You have insane content there :))

As the actual oldest club in the Eredivisie, Sparta Rotterdam has been founded about 80 years earlier than Fortuna Sittard in 1888. Vitesse, FC Twente, Heerenveen, PSV, PEC, NEC, Feyenoord, Heracles, Excelsior, Ajax and Willem II are also older than Fortuna Sittard.

Now have an undying hatred for hull city after rolling over for Plymouth today hope u go down next year. Love the channel tho xx

Can you do one on Huddersfield?

Expected more note on the 2013 season tbh, which despite lack of silverware was actually the most spectacular season Vitesse has had potentially ever, Wilfried Bony in his prime outscoring everyone and Vitesse top of the leaderboard during winterbreak.

Jordania never said that Vitesse would become champion within 3 years. Selling owner Maasbert Schouten said that Vitesse would compete for the title in 3 seasons. And 3 years later Vitesse competed for the title until about 5 games before the end of the competition. Vitesse then had a good selection with players such as Van Ginkel, Pröpper, Van Aanholt, Theo Janssen and of course Wilfried Bony. If Vitesse had not had to miss its star player for the Africa Cup, Vitesse would probably have finished even higher that year.

Abramovich is never appreciated because of his relationship with russian president, but the guy loved football with all his life, he invested everywhere to make sure all parties benefit now after just two years without him clubs are collapsing... Its time we separate politics from football otherwise clubs are going to collapse.

Can you do a video of “the statistically greatest year of all time” and maybe one of “the statistically greatest 5 consecutive years of all time”. A top 5 of both would be exciting.

Icl I almost forgot you existed I was checking out the Kendrick Lamar/Drake drama.

Stichting Betaald Voetbal (SBV) just means "Foundation Professional Football". Saying that's part of the club's real name is a bit like saying Manchester United are actually called Manchester United Football Club Limited. 😉

<a href="#" class="seekto" data-time="1109">18:29</a> I never knew Martin Odegaard played for Vitesse.

I would love to see you do a video on Nottingham Forest and their current state. I'd love to know the details of the reasoning behind their 4-point deduction, their reasoning against the decision, and how they got away with not being punished while they were an EFL club seeing enormous losses for at least 4 consecutive seasons.

I went to check on ajax after all the videos and then saw the -1 points and wondered what the hell.

Wow it shows how bad the team has been that they would be in the exact same position even without all those points deducted which is an unusual situation to be in

Got something of a philosophical football question you could answer: is it better to travel than arrive? Because the journey in promotions seems to often be more enjoyable than reaching your ceiling as a club, which might be mid-table in the Premier League

Plz do a what's going on at Vitória FC (Mourinho's club)

I really don't get why Chelsea/Abramovich didn't simply buy the club themselves. Especially when it would have been allowed back them.

<a href="#" class="seekto" data-time="208">3:28</a> Are there actually sand dunes in the Netherlands or is Alfie pulling my leg

<a href="#" class="seekto" data-time="815">13:35</a> oh hell yea lewis baker, he helped get me a second place Europa League finish my second year in Liga NOS in my FM save lol

<a href="#" class="seekto" data-time="106">1:46</a> actually Sparta Rotterdam is from 1888 and is the oldest pro club in the Netherlands, Fortuna was founded in 1968

Day 1 of demanding Alfie make "The Fall and Rise of Ipswich Town: The Kieran McKenna Story". You know it needs to be done.

Alfie, i appreciate you blessing us with your soccer history but when are you going to start making game predictions. im willing to put $$$$ down on your knowledge. 😁😁🤑

can you do a video about what on earth is going on at panathinaikos

other clubs can pick up a bargain though if they disappear and the administrators move in

He said they took 5 players, almost a starting 11. I'm not sure what the rules are of using half player maybe thats why they didn't have a half a team on loan. Maybe cut a player.

As a Norwich fan, the sheer mention on the wolf sends shivers down my spine

Would you consider doing a video on the recent rise of Atalanta especially if they win the Europa League tomorrow night?

Damn it’s 4 am here

Can we get a whats going on at Kingstonian? Once a big club in non league now relegated out of the Isthmian after being kicked out of their home ground

<a href="#" class="seekto" data-time="804">13:24</a> Alfie thought, let me get a photo with Zlewsky (i butchered the spelling), it will come in handy one day 💀

Almost started watching their games this season when they loaned a 17 yo from my country who s a wonderkid in football manager, but they didn't play him so oh well

European football leagues must disclose salaries I don't understand why many football fans are against revealing players' contract salaries. I think player salaries are either too low or overrated. I think Haaland's annual salary is over $50 million. Honestly, there is no way the EPL salary would be that low. Does anyone know anything about Mbappe's contract? Why didn't you make it public in the first place? I don't know if it's after tax or before tax. The media always says different things. The same goes for the salaries of Griezmann and Suarez during their time in Barcelona. To begin with, La Liga is not sure whether some players' salaries are before or after tax. Always changing. First of all, the salaries of Messi and Ronaldo from 2011 to 2018 are estimated to be after-tax salaries.) And this is not accurate regarding Messi's contract. Laporta said Messi's salary must be paid until 2025. How much did he get paid? And many believe Mane's wages at Liverpool were £100,000 a week. First of all, Mane's agent said his salary is higher than reported in the media.American leagues disclose salaries. Messi's annual salary for 2023, as revealed by the MLS Players' Association, is $20 million. The base annual salary is $12 million. The media reports that it is over $50 million, but in reality it is much less than this. Conversely, if you look at the wage bill, EPL clubs spend more money than the media reports, with Manchester City spending more than 300 million pounds, and Liverpool and Chelsea spending more than 250 million pounds. (Please disclose player salaries, contracts, and salaries. And why are some people asking (there will be comments asking why I don't disclose my salary, but I'm an ordinary person. Are ordinary people and sports players the same? And there is FFP in European football) La Liga also has a salary cap. If I were a soccer player.I would agree to disclosure of my salary. i am asian. Why do people who are opposed to revealing player salaries say that some players have high or low salaries? Football's wage is It's an estimate and unofficial. . , commentators, coaches, and even other players in the league don't know a player's contract and salary...As a side note, Saudi money is exaggerated. A Saudi reporter said that Benzema's annual salary is $50 million. Jordan Henderson's weekly salary was also not what was reported in the media Team annual salary and reveune were revealed on the UEFA official website. It was revealed that Tottenham spends a whopping 200 million euros and Liverpool spends 300 million euros on player salaries. There is a lot of difference from the media. (It seems like the salary is about 80 to 100 million euros more than the media reports.)psg.Barça spends 500 million euros. Leicester also spent more money than Sevilla in the 2022-23 season (but was relegated) What I'm saying is, please disclose player salaries. Haaland $50m seems right.. EPL salary seems too low. In fact, it seems to have been underreported

Please do a 'what is going on at Stuttgart?'

Gotta love the introduction of the meme clips. You cant grow concrete…

NO WAY a video about my team😭

You missed it at the time however the Chinese ownership of ADO Den Haag is also worth a story.

Me and my friends ran into a few of their players in Madrid during preseason and they seemed real happy that we asked for a photo. It was pretty wholesome but I guess we jinxed them💀

A Vitesse fan would sell their mother for money.

Alfie, you need to talk about the rise of Ipswich Town....

Please talk about what on earth is going with South Africa's men's national team AKA Bafana Bafana