Dutch football assoc. could strip FC Twente’s license

Despite the resignation of almost all its managers and the announcement of a new operational model, the KNVB thinks FC Twente may still lose its license following damming report on the football club's financial management by Ben Kuppe. "I a certainly not optimistic", Bert van Oosteveen, director of professional football at KNVB, said to the Volkskrant. "It will be difficult for FC Twente. I wish to give an unambiguous signal. I now sense a feeling at the club that changing the structure is enough. They forget that Twente must above all have their finances in order. And there are thick files from the past, which are not easy to solve." He is referring to a secret deal made with Doyen about player transfers, which led to club president Aldo van der Laan's resignation. Twente was penalized with points deduction and three years exclusion from European football. The club also had points deducted for not meeting standards with their financial plan twice before. If Twente has to correct the annual figures for the 2014-2015 season, they face a fourth point deduction. The football club has until May 1st to hand in the figures for the current season to the KNVB licensing board. If it is not in order, Twente will lose its licence with this fifth offense.