Peter Responds to Team Selection Leak by Closing Training

Head coach Peter has slammed the leak of his team selection online and responded by shutting the doors on open training, insisting that protecting his tactics has to come first.

Speaking to Dutch outlet Algemeen Dagblad, the ADO boss did not hide his irritation after details from a session were shared almost in real time.

"I don't know who it was, but in any case someone, or a few people, posted information online immediately," he said. "That makes keeping training sessions open completely pointless for us."

For Peter, the issue is not about keeping fans away, but about keeping opponents in the dark. Once the line-up or tactical tweaks hit social media, the advantage is gone.

"I have no idea if this happened last year as well, but this time I knew it was posted online straight away," he explained. "We want everyone to be able to come and watch training, but that information has to stay inside the complex. That didn't happen, so we have to close the doors."

So the gates are shut. The message is clear: enjoy the matchdays, but what happens in preparation stays in-house.

First Eredivisie Home Game in Five Years

Away from the off-field frustration, Peter is desperate to channel the noise into something more positive on Sunday. ADO host FC Groningen in front of a sold-out crowd on matchday two of the 2026-27 Eredivisie season, their first home fixture in the top flight in five years.

The stakes are already sharp. ADO are still hunting their first points after a 2-0 opening-day defeat to AZ, decided by second-half goals from Ro-Zangelo Daal and Calvin Stengs. That loss underlined how unforgiving the division can be. There will not be much margin for error against a Groningen side that arrives with a tailwind.

Groningen edged past FC Utrecht in their curtain-raiser and travel south brimming with momentum. ADO, by contrast, need a response, and quickly.

Peter expects the occasion to bring the best out of both sides rather than turn it into a cagey affair. "I don't expect any surprises and I'm hoping for an open game played at high intensity by both teams," he said, looking ahead to a contest that could set the tone for ADO’s return to the Eredivisie.

Selection Problems and Boosts

The team sheet will again be shaped by fitness issues. Jalen Hawkins remains sidelined with a hamstring problem, while Cameron Peupion is still a long-term absentee after knee surgery. Those absences strip some attacking variety and energy from the squad at a time when every option feels precious.

There is at least some good news. Goalkeeper Niclas Thiede is back in full training after an ankle injury and is pushing to reclaim his place between the posts. His availability gives Peter a decision to make in a key position.

Cagliari loanee Othniel Raterink is another potential weapon, though not yet at full tilt. The forward is still building match fitness and is expected to start on the bench, ready to offer fresh legs and a different dimension if the game opens up late on.

A sold-out home crowd, a returning Eredivisie stage, a coach closing ranks to protect his ideas, and an in-form opponent rolling into town: ADO’s season may be only one game old, but Sunday already feels like a test of how quickly this club can adapt to the brutal rhythm of the top flight.