Original Umbro Player-Issue football shirt AZ Alkmaar 2005/06

This was the first season under new coach Louis van Gaal. AZ played in the old Alkmaarderhout for the last time this season. AZ also had to say goodbye to technical director Martin van Geel who left for Ajax; this was taken very seriously in AZ, and van Geel was regarded as persona non grata, partly because a month before his departure he firmly stated that he never wanted to leave Alkmaar again. His successor was Marcel Brands, who came over from RKC Waalwijk.

Barry Galen
In the 2005/2006 season, AZ reached second place in the league. In the play-offs for direct placement for the preliminary round of the UEFA Champions League, however, FC Groningen was lost. As a result, the team officially became fourth in the ranking (UEFA demands a unanimous final score). In the UEFA cup, AZ reached the third round in which it was eliminated by the Spanish Real Betis from Seville. But partly due to the 2-1 victory in the home game, AZ remained unbeaten in Europe in the Alkmaarderhout. In the Gatorade cup, AZ lost to PSV in the semi-finals. The last game this season was one between a team composed by Barry van Galen and one by Michael Buskermolen. During this match, not only did they say goodbye to these two players, but also to the Alkmaarderhout stadium.