Starting today, we will meet a number of newcomers in our highest football competition and discover which young talents can continue. Peter Vandenbempt focuses on individuals in part 2 of his preview.
1. Who are the newcomers you are looking forward to?
For the time being there are not thousands of newcomers in our competition, but I have highlighted a number of names.
To start with Cyriel Dessers at Genk. I find that a very interesting transfer. A young Belgian who has gone abroad has developed into a top scorer in the Netherlands – a headless competition, I know that – but I am looking forward to that with great interest. The questions are: will it be a new Bjorn Vleminckx? Is it easier to score in the Netherlands? Or will he take another step forward?
Alireza Beiranvand, goalkeeper from Iran, and according to Marc Wilmots of the level of Thibaut Courtois. I am curious about that of course. In any case, his story is already fantastic. I am curious how someone develops in Belgium – not at Eupen but at Antwerp, where he has to compete with Butez.
Guillaume Gillet at Charleroi. I’ve always thought that is a great player. He was always the first – or let’s say the second – to be called out at Anderlecht. It was a bit of a love-hate relationship, but he was a major player, scoring important goals and a real infiltrator. At his advanced age he is still in top shape and a very good transfer for Charleroi, I think.
2. Who are the players you will miss the most?
Conversely, very few players have left. Although Ghent and Lille are taking steps in the case of Jonathan David. About every year we are sad that the best players have left our league. I took a look at all the teams and ask myself who has left now, which you think is a serious loss for the competition.
Then I arrive at Bolat as a goalkeeper and Chadli if he is fit. He was someone who raised the level of our competition, but by then we are almost finished. With all due respect to Defour or Mirallas, who have not performed at the level they have ever achieved.
That is different from the years in which the better players always left, and yet it is proof – I think – that the Belgian league – certainly financially – has become more attractive and is stronger. Players from Germany and France come to Belgium instead of just the other way around.
It is now different from the years in which the better players always left and that is proof that the Belgian league – certainly financially – has become more attractive.
3. What talents are you looking forward to?
At KV Mechelen Aster Vranckx I was incredibly enchanted last year. He doesn’t live that far from where I live, so maybe I’m a bit biased, but still. I’m going to see how he can develop on it
midfield of KVM. And that too Now Kabore has already been passed by City is fantastic. It is good that it can ripen for another year.
To Antoine Colassin I’m looking forward too. I remember that he was on the match sheet in that match against Club Brugge and that we had to inform ourselves about who that actually was. He did a great job then for three or four games and then disappeared from view. I wonder if he – maybe not the first – but can become one of the first strikers of Anderlecht. They gave him a contract extension so they have confidence in it anyway.
Alexandre De Bruyn who goes to AA Gent! Is he going to play there a lot or not? He may be a bit older (26 years old), but I think he is such a nice football player, who has already shown great actions at STVV. There may be an “e” missing at the end of his name, but he is someone who I hope can play a bit at Ghent. The young striker Anderson Niangbo, which impressed several times last year with its effectiveness too. Unbelievable. Out of nowhere actually.
I had to Oulare, he can finally – freed from all his mice and injuries – become the top striker he potentially is. I think a fit Oulare is a great striker, with the potential for the Red Devils. Anyway, we’ll see if he can do that. Samuel Bastien from Standard as well. He also has to take a step forward this season, making him unsustainable next year.
And then there is Rocky Bushiri at KVM, but especially for his disarming interviews after the games. He is always very honest, with a nice accent and always puts a smile on my face when he appears in front of my microphone.
4. Do you already have an idea of what the new trainers Leko and Montanier will change?
From Ivan Leko he is expected to make Antwerp play differently than under Laszlo Bölöni in recent years. It was a logical way of playing that Bölöni chose because of the players he had available and because of the growth that Antwerp had to experience. He did a great job.
To take the next step, you can then get someone like Leko, who stands for dominant and offensive football. He always has. Especially at Club Brugge, also in the Champions League. With a rare exception against Dortmund. If he gets the right players for that, we will see that Antwerp becomes an attractive football-playing team.
Antwerp will keep the grinta and grimness, because Leko wants that from his team and they like to see that in the stands. But in a more frivolous way.
Philippe Montanier, that is the French school. I don’t know if he will change very much. We have yet to discover that. Perhaps he will rely a little less on the qualities of the opponent, which Michel Preud’homme traditionally does. Perhaps also because Montanier will know his opponents less well.
Of the entire procession of foreign trainers at Ostend or Mouscron, among others – of which I have already forgotten the names – is such a Montanier or someone who I think can have his place in our football, at the expense of a number of good ones. Belgian trainers who are out of work.
Peter Vandenbempt
Of the entire procession of foreign trainers at Ostend or Mouscron, among others – of which I have already forgotten the names – such a Montanier is now someone who I think can have his place in our football.
