Westerlo faces the OHL this Wednesday evening in the Round of 16 of the Belgian Cup. If the Campinois left the elite of Belgian football four years ago, they created a surprise in the Round of 16 by eliminating Antwerp. At the same time, the residents of Kuijpje occupy the first place in D1B.
A sacred comeback to the fore for a club which almost declared bankruptcy during the descent in 2017 as explained Wim Van Hove, general manager, in the columns of Newspaper : “The only goal was not to go bankrupt. That we were saved back then and now lead in 1B is a miracle“.
In the meantime, a lot has changed and the club has gone under the Turkish flag. Oktay Ercan, a Turkish businessman who has grown into many different fields like textiles, home furnishings, private jets and meat has taken over as the head of Westerlo.
A takeover that raised many questions
After many discussions with candidates, Wim Van Hove opted for Oktay Ercan, the only one who could get them out of the problems: “In one year, I had fifty conversations. Belgians were among them, but they were not financially strong enough, certainly not with the debts we had. Whoever took over us already had to put in 3 million to reach the breakeven point“.
Dark names revolved around the deal but it was a necessary evil to be successful in getting out of it and these people have now cut ties with the club. And the desire is to invest in the long term, particularly in terms of infrastructure. “For example, the stadium has been modernized and a new training complex has been built for the A team and the youngsters,” said Wim Van Hove.
If President Ercan is only present during home games, at Kuijpje, he is nonetheless very involved according to Wim Van Hove: “At first it was only about three times a season, but now he’s almost always there. Maybe because it works so well. He thinks it’s a lot of fun to come and support them. By smoking a cigar, drinking a whiskey: it is pleasure for him. Football is his passion. It doesn’t mean he’s making emotional decisions or throwing money away. No, everything has to be done rationally“.
Hasan Cetinkaya, the Mr. transfer from Fenerbahce
And in Westerlo, one Turk can hide another. The one who takes care of the daily management of the club is called Hasan Cetinkaya. A man who made great blows at Fenerbahce, he who made transfers there for ten years. And his hunting chart is quite impressive. Robin van Persie, Nani, Dirk Kuyt, Raul Meireles, Moussa Sow, it’s him.
While many Belgian clubs have become satellites of major European clubs (Club Bruges withAS Monaco, Lommel with Manchester City, Seraing with FC Metz), the will is not at all to go in this perspective. Apart from Ercan and Cetinkaya, the organization chart has remained Belgian and the staff is also Belgian with Jonas De Roeck as a trainer.
Moreover, Cetinkaya did everything to succeed in his integration, until he followed and brilliantly succeeded in the non-compulsory civic integration program. “It was intense, you know. For three months, I had to sit in front of my screen and take four hour classes every Tuesday and Thursday. Now I know all about your country. How does politics work, insurance, taxes, postal services, everything. I already knew French, because I grew up in France, but now I also take Dutch lessons“, recalls the vice-president.
2024 target
At the sporting level, Westerlo launched the 2024 goal to create a team capable of playing Europe explains Cetinkaya: “I hope that next season we will play in 1A and then we can work on our next goal: to reach European football. It has worked a few times in the past, so why not? Today, in my opinion, we are already among the six or seven best organized clubs in Belgium“.
And to do this, Cetinkaya intends to rely on its well-filled address book and a well-known name in Belgium appears there, that ofEden Hazard. “I think I can consider him a friend. I met him when he was in Lille and he promised me that he would play for Fenerbahçe one day. Westerlo, it’s getting harder, but you never know. He could end his career here“, smiles the vice-president.
In the meantime, Westerlo will continue to try to play spoilers in the Belgian Cup and to secure a qualification for the quarter-finals of the Belgian Cup this Wednesday against the OHL.
