Dream period at Union yields Mazzu second trophy for Trainer of the Year: “Experience this after a – incidentally – failure at Genk, is very pleasing” | Sport

Would Mazzu ever dare to sing in the shower?

Charles Aznavour perhaps – ‘You are the one for me, for me, for me, formidable’, for his wife Julie. She is always by his side.

Or the club song of Union Saint-Gilloise, the proud leader in the national competition. ‘Bruxelles, ma ville, je t’aime. Your porte ton emblem.’

He has completely rediscovered himself in the capital. He will be eternally grateful to the people of Brussels for the opportunity they gave him at the start of last season.

After a failed passage at Racing Genk, Mazzu himself was almost convinced that his career at the highest level was almost over. That eternal feeling of ‘they don’t think I’m good enough for the top’. That touch of cynicism will never go out of his Mazzu.

The challenge he took on in the Duden Park was great.

He said about this in May 2020: “This is a club with a lot of ambition, with a lot of enthusiasm, with a lot of humanity. I spoke to the chairman a few times and those conversations showed a lot of respect. I feel the positive energy, the desire to succeed.”

Not one letter of a lie.

In the Duden Park they consciously chose Mazzu. “I remember when we took over the club in 2018,” said chairman Muzio a few weeks ago. “I asked our Belgian researcher to look for the best Belgian coach. I looked up the email with his reply again. At the very top was Felice’s name.”

Let’s just say they don’t regret their choice two years after the acquisition.

Union crushed the opposition in 1B last year, celebrated the title and promoted to first division. Back at the highest level for the first time in 48 years.

What Mazzu achieved there with his team is unprecedented.

Autumn champion, seven points ahead of Club Brugge. The football was mostly sparkling. Surprisingly. At Union, almost everyone rose above themselves. Team spirit is paramount.

That is largely due to Mazzu. Anyone who has worked with him in the past or who works with him now says the same thing: he is a craftsman. A people manager like there are few.

At the time, he made White Star Woluwe a title contender in second division. With ordinary players, only a few had experience at the highest level. The fact that he ultimately failed to take the title had to do with the bankruptcy of the club.

Charleroi tickled the top teams for years in the battle for play-off 1. He has learned from the failure at Racing Genk. And it purified him.

The dream he is currently living at Union earned him the trophy for ‘Best Trainer of the Year’ yesterday.

For champion maker Philippe Clement and for coastal coach Alexander Blessin.

It is the recognition he deserves. “Everything I’ve experienced with Union has been great,” he said at Antwerp Expo. “Don’t forget that we already had an exceptional season in 1B before the summer. Being able to experience all this after a – incidentally – failure at Genk made me very happy.”

What song would he have sung in the shower this morning?

Santé van Stromae, perhaps?

1. Felice Mazzu (Union) 438
2. Philippe Clement (Club Brugge) 415
3. Alexander Blessin (KV Oostende) 298
4. Wouter Vrancken (KV Mechelen) 230
5. John van den Brom (KRC Genk) 129
6. Vincent Kompany (Anderlecht) 118
7. Edward Still (Charleroi) 93
8. Hein Vanhaezebrouck (AA Gent) 50
9. Emergency Mark (OHL) 30
10. Paul Clement (Cercle Brugge) 15
Frank Vercauteren (Antwerp FC) 15
Brian Priske (Antwerp FC) 15

2013: Francky Dury
2014: Besnik Hasi
2015: Hein Vanhaezebrouck
2016: Michel Preud’homme
2017: Felice Mazzu
2018: Ivan Leko
2019: Philippe Clement
2020: Philippe Clement
2021: Felice Mazzu