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With Karel Geraerts, the coach of Union again receives the Trophy Raymond Goethals | Jupiler Pro League

Karel Geraerts has been awarded the Trophy Raymond Goethals 2022, the prize that rewards the football coach whose work most closely reflects that of the legendary Belgian coach. Geraerts (41) is having a top season with Union in his 1st year as head coach. He was preferred to Wouter Vrancken (Genk) and Carl Hoefkens (ex-Club Brugge).

For the second year in a row, the Union coach receives the trophy, which has been awarded since 2011 to honor the flamboyant Goethals, who died in 2004. Nicknamed “The Magician”, Goethals is the only Belgian coach who could win the Champions League, in 1993 with Marseille.

Felice Mazzu won the trophy last year after the great season of PhD student Union, with Karel Geraerts his T2 from then is next on the honors list. In his first assignment as head coach, Geraerts confirms in his own country and in Europe.

After the departure of Mazzu to Anderlecht, Geraerts took over at the vice champion. Union is also now 2nd in the Jupiler Pro League, in the cup it reached the semi-finals and in the Europa League it is in the last 8.

Geraerts was preferred to Vrancken, who leads our competition with Genk, and Hoefkens, who guided Club Brugge to the 1/8th finals of the Champions League. Things went less well in the cup and the competition, after which he received his C4.

“Proud of this award, there are many other top Belgian coaches”

Karel Geraerts was very proud after his victory. He had secretly hoped for it, but according to him it was no sinecure to win the trophy.

“It strikes me how many good, young coaches we have in Belgium these days,” Geraerts explains.

“Then I think of trainers such as Wouter Vrancken, Hein Vanhaezebrouck, Vincent Kompany, in the lower series Wim De Decker and Stijn Stijnen, you name it. That is something to be proud of and that makes it a great honor to receive this prize to win.”

Another Belgian coach that Geraerts definitely wanted to mention is Felice Mazzu. Last year he won the Trophy Raymond Goethals, Geraerts was his assistant then.

Geraerts is now also Mazzu’s successor as Laureate of the Trophy Raymond Goethals. This is mainly due to 2 things: “First and foremost, it’s important to be yourself, I’ve always done that.”

“In 2nd place, and I stand by that, it is extremely important to maintain your credibility towards the group of players. You only have that once and you can only use it once. That way you earn the respect of a team. ”

“Championship and Europa League equally important”

Geraerts may be very proud of this individual award, but the team interest always comes first for him. The young coach indicates that he would without a doubt exchange his trophy for a prize with Union.

“You work towards that with a full team for a whole year. Then it is of course better to see that teamwork being cashed in.”

Winning a prize with Union is certainly one of the possibilities this season. The Brussels club reached the quarter-finals of the Europa League and is 2nd in the Belgian league, 3 points behind leader KRC Genk.

Which goal takes precedence for Geraerts?

“They are both a priority for me,” he emphasizes. “I cannot place a league higher than the others. Together with the team, we want to get as far as possible in Europe and in the title fight.”

El Khannous also praised

A second award was presented with the Prize Dominique D’Onofrio. It is intended for the best debutant in the Jupiler Pro League and fell to Bilal El Khannous van Genk.

The jury of the 2 prizes consists of former coaches of the Red Devils, former winners of the trophy, referees and members of the organization of the award.

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