A 0-3 pandering against Sweden that nobody really took seriously. After eventful days, everyone at the Yellow Tigers seemed especially happy that various parties have been talked to and that six weeks can now follow without fuss before the European Championships start. Star player Britt Herbots also came back to her words that she might not play at that European Championship without Gert Vande Broek.
The fact that Sweden denied the Belgian volleyball women a ticket for the final of the European Golden League is currently a footnote in the storm that the players of the Yellow Tigers have unwittingly been caught in for days.
“Painful, but given the circumstances we can live with this,” Britt Herbots said after the second leg against Sweden. “The Golden League was not a top priority, the focus should be on the European Championship”, Celine Van Gestel was of the same opinion.
“I hope that things will calm down soon and that we can focus on volleyball again.”
The conversation with VandeBroek
A day before the game against Sweden, the Yellow Tigers had two conversations. One with Gert Vande Broek and one with the federation. Vande Broek came to explain why he appeals against his suspension, but at the same time (at least temporarily) relinquishes his position.
“His explanation came in”, said Britt Herbots after the game. “We understand his choice in a way. It didn’t go on like this.”
“When I got up it was always thinking: is there a new article today? Coaching like this and getting a team along was no longer fun for Gert either. It was a hunt for him. More on people than on the coach after a while Then we understand the choice.”
“Somehow we hope that he might come back to it, but that is not the case at the moment.”
Gert also convinced me that the European Championship is much more important than who is on the sidelines.
Brit Herbots
Her own view of the whole situation has also changed. Herbots had previously stated that she might not participate in the European Championship in her own country if it were without Vande Broek as national coach.
“I talked to Gert a lot because I was in a difficult situation. I didn’t agree with how things were going. I felt everything had to be broken.”
“But I am happy with how the team handled it. We have become even stronger.”
“Gert also convinced me that the European Championship is much more important than who is on the sidelines. Plus the team also made me feel: ‘Brit, please stay with us’. I couldn’t let anyone down at the moment.”
Conversation with the federation
There was also a meeting with the federation on Tuesday. Both Britt Herbots and Celine Van Gestel indicate a good conversation.
“What has been said remains confidential,” says Van Gestel. “The federation now knows our opinion and the most important thing is that there is clarity for everyone.”
The federation itself announced on Tuesday that it wants to listen to the players when it comes to choosing a successor for Vande Broek. Kris Vansnick acted as national coach against Sweden.
He is not a break with the past. But do the players want such a break?
“We really need Gert Vande Broek”, Herbots addressed the question of a successor. “This is a project that has been running for years and the results of recent years do not just come. There is an idea behind it. The question is whether the next coach will also bring that idea to the team.”
“The entire framework is a well-oiled team. It’s just going well,” Van Gestel also said.
“On the other hand, it is gratifying that the federation showed that it wanted to look for a solution together, after it had let us down a number of times”, Britt Herbots also saw positive things about the past week.
“The European Championship is still six weeks. That is fast, but it is a period in which things can change and we can find ourselves again. If the European Championship started tomorrow, it would have been different, but now there is time to think about something else and with return in full.”
Who is national coach during the European Championship?
Kris Vansnick took over as national coach against Sweden, but says he does not know how it will continue.
“Gert Vande Broek convinced me to take over coaching when he heard about his suspension in Sweden. I said I would do that until today, because we as staff will not let this team down.”
“I have been working for this national team for 17 years. I have always stuck my neck out, but I am standing here with a sense of injustice. It is painful for me how someone is killed and polarized in the media.”
“The federation has not yet asked me to continue and we have not yet been involved in that. I have not received an official question about this myself. The group has expressed that they would very much like to continue with this staff.”
The group has expressed that they would very much like to continue with this staff.
Kris Vansnick
2023-06-28 21:44:55
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