There is an atmosphere of crisis at Jan Breydel, or at least in the blue-black part of Bruges. With 16 out of 33, Club Brugge is experiencing its worst league start in 40 years. Where is the problem and how can the tide be turned? Sporza Daily contacted two advisors.
“No Sweat, No Glory.” Club Brugge’s slogan is currently barely or not noticeable among the playing group and on the field. Long before the slogan was born, Lorenzo Staelens (59) invariably breathed that motto.
“I see resignation and far too little winning mentality,” Staelens explains the sore point. “With Andreas Skov Olsen’s penalty miss, you didn’t even see any disappointment, so to speak.”
“Hans Vanaken said that Club could just as well have had 24 or 25 points. That may be correct, but even that number would not be enough for Club.”
“He could be a bit tougher as captain. Everything is too easily put into perspective. It has to be done and it can be better with this core, I am convinced of that.”
Hans Vanaken could be a bit tougher as captain. Everything is put into perspective too easily.
Lorenzo Staelens
Actor Rik Verheye is a Club fan through and through. He “understands the frustrations of the supporters”.
“This core is very broad and unprecedented in terms of quality, but it just doesn’t work out. It is indeed not good, but that should not be an excuse. It is too little.”
The players were summoned to court in Kortrijk on Saturday by the fans who traveled with them. “I always wonder what is said and what you answer as a player. Because you have to answer on the field.”
“An intense series for Club also starts on Thursday with a European match and matches against Antwerp and Cercle. There is pressure on the kettle, but Club just has to deal with it.”
Staelens, Gerets and Vermant at Club Brugge at the time.
“Ceulemans and Van der Elst turned their heads when it wasn’t right”
Verheye has not yet found the solution to the problems. “Otherwise I would call Vincent Mannaert or Ronny Deila,” he winks.
Staelens looks beyond the defense for the many goals that Club concedes. “I think the defense is good enough, but there are too few defensive impulses from Raphael Onyedika, among others, for that line.”
Are there enough players who wet their jerseys? No Sweat, you know? Verheye has doubts: “I do miss types like Mats Rits or Ruud Vormer, guys who symbolize that work ethic. There may be too few of them, someone who stirs things up.”
“We used to have personalities like Jan Ceulemans and Franky Van der Elst,” Staelens thinks back on his long period at Club. “If it wasn’t right, they would make their ears.”
“I don’t see Vanaken doing something like that. He is not a scumbag who can cheer up the others and get them to perform better.”
“Vormer was the last person who could do that, or at least when he was at his best. Then he could hit the table in the dressing room. A Dutchman does that more on his own anyway. Club misses that type of person.”
The players must look within themselves. You don’t see the winning mentality and the over-my-body mentality.
Lorenzo Staelens
Who should look in the mirror in particular? The players or especially the coach?
Rik Verheye is currently also chairman of Sporting Hasselt. Would he accompany Ronny Deila to the exit as president?
The Club supporter laughs heartily. “It would be disastrous if you did that. But he must include the players in his project.”
“The players have to look inside themselves,” Staelens concludes. “You don’t see the winning mentality and the over-my-body mentality.”
“But it will be fine. Club has a core to tell you against. You don’t have to question that. But that mentality from the past must creep back into the group.”
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32 episodes
2023-10-23 13:58:31
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