15:48
Mark van Bommel is full of praise for Club Brugge: “Their new trainer brought structure and intensity”
R. Antwerp FC has been the loser of the Champions’ Play-offs so far. Many observers fear that The Great Old will also bite the dust at Olympia on Sunday. Mark van Bommel does not throw in the towel: “We need an undeserved victory for once.”
“On match day one I was asked who I see becoming champion. I then said: ‘Club Brugge will be champion.’ And they still are (sic).”
The latter came out a bit crooked and strange to Mark van Bommel – which is why we reproduce the quote literally – so shortly before the move from Antwerp to Club Brugge. The fans should not despair, of course Van Bommel will not surrender in advance. He is honest and straight forward: “I honestly think that Bruges has the best core in Belgium. If you see who played against Anderlecht on Sunday and who did not participate (Vanaken, Skov Olsen, Mignolet, ed.).”
“I have the impression that with the new trainer there is more clarity for the players of Bruges. I think that the previous trainer gave quite a bit of freedom. Now there is more structure and more intensity in their football.”
© BELGIUM
What about Antwerp? Van Bommel confirmed the return of Keita and the “great” fitness of Vincent Janssen — “There is no question of sparing Vincent.”
Van Bommel had been thinking in the car, he said: “You also have to see when you meet an opponent. On matchday one we have to go to Anderlecht, which is currently chasing Union. On matchday two we get Genk, which has just won the has gained momentum after a great match against Union. And on Sunday we go to Club Brugge, which is suddenly competing for the title again and in between beat PAOK – they are also in the flow.”
Should Van Bommel think out of the box after the 0 out of 6, 0 goals, so as not to see the ship sink completely? Should he – just like Wouter Vrancken did at Genk – do something completely different? Abandoning the 4-3-3?
“Wouter did that out of necessity,” Van Bommel refutes. “I admit that it is a difficult one for me… But suppose I switch to, say, 3-5-2, or 3-4-3, and we lose twice, should I go back to 4-3-3? Eventually the players say: ‘That trainer has gone crazy’. Sometimes I hear trainers say: ‘We play three systems.’ Well… That coach may understand that, but also his players? One system is difficult enough. I therefore prefer to vary within the structure that my players know. You can choose where to block, where to apply pressure… “
© Photo News
Van Bommel knows what Antwerp needs: “A series. You may start with an undeserved victory, but then a series must follow. Look, if we get 24 out of 24, we are champions. But 24 out of 24 with these opponents will not be possible. I think it will work.”
Van Bommel closed the press chat with a reservation about the calendar of the Champions’ Play-offs. “We play away four times in the first six matchdays. Club Brugge starts with three home games in a row…: at Cercle, but that’s at home, then Anderlecht and now us. It’s little things, hey, guys…” (SK )
2024-04-12 13:52:00
#Mark #van #Bommel #full #praise #Club #Brugge #trainer #brought #structure #intensity #Jupiler #Pro #League
