Small shrimp
The fact that small shrimp RWDM is affected by this is logical and strange at the same time. Logical, because the club is part of a holding company in bad weather. But also strange, because the amounts circulating in Brussels are peanuts compared to those of the sister clubs.
Why doesn’t Textor properly pay the relatively small Brussels bills, so that at least that club can stay healthy? “The relationship between him and the supporters quickly became very bad, and Textor has not forgotten that,” Meskens explains. “He does what is necessary to keep the club alive, but nothing more.”
Another explanation is that the self-proclaimed billionaire Textor really has no money left at all. And therefore not as rich as first assumed.
At the end of last year, Eagle Football Holding had to take out another loan of 4.75 million dollars and one of 15.2 million euros from Ares, according to specialist bloggers. The Capital assumes that the $4.75 million will serve to meet the greatest needs at RWDM, i.e. to pay the players and social security. The 15.2 million euros would be for Botafogo.
In exchange, shares of various clubs, including RWDM, have been given as collateral. This means that Textor can no longer fully determine what happens to the club(s). Ares now also has a say in major strategic decisions of Eagle Football Holdings. Textor is therefore tied hand and foot.
Future
But what now with RWDM? Alain Meskens sees two scenarios. In the first, the club declares itself bankrupt and then starts with a clean slate. “But that has the major disadvantage that the club will then drop to the fourth provincial level, which will cause many supporters to drop out. A base number can possibly be purchased to remain in the higher regions, but it is not that simple.”
He, together with other RWDM experts, sees more merit in scenario 2: a takeover. “This can be done by people within Eagle Holding itself, someone who buys the shares in their own name. Or by someone external. In that case you know that it will be a foreign rather than a domestic investor. And that can go well, as with Union. Or bad, as with Standard,” says Meskens.
RWDM can be sold separately, but possibly also jointly, i.e. with Botafogo and/or Olympique Lyon. Various parties would be interested in this. But it is not very concrete yet.
Started well
Under these conditions, RWDM must start the second half of the season in the Challenger Pro League. RWDM will visit Seraing on Friday evening at 8 p.m. Despite all the vicissitudes, trainer Christ Bruno believes in it. “The management has spoken to the players and that has reassured them,” says Bruno HLN. “Mentally we have made great strides, I feel positive vibes.”
It has not yet been said that Bruno can keep his group of players. After all, outgoing transfers to settle the accounts are allowed – the winter mercato closes on February 2. It is therefore quite possible that goalkeeper Bill Lathouwers (transfer value 700,000 euros), Manoël Verhaeghe (800,000) or Gaëtan Robail (500,000) will still leave the club, which would further complicate the sporting performance.
In any case, RWDM still has a turbulent season ahead of it. Whatever the outcome of the licensing committee at the end of this month.
