SK Beveren fired Tim Bakens and Dennis te Braak on Wednesday following a comprehensive internal evaluation of the club’s sporting direction, Sudinfo reported.
The decision comes with the Waesland club sitting 15th in the 18-team Jupiler Pro League standings with 10 points collected through 11 matches. The club announced that an interim solution from within the existing staff will handle training duties until a permanent successor is named.
“With Tim Bakens, we had appointed a person whom we were convinced possessed all the qualities required to continue the work that allowed us to become undefeated champions last season, through a clear understanding of football and a positive vision,” sporting director Bob Peeters told Sudinfo.
Peeters pointed to a strong start that featured victories against Anderlecht, OH Leuven, and Saint-Trond. However, the sporting director said that subsequent performances drifted away from the club’s foundational playing identity.
“However, as the matches went on, we found that we were moving further and further away from the fundamental principles that constitute our football identity,” Peeters told Sudinfo. “This is a difficult decision, but one that has been carefully considered. It is not based on a single match or a single result, but stems from a broader evaluation of our sporting development.”
Bakens, a 43-year-old Dutch manager, took charge of the newly promoted side on a one-year contract after leaving his position as an assistant at PEC Zwolle. He had succeeded compatriot Marink Reedijk at the helm.
In a separate coaching change within the lower tier of Belgian professional football, Challenger Pro League side Lierse dismissed Arno Van den Abbeel, La Libre reported.
Beveren confirmed that an internal appointment will manage the squad according to Sudinfo, while assistant coach Bernd Brughmans takes over interim duties at Lierse as reported by La Libre.
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