PROFILE OPPONENT * F.C.V. DENDER E.H.

SUNDAY 2 MAY 2010 - 3 PM (cet)

STADIUM FL. BEECKMAN

Referees: Geert Barbry - Bart Vandeweghe - Edwin Rys

In recent history we met our next opponent two times in the regular 2006-2007 second division.  At a packed to the rafter Bosuil Stadium in the last competitive game of Simpson, Evans and Dong we brushed FCV Dender aside with a convincing 3-0 scoreline.  Despite this win F.C.V. Dender E.H. held on to win the Championship and won the return leg against a lacklustre Royal Antwerp’s side who only had one target namely to make Fraizer Campbell topscorer in the goalcharts but local hero Gunther Thiebaut pipped him. Whereas F.C.V. Dender E.H. achieved a miracle by staying in the highest tier of Belgian footie the year after this season proved to be difficult because in the last game of the regular season they could avoid to enter the play-offs by winning at home against mid-table Charleroi and some defensive howlers led to a defeat and nail-biting play-offs. One of the reasons for this is the lack of communication between the board, the technical staff and the sportive and commercial manager.  CEO De Doncker, who threatened to leave his post finally made the decision to sack former Stoke City manager Jan Boskamp and gave all the powers to the family Asselman who were running the show at the Florent Beeckmanstadium. 

Patrick Asselman.  Clearly a very good manager, but the problem is that at the moment he just doesn’t appear as if he wants to be at Dender. And as a fact he isn’t no longer the gaffer of the blue and blacks.  On 28th January 2010 FCV Dender EH sacked him and appointed newbie Vital Borkelmans at the helm of the team.  Vital is an ex-Belgian international who played for the Red Devils during the 1994 and 1998 World Cups.  The left fullback mainly played for Club Brugge at club level and offers little managerial experience, he only managed K.F.C. Evergem-Center in the lower divisions. FCV Dender EH have financial constraints and are not a yo-yo club and probably don’t have enough players equipped for this level.  In the summer transfer window our next opponent had more than ten outgoing transfers and due to parachute payments out of the Jupiler League they could afford fifteen incoming transfers.   First-team stalwarts De Petter, Destorme, Deflandre, Berthelin, Sylla, Smajic, Vanderbiest and during this winter break Van Den Eede have all chosen other horizons.  Mollez and De Boodt are the new goalkeepers, defenders Simov and Essikal, midfielders Imschoot, De Meersman, Van Den Brandt and Ngolok (who scored the winner in our Cofidis Cup defeat) and strikers Somé and Laurienté did strengthen the squad.  With the results before the winter break it seemed as a season of transition looms although the abovementioned incoming transfers suggested that fees, wage demands and other factors won’t prevent FCV Dender EH to play their role in the competition and so they should with a whopping budget in the Exqi League of 3.2 m €!!!

FCV Dender EH must say thank you for the parachute payments they received this season as a relegated Jupiler Pro League team last term.  With more than 10 incoming and outgoing transfers they gave the wheeling and dealing procedures a new dimension.  Now they are looking for money of their local council to stay afloat.  Nevertheless without potent strikers partnership Oris and Tisza (both suspended) a difficult task awaits us in the Florent Beeckmanstadium on Sunday.  Can we finish the season on a high note?

Founded : 1952
FA number : 3900
Address : Stadionlaan 5 – 9470 Denderleeuw
Ticket Office : 053/66 91 92
Stadium : Florent Beeckmanstadium (8157)
Website : www.fcvdendereh.be
Kit Colours : blue shirt, black short, black socks
Main Sponsor : Van Gansewinkel and Brother
Budget :last season 5,5 million euro, this season 3,2 million euro
Chairman : Patrick De Doncker
Gaffer : Vital Borkelmans (° 01/06/1963) – manager career : K.F.C. Evergem-Center (2006-2008), FCV Dender EH ( from 28/01/2010)

KEVIN ORIS'S & TIBOR TISZA'S THIRD

6:Thomas Phibel, Tibor Tisza (27.02.2010 + 06.03.2010 + 25.04.2010).

5:Spencer Verbiest (13.02.2010 + 27.02.2010), Matthias Trenson (24.03.2010 + 17.04.2010).

4:Darko Pivaljevic (27.02.2010), Zarko Jelicic (24.03.2010).

3:Bart De Corte, Benjamin Lambot, Niels Martin, Kevin Baert, Ransford Addo, Kevin Oris (13.12.2009 + 03.04.2010 + 24.04.2010).

2: Bas Vervaeke (26.08.2009 + 13.03.2010), Emmerik De Vriese (13.12.2009 + 24.03.2010).

1:Manu Kenmogne (11.10.2009), Ray Fränkel (21.11.2009), Yannick Put (24.03.2010), Kevin Wauthy (11.04.2010), Franky Pelgrims (17.04.2010).

SUMMARY DAY THIRTY-SEVEN

Plenty of rugged terrain in the Antwerp region for the marathon and 10 miles participants to cope with and therefore a rather meagre crowd figure at the Bosuilstadium on Sunday. So, no volcanic explosions to trouble football’s seismograph on a sunny Sunday afternoon and instead of a landmark tie against OH Leuven – as predictable volatile and passionate as in previous seasons – it ended in a 1-1 stalemate. The visitors needed a point to avoid the play-downs and thanks to a belter from Vermeiren in the 69th minute they achieved their target because OHL will be flying at this altitude when a new one commences next August. For our team Yannick Put capitalised from indiscipline from the visitors to score his fifth goal of the season. Colin Andrews knew that there was nothing to play for and although not taking it easy he wasn’t like a raging bull at the interval team talk but told his players that he wanted a higher tempo, a quicker ball movement, more forward passing and more runs but to no avail. The game was a typical end-of-season low key encounter and with a sixteenth draw of this Exqi League campaign a mid-table finish in eight spot is the highest we can achieve at the end of the season.

Although not enjoying the perfect season, most pundits’ predictions of K. Lierse S.K. going up with all the money pumped into the club by Egyptian investors group Wadi Degla with inspirational leader Maged Samy at the helm was proven right.  From Exqi League flat-track bullies, they will soon be cast as Jupiler Pro League cannon fodder, the latest new arrivals looking to establish a foothold in the highest league of Belgian footie.  K. Lierse S.K. were presented with the Exqi League trophy in front of a packed to the rafters Lisp stadium after Sunday’s game with KV Red Star Waasland, where another victory at the business end of the season made them champions.  After their previous promotion with Eric Gerets at the helm they ended as champions but the top flight is a different beast to the one taken by storm by Eric Gerets and Co almost 15 years ago.  Survival, even for a club of their stature, has to be the aim.  It is certainly a realisable goal but Egyptian owner Maged Samy thinks it will arguably be made easier by a summer of significant change.  There’s a persuasive school of thought, and it seems perverse at a time when a club that has been the personification of turmoil (the affair with Zheyun Yé f.i.) in recent years finally seems to have found some stability, that they could benefit maybe from further upheaval in the form of Anthuenis’s departure. Will Maged Samy and technical advisor Helleputte use the opportunity to appoint an even higher-profile new manager with ample time to prepare the likes of Cavens, Kujovic, Wahed, ex-Boro player Job, ex-Fulham and Everton player Radzinski and the new additions for the new season?

For a second spot in the much fancied Jupiler Pro League Exqi League outfits RAEC Mons, KVSK United OL and K.A.S. Eupen will compete together with Jupiler Pro League team KSV Roeselare in a round-robin of six playing days come May to know which one will be the last competitor in the highest league of Belgian football next season!

To avoid the play-downs KV Turnhout have to win the all decisive tie at home against K.S.K. Ronse at the last day of the season. Despite a brace from substitute Ven they lost at the Freethiel at K.S.K. Beveren whose fans will watch third division football in their spanky new stand although there’s talk of a merger with local rivals KV Red Star Waasland. Wait and see…

PROFILE OPPONENT * O.H. LEUVEN

SUNDAY 25 APRIL 2010 - 3 PM (cet)

BOSUILSTADIUM

Referees: Philippe Vinche - Franky Casieris - Rudi Henderickx

Jean-Pierre Vande Velde once boasted, “the club I couldn’t turn around has yet to be built”.  It increasingly looks like it has been built, atop an imposing hill above Leuven city centre.  After succeeding Rudi Cossey and Marc Wuyts whose rocky start last term saw them struggle for survival it was the former FCV Dender EH supremo that led our next opponent to their lowest-ever finish in the Belgian second division with only 46 points out of 36 games. Certainly not enough for the commercial and political bosses OHL always can rely on.  From the moment JPV was installed his target was a team that could challenge for honours, at previous clubs JPV could always make title-winners out of nothing.

OH Leuven has received some transfer funds by selling right-back Odoi but didn’t manage to offload Jarakovic and this gives the gaffer not enough room to manoeuvre because with this limited ressources prudence remains a watchword in the city known for his famous university and beer. 

OH Leuven fans were not so much concerned about relegation as bored last season and the manager appears to have acknowledged the problem by promising that the team will ditch their direct style of play to robust striker Ruytinx and become a more attractive prospect.  But with injuries to players such as Bétrémieux, Calvo, Verhamme and Themelin, with  midfield dynamo Lino and old-Antwerpboy Oliseh out-of-favour, OHL is still mathematically not sure of survival in the second tier of Belgian football. They just need one extra point but for a team that is shipping 65 goals this Exqi League campaign it could be a difficult mission at the Bosuil on Sunday.

OH Leuven have two reliable goalkeepers in Desomberg and his deputy Ruttens, in defense Vaesen and ever-present captain Joeri Vastmans must deliver clean sheets, unlucky is the suspension of defender Van Ongeval who picked up two yellow cards in the stalemate at the Florent Beeckmanstadium. In midfield Annijs and Debroux are proven at Exqi-League level and Van Steenbrugghe with Schoonjans are getting a lot of playing time in recent weeks. Defender Koen Weuts and striker Kurt Weuts are two youngsters Jean-Pierre Vande Velde heavily rely on to steady the ship.  Will they secure Exqi League survival at the Bosuil?

Founded : 2002
FA number : 6142
Address : ‘Den Dreef’ – Kardinaal Mercierlaan 46 – 3001 Heverlee
Stadium : Den Dreef (9016)
Ticket Office : 016/22 85 08
Website : www.ohl.be
Kit Colours : white shirt, white short, white socks
Main Sponsor : Option
Budget : 2 million euro
Chairman : Henri Kumps
Gaffer : Jean-Pierre Vande Velde (° 10/09/1955) – manager career : Lombeek (1983-1986), CS Vorst (1986-1987), K.V.K. Tienen (1987-1990), RSC Anderlecht (1990-1992, assistant), Eendracht Aalst (1992-1993), K.V.K. Tienen (1993-1995), St. Wetteren (1995-1997), Standard (1997-1998, assistant), Strombeek (1998-1999), Oud-Heverlee (1999-2002), OHL (2002-2004), FC Denderleeuw (2004-01/2005), K.V.K. Tienen (01/2005-05/2005), FCV Dender EH (2005-11/2007), FCN Sint-Niklaas 01/2008-04/2008), KV Ostend (07/2008-03/2009), Oud-Heverlee Leuven (from 03/2009-?).

SUMMARY DAY THIRTY-SIX

Boosted by the return of a number of first-teamers but without suspended striker Sampil, KV Red Star Waasland played with enviable freedom on the counter attack, while Royal Antwerp pushed and probed with width and pace throughout. But thanks to a mixture of good goalkeeping of Verhulst, poor finishing from our lads and last but not least some very strange decisions from referee Cosco, the hosts eventually secured a potentially priceless three points in their hunt of a play-offs berth.  After an admirable start from Royal Antwerp, after only six minutes referee Cosco then took centre stage.by awarding a spot-kick to the home team converted by Van Geele past a helpless Van Trier.  But it was not after the man in black denied a strong penalty appeal when De Vriese was clearly pushed in the box - which Cosco waved away -  that Van Geele scored another spot-kick, this time for a debatable fault from Vervaeke outside the box and Addo covering as the last man that ‘coconut’ dismissed our makeshift right-back into the stands! 

At the press conference our gaffer Colin Andrews stated : “ The way we conceded the second goal was the sickener – it leaves a bad taste in your mouth.  We read it before the pass was taken – we said ‘he’ll give a penalty here’, and he did with a smile on his face.  We knew that the undeserved  red (!) card was coming, and that makes it harder to take.”   In the second half we staged a spirited comeback crowned by a beautiful goal by Kevin Baert, thrashing the ball into the roof of the net and with the marvellous travelling contingent singing ‘ We’ll be coming down the road ‘ for approx. 30 minutes we looked, even reduced to 10 young, vibrant men the strongest team on the pitch before Kielo-Lezi sealed the win in another counter attack for the hosts! So, it looks like a mid-table finish will be the final verdict at the end of the Exqi League campaign but it has to be said that the vociferous support at away games is something that Royal Antwerp can be proud of!

In the other games concerning the title race, K. Lierse S.K. is almost there. With a win at the Kehrweg at highflying K.A.S. Eupen they only have to beat Red Star Waasland in their home tie at the Lisp next Sunday. A full capacity crowd is expected but Waasland’s gaffer De Roover (who won the title once with Lierse as a player) said after the game that his team could be the partypoopers on Sunday.  Wait and see…

Despite a late Jeroen Ketting goal KVSK United couldn’t manage a win at the Gestelsedijk against lowly K.S.K. Ronse.  The inevitable Kevin De Broyer netting his 20th goal of the season for Dirk Geeraerd’ squad.

At the other side of the table the future of K.S.K. Beveren isn’t looking good, they lost the vital sixpointer at K.V.K. Tienen and ended the game with another loss and were reduced to 8 men at the final whistle. The possibilities are not playing the play-downs and be banned to the third tier of Belgian football, playing the play-downs with Third Division teams on a high or a merger with local rivals. The last option is heavily contested by the Yellow-Blue fanbase but in football nothing is impossible!

SIX HAVE TO FEAR

l  e a g u e   y e l l o w (name in bold = misses next game)

6:Thomas Phibel.

5:Spencer Verbiest (13.02.2010 + 27.02.2010), Tibor Tisza (27.02.2010 + 06.03.2010).

4:Darko Pivaljevic (27.02.2010), Matthias Trenson (24.03.2010), Zarko Jelicic (24.03.2010).

3:Bart De Corte, Benjamin Lambot, Niels Martin, Kevin Baert.

2:Ransford Addo (19.09.2009 + 02.10.2009), Bas Vervaeke (26.08.2009 + 13.03.2010), Emmerik De Vriese (13.12.2009 + 24.03.2010), Kevin Oris (13.12.2009 + 03.04.2010).

1:Manu Kenmogne (11.10.2009), Ray Fränkel (21.11.2009), Yannick Put (24.03.2010), Kevin Wauthy (11.04.2010).

SUMMARY DAY THIRTY-FIVE

K. Lierse S.K. won on Wednesday evening in front of more than 8 000 fans at the Lisp vs Royal Boussu Dour Borinage. With goals from ex- Everton and Fulham Canadian star Radzinski, Camacho and  substitute Douala they made no mistake and are closing in on the Exqi League title. Playing without their talismanic forward Jurgen Cavens due to illness they were a little bit afraid about the resilience of the visitors who were unable to demonstrate why they had been on an unbeaten eleven match run including two ties against our beloved colours.  K. Lierse S.K. are frontrunner in the title chase with 66 points out of 33 games but still have to play at K.A.S. Eupen(A), in-form team KV Red Star Waasland (H) and the last tie of the season they will play K.V. Ostend at the Albertpark.

Title contenders KVSK United O.L. follows in second position, trailing by three points.  The Limburgers won at mid-table Royal F.C. Tournai with a goal from De Koninck after dominating the home side from start to finish.  They probably need maximum points out of home games vs K.S.K. Ronse and K.S.K. Beveren and an away tie sandwiched in between them at K.V.K. Tienen.  So, an easier looking program for the boys from gaffer Van der Elst who have the advantage if K. Lierse S.K. slip up by achieving more wins what will decide the Exqi League championship race if both teams have the same number of points at the end of the campaign.

Outside bet for the title are Walloon based outfit RAEC Mons, whose bye this weekend still keep them with 60 points out of 33 games. Mathematically sure of a play-off berth they now need a miracle and 9 points out of away games at AFC Tubize and K.A.S. Eupen and they  also have to win the home fixture against K.V. Ostend.  Mission impossible but they will be prepared for the dreaded play-offs.

Third Exqi League team will probably be our last opponent K.A.S. Eupen, we held them on Wednesday evening to a stalemate at the Bosuil, but Dany Ost’s team are too good of a footballing side to let slip the advantage they have at their nearest challengers KV Red Star Waasland and KV Ostend (53 points against 48 points).  The Pandas even have one game in hand at their closest rivals so we can conclude them in the play-off berths in May. It will be for 99% a dust done deal!

At the other end of the table K.S.K. Ronse won at the Orphale Cruckestadium against the likes of K.S.K. Beveren. They hammered the visitors with three goals from prolific striker Kevin De Broyer, who now lead the goalscorer charts with nineteen goals made for Dirk Geeraerd’s team. The Yellow-Blue now have vital games to win at lowly K.V.K. Tienen and K.V. Turnhout will be visiting the Freethiel for a so called sixpointer in the race to avoid play-downs with outfits from the Belgian Third Division.

KEVIN BAERT'S THIRD

l  e a g u e   y e l l o w (name in bold = misses next game)

6:Thomas Phibel.

5:Spencer Verbiest (13.02.2010 + 27.02.2010), Tibor Tisza (27.02.2010 + 06.03.2010).

4:Darko Pivaljevic (27.02.2010), Matthias Trenson (24.03.2010), Zarko Jelicic (24.03.2010).

3:Bart De Corte, Benjamin Lambot, Niels Martin, Kevin Baert (06.03.2010 + 13.03.2010 + 11.04.2010).

2:Ransford Addo (19.09.2009 + 02.10.2009), Bas Vervaeke (26.08.2009 + 13.03.2010), Emmerik De Vriese (13.12.2009 + 24.03.2010), Kevin Oris (13.12.2009 + 03.04.2010).

1:Manu Kenmogne (11.10.2009), Ray Fränkel (21.11.2009), Yannick Put (24.03.2010), Kevin Wauthy (11.04.2010).

PROMOTION BATTLE

For drama, excitement, agony and ecstasy, few sporting events match the Exqi League outcome in May where after a long time of two-horse races, the prospect of a four-way battle for the Exqi League crown and a starting berth in next year’s Jupiler Pro League, is enough to excite the most jaded of fans…

In any promotion battle, one thing that managers crave for their team is experience.  They need players who have been there and done it; players who are not phased by pressure.  They need leaders.

Up until a month ago, K.A.S. Eupen seemed on track for automatic promotion. But, after a poor sequence of results, it looks as if the play-offs will offer The Pandas their best hope of a visit to the Jupiler Pro League. Gaffer Danny Ost is quick to point out one of the key reasons for his team’s blip: “It’s a quiet changing room. There’s pressure to succeed coming from the Italian investors and they’ve got to thrive on this. There just aren’t enough experienced players in our squad who have had promotion.”  Well, Dany Ost, three extra play-off games against KSV Roeselare and two other Exqi League outfits will surely make the treasurer laugh at the Kehrwegstadium and maybe there’s a big upset on the cards with the likes of Petr, Maric, Lepiller and Mombongo…

KVSK United OL board, technical staff and players are very proud at what they achieved thus far.  But with a squad comprising a lot of young, vibrant and local players gaffer Franky Van der Elst did his homework.  With reliable shotstopper Sengier, our former player Pinxten as a rock at the back, goalscoring midfielders such as Brouwers and Dufour and a prolific striker in Dutchman Jeroen Ketting United might just have enough to be dark horses in the title race and will certainly make a good impression in the dreaded play-offs with their awesome home record at the Gestelsedijk.

RAEC Mons, the Walloon team heavily backed by influential political bosses and local communities will try to be the main challenger for K. Lierse S.K. in the final rounds of the Exqi League campaign.  Goalkeeper Peersman has his good days but can be a liability at times, but with midfield anchorman Van Imschoot and maestro Zola Matumona plus and endless array of attacking talent the Dragons must take the team from Flanders to the wire.

K. Lierse S.K. was hotly tipped by respected pundits to lift the Exqi League title just after the wintermercato.  How wrong is that prediction if you know that they needed to upgrade long-serving manager Helleputte to sporting CEO and golden oldie Aimé Anthuenis had to steady the ship.  Further they bolstered their squad with two ex-Cameroonian internationals in Douala and ex-Boro player Job, this off course with the full backing of Egyptian investor group Wadi Degla.  Now that they are securing win after win at the business end of the season is there a promotion party glaring?

SURVIVAL AT THE FOOT OF THE TABLE

So, we’ve got one hell of a scrap for the Exqi League title – and an even mightier tussle for survival at the foot of the table.  As intriguing as Lierse’s battle with Mons, United and Eupen at the top is, it’s impossible to take your eyes of the lower reaches where just eleven points separate the eleven teams above Liège.  We can’t remember a season quite like it, at the business end of the season when games come thick and fast some teams are hoping for a “bye” in the weekend. That couldn’t come at a better time for those teams bunched down the bottom.  For them this is an opportunity to take a breather and get a few niggles fixes before they push really hard in the remaining games of the season.

We’ve heard several theories why the lower end of the table is as congested as it is at this stage of the season.  One view is that the league has strength in depth and that teams down the bottom are more difficult to beat than they’ve ever been.  There are also those who believe that the Exqi League competition isn’t as strong as it has been in past seasons.  But if that was the case then teams like Lierse, Mons, United and Eupen wouldn’t just be at the top, they would have collected more points and they’d be much further clear wouldn’t they?  Instead, the frontrunners are losing more games and dropping more points than they’ve ever done so perhaps the overall gap is starting to close and the Exqi League is starting to level out. 

This season is either one of the worst we’ve seen defensively or one of the best attacking-wise – it depends which side of the fence you stand on. Personally, I don’t think teams have on the whole been defending as well as we’ve come to expect in the Exqi League. Using several kind of balls and surfaces may be factors but perhaps more decisive is the fact that gaffers tend to change their tactical patterns and approach in games thus far. But as the season get nearer until the end and points for promotion or surviving relegation become really precious, teams will become tighter and tighter.  How will teams fare the forthcoming month and can they cope with the pressure from chairman, board, fans, etc…?

Royal FC de Liège are rock-bottom in the table although they have the sympathy of many Exqi League followers due to their passionate and loyal fans.   It’s anyone’s guess what state the Walloon team will be in this time next week because it’s no surprise that they’re struggling on and off the pitch.  Waking up every day not knowing if the proud Belgian FA number four is actually going to exist must be terribly difficult for Raphaël Quaranta and his squad.  Although their fate on the pitch looks sealed we have a lot of sympathy for our former player and we’re convinced he will give the Liège cause everything he’s got between now and the end of the season even in his heart he feels everything is against him.  The points they have collected in the past month are morale-boosting but it is really a case of too little, too late.

KV Turnhout is a team in trouble. Despite our former player and manager René Desaeyere doing a good job before the winter break, with now Beyens at the helm of the club the Blue Whites must pick up some points to avoid the play-downs with teams from the third tier of Belgian football.  There are simply not enough games left for them to get out of the bottom three but we still have a lot of sympathy for their players and can’t fault their passion, pride, desire and commitment in the cramped surroundings of the Stadsparkstadium.

K.S.K. Beveren are the underachievers in the Exqi League this year.  They started very ambitious and were often the better team on the pitch but lacked a cutting edge in the final third, it  proved costly before the wintermercato.  Then they bought cannily targetman Abdullei and results improved dramatically. A little bit of luck is needed for the boys from the Freethiel to avoid the doomed play-downs, can Snelders score the necessary goals to keep them up and can experienced goalkeeper Lemmens deliver enough clean sheets to guide the Yellow Blue to safety?

K.V.K. Tienen is a team with a fairly solid home form but their appalling points return away from home is placing them under huge strain.  It’s true that manager Nassen’ side didn’t get the rub of the green in some matches and, in final analysis, when decisions go against you that can be the difference between staying up and going down.  But with less than 10 points on their travels and with so many teams grouped together the slenderest of things can prove all the difference.

K.S.K. Ronse is our bogey team so it would be nice to see them play one division below the Exqi League. Manager Dirk Geeraerd is hoping that talismanic figure and prolific striker De Broyer keeps firing on all cilinders so his team don’t need to compete with 7 others to fight for one place in next year’s second tier of Belgian football.  A little piece of good fortune or a decision that goes in Ronse’s favour would be greeted in the Orphale Cruckestadium where attendances rarely reach the 1,500 mark.

Royal Boussu Dour Borinage is a difficult side to play against. Despite the acquisition of Mbessa they don’t score many goals but you can always ask gaffer Wintacq to form a solid defensive rearguard, they have the best record in conceding goals bar the top four sides.  The togetherness and the close-knit atmosphere in the dressing room and the awful long and dreaded journey south  makes from their Vedettestadium a fortress.

AFC Tubize lost their way in the wintermercato when influential strikers’ partnership Njock and Perbet chose other horizons.  One of the only prolific stikers left was Alandson Da Silva but he took performance-enhanced drugs resulting in a three-month ban.  In their spanky new stadium they can’t secure a win and attendances are dropping as a result of that.  Hopefully they can rely on Neels and veteran Haydock for extremely high work-rate so the season will end in mid-table obscurity.

OH Leuven are another team you would have to worry about because of them shipping 50+ goals this season.  Manager Jean Pierre Vande Velde got them set up really well offensively and they don’t seem short on confidence despite their league position.  In Bétrémieux and Eboigbe they might just have a front two to get them a pair of goals keeping them in this league.  Whether the political and financial bosses backing the team are satisfied with the results remains to be seen.  But these heavyweights are responsible for a balance that shows a decent profit and that’s a fact many Exqi League clubs are jealous for!

KS Wetteren are another side that have to get their act together. The new boys will think that their next games are winnable but given their position, their opponents will fancy their chances as well so it will go a long way to determining their fate. The habitants of the Marcel De Kerpelstadium caused a big upset in the early months of the season by beating K.A.S. Eupen and Royal Antwerp and got a well-deserved draw against the hotly tipped favourite for the title, K. Lierse S.K.  It has to be said that gaffer De Corte can be proud of his squad comprising 28(!) Belgian players.

Royal FC Tournai are almost safe largely thanks their new gaffer, our former crowd-favourite Alex Czerniatynski.  They now find themselves in a position where even winning may not be enough.  It can be completely soul-destroying to pick up three points only to find out that the other sides around you have won as well and you are no better off.  On a more positive note, with players such as Mouissi, Seoudi, Breleur and out-of-favour Cardon RFCT have got enough about them to move away from danger.

FCV Dender EH must say thank you for the parachute payments they received this season as a relegated Jupiler Pro League team last term.  With more than 10 incoming and outgoing transfers they gave the wheeling and dealing procedures a new dimension.  When points didn’t follow Patrick Asselman was sacked and new face Vital Borkelmans took the reins at the Florent Beeckmanstadium.  In his honeymoon period he managed 12 points out of a possible 12 but later on the same disease as before settled in the minds of the players meaning the Blue and Black are also-rans for a play-off place.

THOMAS PHIBEL MISSES NEXT GAME

6:Thomas Phibel (06.02.2010 + 27.03.2010 + 03.04.2010).

5:Spencer Verbiest (13.02.2010 + 27.02.2010), Tibor Tisza (27.02.2010 + 06.03.2010).

4:Darko Pivaljevic (27.02.2010), Matthias Trenson (24.03.2010), Zarko Jelicic (24.03.2010).

3:Bart De Corte, Benjamin Lambot, Niels Martin.

2:Ransford Addo (19.09.2009 + 02.10.2009), Bas Vervaeke (26.08.2009 + 13.03.2010), Kevin Baert (06.03.2010 + 13.03.2010), Emmerik De Vriese (13.12.2009 + 24.03.2010), Kevin Oris (13.12.2009 + 03.04.2010).

1:Manu Kenmogne (11.10.2009), Ray Fränkel (21.11.2009), Yannick Put (24.03.2010).

RANSFORD: NO PUNISHMENT AFTER RED CARD

l  e a g u e   y e l l o w (name in bold = misses next game)

5:Spencer Verbiest (13.02.2010 + 27.02.2010), Tibor Tisza (27.02.2010 + 06.03.2010), Thomas Phibel (06.02.2010 + 27.03.2010).

4:Darko Pivaljevic (27.02.2010), Matthias Trenson (24.03.2010), Zarko Jelicic (24.03.2010).

3:Bart De Corte, Benjamin Lambot, Niels Martin (17.02.2010 + 27.02.2010 + 24.03.2010).

2:Ransford Addo (19.09.2009 + 02.10.2009), Bas Vervaeke (26.08.2009 + 13.03.2010), Kevin Baert (06.03.2010 + 13.03.2010), Emmerik De Vriese (13.12.2009 + 24.03.2010).

1:Manu Kenmogne (11.10.2009), Ray Fränkel (21.11.2009), Kevin Oris (13.12.2009), Yannick Put (24.03.2010).

l  e a g u e   red (name in bold = misses one or more games)

Ransford Addo (0/0): sent off by referee Dierick at Leburtonstadium last Saturday, did not get any punishment whatsoever.

SUMMARY DAY THIRTY-TWO

While Dimitar Berbatov scored twice as Manchester United cruised back to the top with an easy win at the Reebok, Royal Antwerp Football Club bolstered their upward Exqi League push with a battling win at the Leburtonstadium to send AFC Tubize deeper into the relegation mire. The Reds’ triumph was their first in four games to move us just to ninth spot in the ranking and gives us a comfortable play-down cushion. A brace from Belgian youth international Yannick Put meant that Felice Mazzu’s strugglers remain in lower mid-table obscurity and are on a miserable run that a side in desperate need of points could do without.  For our beloved colours Ransford Addo this season had a lot of blinders but due to the play-acting capacities of butcher Neels referee Dierick sent off our best performer this year - in what seemed to be a very harsh decision - with as immediate result playing with 10 men during 70 minutes. Luckily we showed determination in all team compartiments and secured a vital away win!

At the top of the table RAEC Mons felt the loss of the former Coventry and Wolves’ striker Roussel by squandering several good occasions in front of the goalmouth and hosts KV Turnhout rather fortunately held on for a draw. KVSK United OL secured a home win against a lacklustre FC M Brussels S. side with goals from Brouwers and Ketting.  Further a surprise from the Kehrweg where home team K.A.S. Eupen via Mombongo missed some sitters, the guests FCV Dender EH taking advantage courtesy of a bullet shot from Van Zundert and a Laurienté finish.

K.S.K. Beveren won with the smallest margin against rock-bottom RFC de Liège and new headcoach Chris Andries totalised maximum points out of 2 games but admitted that some pain-points need to be ironed out before challenging their relegation rivals K.S.K. Ronse and K.V.K. Tienen on the road, this two important games will determine the final Exqi League ranking come May.

PROFILE OPPONENT * AFC TUBIZE

Stadium Leburton * 27 March 2010 * 8:00 PM (c.e.t.)

Referees: Christof Dierick - Davy Buelen - Patrick Castermans

Sunday 1st June 2008, our next opponent did manage to stun a full capacity Bosuil crowd via a Stuckens goal in the first half and our promotion dream was over. It was AFC Tubize finest hour. Benjamin Lambot and his Sang et Or colleagues were having a party together with their meagre 300 travelling fans. Although no one gave Tubize a prayer when they were promoted to the Jupiler Pro League it was gaffer Cartier who has inspired his troops to a remarkable season. Wonders do happen sometimes but AFC Tubize were relegated last term, they were sunk under the weight of off-the-field chaos, schockingly bad buys (Quinton Fortune anyone?) and the sense that however bad things got, they were about to get worse. In the latter stages of the season Cartier lost his managerial vim and political heavyweight and chairman Langendries made it clear that this Exqi-League season there would be a new man on the helm. That man is their former assistant manager Felice Mazzu who appears to be safe for the moment but that does not mean he will allow his players to ease up.

Although Dufer, Sorokin, Pinelli and Lambot have chosen other horizons Tubize drafted in Steens, Gillis, goalkeeper Govoni and last but not least giant striker Njock returned to the club so you could say they bought cannily.  Even Jérémy Perbet stayed at the Leburtonstadium and this strikers’ partnership does mean business. But at the winter mercato Le Sang et Or have been rocked by their high-profiled departures, but our next opponent still have a number of young players who’ve now been together for a fair period of time. The most important part of the team is the rearguard with butcher Neels playing a major role in Tubize not conceding a lot of goals in the current campaign.  In midfield good old Alan Haydock and youngster Villano have the most important roles.  Upfront a lot was expected from Alandson Da Silva but he took performance-enhanced drugs and the verdict is a three month ban for the striker that let bulge the opposite nets five times this season!

So, Mazzu has built a side based less on talent and more on hard graft and self-sacrifice and it will be certain that Saturdays clash won’t be a classic!  A lesson from this season thus far is that Tubize must take the teams at the bottom as seriously as those at the top.  If you can beat K. Lierse S.K. at their own ground that’s wonderful but then losing points against relegation candidates at their half-empty spanky new Leburtonstadium make from them also-rans for the play-offs tickets come May!

Founded : 1953
FA number : 5632
Address : Allée des Sports 7 – 1480 Tubize
Stadium : Leburton (8 000)
Ticket Office : 02/355 55 04
Website : www.afctubize.be
Kit Colours : yellow-red shirt, red short, yellow socks
Main Sponsor : Duferco Clabecq
Budget : 1,8 million euro
Chairman : Raymond Langendries
Gaffer : Felice Mazzu (° 12/03/1966) – manager career : Nijvel (1992-1996, youth), Marchienne (1996-1998, assistant), Marchienne (1998-2000, headcoach), CS Brainois (2000-2006), Leopold Uccle (2006-2007), AFC Tubize (2007-2009, assistant), AFC Tubize (from 07/2009, headcoach)
Honours : Winner play-offs Second Division 2007/2008 with 18 points.

SUMMARY POSTPONED GAMES DAY FOURTEEN, TWENTY-FOUR AND TWENTY-SIX

Our game at Royal Boussu Dour Borinage saw a scrappy first half devoid of real chanches.  So, flying saucers and anger from gaffer Colin Andrews, yet whatever the motivational force, the Red White shirts didn’t re-emerged an invigorated side after the interval.  Mercifully the standard of play improved a little bit after the break for the home side, who broke the deadlock after 60’ courtesy of an Issankoy strike from close range.  Royal Antwerp claimed a marginal off-side decision, but on this occasion, the linesman’s flag stayed down.  A long journey with no point(s) in the bag for the Bosuilmen and occupying tenth spot in the Exqi League ranking is surely not what we expected, three losses on the trot does hurt our still loyal fanbase even more.

Royal FC de Liège’s initial enthusiasm brought them a deserved lead against mid-table FCV Dender EH via Legros but when the energy levels of the home team dropped after the interval, substitute Imschoot levelled the score to condemn ‘Le Sang et Marine’ probably to a lower division next year. It didn’t help either that veteran Kinet was sent off for the umpteenth time in his career!

K. Lierse S.K. eked out a narrow victory over Royal FC Tournai at the Luc Varennestadium on Wednesday night in front of 3 500 spectators to keep their automatic promotion hopes on track.  Two goals from set-pieces were sufficient to secure the Yellow Blacks fourth successive win with a one-goal advantage that re-established a one-point gap over their nearest pursuers, RAEC Mons. On the scoresheet Camacho and De Witte for the visitors and Seoudi for the Walloon team in a game that saw one player apiece from each side being sent off by referee Colemonts.

Defeat for FC M Brussels S. has all but ended hopes of a late play-offs push although they could count themselves unfortunate when Coulibaly’s header rebounded off the bar. The team from the capital efforts were in vain when Oussalé, Matumona and Jarju gave the Dragons a welcome bonus at the interval and the Walloon team easily cruised to victory.

AFTER YELLOW WEDNESDAY AT DOUR

l  e a g u e   y e l l o w (name in bold = misses next game)

5:Spencer Verbiest (13.02.2010 + 27.02.2010), Tibor Tisza (27.02.2010 + 06.03.2010).

4:Thomas Phibel (06.02.2010), Darko Pivaljevic (27.02.2010), Matthias Trenson (24.03.2010), Zarko Jelicic (24.03.2010).

3:Bart De Corte, Benjamin Lambot.

2:Ransford Addo (19.09.2009 + 02.10.2009), Niels Martin (17.02.2010 + 27.02.2010), Bas Vervaeke (26.08.2009 + 13.03.2010), Kevin Baert (06.03.2010 + 13.03.2010), Emmerik De Vriese (13.12.2009 + 24.03.2010).

1:Manu Kenmogne (11.10.2009), Ray Fränkel (21.11.2009), Kevin Oris (13.12.2009), Yannick Put (24.03.2010).

PROFILE OPPONENT * ROYAL BOUSSU DOUR BORINAGE

Stade Vedette * 24 March 2010 * 8:30 PM (c.e.t.)

Referees: Christophe Delacour - Xavier Decocq - Toon Bieseman

This team, formerly known as Francs Borains made a big step up after winning the play-offs from the Third Division last term.  Our next opponent want to turn the Vedettestadium into a fortress this season.  Opposition fans and players dread the long journey south and with crowds expected to reach around the 2,000 mark, RBD Borinage have an opportunity to make their mark on the Exqi League by becoming invincible at home.  The Walloon team boast one of the best defensive records in the League – can they continue that form?

Manager Michel Wintacq has been busy building a squad more than capable of dealing with life in the second tier of Belgian football. All will be vital if they’re to continue their recent success, but even more imperative was that RBD Borinage kept their inspirational manager. Linked with a number of high-profile positions over the summer, Wintacq committed his long-term future to a club that’s intent on continuing to climb.

RBD Borinage are strong all over the pitch, Frenchman Coqu is a decisive and agile presence between the posts. The experience of Silvestri and Savigny does the defense no harm. Both Frenchmen are at the wrong side of 30, they lack a litlle pace when up against the liveliest strikers but nevertheless, it’s a minor flaw in an otherwise solid pairing. Further to mention is that Royal Antwerp old boy Préseaux gets a rare chance to prove himself in this Exqi League outfit while Kaminiaris and Leclercq are a safe bet to make up the numbers in the rearguard of the team. In midfield Stéphane Stassin is pulling the ropes and a forward line comprising Delplace, Lai and the major winter incoming transfer Mbessa must deliver the goals but only the latter is ready for that task. It has to be said that the lack of firepower up front sees our next opponent have a flirtation with relegation, it could be imperative to stay positive and keep looking for goals from other team compartments!

Founded : 1983
Address : Rue Saint-Antoine 6 – 7300 Boussu
Stadium : Vedette (5250)
Ticket Office : 065/61 00 61
Website : www.bdb2008.be
Kit Colours : green-white shirt, green-white short
Budget : 600 000 euro
Chairman : André Arbonnier
Gaffer : Michel Wintacq (° 02/10/1955) – manager career : US Centre (1991-1992, player-manager), FC Vacresse (1992-1997, player-manager), RAEC Mons (1998-2008, assistant), Royal Boussu Dour Borinage (from 09/2008-?)

SIX HAVE TO FEAR

l  e a g u e   y e l l o w (name in bold = misses next game)

5:Spencer Verbiest (13.02.2010 + 27.02.2010), Tibor Tisza (27.02.2010 + 06.03.2010).

4:Thomas Phibel (06.02.2010), Darko Pivaljevic (27.02.2010).

3:Bart De Corte, Benjamin Lambot, Matthias Trenson, Zarko Jelicic.

2:Ransford Addo (19.09.2009 + 02.10.2009), Niels Martin (17.02.2010 + 27.02.2010), Bas Vervaeke (26.08.2009 + 13.03.2010), Kevin Baert (06.03.2010 + 13.03.2010).

1:Manu Kenmogne (11.10.2009), Ray Fränkel (21.11.2009), Kevin Oris (13.12.2009), Emmerik De Vriese (13.12.2009).

SUMMARY DAY TWENTY-ONE

The regional derby between Royal Antwerp Football Club and K. Lierse S.K. has been billed as the “biggest game of the Exqi League season” and with the visitors selling out their entire ticket allocation in what was approx. a decent crowd figure of 8 000 spectators a lot was expected from our side once again hit by injuries to first-team regulars such as Phibel, Lambot, Verbiest and Devriese.  But Mo Abdel Wahed scored the decisive goal in the 69th minute for Lierse, got the three points and did strengthen their grip on an Exqi League play-off place at least.  After the game investor Maged Samy was confident that the best player of the game and the whole team are timing their run to perfection as the promotion race hots up ahead of a mouthwatering and vital title clash against highflying KVSK United OL at the Lisp on Saturday.  So, K. Lierse S.K. are “back with a vengeance” following a worrying slump in form recently that even the experienced gaffer Aimé Anthuenis couldn’t  stop.  Aimé stated afterwards that a stalemate was a more fair result because the hosts had the best chance before the interval when Kevin Oris blasted over Tisza’s cross.  With this loss we’re now in eight position while our neighbours are occupying third spot.

That’s behind RAEC Mons and KVSK United OL who both made no mistake on their travels to FCV Dender EH and KV Turnhout.  To mention in the first game was a spectacular bicycle-kick from Jarju to give the Walloon based club maximum points after ex-Wolves striker Roussel once again broke the deadlock.  In the other tie at the Stadsparkstadium home player Da Silva netted a brace but that couldn’t prevent United sealing a spectacular win courtesy of two goals from Delande and one apiece from Brouwers and Cerigioni in the final ten minutes.

Because this was a postponed round from the middle of January Raphaël Quaranta missed eight incoming players but a jubilant and off course large travelling contingent saw a spirited ‘Sang et Marine’ side played out a stalemate at the Kehrweg at local rivals K.A.S. Eupen.  Mombongo for the Pandas and Bruzzese for the visitors on the scoresheet.

In the battle to go down K.S.K. Beveren lost the so called sixpointer at Royal Boussu Dour Borinage. With a beautiful free-kick Vanbelle gave the Yellow-Blue the lead but the Walloon team staged a spirited comeback and won courtesy of veteran Stassin and a lucky goal from sub Saffer.

PROFILE OPPONENT * K. LIERSE S.K.

Bosuilstadium, Wednesday 17 March 2010 - 8:30 PM (c.e.t.)

Referees: Frank De Bleeckere - Peter Hermans - Walter Vromans

In 1904 Gustaaf van den Roye proposed to start up a football club following the example of Antwerp FC.  After some opposition and several meetings to hear more details of his football plans on 6th March 1906 Lierse was born and the first board established.  The very first game was against soldiers from the local barracks.  After being officially affiliated to the Belgian FA in 1909 Lierse played on a pitch in rural Kloosterheide, in 1912 moved to the ‘Molekens’ before inaugurating their current home, the Herman Vanderpoorten stadium since 1925 better known as the ‘Lisp’.  After winning the Belgian league in 1932,1942 and 1960 came the famous Elland Road experience of a lifetime on 21st September 1971.  The yellow-blacks had lost a fortnight earlier at the Lisp against the Leeds superstars with 0-2 and nobody gave a chance for our next opponent in the return leg.  After 90’ the scoreboard at Leeds read an improbably 0-4 defeat for the locals and the Cup holders were knocked out thanks to some unknown Flemish players.  The next highlights in their history came when Eric Gerets took the reigns and guided the team from obscurity to something which nobody thought possible, he led Lierse in 1997 under the stewardship from the assistant coach of now, Eric Van Meir, to their fourth Belgian title with a little bit of help from Royal Antwerp who defeated everybody’s hotly tipped favourites, Club Brugge in the last but one round.   In 1999 Lierse won their second Belgian Cup but couldn’t hold their main young assets and keeping up with the elite clubs in Belgium had now become the top priority.  The last years have been doom and gloom with e.g. a not so well communicated bribery scandal with a certain Zheyun Yé but since the Egyptian investors group Wadi Degla with Maged Samy took over a new era of hope is expected and the Lierse faithful, always with good attendances of over 6 000, are chasing direct promotion from the Exqi-league (Championship) to the Jupiler League (Premiership).

For the run-in of the remainder of the Exqi League season experienced gaffer Aimé Anthuenis has a mix of young, hungry talent and experienced players to pick from.  In goal Serbian Vladan Kujovic is an imposing figure.  Although not a really big presence in the area he is sharp, agile and alert and you know that if you ever got the ball into the net past him, you’ve done really well.  He played for Levante and Roda JC and his positional sense is superb, his football skills are excellent and as a 30-year old his standards or commitment won’t be dropping.  Belgian goalkeeper Goris is second choice now that Van der Jeugt has chosen to continue his career at RFC de Liège.

Leftback is the “wow” signing from Jupiler League outfit Royal Excelsior Mouscron , experience in abundance, his name Gonzague Vandooren. On the right Royal Antwerp old-boy Roel van Hemert won the battle for a first-team spot against the likes of Deflandre and Tshiala who both are rejected from training with the first team.  Frans and Dreesen form a rather ramschackle central partnership and second choice Camacho is also a liability at times.  Left-midfielder is our former player Garry De Graef who via second division teams in the nearby Netherlands and German side Paderborn came to the  Lisp and is a dogged, tough in the tackle and very adventurous defender going forward – he’d get deep into the opposition half and deliver assists for his forwards.

In midfield young talent Buyens signed an agreement last year with rivals KV Mechelen so Macedonian Nedzipi, Matthijs and Egyptian players Wahed and Samir are almost ever-present, while Ghanaian Akwetey Mensah is getting a lot of praise for his midfield holding role. The strongest part of the side is the almost endless array of attacking talent with Ndikumana and El Gabbas, but the two strongest assets of the team are the much travelled Jurgen Cavens (Olympique Marseille, Standard and Twente) and off course the Mickey Mouse of the Exqi-league, Tomasz Radzinski who used to play and terrorise defences in the Premier League for Everton and Fulham.  This deadly duo already have 30+ goals between them and are undoubtely the greatest finishers in the current Exqi-League.  They can score any kind of goal – 25-yarders, dink them over the keeper, whatever you like – and it’s all down to dedication!

For Wednesday’s clash strikers El Gabas and Radzinski are out injured so veteran Thiebaut must score the necessary goals and in the last game at K.V.K. Tienen Anthuenis gave van Hemert the central-back position and ex-Belgian international Deflandre came in at right-back.

Believe it or not but at the business end of the season owner Maged Samy did bolster the squad with ex-Boro player Joseph-Desiré Job and also from Cameroon, Douala, who was at his prime at clubs in Portugal. Has beens or the last acquisitions to get finally promoted?  It has to be said that both free agents and ex-Cameroon internationals must first and foremost prove their fitness, desire and commitment because both won’t be eligible for the forthcoming two weeks.

This gritty team is managed by Aimé Anthuenis who will keep his team’s feet on the ground.  Aimé is a great human being and will always keep the game simple, there are no complex tactics and it’s all about graft on the training pitch!  Former gaffer Herman Helleputte is now a sporting director at the club and did make the step upwards to CEO so that the Lokeren-born player and manager Anthuenis could finish the job and bring a much needed promotion party for the Egyptian investors of Wadi Degla.  Aimé could be the right man on the right spot at the right time because he masterminded RC Genk and RSC Anderlecht to three successive Belgian championships in a row and was obviously voted Coach of the Year.  At the most prestigious club of the country, RSC Anderlecht, he managed its best Champions League season since the appearance of a group stage by winning home ties against the likes of Real Madrid, Lazio Roma, PSV Eindhoven, Dynamo Kiev and last but not least against Fergie’s Red Devils from Manchester United.  Aimé was also the national team coach of Belgium from July 2002 but his contract was not renewed after he failed to qualify for the tournaments in 2004 and 2006.  Afterwards he had his third spell at his beloved KSC Lokeren halted on health grounds, Aimé was been admitted to hospital with cardiac-related chest pain.  But he came back as firstly a tecnical director at our local rivals Germinal Beerschot whom he also coached for 8 months and after being sacked earlier in this campaign he was asked to take the reins at ambitious Exqi League club K. Lierse S.K. on 21 February 2010.  Will he be the right manager to guide our next opponent to the highest tier of Belgian football?  Wait and see…

Founded : 1906
FA number : 30
Address : Lispersteenweg 237 – 2500 Lier
Stadium : Herman Vanderpoorten (14 538)
Ticket Office : 03/480 13 70
Website : www.lierse.be
Main Sponsor : Wadi Degla Group (Egypt)
Kit Colours : yellow shirt, black short, black socks.
Budget : 5 million euro
Chairman : Maged Samy
Sporting director : Herman Helleputte
Gaffer : Aimé Anthuenis (° 21/12/1943) – manager career :  KSC Lokeren (1985-1987), R Charleroi SC (1987-1988), KSC Lokeren (1988-1993), Germinal Ekeren (1993-1994), KSV Waregem (1995-1996), RC Genk (1998-1999), RSC Anderlecht (1999-2002), Belgium (2002-2005), KSC Lokeren (2006), Germinal Beerschot (sporting director and manager, 2008-2009), K. Lierse S.K.(from February 2010-?)
Honours :  Belgian league title in 1932,1942,1960 and 1997  Belgian Cup in 1969 and 1999
Participated 10 times in the European Cups (remember Leeds!)

SUMMARY DAY THIRTY

Perhaps it was significance of the occasion or the curiously subdued atmosphere but from cagey opening to scrappy climax it was a game that rarely threatened to soar. None of the above, forget it, from minute one it was route-one stuff from the hosts against a young, vibrant Royal Antwerp side with Martin, Pelgrims and debutant Vogels in the starting eleven. Against the run of play Kevin Oris broke the deadlock in the early stages of the game, but before the interval captain Loyens netted an equaliser.  When young starlet Vogels, courtesy of two yellow cards got his marching orders it was KV Turnhout’s extra man in midfield that began to tell and the hosts decided the tie in their favour with a spot-kick from Ven and a late goal from Noyen.  Home team coach Beyens stated : “ We had a torrid time in our last six encounters with 2 points out of a possible 18 and it was important we got a response after our midweek’s home loss against Royal Boussu Dour Borinage. We were solid and I am happy that we made good decisions after the interval and took advantage of a 10-men reduced Royal Antwerp side.”  Our gaffer Colin Andrews saw a highly entertaining game especially for the neutrals and was proud to play, due to injuries of key players, with a lot of  skillful future stars in the ranks and ended that with a little more sharpness in the final third we might have got something from the game. Because of the negative outcome Andrews’ first statement after the game, that was beemed live on terrestial TV, that it reminded him at a horror movie.

Now that we are approaching the business end of the season, it seems like being the frontrunner and the pack is chasing your top spot in the Exqi League meaning pressure and more pressure. Latest two sides to prove this theory are K.A.S. Eupen and KVSK United OL who both lost at home against mediocre opposition. Late goals from Weuts and Beckers gave OH Leuven a surprise win at the Kehrweg while the latter lost at home against this Exqi League season revelation KS Wetteren, courtesy of a De Langhe goal.

As other title rivals dropped points, our next opponent K. Lierse S.K. won at lowly K.V.K. Tienen with a goal of Thiebaut who glanced in a header from a Garry De Graef free-kick after 74’ in front of a jubilant travelling contingent.  With this win, K.Lierse S.K. moved to within one point of new leaders RAEC Mons. The Walloon based club backed by influential political heavyweights was too strong for host team K.S.K. Beveren. And the boys from the Freethiel is the loser of the weekend as they lost at home to title pretenders and table-toppers RAEC Mons, courtesy of another strike from ex-Wolves forward Cédric Roussel.  The Yellow-Blue saw their direct opponents for relegation survival take points.

Bogey team for RFC Tournai (is our former player Alex Czerniatynski’s honeymoon period over?) is Walloon neighbour RFC de Liège who achieved an unbelievable 6 out of 6, so doing the double this season gives Raphaël Quaranta’s team a glimmer of hope.  Bogey team for K.A.S. Eupen is OH Leuven, JP Vande Velde’s team getting maximum points from their ties with the team from the Eastern part of Belgium, backed by influential Italian investors! So, hurrah for RFC de Liège and the only team that’s making a healthy profit in their balance-sheet of the last couple of seasons in the Exqi League, if we can believe the media speculation about this item, namely OH Leuven.

PROFILE OPPONENT * K.V. TURNHOUT

Stadsparkstadium, Saturday 13 March 2010 - 6:00 PM (c.e.t.)

Referees: Jurgen Brinckman - Robby Keuleers - Edwin Rys

With small crowds and cramped surrounds at Stadsparkstadium, KV Turnhout will have to punch above their weight.  Some current players have already been squabbling over the terms of the new deals on offer and financial constraints have kept transfer activity to a minimum.  Turnhout fans, give thanks for René Desaeyere.  The manager did offer a glimmer of hope amid the doom and gloom that surrounded the Blue and White.  From his arrival in September 2006 our next opponent did manage a promotion campaign last term in the Belgian third division and are now occupying 17th place in the Exqi-League ranking.   Our former gaffer Desaeyere won’t repeat that promotion party this season, but he did stabilise the club and the club look forward to avoid relegation under new coach Luc Beyens whose name will ring a bell from his playing days at successful Club Bruges in the nineties as a workhorse in the midfield area.  After his impressive playing career he got his coaching badges and started his managerial career at teams in the lower divisions.

“KV Turnhout chase Pele,” could be the headline in a newspaper this winter. Some say that our next opponent might need the real Brazilian legend, not to mention Diego Maradona and Johan Cruyff to stay up, but most pundits think that experienced goalkeeper Horsten, defenders Boeckx, Loyens, Vandenbergh and De Schutter should get enough clean sheets and a midfield containing Rimkus, Mauroo, Noyen and Da Silva must give strikers Ngon and Ven enough opportunities to score and in doing so forget relegation worries.  So, with a small squad and even smaller budget, the camaraderie in the Turnhout dressing room must become one of the main strengths of this team; it will certainly be the major factor in the club clawing itself free from the drop zone this season!   But due to an unlucky home defeat in midweek against fellow relegation strugglers RBD Borinage (1-2) this televised game can make or break the season for KV Turnhout.

Founded : 1912
Address : Parklaan 50 – 2300 Turnhout
Stadium : Stadspark (3000)
Ticket Office : 014/41 25 84
Website : www.kvturnhout.be
Kit Colours : blue-white shirt and short
Budget : 1,2 million euro
Gaffer : Luc Beyens
Honours : Champions in Third Division B (2009)

BART DE CORTE MISSES NEXT GAME

l  e a g u e   y e l l o w (name in bold = misses next game)

5:Spencer Verbiest (13.02.2010 + 27.02.2010), Tibor Tisza (27.02.2010 + 06.03.2010).

4:Thomas Phibel (06.02.2010), Darko Pivaljevic (27.02.2010).

3:Bart De Corte (04.09.2009 + 18.10.2009 + 06.03.2010), Benjamin Lambot, Matthias Trenson, Zarko Jelicic.

2:Ransford Addo (19.09.2009 + 02.10.2009), Niels Martin (17.02.2010 + 27.02.2010).

1:Bas Vervaeke (26.08.2009), Manu Kenmogne (11.10.2009), Ray Fränkel (21.11.2009), Kevin Oris (13.12.2009), Emmerik De Vriese (13.12.2009), Kevin Baert (06.03.2010

SUMMARY DAY TWENTY-NINE

Amid widespread media speculation about our financial future our players deserved a lot of credit for their desire, commitment and overall performance against K.V.K. Tienen.  The hosts did not have long to wait to take the lead as a well-worked move was converted by Tibor Tisza. Four minutes later Verbiest hit a fiercely-struck shot towards goal, Schuermans could only push it into the feet of Manu Kenmogne who doubled the lead.  After the interval a little scare when the guests netted immediately thanks to their fat, ugly striker Dufoor but another blunder from the visiting goalie completed the evening and Manu Kenmogne was at the right place to put the ball into the net. With this 8th win of the season we are currently occupying seventh spot in the Exqi League ranking.

At the top leaders KVSK United OL made no mistake at FCV Dender EH and RAEC Mons won their home tie with the narrowest of margins against RFC de Liège through another goal from ex-Wolves forward Roussel but the surprise came once again from the Lisp where the home team was held by lowly K.S.K. Ronse.

In the other games relegation-threatened K.S.K. Beveren got its first away win of the season in a derby game at new boys KS Wetteren, so a new episode in operation survival was accomplished but there are ten cupgames to follow for the well supported Yellow-Blue Army.  With goals from Rentmeister, Asante and a brace from their winter mercato signing Abdullei they were far too strong for the hosts who were reduced to ten players just before the interval.

Our next opponent KV Turnhout got a vital point at KV Red Star Waasland, they broke the deadlock after 10’ with a strike from Ven, in the latter stages the home team responded well and Kielo-Lezi finally let the net bulge despite the fact that reliable shotstopper Horsten, the goalie, had another cracking game.

PROFILE OPPONENT * K.V.K. TIENEN

Bosuilstadium, Saturday 6 March 2010 - 8:00 PM (c.e.t.)

Referees: Stéphane Breda - Cédric Waroux - Frédéric Stalport

In his fifth season in charge gaffer Daniël Nassen will go for the traditional K.V.K. Tienen virtues of solid organisation, psychical strenght and good team spirit in Saturdays clash at the Bosuilstadium.  The ‘Sugarboys’ have to win this game to reach the dizzy heights above the drop zone.

The back four comprises Vanhees, Vandeput, De Smet and Triantafilidis who offer all the guarantees Nassen is looking for and in goal K.V.K. has the ever-present and reliable shotstopper Schuermans.  De Smet was at K.F.C. V.W. Hamme a goalscoring defender but seemed to have lost these qualities since his arrival at the Bergéstadium. The defensive strategy is generally to force the opposition to attack on the flanks, where space is more restricted.  The very attack minded midfield with Bogaerts, Belme, Neven and Da Silva support the front two.

Normally exciting winger Ilenga Penga is one to watch and will buzz around in the left and central areas and in the centre prolific striker Dufoor links intelligently with him and scoring midfielder Belme. Further attacking options are Lacroix and Mbemba, while  Summer midfield acquisition from Jupiler League outfit STVV Siegerd Degeling is proving his doubters wrong. Remember it was Degeling who netted the decisive goal in our dramatic encounter in Tienen, which we lost 4-3 in injury time after being in the lead on 89 minutes. Can we do better this time?

Founded : 1981
FA number : 132
Address : Bergévest 12 – 3300 Tienen
Stadium : Bergé (6000)
Ticket Office : 016/81 32 24
Website : www.kvktienen.be
Kit Colours : blue shirt, white short, green socks
Budget : between 1,1 and 1,3 million euro
Chairman : Willy Schepers
Gaffer : Daniël Nassen (° 24/11/1966) – manager career : VW Oorbeek United (2004), K.V.K. Tienen ( from 2005)

ROYAL ANTWERP GETS FOUR AT LOMMEL

l e a g u e   y e l l o w (name in bold = misses next game)

5:Spencer Verbiest (13.02.2010 + 27.02.2010).

4:Thomas Phibel (06.02.2010), Darko Pivaljevic (27.02.2010), Tibor Tisza (27.02.2010).

3:Benjamin Lambot, Matthias Trenson, Zarko Jelicic.

2:Ransford Addo (19.09.2009 + 02.10.2009), Bart De Corte (04.09.2009 + 18.10.2009), Niels Martin (17.02.2010 + 27.02.2010).

1:Bas Vervaeke (26.08.2009), Manu Kenmogne (11.10.2009), Ray Fränkel (21.11.2009), Kevin Oris (13.12.2009), Emmerik De Vriese (13.12.2009).

SUMMARY DAY TWENTY-EIGHT

On the day that Sir Alex Ferguson basks in his 34th trophy for Manchester United since taking the reins at Old Trafford after defeating Aston Villa 2-1 in the Carling Cup final at Wembley and our former starlet Ryan Shawcross was in tears after being sent off when making a horrendous tackle on Arsenal’s midfielder Ramsey at the Britannia Stadium we had the small matter of dealing with the Exqi League table-toppers KVSK United OL at the less- fashioned Gestelsedijk.  It was honours even in Lommel where Royal Antwerp came from behind to earn their 13th draw of the season. The hosts made an encouraging start but had to wait until after the interval to take a deserved lead trough Dufour but our boys rallied afterwards and five minutes later Martin and Baert conspired to give the ball at our Hungarian loanee Tisza, everybody knew there was only one outcome and the ball was netted low with venom past helpless goalkeeper Sengier. 

As the home side wilted and the collective purpose and belief of our beloved colours visibly grew, we came close to seal the victory when Kevin Oris’s close-range shot was blocked by Chergui.  With this hard-fought draw we are now occupying eight spot in the ranking, our opponents who couldn’t make it nine consecutive home wins on the trot were stripped from the top by K.A.S. Eupen.

The Pandas secured a vital away win when two stunning goals from Milicevic and Obradovic gave them a double lead at the Leburtonstadium but Da Silva Alandson’s mid-second half response made for an enthralling, often nervous, finale.  The anxiety caused by AFC Tubize’s resolve could have proved worse for Danny Ost’s team but the visitors stood firm in the latter stages of the game.  Afterwards both gaffers complained about the mediocre playing surface but certainly the team from the Eastern, German speaking part of Belgium proved they are even in these adverse conditions worthy leaders of the Exqi League.

Another side doing good business in the upper echelons is RAEC Mons whose domination at lowly K.S.K. Ronse proved to hard to handle for the home team.  Ex- Wolves striker Roussel gave the Dragons a much needed victory on the road by netting the decisive goal just after the break.

A job well done thus far by our former player Alex Czerniatynski, nowadays the manager of RFC Tournai, the Walloon based club is hovering to mid-table after getting 16 points out of a possible 18. Czernia won his home tie against JP Vande Velde’s OH Leuven side with 3-1 after trailing 1-0 on 30’. Mouissi, Seoudi and Chantry were on the scoresheet and responsible for easing RFC Tournai’s relegation worries.

Already on Friday K.S.K. Beveren and K. Lierse S.K. drew 0-0 at the Freethiel. In his first game in charge former Belgian teamcoach Aimé Anthuenis was lucky to salvage a point after Rentmeister missed a spot-kick for the home team.

And RFC de Liège only managed their third win of the season thanks to goals from Legros and ex-Milwall star Kinet against highflying FC M Brussels S.  Hurrah for ‘Le Sang et Marine’!

PROFILE OPPONENT * KVSK UNITED OVERPELT LOMMEL

Sporting Stadium Lommel, Saturday 27 February 2010 - 6:00 PM (c.e.t.)

Referees: Peter Vervecken - Geert Michiels - Jozef Carmeliet

Franky Van Der Elst did join a long queue of Exqi-League coaches looking for a prolific striker this summer, although his need was the greatest of all.  Having lost Van de Weyer there was a significant gap to fill in attack alongside star striker Ketting.  The problem for United was that they are far from alone in seeking reinforcements up front and finding value for money has not proved straightforward.  It was gaffer Van Der Elst’s famed eye for a bargain that did the trick once again.  Situated in the neighbourhood of the Dutch border, our next opponent are always looking for acquisitions in the Dutch Eredivisie or Jupiler League.

Last season United scored just 48 goals, almost the lowest in the Exqi-League and only a few goals ahead than the teams who fell through the relegation trapdoor.  This season a lot is expected from new recruit Jason Oost, a striker with experience at the highest level in the Netherlands.  Further in Winter mercato came a “wow” signing with the likes of Wouter Scheelen, a left-wing player that’s going to give you goals and assists and the ex- player from Belgian first division outfit KFC Westerlo can be the key to win the Exqi League crown come May.

So, Van Der Elst canny forays into the transfer market continue to serve KVSK United well.  He can now pick from a full-strenght team and hopes that the aforementioned strikers will be lucky to break double figures this season and in midfield our next opponent have free-kick specialist Davy Brouwers and at the back former Royal Antwerp favourite Pinxten to add more firepower to the attack.  Stronghold of the team is still reliable goalkeeper Sengier and in the rearguard of the team Chergui replaced Eberle, in central defense or midfield there is an important holding role for Cameroon player Noukeu.

Chairman Luyckx is very proud at the fact that local lads thanks to a good youth policy are coming through the ranks. Although still not coming in great numbers a decent crowd on Saturday is expected. Let’s hope that Kevin Oris can score against his former teammates, so we can climb in the Exqi-League table.

Founded : 2003
Address : Speelpleinstraat 20 – 3920 Lommel
Stadium : Municipal Stadium Gestelsedijk (12 500)
Ticket Office : 011/81 64 60
Website : www.kvsk.be
Kit Colours : green/white shirt, green short
Budget : 1,4 million euro
Chairman : Frans Luyckx
Gaffer : Franky Van Der Elst (° 30/04/1961) – manager career : KFC G.B.(1999-2003), KSC Lokeren O.V. (2004), Club Brugge KV (2005-01/2007, assistant), FC M Brussels S (01/2008-06/2008), KVSK United OL (from 01/2009-?).

ZARKO MISSES NEXT GAME AT LOMMEL

l e a g u e   y e l l o w (name in bold = misses next game)

4:Thomas Phibel (06.02.2010), Spencer Verbiest (13.02.2010).

3:Benjamin Lambot, Tibor Tisza, Matthias Trenson, Darko Pivaljevic,  Zarko Jelicic (11.10.2009 + 06.02.2010 + 20.02.2010).

2:Ransford Addo (19.09.2009 + 02.10.2009), Bart De Corte (04.09.2009 + 18.10.2009).

1:Bas Vervaeke (26.08.2009), Manu Kenmogne (11.10.2009), Ray Fränkel (21.11.2009), Kevin Oris (13.12.2009), Emmerik De Vriese (13.12.2009), Niels Martin (17.02.2010).

SUMMARY DAY TWENTY-SEVEN

Royal Antwerp Football Club dealt a severe blow to K.S.K. Beveren’s Exqi League survival hopes on Saturday evening as Colin Andrews’s side came from behind to sweep aside the Yellow-Blues at Bosuilstadium.  Both teams missed a string of first-team regulars and it was David Penneman’s side that struck first in a frenetic first half, when Pivaljevic lost the ball to Jacobs in midfield who sends deep Kokot and a fine cross from the left wing was finished high in goal by Snelders.  Royal Antwerp’s reaction was immediate when Trenson and Verbiest combined, the latter set up our Hungarian maestro Tisza for an easy tap-in.

Tibor scored again just after the break with a spot-kick after Lardenoit handled the ball with his arm and when substitute Niels Martin stormed through Beveren’s ramschakle rearguard to add a third for our beloved colours in the dying minutes, it condemned Beveren to their tenth league defeat of the season and leave them ruing a missed opportunity to return outside the drop zone.

K. Lierse S.K. appointed the former Belgian national teammanager Aimé Antheunis as their new gaffer until at least the end of this Exqi League campaign.  He witnessed from the stands his new team win against Royal FC de Liège, once again doing it the hard way because ex-Milwall star Kinet gave the visitors an undeserved lead.  The 17th goal of Cavens, a poacher’s goal prodded in by Thiebaut and a strike from Matthijs relieved the pressure for the time being.

K.S.K. Ronse and Royal FC Tournai were victorious on the road, the former beat KS Wetteren with 5(!) goals from De Broyer and the latter won at highflying RAEC Mons with a big role for Breleur.  He first scored a brace for his team but was also dismissed in the latter stages of the game.  At the same time a fluke goal from Coussement gave the coastal team KV Ostend a win with the smallest margin against strugglers KV Turnhout.

Our next opponent KVSK United played out a dour stalemate at Puyenbeke, the home team KV Red Star Waasland squandered several good chances to win the tie, but Van Der Elst’s outfit stay top and hope to get a big crowd for our visit at the Gestelsedijk in a game that will be screened live on terrestrial TV!

PROFILE OPPONENT * K.S.K. BEVEREN

Bosuilstadium, Saturday 20 February 2010 - 8:00 PM (c.e.t.)

        

Referees: Eric Noirhomme - Davy Buelen - Geert Simoens

K.S.K. Beveren has had a decidedly low key summer and their supporters could only hope that ex-Stoke City manager Jan Boskamp had something up his sleeve.  Boskamp’s aim was to keep hold of his squad rather than spend money.  Luckily for him versatile defender Jeffrey Rentmeister resisted ouvertures from bigger teams, that in itself will probably represent our next opponent biggest “signing” of the summer.  Sounds depressing, but Boskamp gave some youngsters the chance to shine at the Freethiel and has never pleaded for more cash and at the end of the window well-travelled defender Collen and striker Kristof Snelders did bolster the squad.

But like Alan Hansen said on BBC Television a few years ago, you win nothing with youth alone.  K.S.K. Beveren often had the best standard of play during their Exqi-League campaign but missed the clinical, cutting-edge approach to finish off games.  So, being in a relegation spot in the winter mercato the board needed to make the right decisions, namely sack Boskamp and splash the cash in new players.

The new gaffer Penneman might not have much in the way of tools, but he at least has the right attitude to avoiding relegation.  He stated : “ I see a lot of teams in the Exqi League that just play not to lose.  I think football is about winning and entertainment.”  With the acquisition of targetman Abdullei the manager has a crowd-pleaser but in his second official game for the yellow and blue he already picked up his first red card resulting in a two-weeks absence.

Off the pitch, after all the cost-cutting of recent years in the second tier of Belgian football, Beveren believe they will break even next season, which would help Penneman take a much-needed delve into the transfer market.  Also a merger with KV Red Star Waasland is a talking point of late but the yellow-blues first and foremost must ease their relegation worries!

Founded : 1935
FA number : 2300
Address : Klapperstraat 151 bis – 9120 Beveren
Stadium : Freethiel (8 000)
Ticket Office : 03/750 25 01
Website : www.kskbeveren.be
Main Sponsor : Van Moer Group
Kit Colours : yellow shirt, blue short, yellow socks
Budget : 1,2 million euro
Chairman : Dirk Verelst
Gaffer : Penneman
Honours : Belgian title in 1979 and 1984 Belgian Cup in
1978 and 1983 Belgian Supercup 1984 Semi-finalist Cup Winners Cup 1979

SUMMARY DAY TWENTY

Royal Antwerp couldn’t inject new life into their play-off bid as Vandamme’s deflected shot saw home side KS Wetteren end a four-game winless sequence with a much needed victory. Both teams struggled for momentum in a dour first half but the game came alive just before the interval when the referee awarded a free-kick to KS Wetteren that surprised Van Trier, he could only punch the ball away in the feet of Vandamme who with a lucky shot (deflected by a team-mate) netted the decisive goal. After the break our boys pushed hard to salvage a point but the hosts were equal to the challenge and, in turn, prevented the Red and Whites from establishing any sort of rhythm.  Playing without the suspended duo Trenson and Pivaljevic, the injured Phibel and China-bound midfielder Setti a makeshift team composition couldn’t avoid a fifth loss of the season.

After another home defeat serious questions have been asked about Lierse’s credentials to win the Exqi League crown this season.  Even against a 10-men FCV Dender EH side a lacklustre home team didn’t work hard enough to come away with something, especially as they flooded forward at the death.  The long ball tactics didn’t work and the third defeat of the Real Madrid of the Exqi League led to manager Herman Helleputte’s departure from his gaffer duties and he will now take a sporting advisors CEO role, a new manager will be appointed as soon as possible by the Egyptian owners, investors group Wadi Degla!

A terrific display from FC M Brussels S. put coastal team KV Ostend to the sword in a dramatic encounter at the Edmond Machtensstadium.  Second-half goals from Serbian box-to-box player Veselinovic put the team of the capital into a commanding lead with his 12th,13th and 14th goal of the season.  One-way traffic as the game wore on with the Ostend’s defence struggling to cope with the Brussels’ front pair Coppin and Coulibaly who netted one goal each to form a 5-3 final score.

Highflying RAEC Mons and KVSK United had the best of the early exchanges in their respective home ties but when visitors KV Red Star Waasland and OH Leuven finally began to show some attacking intent the title contenders took first blood and never looked back.  A brace from Gueye for the Walloon team and two goals from prolific striker Ketting bring both teams on the summit of the Exqi League table.

NIELS MARTIN'S FIRST

l e a g u e   y e l l o w (name in bold = misses next game)

4:Thomas Phibel (06.02.2010), Spencer Verbiest (13.02.2010).

3:Benjamin Lambot, Tibor Tisza, Matthias Trenson, Darko Pivaljevic.

2:Ransford Addo (19.09.2009 + 02.10.2009), Bart De Corte (04.09.2009 + 18.10.2009), Zarko Jelicic (11.10.2009 + 06.02.2010).

1:Bas Vervaeke (26.08.2009), Manu Kenmogne (11.10.2009), Ray Fränkel (21.11.2009), Kevin Oris (13.12.2009), Emmerik De Vriese (13.12.2009), Niels Martin (17.02.2010).

PROFILE OPPONENT * KS WETTEREN

Wednesday 17 February 2010 - 8.30 P.M. (c.e.t.)

Stadium Marcel De Kerpel

Referees: Istvan Lagaert - Franky Casieris - Jozef Carmeliet

It’s a big step up, but KS Wetteren arrive in the Exqi League with plenty of momentum. After winning the Belgian Third Division title last season Wim De Corte’s long reign (since Nov 2001) has already been hailed as a revolution.  “It’s a fairy tale” says Wetteren’s gaffer but will it have a happy ending this Exqi League season?  KS Wetteren have an excellent basis from which to launch their bid for survival.  Last season they had one of the best defences in the entire football league, and they have not one, but two reliable goalscorers in Sam De Munter and Ewout Denijs who scored 13 goals between them.  Surely confidence and the winning habit might just be enough to keep Wetteren in the second tier of Belgian football despite the fact they’re unable to call on many players with knowledge of this level.

Wetteren have a large squad comprising 28(!) Belgian players and funds to strenghten the squad are not available but we can’t see how a handful of injuries could derail their season. They are strong all over the pitch with outstanding goalkeeper De Vroe, a close-knit defensive unit comprising experienced stalwart Van Den Bossche partnered by Van Damme, De Wilde and Euvrard.  The creativity in midfield comes from Claessens and star player Ewout Denijs while Van Ruyskensvelde is also getting a lot of playing time in recent weeks.  Up front De Langhe and De Munter aren’t shy of doing the dirty work with summer signing Jorrit D’Haeseleer being used as a supersub when Wetteren needs a plan B!

So, this all-Belgian team of De Corte have adapted quickly to the new level and is the surprise package of the Exqi League, the new boys want to make their Marcel De Kerpel stadium into a fortress as soon as possible.  Can they manage another big scalp against our beloved colours?

Founded : 1951
Address : Massemsesteenweg 56 A – 9230 Wetteren
Stadium : Marcel De Kerpel (3500)
Ticket Office : 09/369 66 23
Website : www.stw.be
Kit Colours : yellow-green shirt, green short
Budget : 600 000 €
Gaffer : Wim De Corte (° 13/11/1971) – manager career : Standaard Wetteren (1986-11/2001, youth), KS Wetteren (from 11/2001 as headcoach)

SUMMARY DAY TWENTY-SIX

Let’s hope the Exqi League is back in full swing this Wednesday after last week’s snow shutdown.  Despite the impressive efforts of the ground-staff and volunteers all over the Exqi League, four games were called off.  All of them in stadia who weren’t perfectly capable of hosting a game due to the lack of undersoil heating.  We don’t think it reflected well on the Belgian game because in the highest tier only one game could go through so Exqi League followers were lucky with five games played in it has to be said adverse weather conditions.

Our game at the Orphale Cruckestadium against lowly K.S.K. Ronse got the approval of referee Gleton and this just one hour before kick-off time.  Our gaffer Colin Andrews stated that the spectacle was more suited for the Winter Olympics in Vancouver than a proper football game.  We are sure that if there was a Health and Safety brigade in Belgium they would have stopped people from travelling to the ground.  All through our life football has been played in inclement weather but now the Belgian FA cancelled the game at the Luc Varennestadium at RFC Tournai approx. 12 miles away from where we played footie on Saturday evening so Colin rightly said there is no general rule to cancel games at the drop of a hat because fans might have trouble getting to them.  But yes, there is always the difference between the Flemish Ardennes and those in the Walloon part of Belgium!

The game itself was full of dodgy decisions made by a referee quartet in favour of the home team.  It isn’t enough that K.S.K. Ronse is our bogey team, now they have help from the men in black in every situation, whether it was a disallowed Tisza goal for our beloved colours or a bullet header of Ciani for the home team whereby the linesman was sure it crossed the line. It didn’t and instead of capitulate under the errors made we roused ourselves. One-nil down and Jelicic manufactured a yard of space down the left and fizzed in a cross, which caused pandemonium in the KSK Ronse box, and found our Hungarian miracle worker Tisza to level the score. Two-one down and we took a stranglehold of the contest and KSK Ronse tried desperately to stay in contention. They dug deep but a tempestuous game took another twist and while apparently beaten our boys mustered more resilience and in the dying minutes Kevin Baert’s shot found the upper right tier of the net to make it twelve draws out of 22 games this campaign.

So, we’ve got one hell of a scrap for the Exqi League title – and even an even mightier tussle for survival at the foot of the table.  As intruiging as K.A.S. Eupen’s battle with K. Lierse S.K., KVSK United and RAEC Mons at the top is, it’s impossible to take your eyes off the lower reaches where just six points separate the eight clubs above whipping boys RFC de Liège.

This weekend’s Exqi League break due to postponement for our next opponent KS Wetteren couldn’t have come at a better time, for them this is an opportunity to take a breather and get a few niggles fixed before they push really hard (not to hard this Wednesday lads) in the remaining games of the season.

In the five ties that were played, K.A.S. Eupen took first spot with a win at KV Turnhout.  An own-goal from Boeckx gave the Pandas a welcome win while a brace from star striker Jeroen Ketting kept KVSK United in the title race with a meagre 2-1 victory against play-offs hopefuls K.V. Ostend.

K.S.K. Beveren didn’t profited from playing against 10-men FCV Dender EH, they took the lead on two occasions but Vital Borkelmans’ men stood firm and Somé poked in the decisive goal.  It’s now 9 points out of 9 for the newbie better known from his Dancing On Ice performances on terrestrial TV!  Dancing On Ice that’s what this day of the Exqi League was all about…

MATTHIAS & DARKO SUSPENDED

l e a g u e   y e l l o w (name in bold = misses next game)

4:Thomas Phibel (06.02.2010), Spencer Verbiest (13.02.2010).

3:Benjamin Lambot, Tibor Tisza, Matthias Trenson (26.08.2009 + 04.09.2009 + 13.02.2010), Darko Pivaljevic (08.11.2009 + 23.01.2010 + 13.02.2010).

2:Ransford Addo (19.09.2009 + 02.10.2009), Bart De Corte (04.09.2009 + 18.10.2009), Zarko Jelicic (11.10.2009 + 06.02.2010).

1:Bas Vervaeke (26.08.2009), Manu Kenmogne (11.10.2009), Ray Fränkel (21.11.2009), Kevin Oris (13.12.2009), Emmerik De Vriese (13.12.2009).

PROFILE OPPONENT * K.S.K. RONSE

Saturday 13 February 2010 - 8 P.M. (c.e.t.)

Referees: Stephane Gleton - Jimmy Cremers - Patrick Plumes

KSK Ronse is still stung by the positive criticism they received during last season and manager Dirk Geeraerd who succeeded Van Renterghem after a rocky start possesses a young vibrant squad and this all on a shoestring budget of  650 000 euro.  Although the gaffer said he doesn’t like the word ‘entertainment’ associated with football the Ronse fans were more than entertained last season, witnessing their team end up eighth in the ranking, their highest ever position in the Exqi-League. With 54 goals made and 52 conceded they were a spectacular side to watch.  But all has changed now with the departure of leaders Lino and De Brul, our next opponent started the season with 6 straight defeats because they didn’t take the initiative in games, started too slowly and allowed the opposition to impose themselves. The squad lacks leadership and depth in numbers and although being our bogey team it will be a long draining season to stay up.

So, KSK Ronse is in no position where they can keep re-writing the history books and located in the Flemish Ardennes close to the French border they have nine Frenchmen in their ranks.  One of them is Amick Ciani, a player who had a past as a Royal Antwerp trialist but was rejected after poor performances in friendlies, he now forms with De Broyer the strikers’ partnership of our next opponent. At the Florent Beeckman Stadium last week a surprise goalkeeper in 19-year old De Volder who from now on gets the approval from manager Geeraerd and is preferred above Mrabet and Cottier.

At their website they are now calling for season-ticket holders of Excelsior Mouscron to come to the Orphale Cruckestadium and see the remainder of the Exqi League season 2009-2010 for free. This certainly will give their poor average attendance a boost, otherwise 600 Royal Antwerp Football Club die-hards will bring a healthy surplus to their normal revenue!

Founded : 1987
FA number : 38
Address : Leuzesteenweg 183A – 9600 Ronse
Stadium : Orphale Crucke (5200)
Ticket Office : 055/21 14 12
Website : www.ksk-ronse.be
Kit Colours : blue-red-white shirt, blue-white short
Budget : 650 000 euro
Chairman : Jean-Marie Vandendriessche
Gaffer : Dirk Geeraerd (° 02/12/1963) – manager career : FC Nederename (1986-1988, youth), KSV Oudenaarde (1988-1990, youth), KRC Ghent-Zeehaven (1990-1993, youth and assistant), Eendracht Aalter (1993-2000), Torhout 1992 KM (2000-2001), KMSK Deinze (2001-2003), Verbroedering Denderhoutem (2003-2005), KV Red Star Waasland (2005-2006), KSV Roeselare (2006-10/2008), KSK Ronse (from 11/2008).

ZARKO JOINS THE CLUB OF TWO

l e a g u e   y e l l o w (name in bold = misses next game)

4:Thomas Phibel

3:Spencer Verbiest, Benjamin Lambot, Tibor Tisza.

2:Matthias Trenson (26.08.2009 + 04.09.2009), Ransford Addo (19.09.2009 + 02.10.2009), Bart De Corte (04.09.2009 + 18.10.2009), Darko Pivaljevic (08.11.2009 + 23.01.2010), Zarko Jelicic (11.10.2009 + 06.02.2010).

1:Bas Vervaeke (26.08.2009), Manu Kenmogne (11.10.2009), Ray Fränkel (21.11.2009), Kevin Oris (13.12.2009), Emmerik De Vriese (13.12.2009).

SUMMARY DAY TWENTY-FIVE

Royal Antwerp Football Club returned to winning ways after what they might consider – in the grand scheme of their mediocre season to date – a mini slump.  The red and whites headed into their meeting with bottom club Royal FC de Liège having not won any of their last matches since the KV RS Waasland home tie.

Strikers, wingers and trequartistas have off days. When forwards mishit, a goalscoring midfielder can save the day.  In a rejuvenated side we had number ten Tibor Tisza and number seven Kevin Baert as marksmen to thank for our latest victory. They both have impeccable technique, connect perfectly with the ball, and arrive in the penalty area at the right moment, running into position when defenders are either unsighted or distracted.  This happy knack may look casual or improvised but it is an innate skill honed in training and dependant on the kind of split-second timing that Colin Andrews says is the hardest quality to coach into a player. The gaffer also stated at his post-match press conference the progress our homegrown player Kevin Baert has made after the winter break, with this much needed win we are climbing into the upper echelon of the table! Watch some footage.

Elsewhere, OH Leuven slipped further out of the play-off race after failing to learn from their loss seven days prior while title candidates RAEC Mons enjoyed a positive weekend regarding their season target of fourth place at least.  They battered woeful OHL to temporarily move into third position with this time Van Imschoot, Gueye, Jarju, Oussale and midfield maestro Zola Matumona completing the rout at Den Dreef.

FCV Dender EH capped off a marvellous week after they saw off our next opponent Dirk Geeraerds’ K.S.K. Ronse, it’s know 6 points out of 6 for newbie Vital Borkelmans.  For his team Munyaneza (scored a brace against us in midweek) and Ngolok (scored against us in our Cofidis Cup defeat) were on the scoresheet for the home team, K.S.K. Ronse salvaged some hope with four minutes remaining thanks to De Broyer’s goal, but, despite a nervy finish Borkelmans’ team held on.

The coastal team K.V. Ostend gave themselves a play-off lifeline by beating lowly K.V.K. Tienen, Chendri was the star of the show, with the winger bagging his side’s first and second goal of the evening.  When Degeling was sent off by the referee Laleman sealed the victory for the Seasiders.

Those hoping for a game raining goals at Tubize left the Leburtonstadium disappointed after the local pride and K.V. Turnhout played out a goalless draw.  In fact, the result shouldn’t have come as little surprise: the stalemate was Tubize’s seventh draw of the season, they only won twice at home and can not cope with the departures of strikers partnership Perbet and Njock.  K.V. Turnhout’s mean defence was never likely to give away many, if any, goals.  Like the meeting earlier this season ‘Le Sang et Or’ had the better of the chances but were denied by some resilient Turnhout defending and some fine goalkeeping from Horsten.

At the top of the table K. Lierse S.K. took advantage from the fact that leaders KVSK United only played at the moment of writing so they took on temporarily base first spot after a win against team-in-form FC M Brussels S. The goals came from Royal Antwerp old boy De Graef and a reborn Gunther Thiebaut.

PROFILE OPPONENT * ROYAL FC DE LIEGE

SATURDAY 06 FEBRUARY 2010

8 PM (c.e.t.)

BOSUIL STADIUM

Referees: Jimmy Verhe - Olivier Hampert - Michele Scatorchia

The long battle for a new stadium at Liège continues to sap both the finances and emotions. Having no stadium of their own RFC de Liège did play at Ans, Verviers, Tilleur and from the middle of  last Exqi League campaign they found a home at Le Payray in Seraing. This means that the battle isn’t always held on the pitch but also in political and business surroundings to give our next opponent a new home.

‘Mad dog’ Raphaël Quaranta: four words that epitomise loyalty, commitment, determination and sheer hard work.  The former Royal Antwerp favourite (Vitosha Sofia anyone?) is the main reason the Walloon based club went from relegation fodder to mid-table obscurity in a single season and it’s little wonder his name is linked with many posts outside the top flight.

With a shoestring budget of 800 000 euro it will be interesting to see whether Raffa can weave his magic again and take his club to the next level.

In the summer transfer window Royal FC de Liège have completed some decent business – in and out – but the signings of De Pauw and Grandisson are shrewd but unspectacular and the “statement” signing everybody was waiting for in the close season didn’t materialise resulting in no wins from their first five League games which left them playing catch-up again.    Good news was the contract extension of ex-Milwall star Kinet, the left-midfield player and hardman with the worst disciplinary record in the Exqi League last season and a player who has been well-acquainted with that long walk to the tunnel – not to mention opponents’ body parts.

‘Les Sang et Marine’ looked comfortable in the Exqi League last term but can they continue their progress in the remainder of this term?  Manager Quaranta is seen by some as a clown, but behind the jokes lurks a very smart coach.   He admitted the tragi-comedy at Le Payray reminds him of Fawlty Towers.  Our former player made it abundantly clear that he is deeply concerned about the future of the club, the Belgian FA number four is destined for a relegation dogfight in the fortcoming months.  The club is in a mess and Raffa admitted that the players are concerned about the future but he alone cannot provide the answers they are looking for.  The club with no stadium of his own is in turmoil but surely the fantastic support are owed some sort of explanation because due to their history, manager and workmanlike playing style every genuine Exqi League follower has a soft spot for this team.

And the explanation came in the winter mercato when a massive clear-out began with defenders David Aktan, Steven De Pauw and Nicolas Lacroix all showing the exit door of Le Payray.  Between the unimpressive back four (remember King Darko’s stroll in the first game!) and forward line sits the barren landscape of  midfield where Benjamin Maréchal, Cypriot Nicholas Gkionis, Kris Buvens and Guiseppe Canale have all chosen lower league teams to continue their playing careers.  Kinet and Gomez looks both past it and out of place in the centre and left-midfield, they are a liability at times.   If that isn’t enough the meagre forward line saw Guillaume Legros leaving due to personal reasons, Zappia and Grandisson did sign at more ambitious clubs from the Belgian Third Division. 

Will the arrival of several Brazilian imports be enough to get ‘Les Sang et Marine’ out of trouble come May?   We have our doubts whether Silas, Paco and Gilberto should provide the necessary goals to stay in the division but the only way forward now is to steady the ship and be pragmatic with the long-ball approach.  The new players will ask Raffa to alter his style of play and hopefully Liège will reap the benefits of the new precise passing game! At the last day of the transfer window our next opponent did strengthen their squad with the acquisitions of goalkeeper Van der Jeugt, left-back Schiavone, right-back Lefevre and also bought a 30-year Lithuanian allrounder Grigas.  Will there once again be a loyal following of RFCL supporters at the Bosuil on Saturday?

Founded : 1892
FA number : 4
Address : Rue Edouard Colson – 4431 Loncin
Stadium : Rue de la Boverie 255 – 4100 Seraing – Le Payray (7000)
Ticket Office : 04/278 43 24
Website : www.rfcl.be
Main Sponsor : V.O.O.
Kit Colours : red and blue shirt, blue and red short
Budget : 800 000 euro
Chairman : Francy Dupont
Gaffer : Raphaël Quaranta (° 29/12/1957) – manager career : Club Luik (1994-1995), Tilleur (1997-1999), Wezet (1999-2000), K.A.S. Eupen (2000), Sprimont (2001), FC Wiltz (Lux, 2003-2004), Royal FC de Liège (from 2005)
Honours : Belgian Champions in 1896, 1898, 1899, 1952 and 1953 Belgian Cup in 1990, runner-up in 1987

SUMMARY DAY NINETEEN

FCV Dender EH outclassed Royal Antwerp Football Club at the Bosuil to maintain the pressure on the Exqi League play-offs hopefuls – and brutally expose Colin Andrews’s play-offs ambitions. The visitors unleashed a devastating display of sweeping, counter-attacking football inspired by the brilliance of Henri Munyaneza. Henri, so long a figure of frustration at Dender has rarely performed with more threat and finesse than he did yesterday at our holy ground, he baffled Royal Antwerp with a stunning piece of trickery that forced uncertain Antwerp goalkeeper Van Trier to turn his shot into his own net after 25 minutes. When De Meersman doubled the lead after the break the first defeat under Colin Andrews reign was a fact although our boys got themselves a lifeline when Setti when Setti headed home a Jelicic free-kick.  But the visitors' new manager Vital Borkelmans knew that the scoreline barely reflected their superiority, only 7 minutes after Setti scored it was that man, Henri Munyaneza who gave the red and white frontline a painful lesson in ruthless, cutting edge football. One-three and over and out!

In a tie where both teams performed well defensively and it appeared that both sets of players were more concentrating on avoiding a goal than scoring themselves at the Freethiel the logic result was a dour stalemate. Not so bad for Frankie Van der Elst troops because the chasing pack couldn’t win either. K. Lierse S.K. and first and foremost the topscorer of the Exqi League Jurgen Cavens missed numerous chanches to seal the victory at the Lisp against a well organised and stubborn KV Ostend.   At the same time ex-Wolves targetman Roussel netted a brace against K.A.S. Eupen, the second was a poacher goal in the dying seconds.  So it seems that the title hunt will go to the wire with four teams competing for one place in the highest tier of Belgian football, the Jupiler League!

Elsewhere, KV Turnhout dashed K.S.K. Ronse’s hopes of a second home win on the trot with a masterly display at the Orphale Cruckestadium. Two goals of Da Silva and one strike apiece from Noyen, Loyens and Ngon left Luc Beyens stating: "Since the turn of the year, the results haven’t been what we liked but we have reset the bar with this performance!"

Royal FC Tournai have high hopes to avoid the drop at the end of the season, their new gaffer is the old Royal Antwerpplayer Alex Czerniatynski. Alex saw his new team seal the victory at Luc Varenne against another relegation threatened side RBD Borinage.  Goals from Seoudi, Desire and Breleur for the home side, Robail netting a consolation goal for the visitors.

In the middle of Flanders K.V.K. Tienen brushed OH Leuven aside with a 5-0 scoreline, the same score as to which they lost 3 days earlier. After Lino missed a spot-kick early on for the visiting side it was Neven, Belme with a brace, Degeling and Bogaerts completing the rout.  After this derby win Daniel Nassen will stay put at the helm of the Sugarboys, won’t he?

ROYAL ANTWERP - FCV DENDER EH

WEDNESDAY 3 FEBRUARY 2010

8:30 PM (c.e.t.)

BOSUIL STADIUM

Referees: Johan Verbist - Christophe Hemberg - Erik Wagemans

In recent history we met our next opponent two times in the regular 2006-2007 second division.  At a packed to the rafter Bosuil Stadium in the last competitive game of Simpson, Evans and Dong we brushed Dender aside with a convincing 3-0 scoreline.  Despite this win F.C.V. Dender E.H. held on to win the Championship and won the return leg against a lacklustre Royal Antwerp’s side who only had one target namely to make Fraizer Campbell topscorer in the goalcharts but local hero Gunther Thiebaut pipped him.

Whereas F.C.V. Dender E.H. achieved a miracle by staying in the highest tier of Belgian footie the year after this season proved to be difficult because in the last game of the regular season they could avoid to enter the play-offs by winning at home against mid-table Charleroi and some defensive howlers led to a defeat and nail-biting play-offs.  

One of the reasons for this is the lack of communication between the board, the technical staff and the sportive and commercial manager.  CEO De Doncker, who threatened to leave his post finally made the decision to sack former Stoke City manager Jan Boskamp and gave all the powers to the family Asselman who were running the show at the Florent Beeckmanstadium. 

Patrick Asselman.  Clearly a very good manager, but the problem is that at the moment he just doesn’t appear as if he wants to be at Dender. And as a fact he isn’t no longer the gaffer of the blue and blacks.  On 28th January 2010 FCV Dender EH sacked him and appointed newbie Vital Borkelmans at the helm of the team.  Vital is an ex-Belgian international who played for the Red Devils during the 1994 and 1998 World Cups.  The left fullback mainly played for Club Brugge at club level and offers little managerial experience, he only managed K.F.C. Evergem-Center in the lower divisions. Maybe he knows that the remainder of this season will be exceptionally tough. FCV Dender EH have financial constraints and are not a yo-yo club and probably don’t have enough players equipped for this level. 

In the summer transfer window our next opponent had more than ten outgoing transfers and due to parachute payments out of the Jupiler League they could afford fifteen incoming transfers. First-team stalwarts De Petter, Destorme, Deflandre, Berthelin, Sylla, Smajic, Vanderbiest and during this winter break Van Den Eede have all chosen other horizons.  Mollez and De Boodt are the new goalkeepers, defenders Simov and Essikal, midfielders Imschoot, De Meersman, Van Den Brandt and Ngolok (who scored the winner in our Cofidis Cup defeat) and strikers Somé and Laurienté did strengthen the squad.  With the results before the winter break it seemed as a season of transition looms although the abovementioned incoming transfers suggested that fees, wage demands and other factors won’t prevent FCV Dender EH to play their role in the play-off hunt and so they should with a whopping budget in the Exqi League of 3.2 m €!

Founded : 1952
FA number : 3900
Address : Stadionlaan 5 – 9470 Denderleeuw
Ticket Office : 053/66 91 92Stadium : Florent Beeckmanstadium (8157)
Website : www.fcvdendereh.be
Kit Colours : blue shirt, black short, black socks
Main Sponsor : Van Gansewinkel and Brother
Budget :last season 5,5 million euro, this season 3,2 million euro
Chairman : Patrick De Doncker
Gaffer : Vital Borkelmans (° 01/06/1963) – manager career : K.F.C. Evergem-Center (2006-2008), FCV Dender EH ( from 28/01/2010)

SUMMARY DAY TWENTY-FOUR

It is fair to say that the world of football is not often complimented on its extensive vocabulary, and therefore it is ironic that one of the most apt and popular recent additions to the English dictionary had its origins in our sport. The “bounce-back-ability” is relevant to so many footballers and football teams the length and breadth of Belgium on a weekly basis because there are always winners and losers, always heroes and villains! The winner and hero on Saturday was Ransford Addo with a goalline clearance in the dying seconds, the loser and villain was Thomas Phibel who you may have guessed scored an own-goal meaning an eleventh draw this Exqi League campaign and therefore not climbing in the table. Thomas Phibel must now demonstrate resolve and must aim to provide a positive reaction to the disappointment he has suffered. But that will not happen in the FCV Dender EH home tie this Wednesday due to a suspension by picking up his third yellow at the Luc Varenne stadium. Another hero last Saturday was Yannick Put who with his first goal in the first team of our beloved colours had found a way through the force field that has been the RFC Tournai’s defence all evening!

We are top of the Exqi League is the popular chant in the environment of the Gestelsedijk where KVSK United with two home wins in four days took first spot, this time midfielder Dufour and striker Oost were on the scoresheet.  The latter forms with Ketting a high performing strikers partnership and they often get help from scoring midfielders!

K. Lierse S.K. drew 1-1 on Friday evening in the top clash of the weekend away to 4th placed RAEC Mons.  The Dragons broke the deadlock in the second half to a goal from new acquisition Oussalé, but Gunther Thiebaut with only his second goal in this competition rescued K. Lierse S.K. from defeat in the latter stages of the tie.

The scorelines of the weekend came from tradition club K.S.K. Beveren who managed to score four times against highflying K.V. Ostend and their new acquisition and targetman Abdullei is a worthy successor of old Royal Antwerpboy Luciano Olguin everybody with a yellow-blue heart was hoping for.

K.A.S. Eupen thrashed lowly K.V.K. Tienen at the Bergéstadium thanks to goals from Milicevic, Maric and Colinet and a brace from young Serbian starlet Obradovic.  Can long-serving home team trainer Daniel Nassen stay put at the helm?  Wait and see…

Due to adverse weather conditions the game between KV Turnhout and RBD Borinage was abandoned after 38’ and Royal FC de Liège’s home tie against our next opponent FCV Dender EH was postponed.

THOMAS PHIBEL & TIBOR TISZA MISS NEXT GAME

l e a g u e   y e l l o w (name in bold = misses next game)

3:Spencer Verbiest, Benjamin Lambot, Thomas Phibel (26.08.2009 + 29.08.2009 + 30.01.2010), Tibor Tisza (04.09.2009 + 25.10.2009 + 30.01.2010).

2:Matthias Trenson (26.08.2009 + 04.09.2009), Ransford Addo (19.09.2009 + 02.10.2009), Bart De Corte (04.09.2009 + 18.10.2009), Darko Pivaljevic (08.11.2009 + 23.01.2010).

1:Bas Vervaeke (26.08.2009), Manu Kenmogne (11.10.2009), Zarko Jelicic (11.10.2009), Ray Fränkel (21.11.2009), Kevin Oris (13.12.2009), Emmerik De Vriese (13.12.2009).

PROFILE OPPONENT * RFC DOORNIK/TOURNAI

SATURDAY 30 JANUARY 2010

8 PM (cet)

STADIUM LUC VARENNE

Good organisation from the staff, preparation, a fantastic work ethic, real hunger and a no-fear attitude are the strengths of the team that reached the Qualifying Round for the play-offs last term against…us!   They lost 2-0 on aggregate in what was Ratko Svilar finest hour of his tenure.  For that reason alone attendances at Luc Varenne are at the highest for almost 15 years and the withdrawal of Excelsior Mouscron will help to lift the average gates figures even higher.  This is hard to understand when ‘Les Sang et Or’ continue to drift aimlessly in the dropzone of the Exqi League. They haven’t finished any higher than fifth in the Exqi League, and a quick glance at Tournai’s ordinary squad and Denie’s uninspiring summer signings suggests this is unlikely to change in the next five months.

Royal F.C. Tournai lost with Annijs, Di Tullio, Zebre and Scarpino some decent players but gaffer Denie, rather than be left to fine-tune his squad as he might have hoped, has instead been forced to contend with constant speculation about the future of the most important players such as Seoudi, Mouissi and strikers sensation Cardon, has to recruit always in lower divisions but the most important achievement of the Walloon based club is that set-pieces specialist Alexandre Frutos has extended his stay at the Varenne stadium.   A finish in the upper echelon of the second tier of Belgian football is still the target but all depends on the new acquisitions.

Talking about incoming transfers there is the good news that ‘Les Sang et Or’ have bolstered their squad with the free agent Bastien Chantry who used to play for Jupiler League outfit Royal Excelsior Mouscron. In the long term a merger between clubs in the neighbourhood of the French border seems inevitable so we do wish Antwerpfan and secretary of our next opponent Jean Michel Caink good luck in the forthcoming months! Breaking news is that RFCT parted company with their manager Denie by mutual consent and a new gaffer will be appointed as soon as possible!

Founded : 2002
FA number : 26
Address : Rue du Follet 327 – 7540 Kain
Stadium : Luc Varenne (7 552)
Ticket Office : 069/59 07 84
Website : www.rfct.be
Main Sponsor : Dufour
Kit Colours : yellow shirt, red short, yellow socks
Budget : 500 000 €
Chairman : Philippe Rasseneur
Gaffer : to be announced in the near future

SUMMARY DAY TWENTY-TWO

FC M Brussels S. and Royal Antwerp Football Club shared six goals in a thrilling Exqi League encounter in the capital in front of a meagre crowd of 1,500 spectators.  Tibor Tisza burst through the Brussels defence, goalkeeper Werner couldn’t hold the strike and Kevin Baert was on the right spot to pounce the ball in the net to give the visitors the lead.  In the second half we doubled our lead via Tisza, but a belter from Lutula and a goalline scrimmage and header from Durieux restored parity.  In this crazy cupmatch the home team then took the lead when the ball came into midfield dynamo Tohoua’s path and he rifled a shot past a helpless Van Trier.  A spirited and unexpected leveller came when our lads came roaring out of the traps and scored thanks to the eight goal of the season from Tibor Tisza!  A cracking game ended 3-3 and let’s give credit for the spirit, attitude and desire of the 22 actors on the pitch and this in adverse weather conditions affecting the capital on Wednesday night!

Royal Boussu Dour Borinage gave themselves no breathing space above the Exqi League drop zone in a match where defensive errors accounted for all three goals.  KVSK United won their postponed match 2-1 at the Gestelsedijk with goals from Henkens and Dufour.  New acquisition M’ Bessa gave the visitors hope in the first half with a non-deserved equaliser but home side United are now the virtual leader of this season trailing K. Lierse S.K. with only two points and have one game in hand.

AFTER CLEAN SHEET IN BRUSSELS

PROFILE OPPONENT * FC M BRUSSELS S.

WEDNESDAY 27 JANUARY 2010

8 PM (cet)

EDMOND MACHTENS STADIUM

Despite the controversial chairman Vermeersch locking away his chequebook these days, the team of the capital look more than capable of retaining their place in the Exqi League.  Boasting a promising young manager in Christophe Dessy and an attacking approach to the game, don’t be at all surprised if they even creep in to contention for a play-off berth this season.  Although Brussels aren’t overloaded with players who can get goals, crucially, they don’t rely on one player.  With 9 goals for Lutula and Dalibor Veselinovic and 3 goals from midfield dynamo Tohoua Brussels aren’t exactly goal-shy. 

Dessy is aware of the shortcomings and acknowledged that he needs more players to “give us a chance”.  The Brussels manager is renowned for prevaricating in the market but even by his standards business has been slow.  Chairman Vermeersch first and foremost want to offload some of his big earners before the manager will get a yes to do his wheeling and dealing.  Central defence and central midfield are the biggest areas of concern with Charlet, Fellahi, Culek and Matumona leaving huge holes to fill.  There are no like-for-like replacements either, with neither Nollevaux nor Le Postollec blessed with Zola Matumona’s composure.

Our next opponents squad is so threadbare that the merest sign of an injury must send a shiver down Dessy’s spine.  Having operated with fewer players than other Exqi League outfits the declarations of the chairman will mean that Brussels will become lighter still.  Thus it must come as a relief to the manager that a promising group of youngsters is emerging including defenders Geoffrey Cabeke and Heris, in midfield Anthony Cabeke is one player who caught the eye before the winter break.

Although there is little doubt that FC Brussels have the pace and power going forward to unsettle opponents (remember the first leg!), particularly when Tohoua is supplying the ammunition.  But it has to be said that one area where Dessy doesn’t have options is up front.  He is expected to play two from Coppin, French striker Coulibaly and Lutula from Congo, although most punters say that the team of the capital are arguably at their most effective when playing in a 4-5-1 formation with Veselinovic supporting the lone striker.

As it is, they have an outside chance of establishing themselves among the top order, as long as the gaffer can significantly add to his squad.  Even then, though, it cannot be taken for granted.  Needless to say that this tie will be a crowd-pleaser so Brussels will have a big revenue and their average gate will go upwards with the presence of a 500+ contingent from Royal Antwerp.

Founded : 1933
Address : Karel Malisstraat 61 – 1080 Brussel
Stadium : Edmond Machtens (11 266)
Ticket Office : 02/411 69 86
Website : www.fc-brussels.be
Kit Colours : red-black shirt, black short
Main Sponsor : Vermeersch Construct
Budget : 1 million euro
Chairman : Johan Vermeersch
Gaffer : Christophe Dessy (° 08/03/1966) – manager career : KBVB (1997-1999, youth), AS Nancy (Fra, 1999-2004, assistant and director youth Academy), Standard (2004-2007, director youth Academy), RAEC Bergen (2007-05/2009), FC M Brussels S. (from 07/2009).

SIX HAVE TO FEAT NEXT YELLOW

SUMMARY DAY TWENTY-THREE

With Setti and Pivaljevic in the central role of midfield we all like to marvel at what is happening to the ball during a football match when both missed chances they created themselves, the former in the first half and King Darko in the second half.  But trust me with the team composition as it was most coaches are concentrating on their team’s shape and what might happen should they lose that ball.  An astute manager as Colin Andrews will spend hours working with his players on the best ways of winning back possession. It is a team as a whole who most understand where and when to pressurise the ball and you will notice that most teams in the Exqi League will immediately revert to a 4-5-1. That involves hard-working strikers supporting midfielders. Last Saturday we had that in abundance and if Manu Kenmogne would have converted a spot-kick in the dying minutes we had prevented a stubborn RAEC Mons side to obtain their seventh clean sheet in this campaign!

At the top of the Exqi League everything remains the same, K.A.S. Eupen couldn’t hold at home a 3-1 winning margin against lowly K.S.K. Ronse and a minority of Eupen fans showed then unsportsmanship behaviour by throwing bottles, coins and others onto the Ronse bus which didn’t leave until midnight in the Eastern part of Belgium.  The leader of the league K. Lierse S.K. didn’t take advantage at newcomers and season revelation KS Wetteren, they could only manage a high scoring draw.

Our next opponent FC M Brussels S. won the derby at FCV Dender EH thanks to the ninth strike of the season from midfielder Veselinovic and KV Ostend thrashed whipping boys RFC de Liège with a 5-0 scoreline whereby two goals from strikers sensation Mokulu who played his last game for the coastal side, Benjamin opted to play the remainder of the season in the highest tier of Belgian football at relegation strugglers Lokeren OV.

On Sunday afternoon KV Turnhout with new coach Luc Beyens at the helm held on for a well deserved and hard-fought draw at Den Dreef against a lacklustre OH Leuven team.  Two sendings-off and two goals in the space of two minutes saw neither team hovering up the table.

PROFILE OPPONENT * RAEC MONS

SATURDAY 23 JANUARY 2010

8 PM (cet)

BOSUIL

What if there is a cult computer game called Exqi League manager which does just what it says on the tin.  Every minute detail is sitting there, waiting to be tinkered with by a wannabe boss.  From setting up scouting systems, to negotiating contracts, to buying players, to selecting a team, to playing an actual match.  Which mean there is a whole generation of geeks who think managing an Exqi League club is a doddle.  So come on then.  What would you footballing stats nerds give as advice to Geert Broeckaert, the gaffer of RAEC Mons?

Our next opponent were relegated from the Jupiler League last term and are hoping to bounce back on the first occasion. But this is not the same squad that went down last season, this big squad is much better, RAEC Mons should flourish back as ordinary Jupiler League side like ex-Wolves striker Roussel become great again. Expect the division’s best strike partnership, what high profiled names are concerned, Roussel and Jarju, to help themselves to a pile of goals after the winter break, while ex- Belgian international goalkeeper Tristan Peersman keeps them out at the other end.

Last season the budget for the Walloon based team was something about 6m € in the top tier of Belgian football, this year the budget in the second tier is a whopping 3.5m €. Further the team is backed by influential local political bosses who set up a spanky new Tondreaustadium which holds 10,000 but is even half empty when they take on the top sides in the Exqi League. And then there is the small matter that RAEC Mons received a wad of cash from departing players such as defender Buysens, midfielders Cordaro, Ragued, Brahami and Collet while striker Oris left the club to play for the Great Old. But with this enormous budget RAEC Mons were also big spenders by drafting in goalkeepers Peersman and De Vlamynck, defenders Sankaré, Demets and Timmermans, midfielders Van Imschoot, Grondin and DR Congo international Zola Matumona and at last they raided FC M Brussels S with the acquisition of striker Sanogo.

Are RAEC Mons an outside bet to be crowned champions come May, it remains to be seen how that embarrassing spell last Autumn which led to the sacking of former manager Rudi Cossey will affect the Dragons. Now that new manager Geert Broeckaert steadied the ship, RAEC Mons must hit the ground running and improve their away form. On Saturday striker Gueye and utility player Grondin will be sidelined due to a suspension. Will RAEC Mons go for a seventh clean sheet at De Bosuil? Wait and see…

Founded : 1910
FA number : 44
Address : Avenue du Tir 80 – 7000 Bergen/Mons
Stadium : Charles Tondreau ( 10 150)
Ticket Office : 065/22 11 11
Website : www.raec-mons.be
Kit Colours : red shirt, white short, red socks
Budget : last season in first division 6,2 m €, this season 3,5 m €
Main Sponsor : Holcim
Chairman : Domenico Leone
Gaffer : Geert Broeckaert ( ° 15/11/1960)
Honours : winner play-offs second division 2002, title second division 2006.

SUMMARY DAY TWENTY-TWO

K. Lierse S.K. thrashed OH Leuven with a 5-0 scoreline at the Lisp on Saturday evening. And it was Wahed’s evening, he capped a great performance by scoring three goals and this all with a family bereavement in mind, his father passed away on Friday night. The two other goals came from the Exqi League’s topscorer Cavens who has now scored fifteen times in this campaign.  Further important news is that K Lierse SK did strengthen their squad with the acquisition of ex-Royal Antwerpboy van Hemert and from R Excelsior Mouscron experienced left-back or left-midfielder Gonzague Vandooren joined the Real Madrid of our league.

At the same time new K.S.K. Beveren coach Penneman who replaced the sacked ex-Stoke City manager Jan Boskamp marked his first game in charge with a 1-1 draw at home to highflying K.A.S. Eupen.  After 65’ the strong Eupen defense cracked when ex-Panda Rentmeister blasted the ball home. There was an undeserved late equaliser when a marking error became fatal as Mombongo finished it off.  So, a reborn K.S.K. Beveren gains confidence and with new targetman Abdullei they hope to reach mid-table obscurity as soon as possible.

Despite a barrage of Royal FC de Liège pressure come the second half, a tight game was settled by Bourabia’s instinctive strike in the 6th minute. KV RS Waasland getting a threepointer on the road and Quaranta now hopes that the new Brazilians and old Standardman Ali Lukunku will score the necessary goals and that the addition of goalkeeper Van der Jeugt will keep them out at the other side.

Our next opponent RAEC Mons secured their ninth win of the season thanks to goals from Sankaré, new acquisition Oussalé, midfield dynamo Van Imschoot and Diane.  KS Wetteren gave the Dragons an early scare by scoring after 5 minutes through Van Damme but the home team supported by a meagre crowd of just 920 spectators and playing without Jay and Demets took control of the game in a spell of 20 exciting second-half minutes.

In the upper echelon of the table AFC Tubize won at K.V.K. Tienen with goals from Steens and Da Silva proving there is still life after the departure of star striker Perbet to Jupiler League side Lokeren.  Two other Exqi League games ended in a draw, K.S.K. Ronse and K.V. Ostend shared the spoils 1-1 at the Orphale Cruckestadium and Royal F.C. Tournai against  FCV Dender EH ended in a dour stalemate.

The games KVSK United–RBD Borinage and FC M Brussels S.–Royal Antwerp were postponed due to a waterlogged pitch. Both games (ours at the capital) will be played Wednesday 27th January @ 8.00 PM CET. 

This Saturday evening Royal Antwerp entertain RAEC Mons at De Bosuil.  Let the action begin!

FIXTURE LATEST

12:15 P.M. (cet)   Thursday Jan. 14th   2:30 P.M. (cet)

Of course, newspapers abhor a vacuum, so we found ourselves in by drifts of articles calling for an immediate switch to summer football.  As more than one writer declared, ‘common sense’ demands it. What common sense would that be, then?  Would it be the same faculty that catches so many people out when they get the Trivial Pursuit question which asks whether the Earth is closer to the sun in January or July?  The mental process never takes long to whirr around on that one.  January cold, July hot – therefore the Earth must be closer to the sun in July.  Wrong.  The question demands a counterintuitive answer and the realisation that January is a summer month on the other side of the world, just ask Justine Henin and Kim Clijsters who are now performing at their peak in Australia!

Enough of Kim and Justine but if you use the same simplistic – make that simple-minded – logic, summer football must be better and more attractive than winter football.  After all, people may tolerate cold, but they prefer warmth, so crowds would increase in summer and the standard of play would be better, just like the pitches who have no undersoil heating at Exqi League grounds.  Even in the highest tier of Belgian football only a few clubs have undersoil heating meaning almost all the Jupiler League ties are called off due to the adverse weather conditions affecting Belgium in recent weeks!

Although the flaw in the aforementioned proposition is basic – there is simply no evidence that spectators will turn up in greater numbers in Belgium for a season that begins in February and ends in November.  Nor do Eastern European f.i. Russian Premjer or Scandinavian f.i. Swedish Allsvensken leagues offer helpful examples.

So, the FC M Brussels S. fixture of this weekend has been postponed at the Edmond Machtensstadium, a new date has now been agreed, the tie will be played at Wednesday January 27th @ 8pm CET.

Below you find the list with all the remaining fixtures until the end of the season, except for the game in the Vedettestadium at RBD Borinage that has to be rescheduled with the approval of both teams.  Please, please, let the action begin!

Sat. 23/01/2010	8.00 PM	R Antwerp FC - RAEC Mons
We. 27/01/2010	8.00 PM	FC M Brussels - R Antwerp FC
Sat. 30/01/2010	8.00 PM	RFC Doornik -  R Antwerp FC
We. 03/02/2010	8.30 PM	R Antwerp FC - FCV Dender EH
Sat. 06/02/2010	8.00 PM	R Antwerp FC - RFC Luik
Sat. 13/02/2010	8.00 PM	KSK Ronse - R Antwerp FC
We. 17/02/2010	8.00 PM	KS Wetteren - R Antwerp FC
Sat. 20/02/2010	8.00 PM	R Antwerp FC - KSK Beveren
Sat. 27/02/2010	6.00 PM	KVSK United OL - R Antwerp FC
Sat. 06/03/2010	8.00 PM	R Antwerp FC - KVK Tienen
Sat. 13/03/2010	8.00 PM	KV Turnhout -  R Antwerp FC
We. 17/03/2010	8.30 PM	R Antwerp FC - K Lierse SK
We. 24/03/2010	8.00 PM	R BD Borinage - R Antwerp FC
Sat. 27/03/2010	8.00 PM	AFC Tubeke -  R Antwerp FC
Sat. 03/04/2010	8.00 PM	R Antwerp FC - R BD Borinage
Sun. 11/04/2010	3.00 PM	KV Oostende -  R Antwerp FC
We. 14/04/2010	8.00 PM	R Antwerp FC - KAS Eupen
Sat. 17/04/2010	8.00 PM	KV RS Waasland -  R Antwerp FC
Sun. 25/04/2010	3.00 PM	R Antwerp FC - OH Leuven
Sun. 02/05/2010	3.00 PM	FCV Dender EH - R Antwerp FC

DAY 21 POSTPONED

For the third time in a row all matches of Exqi League were postponed. Royal Antwerp will not play K Lierse SK on Wednesday January 13th 2010.

‘HUDDLE UP, THIS IS OUR YEAR’

And, deep down, the above sentiment is exactly how fans and players up and down Belgium will feel as they roar into their opening fixtures on Jan 9. Although Exqi League supporters like their football to be bone-chillingly cold, rimed with frost, laced with blizzards and hung with icicles there’s a strong possibility the games will be postponed to a later date.  In Great Britain those conditions could be blithely ignored by the assembly of 70,000+ crowds at the Theatre of Dreams due to undersoil heating making the pitches playable but in Belgium, of course, newspapers abhor a vacuum, so we found ourselves hemmed in by drifts of articles calling for an immediate switch to summer football and this in the first year of Christmas football in the Jupiler League, the highest tier in Belgian footie!!!

But if they go ahead we roar into our opening fixture at KS Wetteren on Sunday because for at least 1,500 die-hards making the trip it’s always been the way to support the team, even if common sense tells them otherwise.  Why else would we bother turning up?  As the nights get shorter, our team’s prospects will usually become bleaker or, with any luck, brighter.  But as reality bites – either way- the return legs of the 2009/2010 campaign will become no less significant, whether you’re chasing promotion, a title, the play-offs, survival or just local bragging rights. 

If you’re fearing the worst, just remember that last season K.A.S. Eupen didn’t have a prayer of surviving in January.  Look at them now, joint-leader of the Exqi League and going from strength to strength.  Yes, in football, hope springs eternal – so even if you’re crying tears of pain rather than tears of joy come May, there’s always the World Cup finals in South Africa to soften the blow.   As tradition tells our performances and results will improve in 2010 and a new participation for the play-offs must be the number one target for Colin Andrews’ boys.

Although there’s a credit crunch worldwide Real Madrid kicked off the season by spending enough money to fund the whole transfer market, Manchester City began “blowing everybody out of the water” with their wages, well the equivalent of those clubs in the Exqi League are big spenders K. Lierse S.K. (investment from Wadi Degla Group from Egypt), K.A.S. Eupen (rich Italian investors) and RAEC Mons (backed by influential local political bosses) together with surprise package KVSK United (played in First Division as Lommel), one of those teams will be crowned Exqi League champion come May. 

So even for fans in the second tier of Belgian football it seems it’s all about splashing the cash.  Greatest hope for the future of most clubs have the sample answer: “We get bought by a billionaire fan”.  The advice for the manager is to spend more of the billionaire/chairman’s money.  In football, as in life it seems, money won’t make you happy, but it certainly helps.  But what makes us love this crazy game, especially at this time of the year, is that it makes us follow our hearts instead of our minds.  If it didn’t, then everybody bar the biggest spenders might as well pack their things and go home before a ball has even been kicked.  Whether it’s £80m for Cristiano Ronaldo or a little sum for our homegrown player Ritchie De Laet, that money will only buy you two arms, two legs, two eyes- and one eleventh of a football team. 

So, in a sense, we’re all equals. And it’s for this reason that we will play the remainder of the season with hope – and a willingness to spend our own hard-earned cash, even if that billionaire won’t spend his. Let the action begin!

FIRST TRAINING FOR THE GREAT OLD

The holidays are over for the players of R. Antwerp F.C., who were to attend their first training on January 2nd. After the relative ease of family gatherings, the professionals of our club now had to run, move, jump, sprint and kick under the watchfull eyes of coaches Colin Andrews and Guy Vandecauter. The coaches were well equipped against the furious coldness, as well as most of the players. Yannick Put was slightly injured (foot) but proceeded with the training anyhow. While Geoffry Hairemans is still proving himself in the Academy of Manchester United, rumour has it that Manu Kenmogne's wife gave birth only recently. Denial or confirmation will be communicated as soon as possible!
Whether or not the Royal Antwerp lads suffered from winter break will be shown this Tuesday, when they meet KSK Heist in a friendly game in Wijnegem. Kick-off is set at 7.30 pm. And of course we at Royal Antwerp Football Club would like to wish everyone all the best for 2010, the 130th anniversary of the Great Old!

POSTPONED

Due to bad weather all matches of Exqi League day 19 were postponed. Royal Antwerp will play KFC Dender EH on Wednesday February 3rd 2010.

BEN(JAMIN) BACK ON DUTY

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3:Roel van Hemert, Spencer Verbiest, Benjamin Lambot.

2:Thomas Phibel (26.08.2009 + 29.08.2009), Matthias Trenson (26.08.2009 + 04.09.2009), Ransford Addo (19.09.2009 + 02.10.2009), Bart De Corte (04.09.2009 + 18.10.2009), Tibor Tisza (04.09.2009 + 25.10.2009).

1:Geoffry Hairemans (19.08.2009), Tibor Tisza (04.09.2009), Bas Vervaeke (26.08.2009), Manu Kenmogne (11.10.2009), Zarko Jelicic (11.10.2009), Darko Pivaljevic (08.11.2009), Ray Fränkel (21.11.2009), Kevin Oris (13.12.2009), Emmerik De Vriese (13.12.2009).

SUMMARY DAY EIGHTEEN

Gaffer Colin Andrews praises youngster Geoffry Hairemans after his first goal for Royal Antwerp

Royal Antwerp Football Club know better than anyone how hard it is to change a perception, but our caretaker boss Colin Andrews is doing his best in shifting the image of overpaid glamour pusses with no spirit or passion, it seems the process will take a little longer with some of the other Exqi-League outfits.  Colin’s requirement at Den Dreef : a win.  The result is paramount.  He talked of “no room for slip-ups” and continues to preach the virtues of the precise passing game.  In a high quality match we conceded a goal due to a marking error but still played decent football stuff certainly after taking an early lead through Hairemans.  A real cup game ended in a hard-fought draw.

Royal FC de Liège boss Raphaël Quaranta meanwhile admitted the tragi-comedy at Le Payray reminds him of Fawlty Towers. Our former player made it abundantly clear that he is deeply concerned about the future of the club, the Belgian FA number four seem destined for a relegation dogfight this season. The club with no stadium of his own is in turmoil but surely the fantastic support are owed some sort of explanation.  The club is in a mess and Raffa admitted that the players are concerned about the future but he cannot provide the answers they are looking for. RFCL stay rock-bottom and a dour stalemate at Royal Boussu Dour won’t help a lot, only bundles of cash in the January transfer window will do!

At the top eveything remains the same, K. Lierse S.K. and K.A.S. Eupen won their respective games as expected and KVSK United are just one point behind the leaders in third spot with a home win against lowly K.V.K. Tienen, prolific striker Ketting and midfielder Brouwers once again on the scoresheet.

PROFILE OPPONENT * O.H. LEUVEN

Sunday 13 December 2009 - 3.00 PM (c.e.t.)

         

Referees: Stephane Gleton - Bernard Lepage - Michel Demaeseneer

Jean-Pierre Vande Velde once boasted, “the club I couldn’t turn around has yet to be built”.  It increasingly looks like it has been built, atop an imposing hill above Leuven city centre.  After succeeding Rudi Cossey and Marc Wuyts whose rocky start last term saw them struggle for survival it was the former FCV Dender EH supremo that led our next opponent to their lowest-ever finish in the Belgian second division with only 46 points out of 36 games.  Certainly not enough for the commercial and political bosses OHL always can rely on.  From the moment JPV was installed his target was a team that could challenge for honours, at previous clubs JPV could always make title-winners out of nothing.

O.H. Leuven has received some transfer funds by selling right-back Odoi but didn’t manage to offload Jarakovic and this gives the gaffer not enough room to manoeuvre because with this limited ressources prudence remains a watchword in the city known for his famous university and beer.  Leuven fans were not so much concerned about relegation as bored last season and the manager appears to have acknowledged the problem by promising that the team will ditch their direct style of play to robust striker Ruytinx and become a more attractive prospect.  But with injuries for strikers Weuts and Ruytinx and midfield dynamo Lino he will opt for Eboigbe and Sakanoko.  Further attacking option is normally Bétrémieux but the French goalmachine is serving the second week off from a three week suspension after hitting an opponent in the Waasland game.

O.H. Leuven have two reliable goalkeepers in Desomberg and his deputy Ruttens, in defense Vaesen and former Antwerpplayer Oliseh must deliver clean sheets together with ever-present captain Joeri Vastmans.  In midfield Annijs and Debroux are proven at Exqi-League level and Van Steenbrugghe with Calvo are getting a lot of playing time in recent weeks.  Needless to say that a 1000+ fans contingent will travel to Leuven to give Colin Andrews’ men the support they need.

Founded : 2002
FA number : 6142
Address : ‘Den Dreef’ – Kardinaal Mercierlaan 46 – 3001 Heverlee
Stadium : Den Dreef (9016)
Ticket Office : 016/22 85 08
Website : www.ohl.be
Kit Colours : white shirt, white short, white socks
Main Sponsor : Option
Budget : 2 million euro
Chairman : Henri Kumps
Gaffer : Jean-Pierre Vande Velde (° 10/09/1955) – manager career : Lombeek (1983-1986), CS Vorst (1986-1987), K.V.K. Tienen (1987-1990), RSC Anderlecht (1990-1992, assistant), Eendracht Aalst (1992-1993), K.V.K. Tienen (1993-1995), St. Wetteren (1995-1997), Standard (1997-1998, assistant), Strombeek (1998-1999), Oud-Heverlee (1999-2002), OHL (2002-2004), FC Denderleeuw (2004-01/2005), K.V.K. Tienen (01/2005-05/2005), FCV Dender EH (2005-11/2007), FCN Sint-Niklaas 01/2008-04/2008), KV Ostend (07/2008-03/2009), Oud-Heverlee Leuven (from 03/2009-?).

THREE TIMES A YELLOW CARD

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3:Roel van Hemert, Spencer Verbiest, Benjamin Lambot (26.08.2009 + 04.09.2009 + 05.08.2009).

2:Thomas Phibel (26.08.2009 + 29.08.2009), Matthias Trenson (26.08.2009 + 04.09.2009), Ransford Addo (19.09.2009 + 02.10.2009), Bart De Corte (04.09.2009 + 18.10.2009), Tibor Tisza (04.09.2009 + 25.10.2009).

1:Geoffry Hairemans (19.08.2009), Tibor Tisza (04.09.2009), Bas Vervaeke (26.08.2009), Manu Kenmogne (11.10.2009), Zarko Jelicic (11.10.2009), Ray Fränkel (21.11.2009).

SUMMARY DAY SEVENTEEN

The quality of the training at Royal Antwerp Football Club has been pinpointed as a reason for much of our success this past two difficult games away to K.A.S. Eupen and the recent home tie against KV Red Star Waasland.  The fifth strike of the season for Emmanuel Kenmogne and the sixth goal this year from sub Tisza after the break ensured the victory for caretaker boss Andrews’ men.  Waasland’s neat approach play lacked a finishing touch and at the press conference their gaffer stated : “We played some good football and even created several chances but it’s all about being clinical, isn’t it?”  With this win we’re occupying ninth spot in the Exqi-League ranking and also have one game in hand to close the gap at the play-off places.

The clash of the titans sometimes dubbed on terrestrial TV as an Egypt-Italy tie because of the investors splashing the cash at both teams saw home team K. Lierse S.K. played out a 2-2 draw against joint leaders K.A.S. Eupen. It was obvious that neither team wanted to lose, the home side fell behind quite early via a marking error whereby Milisevic profited from a lot of space behind the back line. Cavens levelled before the break with a spot-kick and immediately after the break Dreesen brought a packed to the rafters Lisp stadium into delirium. Twenty minutes before the end Maric towered above a static defense and headed home a deserved equaliser for the visiting side.

KVSK United are not only proving people wrong this season, they are also shattering a few stereotypes along the way. The club have been praised and slighted in almost equal measure for a supposed fascination with cavalier, attacking football, but a team resurrected by Franky Van Der Elst is climbing up the table and team-in-form in the current Exqi-League season with clean sheets as well as goals. After the win at K.S.K. Ronse they are in third spot just trailing the frontrunners with one point.

Chairman Verelst from relegation candidates K.S.K. Beveren will go on a spending spree in the January transfer window and is looking for strikers who can hit the net because his team was once again the better in general play, but it wasn’t enough to hold the three points at the Freethiel against lowly K.V.K. Tienen.

PROFILE OPPONENT * KV RED STAR WAASLAND

Saturday 5 December 2009 - 8.00 PM (c.e.t.)

referees: Philipppe Flament - Cedric Waroux - Geert Simoens

Could this be the first season when KV Red Star Waasland go backwards under gaffer Bart De Roover?  Last term they finished fourth in the Exqi-League but unless there is a flurry of transfer activity it is difficult to believe the ex-Belgian international can manage it for a second season on the trot.  De Roover is already a good manager and isn’t far off completing a side in his own image – extremely competitive and capable of producing explosively attractive football.  But there is the small matter of living with the departure of the leader of the goalscorer chart last season, Hervé Ndjana Onana who left the Waaslanders to join promoted club STVV and new strikers partnership of Sampil and Kielo-Lezi must score the necessary goals to give our next opponent an outside chance to reach the play-offs.

So, due to a worrying lack of new signings, the portents are not too promising and De Roover is aware of the shortcomings and acknowledged the last couple of weeks that he lacks something in his squad.  The defense comprising Masureel, Raymaekers, Van Hoey and Veldeman were beaten too easily, too often this Exqi-League season.  Can a certain benchwarmer and old Antwerpboy Elejiko come to the rescue?  In contrast a midfield with players such as Bourabia, Bou-Sfia, Van Geele and Neve can prise open most defences.  If the strikers Sampil and Kielo-Lezi can reach double digits this year an astute manager and brilliant motivator as De Roover can focus on finishing in the upper echelon of the Belgian second division. 

The big change with last year is that the Waasland manager directly took control and stated his aim of reducing the average age of his squad, older players have been superseded by longer-term planning.  Youngsters such as Heuvinck, Dyck and Paulussen are eagerly waiting at their chance to prove themselves against more experienced opponents.

Founded : 1936
FA number : 4068
Address : Watermolenstraat 104 – 9100 Sint-Niklaas
Stadium : Puyenbeke (6 500)
Ticket Office : 03/776 32 00
Website : www.rswaasland.be
Kit Colours : yellow-red shirt, red short, yellow socks
Budget : 1,5 million euro
Chairman : Melchior Roosens
Gaffer : Bart De Roover (° 21/08/1967)- manager career : KFC Wuustwezel (2001-2003),
R Cappellen FC (2003-2008), KV Red Star Waasland (from 07/2008-?).

NO CHANGES AFTER WEEKEND AT EUPEN

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3:Roel van Hemert, Spencer Verbiest.

2:Benjamin Lambot (26.08.2009 + 04.09.2009), Thomas Phibel (26.08.2009 + 29.08.2009), Matthias Trenson (26.08.2009 + 04.09.2009), Ransford Addo (19.09.2009 + 02.10.2009), Bart De Corte (04.09.2009 + 18.10.2009), Tibor Tisza (04.09.2009 + 25.10.2009).

1:Geoffry Hairemans (19.08.2009), Tibor Tisza (04.09.2009), Bas Vervaeke (26.08.2009), Manu Kenmogne (11.10.2009), Zarko Jelicic (11.10.2009), Ray Fränkel (21.11.2009).

SUMMARY DAY SIXTEEN

K.A.S. Eupen manager, reeling from his team’s defeat at KS Wetteren, had watch the talent show one week ago looking for some light relief, only for the result against a young, vibrant Royal Antwerp side to exacerbate his stress levels.  On Saturday evening at the Kehrwegstadium we lost our early momentum as the game wore on and Eupen ended the first half in the ascendancy.  Goals from Vervaeke and Mombongo gave both teams a hard-fought point and caretaker boss Colin Andrews was excited that he could transmit his belief and passion onto the players. In the current season our opponent maintained a low profile, made a good start of the season, rest players where possible and were extremely lucky with injuries but with only 24 goals made thus far aren’t getting value for money from their highly praised attacking options such as Mombongo, Obradovic, Aubameyang and French ace Lepiller. Are the Italian investors going to splash the cash in the January transfer window to sign another proven goalscorer in the Exqi-League or are the most valued assets of the team chosing other horizons?

Wait and see but thanks to the stalemate in the Eastern part of Belgium, the Real Madrid of the league with Egyptian investors backing them did their job and got three valuable points at Royal Boussu Dour Borinage against stubborn Walloon opposition whose respect for the bigger names in the Lierse squad proved too big and it was once again the deadly duo of Cavens and Radzinski doing the business for the club with the highest budget of the second division.  On Friday and live on terrestrial television a mouth-watering K. Lierse S.K. versus K.A.S. Eupen at the Lisp with first place at stake!  Who’s taking first blood in the race to the title between two of the big spenders in the Exqi-League?

In this heavy contested league there were in this round red cards for Dzidic (KVO), Mouissi and Desire (RFCT), De Araujo (RSW), Bétrémieux (OHL) and Delplace (RBDB) and also six spot-kicks were given and scored by Imschoot (FCVDEH), Vanderbiest (KVO), Debroux (OHL), De Munter (KSW), Le Postollec (FCB) and Ven (KVT).

In this heavy contested league there were early goals in Tubize (Da Silva after 10” breaking Fraizer Campbell’s record) and in Tienen (Gkionis for visiting and basement team Royal FC de Liege after 1’20”)!

In this heavy contested league Cavens leads the topscorer ranking with 12 goals made followed by his strikepartner Radzinski (ex- Everton and Fulham) with 11, the same number of goals has French ace from AFC Tubize Jéremy Perbet and that is one more as Bétrémieux (OHL), with nine goals a quartet comprising Cardon (RFC Tournai), Brouwers and Ketting (both KVSK United) and Noyen (KV Turnhout) are doing fine. Royal Antwerp’s best stikers are Oris and Tisza with 5 goals apiece while Kenmogne has 4 goals on his tally.

PROFILE OPPONENT * K.A.S. EUPEN

Saturday 28 November 2009 - 8.00 PM (c.e.t.)

referees: Sébastien Delferière - Stijn Hutsebaut - Jean-Marie Dans

"The day I took the Eupen job, I dreamt of staying up", admits Dany Ost. He did rather better than that, finishing in fourteenth spot last term after a mammoth 14 defeats conceding 42 goals in the process amply proved there was a fragility to his KAS Eupen side, particularly at the rearguard of the team who didn’t offer their goalkeeper Wins enough protection. But that was before the winter break, afterwards a rejuvenated side bought together by rich Italian investors proved too strong for relegation rivals R.O.C. de Charleroi M, Royal Excelsior Virton, K.F.C. V.W. Hamme, K.M.S.K. Deinze and whipping boys Union Royale Namur. So, basement club K.A.S. Eupen from 5 points before the January transfer window to 43 points and safety from relegation worries at the end of last years’ Exqi-League campaign. A job well done by Dany Ost who said to his players : "You’ve achieved that, now go a step further".

Our next opponent looked to be establishing themselves as a solid Belgian second division club until Ost rode to the rescue, to offer Eupen fans a fresh start.  Dany bought himself enormous goodwill with his end-of-season heroics and the Italian investors made it clear that thanks to the greater organisation and discipline they should benefit from this Exqi-League season. Preseason preparation and unseen at this level was a three weeks team-bonding sessions and training camp in Italy and all punters agree this is a sign of a professional club and it shows in the ranking were Eupen is the proud leader after fifteen games in the current season.

K.A.S. Eupen are basking in the sun at the Kehrwegstadium, were they didn’t lose since a cold winter evening in January 2009 against Royal FC Tournai. The backline of the team comprises charismatic Czech goalkeeper Petr Radek, the centre-halves pairing of Belgian youth international Kocabas together with Maric from Croatian descent but with also a Swiss passport and Colin, Brazilian Dos Santos, Djuric, Sissoko and Italian Iandoli making up the numbers. In midfield Colinet and Vinamont lead by example and Aguilar from Paraguay, Milicevic from Serbia but also with a Swiss passport and Saglik completes the multi-lingual midfield players Ost can rely on. Further the team from the Eastern part of Belgium possesses a front line second to none in the Exqi-League. Although wanted by clubs in the highest tier of Belgian and European football out-of-favour striker Mombongo forms an impressive frontline together with Serbian starlet Obradovic and the player who’s attracting the most headlines is exciting striker and set-pieces specialist Matthias Lepiller.

A bumper crowd and a big test awaits our new caretaker manager Colin Andrews, can Royal Antwerp surprise a few pundits and bring three valuable points back to the Bosuil?

Founded : 1945
FA number : 4276
Address : Kehrweg 14 – 4700 Eupen
Stadium : Kehrwegstadium (6000)
Ticket Office : 087/74 29 93
Website : www.as-eupen.be
Main Sponsor : Massen, V.O.O. and Grenz-Echo
Kit Colours : white shirt, black short, white socks
Budget : 1 million euro
Chairman : Dieter SteffensGaffer : Dany Ost (° 04/02/1960) – manager career : KFC Rhode Verrewinkel (1998-2000), Olympic Charleroi (2000-2003), KFC Strombeek (2003-2004), Heppegnies Lambusart – Fleurus (2005-2006), Olympic Charleroi (2006-10/2008), K.A.S. Eupen (from 11/2008).

SIX HAVE TO FEAR

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3:Roel van Hemert, Spencer Verbiest.

2:Benjamin Lambot (26.08.2009 + 04.09.2009), Thomas Phibel (26.08.2009 + 29.08.2009), Matthias Trenson (26.08.2009 + 04.09.2009), Ransford Addo (19.09.2009 + 02.10.2009), Bart De Corte (04.09.2009 + 18.10.2009), Tibor Tisza (04.09.2009 + 25.10.2009).

1:Geoffry Hairemans (19.08.2009), Tibor Tisza (04.09.2009), Bas Vervaeke (26.08.2009), Manu Kenmogne (11.10.2009), Zarko Jelicic (11.10.2009), Ray Fränkel (21.11.2009).

SUMMARY DAY FIFTEEN

When Ratko Svilar was handed the reins of his beloved Royal Antwerp Football Club, those prepared to give him a chance of making a success of the job despite his poor coaching curriculum vitae thought he might be able to imbue the side with some of his magic from his playing days.  But the genius Ratko Svilar showed as a goalkeeper didn’t guarantee a talent for transmitting his winning ideas to others or forging a succesful team in the manner many of his predecessors did.  On the day that some very important political heavyweights came to watch us and more than 2 000 tickets were distributed to give car manufacturer General Motors employees free entrance we were outclassed and outpowered by KV Ostend who now reach the dizzy heights of third position in the Exqi-League ranking. Royal Antwerp are momentarily occupying spot thirteen. After being hammered 3-0 at home the explanation should be like this : "The technical staff is embarrassed because it was unacceptable and unexpected. The way we defended in key moments wasn’t good enough.  It was a result we don’t want to be associated with. We need to move on quickly and give a reaction in the next games. We are sure that the damage of this big home defeat won’t be carried into the next games." But other than the necessary and obligatory comments for the winning gaffer and ex-Royal Antwerpplayer Thierry Pister our Serbian manager didn’t give.

At the top of the table K. Lierse S.K. need to regroup after another defeat at home(!) against a stubborn AFC Tubize side whose striker Perbet netted a brace and the decisive goal came from Brouckaert after well-travelled Radzinski gave the home side a double lead. K.A.S. Eupen could bring the margin at second placed K. Lierse S.K. to 5 points but they failed, despite Milicevic giving the Pandas the lead with a deflected shot it was surprise package KS Wetteren who held the points at home via strikes from De Langhe and Euvrard.

In the other games the tie of the round was the Walloon derby between RAEC Mons against Royal Boussu Dour Borinage in front of a bumper crowd at the Tondreaustadium, another promoted club took all three points via Delplace and Amghar before Roussel could score a late consolation goal. Local bragging rights are going to RBD Borinage and Rudi Cossey, the manager of ambitious RAEC Mons is just been sacked because of getting nil points out of a possible nine!

The team of gaffer Dirk Geeraerd continued their climb in the table by beating lowly K.V.K. Tienen at the Orphale Cruckestadium. The crowd went bonkers when Romont and Antrope scored in the dying minutes after trailing 0-1 at the break.

PROFILE OPPONENT * K.V. OSTEND

Saturday 21 November 2009 - 8.00 PM (c.e.t.)

referees: Christof Virant - Danny Huens - Gregory Crotteux

KV Ostend’s official website pictures 22 players in their first-team squad.  Gaffer and ex- Royal Antwerpplayer Thierry Pister will be balancing the Exqi-League with the demands of 36 league matches, plus domestic cup games. And in the January transfer window he may well lose highly-rated versatile defender/midfielder and skipper Wallaeys and prolific striker Mokulu, Pister admits he would be powerless to stop the move if a Jupiler Pro League team will make a big-money approach. Thierry also points out that last season KV Ostend had a relatively small, close-knit band of brothers in the dressing room and everyone knew what the starting eleven was.  Everyone knew that the others, relied on them week in, week out.  So, squad rotation is not in Pister’s vocabulary but it will be difficult for our next opponent to match, let alone beat, last term’s surprising seventh-place finish.

The Seasiders are currently in fourth position because the defence comprising Vandenberghe (was once a trialist at the Bosuil), Wallaeys, Lahousse and Liard only conceded nine goals thus far.  In midfield Vanderbiest is the lynchpin and Pecqueux together with Sucaet must deliver pinpoint crosses for the strikers Deschacht, Laleman and Mokulu. 

Further important news is that our next opponent budget in their one-hundred-year of existence tumbled down from 1,6 million euro to 1,3 million euro so ambitions are a play-off berth at best, but a place in upper mid-table looks more realistic in a town where basketball is more popular than football!!!

Founded : 1981
Address : Leopold Van Tyghemlaan 62 – 8400 Ostend
Stadium : Albertpark ( 8 000)
Ticket Office : 059/70 36 10
Website : www.kvo.be
Kit Colours : green shirt, red short
Budget : 1,3 million euro
Chairman : Yves Lejaeghere
Gaffer : Thierry Pister (° 02/02/1965) – manager career : RAEC Mons (1999-01/2002), KSK Beveren (02/2002-2002), KSK Ronse (2002-2004), KV Red Star Waasland (2004-2005), AC Alliansi (Finland, 2005-2006), RFC Tournai (2007-2008), RAEC Mons (7/2008-8/2008, assistant), RAEC Mons ( 8/2008-12/2008), KV Ostend (from 03/2009).

SPENCER IS SUSPENDED

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3:Roel van Hemert, Spencer Verbiest (19.09.2009 + 26.09.2009 + 08.11.2009).

1:Geoffry Hairemans (19.08.2009), Tibor Tisza (04.09.2009), Bas Vervaeke (26.08.2009), Manu Kenmogne (11.10.2009), Zarko Jelicic (11.10.2009).

SUMMARY DAY FOURTEEN

Hurrah!  Almost every other result in this round of the Exqi-League campaign went our way so it was no bad thing our game at Royal Boussu Dour Borinage was postponed and gaffer Ratko Svilar has given his squad the weekend off after a run of two successive home victories which has seen us move back to the upper echelon of the Belgian second division.  Although some first-teamers played in the Reserves last Friday it will be from next Saturday onwards that the real action starts!  But everyone connected with RAFC, fans included (the sane ones!) accepts how much of a long haul this season is going to be! We have won nothing yet but our club has been hauled through the clarts for so long; to be where we are today has given us a fantastic platform to mount a promotion bid – be it automatic or via the doomed play-offs. If there’s one thing we cannot be accused of, it’s over-confidence, and taking things for granted, we know what’s in store, and it will be though with games vs KV Ostend, K.A.S. Eupen and KV Red Star Waasland in the forthcoming weeks.

Let’s start with the surprise of the weekend, the first defeat of the season from the Real Madrid of the Exqi-League. Indeed, K.Lierse S.K. lost at minnows KV Turnhout in front off a full-capacity crowd at the Stadsparkstadium.  When a counter landed at the feet of Ngon after only ten minutes it was 1-0 for the home side and it lasted until ten minutes after the break before Egyptian playmaker Wahed fired in the equaliser but it was René Desaeyere whose astute coaching got the three points when ten minutes from time Tamsin scored with a low free-kick towards the near post beating Kujovic!

Because K.A.S. Eupen thrashed KV Red Star Waasland at the Kehrweg in the televised tie at Friday evening means K. Lierse S.K. drop to second in the ranking.  Danny Ost’s boys brushed their opponents aside with goals from Milicevic, Colinet, Obradovic and Lepiller in an enthralling display.

Play-off contenders AFC Tubize and FCV Dender EH drew at the Leburtonstadium and KVSK United is the winner of the weekend thanks to goals from Dufour and Ketting against tough Walloon opposition from RAEC Mons.

Our next opponent KV Ostend celebrated their one-hundred-year of existence but couldn’t seal a win in a heavy contested tie against OH Leuven. Goals from Vanderbiest and for the visitors the inevitable Bétrémieux was once again on the scoresheet.

SUMMARY DAY THIRTEEN

Seeing the fans rise and yell “Goal!” is, Tibor Tisza insists, the most beautiful thing in football. As the new Hungarian recruit netted a brace against AFC Tubize and bringing his total at 5 goals made thus far in our colours, let’s take his word for it. Crucial strikes can come from unlikely sources, but usually a goalscoring midfielder or striker will find the back of the net. So what makes Tibor Tisza stand out? Well, he’s a goalscorer who can read the game, can effectively fast forward the action in his head so that, when the moment comes, he’s perfectly placed to take that opportune shot. Although talking with our former legend Laszlo Fazekas certainly helps it is Tibor Tisza’s quality, quantity and timing of the movement off the ball, especially in the last third, that is crucial. Knowing when to dart into a gap or peel off a defender’s shoulder can create goals as in Sundays clash against highflying AFC Tubize, a side that didn’t concede more than one goal in an Exqi-League encounter this season. Thanks to Laszlo and Tibor we’re now occupying position eight in the ranking.

In the other games there were surprise wins on the road for KV Turnhout at Walloon play-off contender RAEC Mons and even K.S.K. Ronse secured a second win on the trot at team-in-form OH Leuven.  Noyen (KVT) and De Broyer (KSK) both scoring twice in their respective game and this means that Royal FC de Liège and K.S.K. Beveren are the losers in the relegation dogfight because they held each other to a dour stalemate at Le Payray.  Both teams only have a two-points advantage at rock bottom but in-form K.S.K. Ronse.

Our next opponent, Royal Boussu Dour Borinage won the battle of the promoted newcomers at KS Wetteren via a late goal from Robail, while play-down contenders as Royal FC Tournai and K.V.K. Tienen made it an enjoyable match to watch at Le Varenne with the home side beating the Sugarboys 4-2.

At the top of the table in the televised tie of the weekend KV Red Star Waasland and KV Ostend drew at Puyenbeke because the visitors couldn’t convert a spot-kick and K.A.S. Eupen  closed the gap at leaders K. Lierse S.K. to a meagre point with a win at play-off contender FCV Dender EH, Obradovic scoring the decisive goal.

PROFILE OPPONENT * AFC TUBIZE

Sunday 8 November 2009 - 3.00 PM (c.e.t.)

referees: Danny Makkelie - Frank Jansen - Peter Janson

Sunday 1st June 2008, our next opponent did manage to stun a full capacity Bosuil crowd via a Stuckens goal in the first half and our promotion dream was over.  It was AFC Tubize finest hour. Benjamin Lambot (19) (now Royal Antwerp) and his Sang et Or colleagues were having a party together with their meagre 300 travelling fans.  Although no one gave AFC Tubize a prayer when they were promoted to the Jupiler Pro League it was gaffer Cartier who has inspired his troops to a remarkable season. 

Wonders do happen sometimes but AFC Tubize were relegated last term, they were sunk under the weight of off-the-field chaos, schockingly bad buys (Quinton Fortune anyone?) and the sense that however bad things got, they were about to get worse. In the latter stages of the season Cartier lost his managerial vim and political heavyweight and chairman Langendries made it clear that this Exqi-League season there would be a new man on the helm. That man is their former assistant manager Felice Mazzu who appears to be safe for the moment but that does not mean he will allow his players to ease up. 

Although Dufer, Sorokin, Pinelli and Lambot have chosen other horizons Tubize drafted in Steens, Gillis, goalkeeper Govoni and last but not least giant striker Njock returned to the club so you could say they bought cannily.  Even Jérémy Perbet stayed at the Leburtonstadium and this strikers’ partnership does mean business. The most important part of the team is the rearguard with butcher Neels playing a major role in Tubize only conceding 7 goals in the current campaign.  So, Mazzu has built a side based less on talent and more on hard graft and self-sacrifice and it will be certain that Sundays clash won’t be a classic!

Founded : 1953
FA number : 5632
Address : Allée des Sports 7 – 1480 Tubize
Stadium : Leburton (8 000)
Ticket Office : 02/355 55 04
Website : www.afctubize.be
Kit Colours : yellow-red shirt, red short, yellow socks
Main Sponsor : Duferco Clabecq
Budget : 1,8 million euro
Chairman : Raymond Langendries
Gaffer : Felice Mazzu (° 12/03/1966) – manager career : Nijvel (1992-1996, youth), Marchienne (1996-1998, assistant), Marchienne (1998-2000, headcoach), CS Brainois (2000-2006), Leopold Uccle (2006-2007), AFC Tubize (2007-2009, assistant), AFC Tubize (from 07/2009, headcoach)
Honours : Winner play-offs Second Division 2007/2008 with 18 points.

SEVEN HAVE TO FEAR

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3:Roel van Hemert.

1:Geoffry Hairemans (19.08.2009), Tibor Tisza (04.09.2009), Bas Vervaeke (26.08.2009), Manu Kenmogne (11.10.2009), Zarko Jelicic (11.10.2009).

SUMMARY DAY TWELVE

Our Serbian gaffer has a gun to his head, but one cannot help but feel that the Royal Antwerp manager doesn’t deserve it. Despite the fact that his side are now in mid-table obscurity, thanks to the Cofidis Cup defeat against FCV Dender EH, judging by the jeers, pressure is mounting inexorably.  If only Royal Antwerp Football Club had taken just two of their myriad chances, their plight might not seem so bleak.  But we didn’t and Ngolok scoring a lucky winner and bleak it remains. Ratko is under no illusions as to his predicament. His insistence that “I wholeheartedly believe in my methods… and I believe I can make it right”, in his after-match commentary was painful to hear and does nothing to dispel the sense that this incarnation of his managerial existence could be fast approaching its demise. So, doom and gloom in the Cup and due to a ‘bye’ we have been leapfrogged by KS Wetteren and OH Leuven who both won away fixtures. We’re now occupying position twelve in the Exqi-League and our star forward Kevin Oris and utility player Bas Vervaeke were pleading for some team-bonding sessions on www.rafc.tv!

Our bogey team, K.S.K. Ronse started the season with Bart Van Renterghem as manager who had presided over 9 winless Exqi-League fixtures, was replaced by experienced gaffer Dirk Geeraerd and the new motivator broke Ronse’s duck at his third and the team’s 12th time of asking against local rivals Royal F.C. Tournai with finally De Broyer and Brienne on the scoresheet.  Where Van Renterghem left the field (exception at Bosuilstadium) to the familiar sound of boos that had characterised the latter part of his tenure now the Orphale Cruckestadium erupted at the first win of the season under guidance of new gaffer Geeraerd.

At the top of the table K. Lierse S.K. and the immediate challengers all drew their respective game so K. Lierse S.K. go into their ‘bye’ weekend with a four-point lead at the top of the table.  In what had been predicted beforehand to be a difficult away game became easier when Royal Antwerp old boy Pinxten misjudged a through ball from Wahed and a seventh competition goal of Radzinski was a fact.  In the second half a cross from Chergui found star striker Ketting and home team KVSK United were back on level terms.

Another fact from this week was the degradation of 3 referees who used to whistle in the Jupiler Pro League and yes, they made a mess of it. Twenty yellow cards and one sending-off was surely value for money from this top flight refs!

SEVEN HAVE TO FEAR, TIBOR TISZA, TOO

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3:Roel van Hemert.

1:Geoffry Hairemans (19.08.2009), Tibor Tisza (04.09.2009), Bas Vervaeke (26.08.2009), Manu Kenmogne (11.10.2009), Zarko Jelicic (11.10.2009).

1:Kevin Baert (23.08.2009).

name in bold = misses next game

GEOFFRY HAIREMANS GOES M.U.

Eighteen year old starlet Geoffry Hairemans has deserved himself a trip to England.  He departs on Thursday October 29 for a one-week training session at Manchester United’s Carrington training ground under guidance from our former gaffer Warren Joyce.  Talking about Warren, we can announce that our former manager will attend the FCV Dender EH Cofidis Cup tie at the Bosuilstadium this Wednesday.

SUMMARY DAY ELEVEN

Pushing for play-offs or looking at the Third Division?  Find all the news and profiles on our website.  Every club, every goal, every dodgy tackle. From Royal Antwerp Football Club to K.S.K. Ronse all your club’s news is in one place.

Here this week for instance we did entertain newcomers KV Turnhout, won by two converted spotkicks and our Serbian gaffer stated: “Three points in the bag is very important for the confidence in the forthcoming weeks. It was a long time ago (Aug 19 to be precise) that we won a home Exqi-League fixture and some players were carrying heavy legs, there wasn’t enough movement from our lads and I can’t be satisfied with the overall play but we take it from here and Wednesday we play FCV Dender EH for the Cofidis Cup and I’ll hope to see some progress on the pitch because actions speaks louder than experts’ words.”  So, two-nil for the Reds but still only in tenth position we must climb another six places to achieve our main target for the season and that’s another play-offs participation come May. Read our match report.

In the space of 90 manic minutes, the Exqi-League last 16-games unbeaten run was ended (since March 2009) and a chink in the K.A.S. Eupen armour was exposed by OH Leuven thanks to a brace of French striker Betrémieux.  At the same Friday evening a Tomasz Radzinski hat-trick squeezes new frontrunners K. Lierse S.K. past K.V.K. Tienen.

Due to the 5th loss and Royal FC Liège winning away at the Luc Varennestadium at Walloon neighbours Royal FC Tournai K.S.K. Beveren drops another place in the ranking and are momentarily relegation fodder when Van Imschoot could shoot unopposed just in front of the sixteen giving another Walloon team, RAEC Mons their highest ranking thus far (third)!

A special mention for KS Wetteren whose home win against highflying KVSK United OL went almost unnoticed but the Exqi-League new boys inaugurated their floodlights in the only manner possible, Claessens broke the deadlock in the 78’ to give the last term promoted team a place in mid-table just behind Royal Antwerp FC.

PROFILE OPPONENT * K.V. TURNHOUT

Sunday 25 October 2009 - 3.00 PM (c.e.t.)

referees: Yves Muyle - Stijn Eben - Toon Bieseman

With small crowds and cramped surrounds at Stadsparkstadium, KV Turnhout will have to punch above their weight.  Some current players have already been squabbling over the terms of the new deals on offer and financial constraints have kept transfer activity to a minimum.  Turnhout fans, give thanks for René Desaeyere.  The manager offers a glimmer of hope amid the doom and gloom that surrounds the Blue and White.  From his arrival in September 2006 our next opponent did manage a promotion campaign last term in the Belgian third division and are now occupying thirteenth place in the Exqi-League ranking.  Last week they secured a win against highflying KV Red Star Waasland despite the fact that referees’ decisions went against them (two spot-kicks for the Waaslanders, one saved).  Our former gaffer Desaeyere won’t repeat that promotion party this season, but he should stabilise the club and avoid relegation.

“KV Turnhout chase Pele,” could be the headline in a newspaper this summer.  Some say that our next opponent might need the real Brazilian legend, not to mention Diego Maradona and Johan Cruyff to stay up but most pundits think that experienced goalkeeper Horsten, defenders Boeckx, Loyens, Vandenbergh and De Schutter should get enough clean sheets and a midfield containing Van Lieshout, Noyen and Da Silva must give strikers Ngon and Ven enough opportunities to score and in doing so forget relegation worries.

Founded : 1912
Address : Parklaan 50 – 2300 Turnhout
Stadium : Stadspark (3000)
Ticket Office : 014/41 25 84
Website : www.kvturnhout.be
Kit Colours : blue shirt and white short
Budget : 1,2 million euro
Gaffer : René Desaeyere (° 14/09/1947) – manager career : KV Kortrijk (1990-1991), Beerschot VAV (1992-1995), KSK Beveren (1995-1996), Iihwa Chunma (Korea, 1996-1998), Cerezo Osaka (Japan,1998-1999), FC Denderleeuw (2002), R Antwerp FC (07/2003-10/2003), FC Denderleeuw (10/2003-2004), KV Turnhout (from 09/2006-?)
Honours : Champions in Third Division B (2009)

BART DC HAS TO FEAR

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3:Roel van Hemert.

2:Benjamin Lambot (26.08.2009 + 04.09.2009), Thomas Phibel (26.08.2009 + 29.08.2009), Matthias Trenson (26.08.2009 + 04.09.2009), Spencer Verbiest (19.09.2009 + 26.09.2009), Ransford Addo (19.09.2009 + 02.10.2009), Bart De Corte (04.09.2009 + 18.10.2009).

1:Geoffry Hairemans (19.08.2009), Tibor Tisza (04.09.2009), Bas Vervaeke (26.08.2009), Manu Kenmogne (11.10.2009), Zarko Jelicic (11.10.2009).

1:Kevin Baert (23.08.2009).

name in bold = misses next game

FILIP IN PHILADELPHIA

Not only at matchdays in the weekend Filip Hermans is showing off his beloved colours, also in the United States he is extremely proud to show his scarf between New York City (picture above) and at the Rocky Steps in Philadelphia (picture below).  Even in the States Filip is Royal Antwerp through and through and our red-white colours are his favourite company and not even for one second out of his thoughts.

SUMMARY DAY TEN

Emmerik De Vriese (22) celebrates Kevin Oris' equalizer in the home tie against KVSK United OL

The last two times Emmerik De Vriese was seen in a Royal Antwerp Football Club shirt were 2 minutes of playing time against K.S.K. Ronse and in another home tie against KVSK United OL he managed to get 45 minutes under his belt.  In both fixtures our beloved colours have failed to record a win.  Third time lucky with a sub appearance after 70’ at the Bergéstadium against minnows K.V.K. Tienen.  With two goals that upended the visitors’ side were in danger of meekly surrendering, the winger’s reappearance was as redemptive as his exit in the Summer was ignominious.  Manager Ratko Svilar was keeping his cool and stated that Emmerik looked very sharp in training and was a constant threat during his 24 minutes of action.  But Ratko also said that like we’ve done in a lot of games this season, we gave K.V.K. Tienen encouragement through mistakes and bad play.  Indeed Royal Antwerp trailed 2-0, then a crazy 5’ made it 2-3 before injury-time goals from Peeters and Degeling made it 4-3 for the Sugarboys.  It’s now 4 Exqi-League games without a win and the high expectations are hampered with only 3 points out of a possible 12 leaving us in a mid-table position (10th place)and as winter flexes its icy fingers, it could be a bleak few months at the Bosuilstadium…

K. Lierse S.K. romp to top of the table as an eleventh goal of the season of much travelled Jurgen Cavens and ex-Fulham and Everton Canadian striker Radzinski continues to shine and secured the win in the latter stages at the Orphale Cruckestadium.  K.A.S. Eupen drew with a well-organised and occasionally dangerous RBD Borinage side, the Pandas slipped off the top of  the Exqi-League ranking as Royal Boussu Dour held Danny Ost’s team to a dour stalemate.  K.S.K. Ronse, lacking guile, remain bottom of the Belgian Second Division and trail second-bottom RFC Liège who lost at ‘home’ the Walloon derby against play-off contenders RAEC Mons on Friday with already a margin of 4 points.

Royal Antwerp fans hope to see this Manu Kenmogne score again next Sunday, as he did a few weeks ago during the first Cup tie of the season against KV Turnhout

Our next opponent KV Turnhout needed no help from the referee to outsmart a lacklustre KV  Red Star Waasland, the home side broke the deadlock after one minute of play and despite two spot-kicks awarded to the Waaslanders (one saved by goalkeeper Horsten) they took all 3 points thanks to a second goal of Noyen.

OH Leuven are fast becoming the side to avoid as Jean-Pierre Vande Velde’s men stretched their unbeaten run to five games with a hard-fought draw at AFC Tubize. Two years ago this was one of the fixtures in the play-offs to decide which team was going up, remember!

While KVSK United OL won their home fixture against highflying FCV Dender EH thanks to another superb strike of Ketting and the spot-kick save of goalkeeper Sengier, K.S.K. Beveren didn’t succeed to win in a poor game against new boys KS Wetteren, experienced goalkeeper Lemmens and defender Collen played comedy capers and Desmet could tap in easily into an empty net. Ghanaian winger Asante could still equalise but the Waaslanders are certainly the pick for disappointment of the season thus far!

PROFILE OPPONENT * K.V.K. TIENEN

Daniel Nassen tries to explain his team's defeat at Royal Antwerp last season

Daniel Nassen has assembled a very competitive outfit, good enough to finish within one point of the play-offs last season.  The strenght of his side lies primarily in its offensive qualities – only the top two have made more goals last season – and the likes of Sébastien Dufoor, Admir Haznadar and Penga Ilenga deserve praise, not to mention attacking midfielder Mathieu Belme.  But the defense leaked 49 goals last season, the acquisition of Karel De Smet should resolve this problem and in midfield Siegerd Degeling replaced outgoing transfers such as Vandecauter, Thijs and Vanarwegen.

So, the Sugarboys will be playing on Sunday without Köse, Neven, Penga and Dufoor isn’t matchfit either meaning gaffer Nassen is short in numbers and has to improvise certainly concerning his attacking options.  In the rearguard of the team goalkeeper Van Impe and defenders Vanhees, Vandeput and Triantafillides are the first names on the teamsheet and in midfield Bogaerts will partner De Silva and Belme.  Last week win at Wetteren was a boost for team morale and at Sundays clash every home supporter will be welcomed with a free Maes Pils drink.  Here’s to you!

Founded : 1981
Address : Bergévest 12 – 3300 Tienen
Stadium : Julien Bergé ( 7 100)
Ticket Office : 016/81 32 24
Website : www.kvktienen.be
Kit Colours : blue shirt, green-white short
Chairman : Willy Schepers
Gaffer : Daniel Nassen (° 24/11/1966) – manager career : VW Oorbeek (2004-01/2005), K.V.K. Tienen (from 07/2005-?)

FIVE HAVE TO FEAR

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3:Roel van Hemert.

2:Benjamin Lambot (26.08.2009 + 04.09.2009), Thomas Phibel (26.08.2009 + 29.08.2009), Matthias Trenson (26.08.2009 + 04.09.2009), Spencer Verbiest (19.09.2009 + 26.09.2009), Ransford Addo (19.09.2009 + 02.10.2009).

1:Bart De Corte (04.09.2009), Geoffry Hairemans (19.08.2009), Tibor Tisza (04.09.2009), Bas Vervaeke (26.08.2009), Manu Kenmogne (11.10.2009), Zarko Jelicic (11.10.2009).

1:Kevin Baert (23.08.2009).

name in bold = misses next game

SUMMARY DAY NINE

On Friday evening K. Lierse S.K. destroyed K.S.K. Beveren with the biggest margin in the Exqi-League this season.  Ex- Everton and Fulhamplayer Radzinski opened the scoring and then a burst of three goals in seven minutes and a sending-off for the visitors made it 4-0 at halftime.  Second half sub Gunther Thiebaut headed in the fifth home goal and goalkeeper Kujovic slotted home a second penalty kick of the evening against his opposite number to make it 6-0 much to the delight of the 8 500+ crowd.  So, K. Lierse S.K. took the leaders spot with Cavens already with 10 goals on his tally and with three wins in a row and four consecutive clean sheets the ‘Pallieters’ were doing justice to their slogan ‘together Champions’.  At least until Sunday…

On Sunday goalkeeper Govoni from AFC Tubize denied K.A.S. Eupen with a series of superb saves an early lead but the belter of Leppiler in the 66th minute give the boys from Danny Ost a one-point-lead at the top of the table.  It’s looking good in the Eastern German speaking part of Belgium, they have a game in hand on their closest rivals.

Behind the two title candidates the chasing pack are KV Ostend with 19 points (9 games), KV Red Star Waasland (bye this week) have 18 points out of 8 games and FCV Dender EH missed the chance to join the frontrunners in the Exqi-League by drawing at home against lowly KV Turnhout and totalise 16 points.

After this five teams there’s a little gap with the mid-table sides on 12 or 13 points. Two of them, Royal Antwerp Football Club and KVSK United OL drew at the Bosuil in front of 5 500 spectators, star striker Ketting giving the visitors the lead and the already very popular Kevin Oris netting against his former team, resulting in a sixth draw out of nine outings with a ninth place in the ranking for our beloved colours.

Our next opponent K.V.K. Tienen won away to KS Wetteren, a brace from G. Legros gave RFC de Liège all points in the capital so bottom team K.S.K. Ronse already face a four-point gap to their closest rival.  And what did they do?  They replaced their young gaffer Van Renterghem for Jupiler Pro League experienced Dirk Geeraerd and still lost at the Charles Tondreau Stadium, because that’s no happy hounting ground (as ‘De Bosuil’ was and is) for the team from the Flemish Ardennes!

PROFILE OPPONENT * KVSK UNITED OVERPELT LOMMEL

Sunday 11 October 2009 - 3.00 PM (c.e.t.)

Franky Van Der Elst did join a long queue of Exqi-League coaches looking for a prolific striker this summer, although his need was the greatest of all. Having lost Van de Weyer there was a significant gap to fill in attack alongside star striker Ketting. The problem for KVSK United was that they are far from alone in seeking reinforcements up front and finding value for money has not proved straightforward. It was gaffer Van Der Elst’s famed eye for a bargain that did the trick once again. Situated in the neighbourhood of the Dutch border, our next opponent are always looking for acquisitions in the Dutch Eredivisie or Jupiler League. Last season United scored just 48 goals, almost the lowest in the Exqi-League and only a few goals ahead than the teams who fell through the relegation trapdoor.

This season a lot is expected from new recruit Jason Oost, a striker with experience at the highest level in the Netherlands. So, Van Der Elst canny forays into the transfer market continue to serve KVSK United well. He can now pick from a full-strenght team and hopes that the aforementioned strikers will be lucky to break double figures this season and in midfield our next opponent have free-kick specialist Davy Brouwers and at the back former Royal Antwerp favourite Pinxten to add more firepower to the attack. Stronghold of the team is still reliable goalkeeper Sengier and in the rearguard of the team Chergui replaced Eberle, in midfield there is an important holding role for Cameroon player Noukeu. A decent crowd on Sunday(!) is expected against this play-off rival and let’s hope that Kevin Oris can score against his former teammates, so we can climb in the Exqi-League table.

Founded : 2003
Address : Speelpleinstraat 20 – 3920 Lommel
Stadium : Municipal Stadium Gestelsedijk (12 500)
Ticket Office : 011 816 460
Website : www.kvsk.be
Kit Colours (home): green/white shirt, green short
Budget : 1,4 million euro
Chairman : Frans Luyckx
Gaffer : Franky Van Der Elst (° 30/04/1961) – manager career : Germinal Beerschot (1999-2003), Lokeren (2004), Club Brugge (2005-01/2007, assistant), FC M Brussels S (01/2008-06/2008), KVSK United OL (from 01/2009-?)

ROEL IS BACK

SUMMARY DAY EIGHT

Many teams use a single striker, with midfield encouraged to join the attack.  But the centre-forward is still expected to run, chase, hold the ball up and - obviously - score.  Royal Antwerp giant striker Kevin Oris is a prime example of the modern-day forward. Kevin is powerful, explosive, hungry and hardworking, he scores just after the break with venom from distance, can sprint on to a through ball, is cool in front of goal, unbeatable in the air and takes a mean free-kick. He drifts out wide to lose a marker or pressure full-backs and links well with his strikepartners Pivaljevic and Tisza (our Hungarian recruit netted the second goal) giving us a point that we didn’t deserve at the Freethiel on Friday evening. With two wins, one loss and five(!) draws we’re still occupying ninth position in the Exqi-League ranking.

At the top of the table KV Red Star Waasland secured all three points at Gestelsedijk at KVSK United playing without star striker Ketting and thus lacking a cutting edge, the goal came via Sampil in injury time of the first half.  Thanks to a bye of opponent K.A.S . Eupen the Waasland boys are taking top spot in the Exqi-League.

The fairy-tale of Royal Boussu Dour Borinage with an unbeaten home run of 18 months ended  against highflying AFC Tubize.  An own-goal of Kaminiaris and the inevitable Jérémy Perbet sealing all three points for gaffer Felice Mazzu’s team.

In the Walloon derby between Royal F.C. Tournai and RAEC Mons an injury plagued home team took all three points with goals from Mouissi and Motte clinched the win in the dying minutes after Diane netted an equalizer for the Dragons.

In the other ties another home defeat for Desaeyere’s outfit KV Turnhout against KV Ostend with a brace from Liard and RFC de Liège and K.S.K. Ronse are staying rock bottom, both teams lost at home against good opposition as K. Lierse S.K. and Exqi-League new boys KS Wetteren.

PROFILE OPPONENT * K.S.K. BEVEREN

Frirday 2 October 2009 - 8.30 PM (c.e.t.)

Our next opponent hope to move within two points of the Great Old in this regional derby fixture, they are currently in thirteenth position five points behind us with one game in hand.  K.S.K. Beveren has had a decidedly low key summer because new manager Boskamp’s aim was to keep hold of his squad rather than spend money. So, they ended last season in thirteenth position and being in the same position at this moment in time, you could argue there’s no improvement made. But KSK Beveren has to show commitment and consistency and a bit more craft would not go amiss either. But then Boskamp has built a side based less on hard graft and self-sacrifice and more on talent and technical skills.  He sprinkled a solid foundation with goalkeeper Lemmens (out for 6 weeks), defenders Collen and Lardenoit, midfielder Baghdad in the holding role and up front a lot is expected from Kristof Snelders.

Together with the young guns they must allow Beveren to get to the comfort zone. Now that former Royal Antwerp cult hero Luciano Olguin has left the club for Greek second division side Pierikos the former Stoke City manager opted to abandon the route one stuff directed to the Argentinian targetman and use more the combination football with Cousin and Lacroix on the flanks. Although home advantage could be vital in this tie played on Friday evening we hope that our travelling contingent of fans will have something to cheer about at the Freethiel on 10.15 p.m.

Founded : 1935
FA number : 2300
Address : Klapperstraat 151 bis – 9120 Beveren
Stadium : Freethiel (13 290)
Ticket Office : 03/750 25 01
Website : www.kskbeveren.be
Main Sponsor : Van Moer Group
Kit Colours : yellow shirt, blue short, yellow socks
Budget : 1,2 million euro
Chairman : Dirk Verelst
Gaffer : Jan Boskamp (° 21/10/1948) – manager career : …RC Genk (2000), Al Ahli (2001), Al Wasl (2002-2003), Kazma (2004-2005), Stoke City (2005-2006), Standard (2006), FCV Dender EH (2007-05/2009), K.S.K. Beveren (07/2009-?)
Honours : Belgian Champions 1979 and 1984 Belgian Cup 1978 and 1983 Belgian Supercup 1984 Semi-final European Cup Winners Cup 1979.

ROEL VAN HEMERT MISSES GAME IN BEVEREN

SUMMARY DAY SEVEN

As the first 15 minutes evolved, K.S.K. Ronse’s danger gradually increased and the Royal Antwerp defending was feeble when Romont did break forward from midfield and guided  the ball beyond Wauthy in two times.  To their credit, there was a stirring second-half response with Oris on the pitch and a Tisza free-kick brought a deserved equalizer via Phibel.  Although still at an early stage of the Exqi-League season it has to be said that we need to pull together and apply the necessary effort so team performances will improve and we move up the table because a home draw against relegation fodder as Ronse just isn’t good enough. No sign of a rumoured protest yet, but gaffer Ratko Svilar and the players do need to put their act together as soon as possible because 10 points out of 7 games whereby 4 home ties isn’t enough value for money with the young vibrant squad the Serbian manager can pick from.

The Friday evening game (always transmitted through Exqi Sport) saw a strong K.S.K. Beveren insufficiently rewarded at FCV Dender EH, in the Florent Beeckmanstadium the home team took the lead via another Imschoot goal but had then to crawl back barely surviving.  Our next opponent was in cruise control after the break but goalkeeper Mollez kept the Waasland boys at bay.  You can say family Asselman vs Johan Boskamp one-nil for the FCV Dender boys.

In the other games K.A.S. Eupen made no mistake against visitors KV Turnhout while coastal team KV Ostend and KVSK United shared the points in a dour stalemate.  Because of the draw of KV Red Star Waasland against lowly K.V.K. Tienen the habitants of the Kehrwegstadium have a two-point lead at the top of the table.   K. Lierse S.K., Wetteren and OH Leuven and RAEC Mons sealed home wins and are hovering up the table.

Former Milwall star Kinet did wait seven games for his first sending off, but now he did even touch the referee and his team-mate Dibi followed 20’ later to leave Royal FC de Liège playing with nine men for the last quarter of the game at new boys KS Wetteren. ‘Mad Dog Raffa’ standing one point and one place above our bogey team, K.S.K. Ronse!

PROFILE OPPONENT * K.S.K. RONSE

Saturday 26 September 2009 - 8 P.M. (c.e.t.)

K.S.K. Ronse is still stung by the positive crticism they received during last season and manager Van Renterghem possesses a young vibrant squad and this all on a shoestring budget of  650 000 euro. Although the gaffer said he doesn’t like the word ‘entertainment’ associated with football the KSK Ronse fans were more than entertained last season, witnessing their team end up eight in the ranking, their highest ever position in the Exqi-League. With 54 goals made and 52 conceded they were a spectacular side to watch.  But all has changed now with the departure of leaders Lino and De Brul, our next opponent started the season with 6 straight defeats because they didn’t take the initiative in games, started too slowly and allowed the opposition to impose themselves.  The squad lacks leadership and depth in numbers and although being our bogey team it will be a long draining season to stay up.

Jan. 2009 - Royal Antwerp celebrate first home victory over KSK Ronse

So, Ronse is in no position where they can keep re-writing the history books and located in the Flemish Ardennes close to the French border they have nine Frenchmen in their ranks. One of them is Amick Ciani, a player who had a past as a Royal Antwerp trialist but was rejected after poor performances in friendlies, he now forms with De Broyer the strikers’ partnership of our next opponent. Further to mention is the arrival of Vandendriessche and Martens in midfield can be vital in the survival dogfight but with -11 the goal average of KSK Ronse is already the worst of the Exqi-League.

Founded : 1987
Address : Leuzesteenweg 183A – 9600 Ronse
Stadium : Orphale Crucke (5200)
Ticket Office : 055/21 14 12
Website : www.ksk-ronse.be
Kit Colours : blue-red-white shirt, blue-white short
Budget : 650 000 euro
Chairman : Jean-Marie Vandendriessche
Gaffer : Bart Van Renterghem (° 11/08/1972) – manager career : KMSK Deinze (2005-2007, assistant-coach), K.S.K. Ronse (from 2007- ?).

SUMMARY DAY SIX

The Royal Antwerp manager Svilar sent his team out to play an expansive game without fear or inhibition and insists that will be the way forward for the whole season – whatever challenges are thrown their way. Royal Antwerp displayed last Saturday an appetite for attacking football which brought them a load of chances and admiration from both sets of supporters. 'King Darko' (Pivaljevic) should have helped himself to a first-half hattrick but it would be harsh to criticise a striker who scored such a stunning opening goal. RFC de Liège were baffled by the speed and invention of these attacks, Lambot and Kenmogne adding a goal each in a superb second half against a team which ran out of ideas and stamina. With this victory the Great Old are now occupying ninth place in the ranking but also closing the gap to the frontrunners of the Exqi-League to five points.

At the top of the table all  teams with ambitions had to settle with one point, KVSK United drew K.A.S. Eupen and FC M Brussels S. did the same with title favourites K. Lierse S.K. while KV Ostend booked a scoring draw at lowly K.V.K. Tienen, the Seasiders gave a spirited comeback after they had to play with nine men after the exclusion of Pecqueux and rising star Mokulu.

Another two stalemates at Walloon based clubs RAEC Mons and R.F.C. Tournai against two stubborn opponents in OH Leuven and newcomers KS Wetteren, the latter were winning 1-3 but couldn’t sustain the pressure and a late own-goal spoiled the party for the visitors.

A special mention for Red Star Waasland whose win at  neighbours of K.S.K. Beveren giving them an unexpected second place in the table, Kielo-Lezi and Sampil are worthy successors of Hervé Onana with six and three goals on their tally which make them the best scoring team in the Exqi-League with already 14 goals made.

The away wins for FCV Dender EH and AFC Tubize (a brace from Perbet) mean they are climbing the league ranking occupying sixth and seventh place in the Belgian second division and are expected to target a play-off ticket come May.

RFC DE LIÉGE - ROYAL ANTWERP

Royal Antwerp play the 6th game of the season at Seraing where Club Luik now play their home matches. The visitors need a result after a disappointing few weeks when too many points have been lost. For Luik, Raphael Quaranta (ex Royal Antwerp) has to miss a number of key players due to injury, so no Gomez nor either of the Legros brothers. Its therefore no surprise that the side have had such a bad start to the season picking up only 2 points. Also having to play in a stadium which is not theirs does not appeal to their fans. Read our match report and watch footage at RAFC.TV.

PROFILE OPPONENT * ROYAL FC DE LIEGE

Saturday 19 September 2009 - 8.00 PM (c.e.t.)

The long battle for a new stadium at Liège continues to sap both the finances and emotions.  Having no stadium of their own RFC de Liège did play at Ans, Verviers, Tilleur and from the middle of the last Exqi-League campaign they found a home at Le Payray in Seraing.  This mean that the battle isn’t always held on the pitch but also in political and business surroundings to give our next opponent a new home.

‘Mad dog’ Raphaël Quaranta: four words that epitomise loyalty, commitment, determination and sheer hard work. The former Royal Antwerp favourite (Vitosha Sofia anyone?) is the main reason the Walloon based club went from relegation fodder to mid-table obscurity in a single season and it’s little wonder his name is linked with many posts outside the top flight. With a shoestring budget of 800 000 euro it will be interesting to see whether Raffa can weave his magic again and take his club to the next level.

Royal FC de Liège have completed some decent business – in and out – but the signings of De Pauw and Grandisson are shrewd but unspectacular and the “statement” signing everybody was waiting for in the close season didn’t materialise resulting in no wins from their first five League games will leave them playing catch-up again. Good news is the contract extension of ex-Milwall star Kinet, the left-midfield player and hardman with the worst disciplinary record in the Exqi-League last season and a player who has been well-acquainted with that long walk to the tunnel – not to mention opponents’ body parts. Gomez (injury) and G. Legros (suspended) are missing for Saturday’s evening clash between two tradition-laden clubs and a decent crowd (one of them will certainly be  the ex- gaffer from the Belgium national team Robert Waseige) is expected.

Founded : 1892
FA number : 4
Address : Rue Edouard Colson – 4431 Loncin
Stadium : Rue de la Boverie 255 – 4100 Seraing – Le Payray (7000)
Ticket Office : 04/278 43 24
Website : www.rfcl.be
Main Sponsor : V.O.O.
Kit Colours : red and blue shirt, blue and red short
Budget : 800 000 euro
Chairman : Francy Dupont
Gaffer : Raphaël Quaranta (° 29/12/1957) – manager career : Club Luik (1994-1995), Tilleur (1997-1999), Wezet (1999-2000), K.A.S. Eupen (2000), Sprimont (2001), FC Wiltz (Lux, 2003-2004), Royal FC de Liège (from 2005)
Honours : Belgian Champions in 1896, 1898, 1899, 1952 and 1953 Belgian Cup in 1990, runner-up in 1987

KING DARKO IS BACK

SUMMARY DAY FIVE

There’s no reason for anyone to condemn what Royal Antwerp are doing now.  We’re a club in a hurry but all Ratko Svilar and the chairman are trying to do is rebuild an organisation that had fallen on hard times and became a laughing stock under Dimitri Davidovic.  Royal Antwerp Football Club had become synonymous with football misfortune.  Only for the fans who had won the sympathy of the rest of the leagues for their long-suffering devotion to a lost cause.  It is too early to say whether our beloved colours will be able to challenge for the play-offs, let alone the Exqi-League title this season.  There is more quality in the team than last term, as you might expect after a wad of cash has been spent on transfer fees, wages, etc… in the close season.  But it’s not too early to say that the signings of Phibel, Lambot, Tisza and Oris have already made a massive difference to the club.  For instance the way we fought on Saturday trailing 1-3 on home soil vs RFC Tournai proved Royal Antwerp already have a great deal more resilience and team spirit than we did have last term and when targetman Oris scored in injury time it was a well deserved point, a reward for our show of character. An enthralling finish of the game gives us tenth position in the Exqi-League but two of the more difficult away fixtures at title candidates K. Lierse S.K. and RAEC Mons are behind us. More good news is that goalkeeper Wauthy did extend his contract with the club until the 2011-2012 season meaning a massive leap forward in the rearguard of the team.

In the other games K.S.K. Beveren drew 1-1 at K.V. Ostend whose hopes to going top of the league in their one thousand official game went begging when Lardenoit showed up at the far post to convert a Cousin free-kick with a header.  Helped with a strong wind backing the coastal team in the second half it was winger Helegbe who scored at the far post for the Seasiders.

Another important game at the Lisp where the home team couldn’t sustain the pressure of RAEC Mons, game of two halves, De Witte giving K.Lierse S.K. the lead but Matumona got too much time and space afforded to shoot and the two outspoken title candidates had to be content with a stalemate.

Next week KVSK United entertain leaders K.A.S. Eupen, the former winning with the smallest margin at AFC Tubize and the latter won through strikes of Mombongo and Maric against lowly K.V.K. Tienen. So, a mouthwatering at the Gestelsedijk to come but may we have your special attention for FA numbers 4 (Royal FC de Liège) and the Great Old at Le Pairay next Saturday with two of the fiercest supporters groups in the country!

PROFILE OPPONENT * RFC DOORNIK/TOURNAI

Saturday 12 September 2009 - 8.00 PM (c.e.t.)

Good organisation from the staff, preparation, a fantastic work ethic, real hunger and a no-fear attitude were last term the strenghts of our next opponent at the Bosuilstadium. This year everything is different. With a shoestring budget of only 500 000 euro “Les Sang et Or” needed to offload some of their best stalwarts as Annijs, Di Tullio, Zebre and Scarpino. Also there was constant speculation about the future of the most important players Dorizon and Mouissi, they stayed at the Luc Varennestadium but are out for Saturday’s clash, due to injuries. Recruiting as always in the lower divisions in Belgium and France a repeat of last season’s  fifth place will be some achievement. The successor of Gerrit Laverge, manager Christophe Denie has the major task to lead RFC Tournai to safer heights than the seventeenth place they are occupying now in the Exqi-League.  The spine of the team exists out of goalkeeper Martin, defender Duquesnoy, midfielder and set-pieces specialist Frutos and in attack there is an important role for 21-year old striker David Cardon.  His strikepartner is Frenchman Sylvio Breleur who has proven himself for several years in this division.

Ratko Svilar & Gerrit Laverge at Bosuilstadium (Deurne-Noord, April 18th 2009)

Last year we played RFC Tournai four times, resulting in one defeat, one draw and two wins with one of those wins we did qualify for the play-offs in front of a 10 000+ crowd.  Less spectators are expected this time around but this is for Royal Antwerp a must win game to climb in the ranking, for the visitors it could be a vital turning point of the season.

Founded : 2002
FA number : 26
Address : Rue du Follet 327 – 7540 Kain
Stadium : Luc Varenne (7552)
Ticket Office : 069/59 07 84
Website : www.rfctournai.be
Main Sponsor : Dufour
Kit Colours : yellow shirt, red short, yellow socks
Budget : 500 000 euro
Chairman : Philippe Rasseneur
Gaffer : Christophe Denie (° 17/10/1966) – manager career : RFC Tournai (2008-?) first assistant now headcoach

DARKO'S SECOND DAY

SUMMARY DAY FOUR

K.A.S. Eupen boss Dany Ost has urged fans and players not to get carried away with their impressive start of the Exqi-League season.  After the Belgian Cup humiliation the Pandas bounced back with three straight League wins in a row, the win at K.S.K. Ronse via a bullet header of Mombongo and further strikes of French striker Lepiller and Serb midfielder Milicevic giving them a dreamstart in this campaign totalising 10 out of 12 maximum points.  Knowing that K.V. Ostend lost their first points of the season at Le Pairay in Liège one day earlier the boys from the Kehrwegstadium are occupying first place in the ranking with a better goal difference than the Seasiders.

Gaffer Ratko Svilar insisted he will not be lowering his sights after Royal Antwerp Football Club produced a mediocre display in a tedious encounter at RAEC Mons. He was angry with the lack of courage from some of his players but it’s a fact that our beloved colours have hardly burst from the traps, picking up just five points from their first four games.  Now that the so called easier games are coming up Ratko believes his team will climb the table in the forthcoming weeks.

In the other games K. Lierse S.K. are finding their rhythm at last, Jurgen Cavens scoring all 4 goals for the home team and therefore leads the goalscorer ranking netting 7 times already.  And gaffer Helleputte started with the experienced striker on the bench in their stalemate on the opening day of the season. What a luxury some managers have!

On his birthday Snelders gave his KSK Beveren side a lucky win in the dying minutes against a lacklustre AFC Tubize while FC M Brussels S. continued their good form from their controversial Bosuil win by thrashing opponents FCV Dender EH in the capital 4-1.  Lutula and Veselinovic once again on the scoresheet. Our next opponent Royal F.C. Tournai and KV Red Star Waasland drew at the Varennestadium, a very spectacular game ended 3-3  with two goals from emergent striker Cardon for the Walloon based club.

In the basement of the League KV Turnhout secured three valuable points at home against ambitious OH Leuven. With one goal and one assist Da Silva was the undisputed man of the match, particular in this story is that he went on trial at the city of the famous university and was rejected there.  His revenge couldn’t come on a better time, could it?

PROFILE OPPONENT * RAEC MONS

Friday 4 September 2009 - 8.30 PM (c.e.t.)

Referees: Jean-Baptist Bultynck - Pascal Engels - Jeroen Walschap

What if there is a cult computer game called Exqi-League Manager which does just what it says on the tin. Every minute detail is sitting there, waiting to be tinkered with by a wannabe boss. From setting up scouting systems, to negotiating contracts, to buying players, to selecting a team, to playing an actual match. Which mean there is a whole generation of geeks who think managing an Exqi-League club is a doddle.  So come on then.  What would you footballing stats nerds give as advice to Rudi Cossey, the gaffer of RAEC Mons?
 
Our next opponent were relegated from the Jupiler League (Belgian First Division) last term and are hoping to bounce back on the first occasion.  Mons have received a wad of cash from departing players such as defender Buysens, midfielders Cordaro, Ragued, Brahami and Collet, striker Oris left the club to play for the Great Old.  But they were also big spenders by drafting in goalkeeper Peersman, defenders Sankaré, Demets and Timmermans, midfield maestro Zola Matumona and Grondin, further they raided FC M Brussels with the acquisition of striker Sanogo.  The Walloon based club, backed by influential political bosses are expected to make their spanky new stadium Charles Tondreau into a fortress.

RAEC Mons has played thus far two away games due to the installment of a new pitch at their ground, they lost on the opening day of te season at KV Red Star Waasland but secured three points with a last-gasp effort by Coppin at new boys St. Wetteren.  Mid-table obscurity is not an option for title candidates Mons so a winning home start would be nice for starters!

Founded : 1910
FA number : 44
Address : Avenue du Tir 80 – 7000 Bergen/Mons
Stadium : Charles Tondreau ( 10 150)
Ticket Office : 065/22 11 11
Website : www.raec-mons.be
Kit Colours : red shirt, white short, red socks
Budget : last season in first division 6,2 million euro, this season 3,5 million euro
Chairman : Dominique Leone
Gaffer : Rudi Cossey (° 02/08/1961) – manager career : 1995-2007 Lokeren OV(assistant), 2007-08/2008 OH Leuven, 09/2008 - ? RAEC Mons (first assistant now headcoach).
Honours : winner play-offs second division in 2002, title second division in 2006

DARKO'S FIRST DAY

SUMMARY DAY THREE

In England blunder ref Rob Shoebridge has been dropped by the Football League after his gaffe at Ashton Gate but what can we expect from referees’ supremos in our country after seeing referee Bylois making poor and dodgy decisions again and again during our home tie against FC M Brussels S. Giving two debatable spot-kicks at the visitors and as icing on the cake the sending off for minor calamities to our strikers’ partnership Pivaljevic (after 30 minutes) and Oris (after 75 minutes) should lead to a suspension of this referee, shouldn’t it?  Playing with 9 against 12 it wasn’t a surprise to see us lose three valuable points at home, by doing so tumbling at position number ten in the Exqi-League ranking.

After three games KV Ostend is still the surprise leader of the Exqi-League, the Seasiders gave visitors K.S.K. Ronse no chance and a brace of exciting youngster Mokulu in the first 20 minutes was enough to secure maximum points. Bar the leaders there are seven other teams still unbeaten with KVSK United, K.A.S. Eupen, AFC Tubize and KV Red Star Waasland the chasing pack on 7 points each. KVSK United lost their maximum at RBD Borinage although old Antwerp boy Pinxten giving them the lead with a header after a corner. In the Eastern part of Belgium KAS Eupen brushed aside a poor K.S.K. Beveren side, after 20 seconds the ball was already on the spot, Maric converted in two times. AFC Tubize had no difficulties with K.V.K. Tienen while KV Red Star Waasland for the moment can cope with the absence of the topscorer of last term Onana and added another threepointer at Puyenbeke on their total.

Rock bottom are K.S.K. Ronse and OH Leuven, the latter losing again at home vs K. Lierse S.K. (1-3), they have already conceded shedloads of goals, thirteen to be precise and in desperate need of a new chairman after their last one stepped down today.

SUMMARY DAYS ONE & TWO

The new season’s only two weeks old but it must feel like a continuation of last term for gaffers Van Der Elst and Vande Velde.  The KVSK United’s manager admits he could hardly have expected a better start of the new Exqi-League campaign with two wins in a row and watching midfielder Davy Brouwers produce a man-of-the-match display on the opening day of the season thrashing home side OH Leuven with 3-6 followed by a home win vs new boys KV Turnhout.  On the evidence of Leuven’s thumping by United and Wetteren, JPV’s time would be better served talking the players at the club through the concept of defending.  After two games the ambitious club from the university city are rock bottom with already 10(!) goals conceded. Even better news for the leaders is the signing of exciting striker Jason Oost who’s experience at Dutch Eredivisie level will make them at least serious play-off contenders come May.

The second team with a maximum of points is the team managed by our former player Thierry Pister. KV Ostend surprise win at Walloon based club Royal FC Tournai was spectacular given the fact that the Seasiders were playing with 10 men, youngster Mokulu netting the decisive goal in the dying minutes at the Luc Varenne Stadium.

Royal Antwerp Football Club had a decent start of the season, they  moved into fifth spot after a well fought draw at  K. Lierse S.K., taking the lead after some impressive work from new Hungarian recruit Tibor Tisza. After the break Manu Kenmogne doubled the lead but we could not sustain and the big title favourites levelled with a last-minute effort from their captain Cavens. Good news is we had the best of the play in the ninety minutes and new striker Kevin Oris, defender Thomas Phibel and midfielder Benjamin Lambot proved all to be good acquisitions.

A team that could surprise is RBD Borinage who held K.S.K. Beveren at 2-2 making it a fine start with 4 points out of 6.  A brace from Kristof Snelders wasn’t enough to keep the points at the Freethiel.  Snelders going from hero to zero by not scoring from the spot, goalkeeper Coqu making a marvellous save.

In the other games on the second day of the season K.A.S. Eupen and AFC Tubize did win on the road, the first at local rivals Royal FC de Liège and the latter at K.S.K. Ronse. Both teams totalise four points and are expected to make it very hard for the frontrunners in this Exqi-League season 2009-2010.

THE EXQI LEAGUE COUNTDOWN

Half the sports fans in the country are already looking forward to August 19, the start of the Exqi-League season. This is what happens when the fixtures for the forthcoming football season are published: you scan the list for juicy encounters (K. Lierse S.K. vs Royal Antwerp Football Club on August 26 for instance) and start planning ahead, wishing your summer away. This is also the moment of unbridled optimism, when the full extent of your team’s inadequacy has yet to be tested by reality and you can dream of titles won and relegation avoided. Needless to say that fixture list overconfidence is an affliction that can strike down even the most elevated. What follows is a team-by-team guide to the 2009-2010 Exqi-League season – how will the teams fare?

Big spenders

K.A.S. Eupen are basking in the sun at the Kehrwegstadium, after escaping the drop last season with a rejuvenated side after the January transfer window, with 5 points they were a certainty to go down, but the new gaffer Danny Ost helped by rich Italian investors bought outstanding goalkeeper Radek and with Milicevic, Benzouien and Lepiller they added some firepower to the squad. Although wanted by clubs in the highest tier of Belgian and European football they have extended their stay in the Eastern German speaking part of Belgium.  Further acquisitions this summer included Marc Hendrikx from STVV and from Italy Maric, Djuric and Iandoli were drafted in. With a team-bonding session and training camp for 3 weeks in Italy they prepared this Exqi-League season where they start as one of the favourites for a play-off place or even an outside chance for the title.

K. Lierse S.K. are hungry for success and there will be a healthy(?) competition for starting places. They have lost young prospect Buyens, but with incoming transfers such as influential French defender Tournut, Belgian ex-international Deflandre and up front Tim Matthijs and prolific striker Thiebaut the club with the slogan “together champions” will be favourites to clinch the title come May.  Thanks to Egyptian investors group Wadi Degla there’s money in abundance and three Egyptian players will even bolster the squad with ex- Fulham and Everton player Radzinski and well-travelled Jurgen Cavens still the stars of the team.

R.A.E.C. Mons backed by political support were relegated last term to the Exqi-League but want to bounce back on the first occasion. With experienced goalkeeper Peersman, defenders Lepicier and Demets, midfielders Dickson and Bossekota, striker Coppin and as icing on the cake midfield maestro Zola Matumona they’ve done their homework and a play-off berth is the least  the Walloon based club is aiming for in their shiny new stadium.

Teams to watch

FCV Dender EH is the team with the most transfer activity, at the moment of writing ten outgoing transfers and believe it or not at this level fifteen incoming transfers. First-team stalwarts De Petter, Destorme, Deflandre, Berthelin, Sylla and Smajic all left the club while Mollez, Essikal, Van den Brandt and Imschoot are new faces at the Florent Beeckmanstadium. A season of transition looms although the abovementioned suggested that fees, wage demands and other factors won’t prevent the family Asselman to play their role in the play-off hunt come May.

O.H. Leuven has received some transfer funds by selling right-back Odoi and also want to offload Jarakovic and this can give championship maker JP Van de Velde some room to manoeuvre, but prudence remains a watchword at the city known for his famous university.  Leuven fans were not so much concerned about relegation as bored last season and the gaffer appears to have acknowledged the problem by promising that the team will ditch their direct style of play to robust striker Ruytinx and become a more attractive prospect.   JPV’s plan may founder, though, if he can’t sign a reliable pacy striker and someone to replace injured newcomer Lino from their Exqi-League rivals K.S.K. Ronse.  Annijs and Debroux are proven at this level and could make OHL from mid-table obscurity into play-off contenders.

KVSK United O.L lost Eberle and Van de Weyer, the first gap is filled with the acquisition of Chergui but the latter’s departure leave United with a significant gap to fill in attack alongside star striker Ketting.  The problem for United is that they are far from alone in seeking reinforcements up front and finding value for money has not proved straightforward.  Gaffer Van der Elst’s famed eye for a bargain may be needed although on temporary basis Azevedo and ex- Antwerpplayer Pereira can do the job and lead them to the dizzy heights of the play-offs.

K.S.K. Beveren has had a decidedly low key summer and their supporters can only hope that the new manager Johan Boskamp has something up his sleeve.  Boskamp’s aim is to keep hold of his squad rather than spend money.  If Jeffrey Rentmeister, left, resists overtures from bigger clubs, that in itself will probably represent Beveren’s biggest “signing” of the summer.  Sounds depressing, but Boskamp will give some youngsters the chance to shine at the Freethiel and has never pleaded for more cash, a big-money signing would rock the boat.  The arrival of  defender Collen and striker Snelders will give this team an outside chance on promotion via the play-offs.

FC M Brussels S. is still the club from the controversial owner Vermeersch and if ever a club needed an injection of new blood it is the team from the capital.  They almost spiralled out of control in the second half of last season and new gaffer Dessy is banking on Royal Antwerp trialist Eric Ndizeye but with Lutula and Matumona leaving the club it could be a long and draining season.  If a team set their sights on a Royal Antwerp far-from-prolific trialist it does not bode well.  Midtable or the chairman has to splash the cash on proven Exqi-League material.

Royal FC de Liège have completed some decent business – in and out – but are craving at least one “statement” signing.  Although De Pauw and Grandisson are good buys the most important achievement is the extended contract of ex-Milwall star Kinet.  For this team most Exqi-League followers have a soft spot.  Belgian FA number four and always an impressive and enthusiastic travelling contingent makes them almost everybody favourite second team.  The lack of a stadium of their own will hamper high ambitions so mid-table will do for Raphaël Quaranta’s team.

AFC Tubize were relegated last term, they were sunk under the weight of off-the-field chaos, shockingly bad buys and the sense that however bad things got, they were about to get worse. Their gaffer seems to have lost his managerial vim, while the owners and the board have certainly mislaid their wallet. Although they’ve bought cannily with Steens, prospect Gillis and goalkeeper Govoni their star players Perbet, Dufer and Lambot have chosen other horizons. May be trouble ahead or the only way is up, possibly to the play-offs.

Royal F.C. Tournai lost with Annijs, Di Tullio, Zebre and Scarpino some decent players but the gaffer, rather than be left to fine-tune his squad as he might have hoped, has instead been forced to contend with constant speculation about the future of the most important players, recruiting as always in lower divisions but the most important achievement of the Walloon based club is that set-pieces  specialist Frutos has extended his stay at the Varenne stadium.  A top-six finish as last year is the target but all depends on the new acquisitions.

K.V. Ostend will miss the goals from Sankaré and Grandisson and hopes that Deschacht and Wittesaele together with Laleman can bang in lots of goals, but goals galore at one end will mean little if you concede shedloads at the other.  Lahousse for Dindeleux is solid, shrewd if unspectacular business.  Wallaeys prolonged his contract and that is the best news the Seasiders could bring to their supporters.

KV Red Star Waasland has to live with the departure of the leader of the goalscorer chart in the Exqi-League last term, but gaffer De Roover is a master wheeler and dealer certainly in the lower divisions.  So, after Cameroon striker Hervé Ndjana Onana left for Jupiler League outfit STVV, it’s now time for Kielo-Lezi and Sampil to score the necessary goals and a certain Bobsam Elejiko together with his defensive collegues must deliver lots of clean sheets.

K.S.K. Ronse is still stung by the positive criticism they received during last season and manager Van Renterghem possesses a young, vibrant squad and this all on a shoestring budget.  Midfield dynamo Lino left the club but Vandendriessche and Martens are useful midfield acquisitions and another mid-table finish is expected.

K.V.K. Tienen did well before the winter break last term, but when Dufoor wasn’t scoring anymore the Sugarboys were losing ground on the frontrunners.  This season a lot is expected from new signing De Smet and midfielder Belme will give you plenty of goals but the loss of Nijs, Vandecauter, Thijs and Lunenberg will certainly mean KVK Tienen won’t be reaching the play-offs.

The new boys in the Exqi-League

To be represented in the Exqi-League is already a huge success for these teams, achieving promotion with average crowds less than 1 000 spectators meaning there is no glut of money available and maintaining a close-knit, family atmosphere within the camps is viewed as their best chance of securing survival.

K.V.K. Turnhout has enjoyed an ominously quiet summer what incoming transfers are concerned but will look for leftovers in Belgian and Dutch leagues to bolster their squad. Avoiding relegation is gaffer Desaeyere (ex-manager of Royal Antwerp) only ambition. 

On the other hand Boussu Dour Borinage did strenghten their squad with Royal Antwerp old-boy Preseaux, midfielder Leurquin and strikers Copel and El Khanchaf who have both  gained experience in the Belgian second division.  Wetteren is the unknown quantity in the second tier of Belgian footie, they are the first team to visit the Bosuil on the first day of the Exqi-League season.

THE REDS AT THE ZOO OF ANTWERP

Kai Mook, new born elephant at the Zoo of Antwerp this season, has been playing the star of the town ever since she was born, this Tuesday she had to share people's attention with the starlets of Manchester Utd during their visit of our city’s animal park. Later that afternoon the Reds returned home.

ROYAL ANTWERP - MANCHESTER UTD (RES.)

How did the Reds do at Bosuil Stadium on Monday? Read our report!

MANCHESTER UTD HAS A TASTE OF BOSUIL STADIUM

Ole-Gunnar Sjolksjaer, Warren Joyce and a MU select team visited De Bosuil this morning. Some of the players were more than happy to show off their ball skills in front of the ATV cameras..

Tom Heaton and Danny Simpson (seated in the visitors dug out) reflected on their playing days here. To initiate the new speaker installation The Agitators will perform ‘Red and White’, an appropriate number from these fervent supporters of the club. Come on U reds

UNITED IN HOLLAND

Warren Joyce, Marco Gbarssin & Alex Verveckken @ Wout van Overdamtornooi, Holland, 08.08.2009

MU Reserves warming up, central in the background you will recognize Ritchie De Laet

MU Reserves stormed through their group matches and went onto win the tournament

Ex-Royal Antwerp players with the MU Reserves: Ritchie De Laet, Tom Heaton and hidden behind Warren Joyce Danny Simpson

PROFILE OPPONENT * MANCHESTER UNITED II

In 366 appearances with 216 starts the current gaffer of the Reserves banged in 126 goals.  One goal stands out – the winner in the European Cup Final in Barcelona in 1999.  United have just equalised in the first of three minutes of injury time against German giants Bayern Munich; David Beckham takes a corner, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer sticks out his right foot and United complete the treble.  But this isn’t the only highlight in his career, coming from Norwegian team Molde his debut set the tone in 1996, he came on as a sub vs Blackburn Rovers and scored within six minutes.  Has there ever been a better sub because his football intelligence helped him hit the ground running when he came on and exploit a situation, whether it be four goals against Nottingham Forest or that certain last minute winner in 1999. So, winning 15 major honours during a glorious 10-year Old Trafford career and known for his selfless professionalism and warm, humble character he had to call time on his career on 28 Aug 2007.  Nowadays he and Warren Joyce have the reigns of the Reserves squad of the World Champions.

Warren Joyce began his football career at Burnden Park in Bolton, later on he had spells at Preston North End, Plymouth Argyle, Burnley and Hull City.  At Boothferry Park with The Tigers started his managerial career where he performed ‘The Great Escape’.  Afterwards he worked for Leeds United (with Andy Welsh), Stockport County and Tranmere Rovers.  Royal Antwerp Football Club and Warren Joyce sealed an agreement in September 2006 and our former head-coach made his losing debut on the Belgian Coast against Ostend on Saturday 16 Sep when he fielded Simpson, Evans, Hilton, Mamam, Dong and Campbell in his team.  His endeavour led to two successive play-off participations but on Thursday 5 June 2008 he led our beloved colours for the last time at KVSK United O.L. when the Antwerpfans were chanting ‘Respect for Warren Joyce’ during and after the match.  Nowadays he has to guide Solskjaer in the right direction and nurture the Man United Reserves into first-team regulars.

The Manchester United Reserves and Academy are playing in their foreign Dutch/Belgian trip at Katwijk VV, WVO Tournament and as icing on the cake the following players can be seen in the flesh at the Bosuil on Monday : Heaton, Gray, Simpson, Zieler, Corry Evans, Chester, Gill, Dudgeon, Brown Reece, Wootton, Eikrem, Hewson, Norwood, James, Brady, Stewart, Ajose and Brandy. The Manchester United Reserves won two Cups last year and ended 7 points behind  surprise package Sunderland in the Reserve League.

RITCHIE DE LAET MAKES OLD TRAFFORD DEBUT

One of our brightest assests in recent history, versatile defender Ritchie De Laet is making a name for himself at United’s Reserves and even the first team. After starting in the first two outings with the Reserves at non-league club Fylde and League Two outfit Rochdale he was told by Sir Alex Ferguson to play in the high profiled pre-season friendly against Valencia in the Theatre of Dreams. Last Year Ritchie made his promising first team debut at the Kingston Communications Stadium at Hull in front of 24 945 spectators. In the game against Valencia he played at right-back bursting forward on every occasion supporting wing wizard Valencia and even offering superstar Wayne Rooney the chance to break the deadlock. With the formidable coaching help from the experienced centre-halve Rio Ferdinand the energetic right-back had a blinder of a game and enjoyed his first run-out on home soil in front of a huge crowd very much but stayed humble knowing he has to improve and gain experience to become a regular in Sir Alex’s squad. In the pre-season friendlies there were also starting berths for our former starlets Jonny Evans, Darren Gibson and Craig Cathcart. We’ll keep you informed about their progress in the forthcoming months…

SUMMARY TRIP TO THE BAIRNS AND THE DEES

Our pre-season campaign took us to the Falkirk Stadium on Saturday and scheduled on Monday night a visit to Dens Park on the border of the Tay.  In both games we were made of sterner stuff as SPL outfit Falkirk could only manage a 1-0 home win after diabolical man-marking by some Royal Antwerp defenders which saw Carl Finnigan decide the game with a free header on 78’.  More important news here was that the travelling Red Army (approx. 250 supporters strong) joined in the party atmosphere and gave a wonderful impression of our club, our city and Belgian footie in general.  So, only losing by the smallest margin against a side who had already gained European experience this season made us hopeful for our visit to Sandeman Street.

The prospect of seeing The Dees play our beloved colours only attracted 1 500 home supporters but they saw a smashing 3-3 draw, with both sides looking dangerous in attack and fragile at the back.  We took the lead three times in this highly entertaining friendly with Marquinhos, Pivaljevic and Kenmogne on the scoresheet.  Dundee admirably fought back and Mc Menamin sealed the draw which was a fair result in a hugely enjoyable game, the sort of pre-season friendly that fans want to see; with goals, skill, commitment, hard tackling and two teams keen to win played in a good British spirit.  But it has to be said that the Royal Antwerp fans housed in the famous Shankly Stand seemed happiest because they were having a non-stop party and never stopped singing and cheering and they were once again a credit to our club in our annual foreign pre-season trip.

PROFILE OPPONENT * DUNDEE FC

Dundee Football Club based on Tayside and founded in 1893 are nicknamed The Dees or The Dark Blues and play their home fixtures at Dens Park which can hold 12 085 spectators.  Although Dundee have a superior honours list than Falkirk, our opponent isn’t playing their trade in the highest tier of Scottish football.  Relegated from the SPL in 2005, they failed to gain promotion back as they finished 7th, 3rd, 2nd and 4th in successive seasons.  The board sacked boss Alex Rae and Jocky Scott was appointed on 30 October 2008 for his third stint at the club.  Dundee’s golden age came as Bob Shankly was manager and they clinched with players such as Bobby Cox and prolific striker Alan Gilzean their only Scottish title. 

The following season they knocked out 1. FC Köln, Sporting Clube de Portugal and RSC Anderlecht before being swept aside at the San Siro against the mighty AC Milan.  The latest piece of silverware came in 1973 with a Scottish League Cup win and since then it’s doom and gloom for our friendly rivals.  In 2000 the club made their biggest signing when they brought in Argentine international Claudio Caniggia.  As the captains of industry, the Marrs brothers saw that the attendances and the income were still short of the expected numbers they did quit the club leaving a debt of £23 million and The Dees were forced to go into administration.  They survived by selling their stadium and the new club strategy is now to nurture youth talents into first-team stalwarts.

Founded : 1893
Address : Sandeman Street, DD3 7JY
Ticket Office : 01382 889 966
Stadium : Dens Park (12 085)
Pitch size : 101m x 66m
Nickname : The Dees or the Dark Blues
Website : www.thedees.co.uk
Pubs : The Centenary Bar (near the ground) or The Clep Bar (Clepington Road)
Honours : Scottish Premier League in 1962, Scottish Cup in 1910, Scottish League Cup in 1952, 1953 and 1974 plus an amazing European Cup semi-final in 1963

PROFILE OPPONENT * FALKIRK FC

The club’s date of formation is a point of much contention, although most accounts point to the year 1876 as the probable starting point.  The club were admitted to the Scottish Football League in 1902 and before World War One the club enjoyed success afterwards Falkirk FC had to wait until 1957 to achieve more silverware.  Still playing at Brockville Park in 2000 and 2003 did mean no promotion to the SPL because this old venue didn’t meet the stringent SPL stadia requirements.  Falkirk finally won promotion to the Scottish Premier League on 9 April 2005 after a 1-0 victory over Ross County.

Preview season 2005-2006
To avoid being ripped apart in the SPL, gaffer Hughes needs to perform some major surgery on a defence that wasn’t even the best in the First Division last season.  Unfortunately the funds simply aren’t there and the Bairns boss admits he will have to chuck in some youngsters, cross his fingers and hope for the best. Result: negotiated that tricky debut season in the top flight with some room to spare, the talismanic figure of Russell Latapy one of the reasons!

Preview season 2006-2007
Home form at the Bairns’ spanking new stadium has been woeful, that will have to change if Falkirk FC are to enjoy an extended residency in the SPL.  Lesson from last season is that Falkirk did play too much football on occasions, while admirable also dangerous. Result: Hughes is making a name for himself by collecting 50 points and sixth-placed finish Falkirk FC is moving in the right direction, the contributions of loanees as striker Stokes and Kasper Smeichel in goal pays dividend.

Preview season 2007-2008
Manager Hughes has endeavoured to build consistent standards from the U19s to the first team, and his integrated approach is really bearing fruit on the pitch.  Although lacking a bit of physical presence of front still a lot is expected from the mercurial talent of Latapy and Darren Barr has graduated from the youth set-up into a first team stalwart so a mid-table finish will do. Result: Falkirk just fail to make a top six spot, but a seventh place is given their limited resources another fine effort.

Preview season 2008-2009
John ‘Yogi’ Hughes has instilled composure and confidence in his small squad and the playing pack has been shuffled over the close season, the additions of experienced players such as Mc Namara and Mc Cann making it a well-drilled squad. Result: a dramatic final day saw Falkirk FC secure 10th place and avoid relegation but there were some cup highlights to compensate the mediocre SPL season by entering the UEFA Europa League and this by losing with the smallest margin against Old Firm favourite Rangers at Hampden in the Scottish Cup.

On 8th June 2009, Falkirk manager Hughes confirmed that he will take the reigns at his boyhood heroes at Easter Road.  A fortnight later Eddie May was confirmed as Head Coach. Falkirk’s first-ever foray into European competition ultimately proved a short-lived affair after Pierre Littbarski’s FC Vaduz team defeated the Bairns in extra time in Liechtenstein.  Ryan Flynn giving the Scots a 1-0 first leg win, even a travelling contingent of 1 000+ fans in the Alpine principality couldn’t prevent Noll and Burgmeier from scoring who gave the minnows a 2-1 aggregate win!

Best ever players of Falkirk FC in the past were Kevin Mc Allister, Mo Johnston, Chris Waddle, Russell Latapy and a certain (Sir) Alex Ferguson. At present time captain and versatile defender Darren Barr (1 cap), experienced defender Jackie Mc Namara (33 caps), midfielder Neill Mc Cann (26 caps) and playing in the Scotland under 21 prospect Scott Arfield are the ones to watch.

Founded : 1876
Address : The Falkirk Stadium, Westfield, FK2 9DX
Stadium : Falkirk Stadium – the new South Stand will be inaugurated for the Royal Antwerp visit, new capacity over 8 000 spectators
Gaffer : Eddie May who has a more cautious approach than ‘Yogi’
Club record attendance : 23 100 vs Celtic, Scottish Cup, 21/2/1953 Brockville Park stadium
Honours : Scottish Cup in 1913 and 1957, runner-up in 1997 and 2009
Website : www.falkirkfc.co.uk
Tickets : 12£
Away ticket allocation : 1 000
Nearest station : Grahamston
Pub : Behind the Wall, Melville Street
Fanzine : One F in Falkirk
Local Rivals : Dunfermline, rivalry beyond comparison
Main Sponsor : Central Demolition

ROYAL ANTWERP EXTEND VAN HEMERT CONTRACT

The 24-year-old arrived at the Bosuil in the winter of 2007 when he was signed by former Royal Antwerp boss Warren Joyce from league rivals FCV Dender EH. The Dutchman was linked with several other Belgian and foreign clubs in the media but decided to stay and penned a new deal with the club for two more years. He stated: "Chairman Eddy Wauters was very fair with me. When I signed here from FCV Dender EH he said that if I performed and got in the team and stayed in the team I would be rewarded and he has been true to his word."  With this new agreement the rearguard and backbone of the team will be the same as last year and we know that Roel, who can operate on both flanks and in central defence together with his colleagues will deliver first and foremost clean sheets.

GREAT OLD DID NOT MANAGE TO OUTSMART OLD RIVALS

After last week’s bashing of K. Merksem S.C. (6th division), the Great Old had to head down South for a meeting with ‘fading glory’ K. Berchem Sport. The yellow-black home team has a splendid 101-year old past with some great years in first division, but has recently sunk to the lower divisions of Belgian football. Fourth Division is their sad fate at the moment, but this doesn’t mean that the old rivalry between these two century-old clubs has vanished.

Again Head Coach Ratko Svilar chose to give some try-out players the chance to hunt for glory and a permanent contract at R.A.F.C., so again we met Marquinhos, Caio and Niels Martin in the first half, hereby experiencing latest signing Thomas Phibel’s unofficial debut at Royal Antwerp. The weather was poor, and so was the general performance of both teams. K Berchem Sport was equal to our red-and-white heroes in the first half, although the Great Old managed to miss all of their 5 chances.

Six new players on the pitch in the second half, but this did not really improve the game level. Xande and Adriano were among those 6, but could not force an opening in the Berchem defense. Some poor long-range shots could not trouble the local goalie, and the handfull of better chances we had, were missed or saved by the keeper. A bit of a let-down this second friendly, we might say. Luckily we won’t have to wait for the next sparring partner for too long: next adversary is Dutch second-divisionist RBC Roosendaal, who we will meet on Friday at Wijnegem Kasteellei Stadium.

MERKSEM NO MATCH FOR NEW R. ANTWERP F.C.

Finally, the long awaited day ajourned: the first pre-season friendly! Local amateur team K. Merksem S.C. (6th division) was to be the first victim of  the ‘new’ Great Old, and so it happened. Coach Ratko Svilar wanted to give some players ‘on trial’ a chance to impress the board and supporters, so a lot of unfamiliar faces entered the pitch. Among them: Caio (28), Marquinhos, Xande and Adriano (the four Brazilians from Santos FC and Saõ Bernardo) in the first half, and Niels Martin in the second. Also it was the first chance to see (and judge) new official signings like Benjamin Lambot, Audry Diansangu, Icham El Messaoudi and Yannick Put.

The game itself fulfilled the expectations. Ray Fränkel opened the score from close range, Xande netted one, Caio became the hattrick-hero with three goals and youngster Geoffry Hairemans added one in the last minutes of the game. 0-6 the final score, and the enthusiastic away crowd saw enough to give them hope for the upcoming season. The next fixture is planned against old city rivals (yet now playing in fourth division) Berchem Sport, and will not be as easy...

TARTAN ARMY HERE WE COME

Ryan Flynn gives Falkirk winning debut in Europa League against FC Vaduz. New Bairns manager Eddie May’s tenure began on a positive note as the home side celebrated their first ever game in Europe with a win that might just be enough to see them through the second leg in Liechtenstein next Thursday. Disappointingly, for such an historic occasion, there were only two stands open to house the crowd of 5,763 spectators. Well, Royal Antwerp will play against the mighty Bairns on August 1 with a 3 pm kick-off in their pre-season Tour of Scotland.  A new stand will be inaugurated and a decent travelling Royal Antwerp contingent will be there as happened with previous encounters with Bolton Wanderers (Reebokstadium), Hull City (Kingston Communications Stadium) and Bristol City (Ashton Gate)!  Can you lot beat the 6,000 mark on this occasion, otherwise the second Scottish away trip two days later at Dens Park in Dundee must become a crowd-pleaser because we knocked out local rivals Dundee United in a second round tie on our famous European campaign in 1989 when we were world-beaters.  Be there on the 3rd of August at Dens Park with a 7.45 pm kick-off.

The new schedule of friendlies for Royal Antwerp Football Club are :

Date	Time	Pitch	Opponent
Friday July 10th	10.00 am cet	Bosuil	first day of practise
Saturday July 18th	6.00 pm cet	Merksem	K Merksem SC
Tuesday July 21st	7 pm cet	Berchem	K Berchem Sport
Friday July 24th	7 pm cet	Wijnegem	RBC Roosendaal
Sunday July 26th	6 pm cet	Kapellen	RFC Cappellen
Tuesday July 28th	7 pm cet	Zoersel	KFC Antonia
Saturday August 1st	3 pm gmt	Falkirk	Falkirk FC
Monday August 3rd	7.45 pm gmt	Dundee	Dundee FC
Wednesday August 5th	8 pm cet	Mol	KFC Rac. Mol Wezel
Saturday August 8th	6.00 pm cet	Oostmalle	KVC Oostmalle Sport
Monday August 10th	7.30 pm cet	Bosuil	Manchester Utd II

ANOTHER NEW SIGNING : THOMAS PHIBEL

Marco Gbarssin had to do with Thomas Phibel in last season's game at Bosuil Stadium, now they are team mates at Royal Antwerp

Royal Antwerp Football Club are showing their ambition to reach at least the play-offs by signing Thomas Phibel.  Another youngster (° 21/5/1986) from French descent born in Guadeloupe.  He played several years in the Belgian Second Division at the Yvan Georges Stadium in Virton, going from strength to strength grabbing positive headlines in the papers and soon a dream move to R Standard Liège became reality.  Liège’s big boss Luciano D’Onofrio saw in the youth ranks of RC Lens nurtured player the successor of American international and defensive stronghold Oguchi Onyewu.  But the giant defender was plagued by injuries in his first season and didn’t gather a lot of playing minutes on the Sclessin pitch.

Afterwards he wasn’t a first-choice pick of new Romanian gaffer Laszlo Bölöni and went on loan to Exqi-League outfit FC M Brussels.  A strong first half of last season wasn’t followed by more outstanding displays because the chairman of Brussels rang the changes when the team lost ground on the frontrunners.  This season Thomas Phibel hopes at a fresh new start at the Bosuil to prove himself…

NEW AT ROYAL ANTWERP: BENJAMIN LAMBOT

Royal Antwerp Football Club have made a major coup in the transfermarket by letting former AFC Tubize player Benjamin Lambot sign for two years with an option to prolong. Lambot can play in a variety of positions up front, as a lone striker or what he prefers behind the forwards. This familiar face for the Royal Antwerp faithful learned his trade at WS Woluwe in 1991, was picked up by RWDM in 1996, went back to White Star in 1999 and had also a second stint at RWDM in 2000 before AFC Tubize signed Benjamin in 2001. In their promotion haul Lambot gave AFC Tubize goals and assists, nevertheless new gaffer Cartier only gave him 61 playing minutes in the Jupiler League and he moved to the outskirts of Belgium to play for Royal Excelsior Virton in the Exqi-League in a loan deal. He played 12 games for the relegated side and is eager to prove that his success with AFC Tubize wasn’t a fluke. He hopes that Royal Antwerp Football Club can match his ambitions to play again in the highest tier of Belgian football. Bonne chance, Benjamin!

A DRINK TO DARKO THE KING: TWO MORE YEARS

As a mainstay of Ratko Svilar’s set-up and one of the more passionate and consistent performers in a Royal Antwerp side under severe financial strain, Darko is momentarily something of a flag bearer for the supporters.  If there’s a rallying call to be made, his name is invariably heard in the media as one of the more senior players.  Royal Antwerp Football Club is proud to announce that our Serbian ace, our magical centre-forward put pen to paper and signed an extension for two more years.  We all hope that in the first year of his contract he will perform and will guide us out of the Exqi-League and seal promotion and in his last year of contract in the Belgian First Division, the Jupiler League will still be there to ease eventual relegation worries with some outstanding performances he’s capable to deliver. We wish Darko Pivaljevic (born February 18, 1975 in Valjevo) two more wonderful years in his third spell with Royal Antwerp Football Club.

QUARTET FROM BRAZIL AT BOSUIL

The exit trials are football’s cattle market – one last chance for rejected youngsters to save their career.  But this is a different story.  Our chairman Eddy Wauters with his perfect scout’s eye went to Brazil and came back with a quartet of youngsters blessed with pace and technical skills.  Three of them come from the highly rated Santos FC – a famous sporting name alright remember Pélé - and the last one comes from São Bernardo in the same city.

Roberto Rocha Marquinhos is a 22-year-old right-back, Adriano Santos Assumpçao and Diego Alexandre Xande are versatile 19-year-old midfielders and up front a lot is expected from 20-year-old striker Caio Gonçalves De Jesus nicknamed ‘the goalmachine’.  This crop of unproven youngsters will get the neccesary help to adapt in the team (via translater Sebastián Setti) and in social life. A pleasant and successful stay at the Bosuilstadium for our Brazilian contingent would be nice for starters…

ROYAL ANTWERP YOUNGSTERS DEFEATED IN NIGERIA

Royal Antwerp youth were ambassadors of Belgian Football during festive weekend at Kwara Football Academy, Ilorin Nigeria from 2 to 6 of July 2009. Well-known football coach José Mourinho was guest of honour and advisor for KFA. Young Royal Antwerp played the team of Ilorin based KFA and it was tough competition for our youngsters.

On arrival at the KFA Stadium, the first thing to be noticed was the poor quality pitch with its strangely high-cut lawn. In order to get used to this pitch, coach Guy Vandecauter decided to have a light training session in preceding the game. Although a prestigious one, the Royal Antwerp coaches still approached this game as a friendly, which resulted in some youngsters having to perform at unusual positions.

As earlier mentioned, the African youths were conducted by José 'The Special One' Mourinho, whose task was to motivate and push the kids to their limits and beyond. Another highly placed guest was the local Governor, his excellency Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki, who even invited the Belgian visitors to enjoy a meal at the Governor's House afterwards!

When the highly anticipated visitors arrived at the stadium, the venue was already flooded by hundreds of young fans – an amount that was to rise to more than 14.500 (exactely the number of people the Bosuil can currently house) during the game. The welcome was very warm and friendly, and the decibels raised to the highest levels, despite the hot and sweaty weather.

The game itself was mostly dominated by the home team. In the first half, the Academy ensured a penalty kick, but saw this opportunity stopped by Royal Antwerpgoalie Jeroen Hofmans. With a little delay, the expected lead for the yellow jerseys was established in the second half. A goal from short range highlighted the home supremacy, which were more than equal to our youngsters physically as well as mentally.

The visitors weren't at all demotivated though and enjoyed every second of the game. The red-and-whites came even very close to the equalizer, but their counter missed its target. Of course it needs to remembered that this Royal Antwerp Youth team never before played together and despite the defeat, fought for every inch of the pitch and excelled in teamspirit and sportmanship.

The unforgettable journey ended with a great night in the company of the Governor and Mr. Mourinho. Speeches were given, meals brought and dancing performances showed, but inevitably the juniors wanted to explore the other kinds of nightlife in Ilorin. After the local bar and disco, the evening saw its end with a game of poker in the hotel's lounge. And everyone agreed: this trip was one to remember!

DOUBLE SWOOP FOR ROYAL ANTWERP

Royal Antwerp FC has today made their first move in the transfer market by lining up a double swoop for promising young guns, both the result of top-drawer scouting work.  The first incoming transfer is the skilful promising starlet Audrey Diansangu, the 17-year-old striker struggled for opportunities at Club Bruges KV and hopes to shine in the Exqi-League with our club who sealed an agreement for two seasons plus option with Audrey.

The second incoming transfer is the 19-year-old Icham El Messaoudi (°16.05.1990) who played for Exqi-League rivals FC M Brussels S. last term and Icham penned a one-year deal plus option with Royal Antwerp FC. 

Both are expected to participate at the first training session at the Bosuil today and we wish them an enjoyable and successful stay in the ambitious and traditional surroundings of  Belgium’s FA number one!

NEW CALENDAR EXQI-LEAGUE – FIXTURES AUGUST 2009

In the first round of the Exqi-League season we entertain newcomers KRC Wetteren at the Bosuil on Wednesday August 19.  Then followed by the fifth round of the Belgian Cofidis Cup (if we manage to beat KV Turnhout or a team from lower divisions). On Wednesday August 26 we make the short trip to the hotly tipped favourites to win this years title, K.Lierse S.K. at the Herman Vanderpoorten Stadium. Four days later at the Bosuil we have a home tie against the team of the capital, FC M Brussels S.

FROM THE BELGIAN FA HEADQUARTERS

The draw has been made for the first until the fifth round for the Belgian Cofidis Cup. Royal Antwerp Football Club enter this competition in the fourth round at the Bosuil on August 16 with a 4 pm kick-off. We will be hosting Exqi-League newcomers K.V. Turnhout at the holy ground.  This only if K.V. Turnhout can beat lower league opposition as KVW Verbroedering Maasmechelen or K Herk-De-Stad, Esperanza Neerpelt or SC Zichen-Zussen-Bolder in the previous round.

If our beloved colours reach the fifth round they will have to entertain RRC Gent-Zeehaven or a team from the same division or lower league outfits with also a chance of meeting a team from the Walloon area!  This tie will be played on August 23 with a 4 pm kick-off and we will be playing away unless both teams can settle for an agreement to reverse the home advantage.

Last Saturday at a Belgian FA meeting it was announced that from this season onwards players in the Jupiler League (Belgian first division) and Exqi-League (Belgian second division) who receive a straight red card will be punished within the space of a week.  The report of the referee with detailed information of the misconduct from the players(s) involved must be sent the morning after towards the Sportscommittee.  Each Tuesday or Friday the committee give the verdict to the clubs who then decide whether they appeal or not.  If so the verdict will be final at the next committee session meaning it will only take 5 working days between the actual sending-off and the appeal with the outcome that the players who are red-carded will be suspended from the next following round.

MOURINHO, WESTERHOF PLOT AGAINST ROYAL ANTWERP

Kid Players of Kwara Football Academy (KFA) will engage their visiting counterparts, the Royal Antwerp FC Junior Internationals from Belgium in a high profile match at the Ilorin Township Stadium on Saturday. Bookmakers have tipped the KFA to emerge victorious because of the availability of one of the most revered soccer managers in the world, Jose Mourinho, who will be on the bench alongside renowned Dutch tactician, Clemens Westerhof to advise the KFA side. The Belgians, who are highly rated, with premiership stars in their fold, will be wary of the intimidating credentials of the KFA boys who have beaten the famous Ajax Academy by a 0-2 score line in Amsterdam during their European tour of 2008 where they played six matches.

Nigeria’s Golden Eaglets had to come from behind to pull a draw during the appetising showdown in Ilorin as part of the high profile events of "A Day with KFA" in March this year. Nkechi Obi, CEO Premium Sports Management Services (PSMS) – Consultants to KFA, enthused that the KFA boys have all it takes to win the match. "They are playing on home turf in front of their number one fan, Governor Bukola Saraki. The entire country will be behind them and they will be watched by international scouts so the opportunity beckons on the boys to show the stuff they are made of. Above all, the "Special One", Mourinho will provide the requisite charisma to spur them on."

Obi disclosed that the match will be beamed live across Africa, adding that a good measure or understanding and support has been assured by media partners.She paid glowing tribute on Dr. Bukola Saraki, founder and principal financier of the Academy. Like the Ajax soccer academy in Holland, Aspire – the Academy for Sports Excellence in Doha, Qatar and the Asec Soccer Academy in Abidjan, Cote d’ Ivoire, the KFA is easily the biggest project any state government has embarked on that supports the youth in a structured environment with free accommodation, tuition, medics and administrators. This is a classic case of working the talk, most probably unknown in this clime. Tickets for the match goes for N1, 000, N2, 000, and N3, 000 and can be gotten at Intercontinental Bank, GTBank and Zenith Bank only at the Ilorin branches from Wednesday 1st to Saturday 4th July.

WESTERHOF TO RECEIVE MOURINHO AT KFA

Lagos — Clemens Westerhof the director of Kwara Football Academy has disclosed that he is very ecstatic about the imminent arrival of former Chelsea FC coach, Jose Mourinho to the Kwara Football Academy (KFA) this weekend. The former Super Eagles technical adviser who along with the Inter Milan coach are going to seat on the bench of a KFA selected team in the friendly game with the Royal Antwerp FC junior team on July 4, said at the weekend that everyone at the academy was looking forward to the arrival of Mourinho.

"The coming of Mourinho to KFA is very big news. The students are so happy, the staff is eager to meet him and myself? I think it is a very big thing Governor Saraki has done for us, bringing into Nigeria the Special One," stressed the football tactician. Asked how he is going to compare notes with Mourinho's during the game at the Ilorin Township Stadium, the self-styled 'Dutch-gerian' replied "Mourinho is a proven soccer tactician. Don't forget he is a European champion. The Royal Antwerp FC Junior Internationals are from Europe. Now, I am an African champion too with the Super Eagles. The match will be played on Nigeria's African soil. So we have the right combinations to win the match for the Ilorin crowd and for Nigerians in general," enthused the loquacious tactician.

Already, bookmakers have started to tip the KFA side to emerge victorious come Saturday, pointing at the record churned out so far by the Ilorin academy. The KFA boys had in the past beaten the famous Ajax Academy team with a 2-0 score line in Amsterdam during their European tour last year. They played six matches against some academies and feeder teams of some top European club-sides. Nigeria's Golden Eaglets had to come from behind to pull a vital draw during an appetizing showdown in Ilorin as part of a high-profile event to mark the "A Day with KFA" last year.

FROM THE BELGIAN FA HEADQUARTERS

The draw has been made for the first until the fifth round for the Belgian Cofidis Cup.  Royal Antwerp Football Club enter this competition in the fourth round at the Bosuil on August 16 with a 4 pm kick-off.  We will be hosting Exqi-League newcomers K.V. Turnhout at the holy ground. This only if K.V. Turnhout can beat lower league opposition as KVW Verbroedering Maasmechelen, K Herk-De-Stad, Esperanza Neerpelt or SC Zichen-Zussen-Bolder in the previous rounds.

If our beloved colours reach the fifth round they will have to entertain RRC Gent-Zeehaven or a team from the same division or lower league outfits with also a chance of meeting a team from the Walloon area!  This tie will be played on August 23 with a 4 pm kick-off and we will be playing away unless both teams can settle for an agreement to reverse the home advantage.

Last Saturday at a Belgian FA meeting it was announced that from this season onwards players in the Jupiler League (Belgian first division) and Exqi-League (Belgian second division) who receive a straight red card will be punished within the space of a week.  The report of the referee with detailed information of the misconduct from the players(s) involved must be sent the morning after towards the Sports committee.  Each Tuesday or Friday the committee give the verdict to the clubs who then decide whether they appeal or not.  If so the verdict will be final at the next committee session meaning it will only take 5 working days between the actual sending-off and the appeal with the outcome that the players who are red-carded will be suspended from the next following round.

YANNICK PUT IS NEW AT ROYAL ANTWERP

SCHEDULE FRIENDLIES JULY-AUGUST 2009

The old season is dead, the thoughts for the new season begin, excitement building towards the most intense passage of football in history: 11 months climaxing with the dream of Timmy Simons (captain of the Belgian national team) lifting the World Cup in Johannesburg. That’s fantasy football thinking but maybe John Terry or Rio Ferdinand for the three lions doing a round of honour and lifting the most coveted price in international football could be reality come July 2010! So, the journey into the next decade is going to be some adventure.

Summer is the time when hope springs eternal and from the kick-off at the first training session on Friday 10 July the following friendlies are already arranged : Sat 18 July vs K Merksem SC (6 pm), Tue 21 July vs K Berchem Sport (7.30 pm), Fri 24 July vs RBC Roosendaal (7 pm at Wijnegem), Sun 26 July vs K Gooreind VV, Tue 28 July vs KFC Antonia (7 pm), Wed 5 Aug vs KFC Rac. Mol-Wezel (7.30 pm) and as icing on the cake Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and Warren Joyce are bringing the best prospects the Manchester Reserves and Academy have to offer at the Bosuil on Monday 10 August with a 7.30 kick-off time.  Just be there and see the Man Utd youngsters in the flesh if you know that in the last years the World Champions have nurtured Welbeck, Fabio, Rafael, Jonny Evans, Danny Simpson, Darren Gibson, Lee Martin, Craig Cathcart and Macheda. This time it will be another crop of youngsters that Warren and Ole will bring to shine at the holy ground!

GEOFFRY HAIREMANS IS ‘A RED’

The first incoming transfer is a fact. Royal Antwerp Football Club agreed a three-year contract with Geoffry Hairemans. Geoffry was born on the 21st October 1991 and this promising youngster formed in the youth ranks of Rapid Deurne and K Tubantia Borgerhout VK had a decent spell under stewardship from our reserve gaffer Guy Van De Cauter. This stylish, tall and with a lot of technical skills gifted player even made his debut in the Exqi-league home tie vs K.V.K. Tienen and as icing of the cake he played more than 30 minutes in the regional derby against K. Lierse S.K. In this two outings he impressed as a winger who can operate on both flanks. He’s looking forward to the first training session on July 10th and even changed his holiday plans to be fit and ready from day one. Talking about a good mentality! Needless to say he’s heavily supported by the Royal Antwerp faithful, his twin-brother being his biggest fan. We do wish Geoffry Hairemans a successful stay at the Bosuil and the Great Old is now looking for further strengthening in other team compartiments. Wait and see in the forthcoming weeks…

SUMMARY LAST ROUND PLAY-OFFS

In our last competitive game of the 2008-2009 campaign we played K. Lierse S.K. at the Bosuil, an enjoyable tie ended in a 1-1 draw. Although finishing bottom in the play-off ranking gaffer Ratko Svilar will remember the positives of last night’s game. Creating half of a dozen chances in the first half hour must lead to a logical advantage on the scoresheet but Royal Antwerp Football Club had to wait until the hour mark to score when substitute Baert was brought down in the area and the spot-kick was converted by no one less as goalkeeper Ristovic. Unfortunately our colours had to concede a lucky equaliser on a corner that never should have been awarded in the 87’. Read our matchreport and watch some footage at RAFC.TV.

That’s it, then. Another season over. After playing friendlies, 36 Exqi-League games in the regular season, two qualifying games to enter the proper play-offs and finally the 6 play-off ties itself a long season with many ups and downs came to a rather satisfying end. Look back at the Exqi-League season 2008-2009 in years to come and you’ll see the big three in the top three places.  K. St. – Truidense V.V. and K. Lierse S.K. had the biggest budget of all teams and their ranking at the finish line as numbers one and two were expected. Our colours staged a formidable comeback after Ratko Svilar took over the reigns of Dimitri Davidovic in the middle of February and ended in third spot.

With the Tour de France, Wimbledon and The Ashes to come, this may turn to be a great summer of sport, although it’s unlikely the Confederations Cup in South Africa will have too many of us pinned to our sofas. Football junkies can also watch the cream of the continent in the European U21 Championships but it will be four weeks until our club will return in training and a fortnight later they probably will be back in action for the first friendlies against lower league outfits. How will we survive?

Regular updates from incoming and outgoing transfers will surely follow in the forthcoming weeks and also the fixture list of friendlies will appear here soon.  Needless to say the Royal Antwerp faithful will be hoping to add a Championship ground at their list after visiting the Kingston Communications Stadium and Ashton Gate in the past two summers!

ROYAL ANTWERP - K LIERSE SK

Bosuil - Thursday 11 June 2009 - 8.30 P.M. (c.e.t.)

referees:

Squad: Ransford Addo suspended; Matthias Trenson, Ray Fränkel, Marco Gbarssin, Spencer Verbiest, Volkan Özen out.

Yellow cards: Darko Pivaljevic, Slobodan Slovic, Roel van Hemert (2), Zarko Jelicic, Ray Fränkel, Ransford Addo (2).

RANSFORD IS SUSPENDED

SUMMARY FIFTH ROUND PLAY-OFFS

The last away match saw us entertain KSV Roeselare at Schiervelde in front of a bumper crowd of 8 000 spectators. The home side won the encounter with 4-2 to ensure first place in the group and guarantee their place in the Jupiler Pro League next season. Royal Antwerp Football Club playing with a makeshift defence conceded a goal after just one minute of play,  equalised just after the break and then referee Delacour refused to award a spot-kick for a blatant handball by a Roeselare defender. This was the turning point of this game and the home side helped by further dodgy referee decisions took the lead thanks to ex-WBA reject Sherjill Mac Donald and experienced midfielder Tanghe making it 4-1 before Emmanuel Kenmogne could add on his already impressive goal tally this season.

On Thursday awaits K. Lierse S.K. at the Bosuil when a long and draining season comes to an end.  Maybe the chance for some youngsters to shine at the holy ground?

From the Belgian third division KS Wetteren, R Boussu-Dour Borinage or Francs Borains as it was called earlier and KFC Turnhout join the Exqi-league whereas KFC VW Hamme and ROC de Charleroi M. couldn’t prevent relegation in the play-downs and therefore will play in the third tier of Belgian football next season.

KSV ROESELARE - ROYAL ANTWERP

Schiervelde - Sunday 7 June 2009 - 4 P.M. (c.e.t.)

referees: Christophe Delacour - Eddy Roosens - Michaël Gerard

Squad: Roel van Hemert suspended; Marco Gbarssin, Spencer Verbiest, Volkan Özen out.

Yellow cards: Darko Pivaljevic, Slobodan Slovic, Roel van Hemert (2), Zarko Jelicic, Ray Fränkel, Ransford Addo.

ROEL MISSES GAME AT SCHIERVELDE

SUMMARY FOURTH ROUND PLAY-OFFS

Royal Antwerp Football Club sealed their first win in the play-offs campaign by beating FCV Dender EH at their Florent Beeckmanstadium.  A Saintini goal for the home team wasn’t enough to keep the Jupiler Pro League relegation strugglers at bay because Manu Kenmogne could capitalize on a rapidly executed Slobodan Slovic’ free-kick and in the dying seconds our centre-back Ray Fränkel headed the ball past a hapless Berthelin.

This win gives us back a little theoretic chance of promotion but gaffer Ratko Svilar did admit that KSV Roeselare is now tipped as hotly favourites to stay in the highest tier of Belgian football.  They just need one point out of their last two remaining fixtures due to their win at the Lisp with deadly strikerspartnership Mc Donald and Benjelloun once again on the scoresheet.  Let’s hope that on election day our beloved colours will again be motivated as last night and who knows…?

FCV DENDER EH - ROYAL ANTWERP

Florent Beeckmans Stadium - Thursday 4 June 2009 - 8.30 P.M. (c.e.t.)

referees: Sébastien Delferière - Vincent Despiegeleer - Lieven Masil

DEFENDERS HAVE TO FEAR

SUMMARY THIRD ROUND PLAY-OFFS

Although there is still a mathematical chance of promotion for K. Lierse S.K. and Royal Antwerp Football Club the reality is that the play-offs are once again proving to be a bridge too far and both clubs with a lot of tradition and fanbases are admitting that they are preparing for another Exqi-league season.

Our game at the Bosuil in front of a 9000+ crowd against a more mature FCV Dender EH was the second home loss in the play-offs and the main reasons for us not having the result we desired were a poor ball retention, this was the crucial area that cost our beloved colours the game. If FCV Dender EH get hold of the ball, then their passing and movement is probably the best we have seen at the Bosuil for a long time and with Zukanovic, Jacobs, Sanchez and a very impressive Destorme they bossed the midfield and Royal Antwerp were chasing shadows. Further you need your special players to rise to the occasion and make the difference but Antwerp’s two superstars Kenmogne and Pivaljevic just didn’t perform to the level expected. Neither Emmanuel nor Darko could do anything about it when our opponent cut Royal Antwerp to ribbons. Gaffer Ratko Svilar has gone into all of our so called big games with his box-to-box midfielders Setti and Gbarssin, certainly the latter was missing because Marco will always get his foot in and work relentlessly up and down the pitch and the midfield shortcomings without his endeavour were obvious to notice.

At last a word of praise for unsung hero Ransford Addo, who has been struggling last season where he has had the occasional good game but this year he has looked like his old self and had another blinder of a game. Read our match report and watch some footage at RAFC.TV.

In the other game on Sunday afternoon KSV Roeselare won with the smallest margin against a Lierse side with a goal coming at the first attack on goal via Benjelloun. So, K. Lierse S.K. must win their remaining three games to stand any chance of promotion while relegation strugglers FCV Dender EH and KSV Roeselare will battle it out for the final spot in the Jupiler Pro League. Will it go to the wire?

PROFILE OPPONENT * F.C.V. DENDER E.H.

Sunday 31 May 2009 - 4 P.M. (c.e.t.)

referees: Tim Pots - Yves De Neve - Frederic Stalport - Filip Vermeire

In recent history we met our next opponent two times in the regular 2006-2007 second division.  At a packed to the rafter Bosuil Stadium in the last competitive game of Simpson, Evans and Dong we brushed FCV Dender EH aside with a convincing 3-0 scoreline. Despite this win FCV Dender EH held on to win the Championship and won the return leg against a lacklustre Royal Antwerp’s side who only had one target namely to make Fraizer Campbell topscorer in the goalcharts but local hero Gunther Thiebaut pipped him.

Whereas F.C.V. Dender E.H. achieved a miracle by staying in the highest tier of Belgian footie the year after this season proved to be difficult because in the last game of the regular season they could avoid to enter the play-offs by winning at home against mid-table Charleroi and some defensive howlers led to a defeat and nail-biting play-offs. One of the reasons for this is the lack of communication between the board, the technical staff and the sportive and commercial manager.  CEO De Doncker, who threatened to leave his post finally made the decision to sack former Stoke City manager Jan Boskamp and gave all the powers to the family Asselman who are now running the show at the Florent Beeckmanstadium.

The squad has two experienced goalkeepers in Martinovic and first-choice Berthelin who isn’t reliable in the air.  A dodgy defence comprises ex-Belgian international Deflandre at right-back and Blondelle as an attacking left-back.  In central positions there are the likes of influential De Petter partnered by Neva.  Wiggers, Fred and Mvemba are defensive substitutes.  In the midfield area David Destorme is the star player with 11 goals and 6 assists on his tally.  The other midfielders are Jacobs and Zukanovic with Sanchez as a valuable sub.  In this area exciting young prospect Daan De Pever is one for the future.  Because Sunday’s opponent tactical set-up is almost certain a 4-3-3 formation new recruits Aganovic and Saintini are the wide men whereas lynchpin Smajic run the show as a offensive playmaker and scored 5 goals and totalised 4 assists during the Jupiler Pro League season.  If needed there will be some extra power from youngster Wittesaele or good old Bart Van Den Eede while Norman Sylla with 7 goals and 2 assists is Dender’s favourite pinchhitter.

Founded : 1952
FA number : 3900
Address : Stadionlaan 5 – 9470 Denderleeuw
Ticket Office : 053/66 91 92
Stadium : Florent Beeckmanstadium (8157)
Website : www.fcvdendereh.be
Kit Colours : blue shirt, black short, black socks
Main Sponsor : Van Gansewinkel and Brother
Budget : 5,5 million euro
Chairman : Patrick De Doncker
Gaffer : Patrick Asselman

SUMMARY SECOND ROUND PLAY-OFFS

Despite the game ended on a stalemate at the Lisp Royal Antwerp Football Club could be seen as moral winners of this round due to a very professional performance of the players, technical staff and last but not least the more than 2 000 away fans who cheered their favourites to seal a much-earned point. Playing without the injured Kenmogne our team had three golden chances in the space of six minutes, first a fantastic collective move resulted in Pivaljevic one on one with Kujovic but the latter produced a sublime save. Slovic soon followed with an enormous chance before Jelicic hit the bar against a dodgy Lierse defense. Although hometeam K. Lierse S.K. took over in some spells of the game with Cavens hitting a rebound over from a well parried Wahed’s shot by Risto and Trenson clearing a ball of the line, the more creative midfield of our boys made some second-half chances for Slovic and Gbarssin.  At the end both gaffers were satisfied with the point in this tradition-laden derbygame in front of approx. 10 000 spectators, although Ratko Svilar was more pleased about the performance of his squad then the actual result.

In the other game of this round KSV Roeselare and FCV Dender EH also shared the points at Schiervelde in front of a meagre crowd figure of 2.740!  Goalkeepers Sierens and Berthelin stood firm on all attacks both sides threw at each other and after 2 rounds in the play-offs it’s KSV Roeselare leading with 4 points, the chasing pack K. Lierse S.K. and FCV Dender EH totalising 2 points and our beloved colours still in contention albeit with only 1 point closing the row for just one spot in the Belgian Jupiler Pro League next season!

PROFILE OPPONENT * K. LIERSE S.K.

Stadium Herman Vanderpoorten - 28 May 2009 - 8.30 PM (c.e.t.)

Referees: Luc Wouters - Walter Vromans - Erik Waegemans

In 1904 Gustaaf van den Roye proposed to start up a football club following the example of Antwerp. After some opposition and several meetings to hear more details of his football plans on 6th March 1906 Lierse was born and the first board established.  The very first game was against soldiers from the local barracks.  After being officially affiliated to the Belgian FA in 1909 Lierse played on a pitch in rural Kloosterheide, in 1912 moved to the ‘Molekens’ before inaugurating their current home, the Herman Vanderpoorten stadium since 1925 better known as the ‘Lisp’.  After winning the Belgian league in 1932,1942 and 1960 came the famous Elland Road experience of a lifetime on 21st September 1971.  The yellow-blacks had lost a fortnight earlier at the Lisp against the Leeds superstars with 0-2 and nobody gave a chance for our next opponent in the return leg.  After 90’ the scoreboard at Leeds read an improbably 0-4 defeat for the locals and the Cup holders were knocked out thanks to some unknown Flemish players.  The next highlights in their history came when Eric Gerets took the reigns and guided the team from obscurity to something which nobody thought possible, he led Lierse in 1997 under the stewardship from the assistant coach of now, Eric Van Meir, to their fourth Belgian title with a little bit of help from Royal Antwerp who defeated everybody’s hotly tipped favourites, Club Brugge in the last but one round.   In 1999 Lierse won their second Belgian Cup but couldn’t hold their main young assets and keeping up with the elite clubs in Belgium had now become the top priority.  The last years have been doom and gloom with e.g. a not so well communicated bribery scandal with a certain Zheyun Yé but since the Egyptian investors group Wadi Degla with Maged Samy took over a new era of hope is expected and the Lierse faithful, always with good attendances of over 6 000, are chasing direct promotion from the Exqi-league (Championship) to the Jupiler League (Premiership).

K. Lierse S.K. ended the season in second position in the much contested Exqi-league, the self-elected Champions with the slogan ‘Together Champions’ were still 5 points behind the real champions K. St.-Truidense V.V.  In the Qualifying Round for the play-offs they did manage to beat KV Red Star Waasland 4-3 on aggregate with the decisive goal in the second leg at the Lisp coming in the dying seconds from Nikolic. On the first day of the play-offs they held hometeam FCV Dender EH to a 1-1 draw.

For the run-in of the last 5 play-off games experienced gaffer Herman Helleputte has a mix of young, hungry talent and experienced players to pick from.  In goal Serbian Vladan Kujovic is an imposing figure.  Although not a really big presence in the area he is sharp, agile and alert and you know that if you ever got the ball into the net past him, you’ve done really well.  He played for Levante and Roda JC and his positional sense is superb, his football skills are excellent and as a 30-year old his standards or commitment won’t be dropping.  Belgian goalkeeper Van Der Jeugt is second choice.

Leftback or left-midfielder is our former player Garry De Graef who via second division teams in the nearby Netherlands and German side Paderborn came in the Summer transfer window to the Lisp and is a dogged, tough in the tackle and very adventurous defender going forward – he’d get deep into the opposition half and deliver assists for his forwards.  Garry is doubtful for the Royal Antwerp clash and could be replaced by Camacho.  In central defence Dreesen (who had a unlucky stint at Club Brugge last year) forms a partnership with the tall Bojovic who’s dangerous on set pieces.  Both defenders are enthusiastic and up for every game, determination for winning beyond belief.  Last one in the row of defenders is rightback Julien Tshiala, family of a famous female TV star and although not the tallest extremely strong for his size and very energetic.

In midfield young talent Buyens signed this week an agreement with rivals KV Mechelen and the injured De Witte are bossing the defensive areas but youngster Meyers and January signing Janssens from feeder club KV Turnhout will come in whereas Egyptians Wahed (11 goals already) and Samir are occupying the flanks.   Macedonian Nedzipi can also figure in midfield.

The strongest part of the side is the almost endless array of attacking talent with Ghanian Agblexo, Nikolic from Montenegro and Theeratep Winothai from Thailand and from Burundi there’s also Ndikumana (injured).  But the two strongest assets of the team are the much travelled Jurgen Cavens (Olympique Marseille, Standard and Twente) and off course the Mickey Mouse of the Exqi-league, Tomasz Radzinski who used to play and terrorise defences in the Premier League for Everton and Fulham.  This deadly duo already have 39 goals between them and are undoubtely the greatest finishers in the current Exqi-League.  They can score any kind of goal – 25-yarders, dink them over the keeper, whatever you like – and it’s all down to dedication!!!

This gritty team is managed by Herman Helleputte who will keep his team’s feet on the ground.  Herman is a great human being and will always keep the game simple, there are no complex tactics and it’s all about graft on the training pitch!

Founded : 1906
FA number : 30
Address : Lispersteenweg 237 – 2500 Lier
Stadium : Herman Vanderpoorten (14 538)
Ticket Office : 03/480 13 70
Website : www.lierse.be
Main Sponsor : Wadi Degla Group (Egypt)
Kit Colours : yellow shirt, black short, black socks.
Budget : 3,5 million euro
Chairman : Corneel De Ceulaer
Honours :  Belgian league title in 1932,1942,1960 and 1997  Belgian Cup in 1969 and 1999
Participated 10 times in the European Cups (remember Leeds!)
Gaffer : Herman Helleputte (°22/3/1954) – manager career : Lierse (1988-1994) assistant and from March 1991 head coach, Germinal Ekeren (July 1994-November 1995 and from October 1996- May 1999), Germinal Beerschot (1999-2000,assistant), Harelbeke (2000-January 2001), Dessel Sport (January 2001-March 2001), Beveren (2002-2005), Westerlo (2005-2007), Lierse (2007-?)

GLORY GLORY MAN. UNITED (PT TEN)

(picture: archive De ANTWERPSUPPORTER Online)

As the crow flies, Hull and Barcelona are 860 miles apart.  Few will argue that, in football terms, the distance is much greater.  Hull City already discovered to their detriment the sheer depth and strenght of footballing talent assembled at Old Trafford with the likes of our former players Lee Martin, Darren Gibson and new Belgian international wearing number 44 shirt for the Mancunians, Ritchie De Laet. While the Irish international grabbed the headlines by scoring  a majestic thunderstrike from 30 yards it was also the young Belgian getting the plaudits for his defensive and offensive endeavour.

THREE HAVE TO FEAR

SUMMARY FIRST ROUND PLAY-OFFS

We would wager that there are few men more determined to spend their summer holiday contemplating life in a higher division than Royal Antwerp’s gaffer Ratko Svilar. Svilar has won plenty of generous praise this season and our team made plenty of friends along the way of his short spell on the helm of the oldest club in the country and until now our team seemed to have an irresistible momentum about them. But spectacular headers from Mirvic and Benjelloun at the Bosuil spoke of fearlessness and a desire to express themselves for KSV Roeselare, modelled in the image of their manager Dennis van Wijk. For vim and enthusiasm they are top of the pile even after losing star striker MacDonald with two yellow cards. After a 3-1 home loss to KSV Roeselare, manager Svilar looked at his crushed and deflated players in the dressing-room and told them to bottle what they felt at that moment, to use it as a powerful motivating tool. What Ratko said made a lot of sense and suggested a coach who can seek out the positives from a largely disappointing situation.

On Thursday evening to the Lisp with the momentum and confidence we had in the final weeks of the Exqi-League season and that will be a first step taking us all the way to the promised land of the Jupiler Pro League. But K. Lierse S.K. whose game at FCV Dender EH ended in a stalemate isn’t operating on a modest budget and got promotion as their ultimate target. Three points for starters would be nice, wouldn’t it?

PROFILE OPPONENT * KSV ROESELARE

Bosuil Stadium - Sunday 24 May 2009 - 4 P.M. (c.e.t.)

Referees: Stéphane Breda - Bernard Lepage - Gregory Crotteux

At the start of last century FC Roeselare and SK Roeselare were fighting for local bragging rights.  Both clubs are coming from different political surroundings and finally in 1999 under a lot of pressure from the local press and businessmen both teams decided  to merge and KSV Roeselare was born.  In the 2003/2004 our next opponent were pipped on the last day of the play-offs but it was a sweet revenge one year later when they gathered 16 points out of a possible 18 (whereby 6 out of 6 against the Great Old) and reached the promised land of the Belgian first division.  In the top flight of Belgian footie they were recognised for their giant-killing acts especially in home game under stewardship from gaffer Dirk Geeraerd.

This season a relative poor squad was assembled by Director of Football Wim de Coninck with below-par transfers such as Mulisa, Daïneche, Bétrémieux, Troch, Soares, Lutun, Tokpa, Jalliti, De Wilde and Hietanen and the manager soon paid the price for this unproven crop of players where most of them have already explored new horizons.  And although our former manager Wim de Coninck was responsible for this mess at Schiervelde, the board opted to sack Geeraerd and appointed the man who brought them in the first division a couple of years ago, his name well known in East Anglia, Dennis van Wijk.  Dennis could convince the board to spent heavily and brought in the January transfer window acquisitions such as Croatian midfielder Perisic, Dutch striker Mac Donald and a lot of utility players in Ten Heuvel, Huygebaert, Lazarevic and Benjelloun.  Top draw reinforcements and although KSV Roeselare went from strenght to strenght, five games before the end of the Jupiler Pro League season they collapsed and got 0 points out of their last five games. 

Although KSV Roeselare can field a strong team two players are attracting the headlines for their goalscoring abilities, one is Croatian midfielder Perisic being followed by Jupiler Pro League champion-contenders RSC Anderlecht and the other is the much matured Dutch striker Sherjill Mac Donald who already signed a lucrative 4-year deal with our local rivals, Germinal Beerschot.

Founded: 1999
FA number : 134
Address: Dikmuidsesteenweg 374 – 8800 Roeselare
Ticket Office : 051/22 99 22
Stadium : Schiervelde ( 9,593)
Website : www.ksvr.be
Kit Colours : white shirt, black short, blue socks
Main Sponsor : Deceuninck (artificial silk factory)
Budget : between 5,750 000 and 6,000 000 euro
Gaffer : Dennis van Wijk ( °16/12/1962) – manager career : FC Knokke (player/trainer,trainer 1994-1995), KV Ostend (1996-10/1998), Daring Blankenberge (10/1998-11/1998), Cercle Brugge (11/1998-2002), KSV Roeselare (2003-2006), Willem II (2006-11/2007), KV Ostend (11/2007-12/2007), K. St.-Truidense V.V. (12/2007-06/2008), West Bromwich Albion (scout, 06/2008-10/2008), KSV Roeselare (10/2008-???)

SUMMARY SECOND LEG QUALIFYING ROUND

R Antwerp FC-RFC Doornik

It doesn’t happen often but we predicted in our preview a 2-0 home win as the ideal scenario and after only 84 seconds our king Darko Pivaljevic broke the deadlock at the Bosuil and 8 minutes later a second goal from the Serbian ace sealed the win in front of 11,000 jubilant fans. Afterwards our still unbeaten gaffer Ratko Svilar paid generous tribute to RFC Tournai’s coaching staff, players and fans before praising his own players after their 38th competitive game of the season had ended in their most significant victory so far.  But the Serbian gaffer explained that the result had given his team the opportunity, nothing more, nothing less, than reach the proper play-offs with K. Lierse S.K. from the Exqi-League and KSV Roeselare and FCV Dender EH to compete in 6 ties for the last ticket to the promised land of the Jupiler Pro League next season. We can’t help but think that Ratko’s level headed approach will serve his team well in the forthcoming weeks. Read our match report or watch some footage at RAFC.TV.

Royal Antwerp Football Club are now 6 matches away from reaching the Belgian First Division and our proud club has been out of the top flight of Belgian football for the last 5 years and if Svilar was not getting carried away, then the clubs supporters were in a mood to celebrate.  None of them seemed in any rush to leave the Bosuil and the post-match news conference was almost interrupted over the tannoy that 11,000 jubilant fans make in the neighbourhood of the holy ground.  So, our team knows how to win and has shown a resolve and tenacity that must please our manager who will be confronted against opposition of a higher calibre in KSV Roeselare and FCV Dender EH together with Exqi-League rivals K. Lierse S.K. who overcame a nuggety KV Red Star Waasland team 4-3 on aggregate in their tie with the winner coming from substitute Nikolic in the dying seconds!

This morning at the Belgian FA headquarters the draw was made for the play-offs and this was the outcome : May 24 KSV Roeselare (home) – May 28 K. Lierse S.K. (away) – May 31 FCV Dender EH (home) – June 4 FCV Dender EH (away) – June 7 KSV Roeselare (away) – June 11 K. Lierse S.K. (home). Only the winner will participate in next year Jupiler Pro League. Come on you Reds!

GLORY GLORY MAN. UNITED (PT NINE)

Manchester United sealed a third successive Premier League title by getting the point they needed against the Gunners in front of 75,468 spectators at Old Trafford after an afternoon gripped by tension.  Congratulations from everybody involved at Royal Antwerp Football Club for Sir Alex Ferguson’s side who equalled Liverpool’s record of 18 titles and of course United’s defence with our former stars John O’Shea and Jonny Evans delivered another clean sheet at the final whistle. In this game the Ireland international, Mr Reliable at right-back dealt well with Russian star Arshavin and then full England international Walcott wasn’t a problem and John capped another solid display with a superb tackle on Fabregas.  Our former starlet Jonny Evans again filled in for Rio Ferdinand, was occasionally uncertain in possession but the Northern Ireland international did exhibit his class with one superb sliding tackle on Dutch international Van Persie.  After some nerves jangled in the final stages, club captain Gary Neville was a proud person when he lifted the Barclays Premier League trophy.

Next week follows a trip to the Kingston Communications Stadium at relegation strugglers Hull where Darron Gibson hopes to feature and then there’s for this magnificent side, this starship packed with enterprise the Champions League final in Rome on May 27 against the likes of Messi, Iniesta, Xavi and other Catalan players.  Can Ronaldo, Rooney and team-mates surpass Liverpool’s thrilling class of ’84, themselves immortalised by deeds on the banks of the Tiber.  Twenty-five years on, game on.

PREVIEW ROYAL ANTWERP FOOTBALL CLUB VS ROYAL F.C.TOURNAI

R Antwerp FC-RFC Doornik

Saturday 16 May 2009 - 8 PM (c.e.t.)
Referees: Claude Bourdouxhe - Pascal Engels. - Toon Bieseman

Ratko Svilar at Stadium Luc Varenne (Tournai-Doornik, May 9th 2009)

Royal Antwerp Football Club are seven steps from the promised land, the Jupiler Pro League.  On Saturday the second leg of the Qualifying Round for the proper play-offs awaits us and the ideal scenario will be something like this at 9.45 pm. At the Bosuil Stadium as the final whistle sounded gaffer Ratko Svilar (unbeaten run of 12 games since taking over from Dimitri Davidovic)will turn and walk towards opposite number Gerrit Laverge and exchange a word of two about the good organisation from the technical staff, the fantastic work ethic, real hunger to win and the no-fear attitude of the Royal F.C. Tournai’s side. 

Ratko Svilar & Gerrit Laverge at Bosuilstadium (Deurne-Noord, April 18th 2009)

Then Svilar will make his way onto the pitch, shaking the hands of the match officials and several opposition players before strolling over to his adoring Royal Antwerp Football Club supporters, a contingent of more than 10 000 jubilant fans.  Will Ratko Svilar do the act of pulling his red sweatshirt at the sides, a significant statement because it will hint at a pride in his appearance and a respect for his fellow professionals; a man who wants things to be done right? Or does he simply put his hands in the air at least momentarily after the final whistle, or will he embrace his backroom staff in celebration? After all, he had just seen his team win 2-0 (in the regular season RFCT never lost with a margin of more than 2 goals!) to book their place in the proper play-offs where they will take on probably K. Lierse S.K., KSV Roeselare and KV Kortrijk to define the latest competitor for next season’s Jupiler Pro League. This 6 ties will be the ultimate final challenge of a long and draining season. Come on you Reds!!!

GLORY GLORY MAN. UNITED (PT EIGHT)

Manchester United moved a step closer to retaining the Premier League title after beating local rivals Manchester City in the weekend at the Theatre of Dreams in front of 75,464 spectators and neighbouring rivals Wigan at the JJB stadium on Wednesday night in front of  21,286 spectators.  The Mancunians only need one more point in the home fixture against Arsenal or the away tie on the final day of the season at Hull to clinch the title and make their trophy cabinet even more impressive.

In the Manchester derby a Cristiano Ronaldo deflected free-kick and a 20-yard powerstrike from Carlos Tevez in the first half was enough against their bitter rivals with Belgian Vincent Kompany and Brazilian Robinho giving a below-par performance.  Further to mention the fact that Northern Ireland international and former Royal Antwerp star Jonny Evans played the first 70’ of the derby before being substituted by another former Royal Antwerp legend, the Irish international John O’Shea.

Yesterday’s encounter at the JJB came at the end of a day when Liverpool’s captain, Steven Gerrard, was inexplicably voted Footballer of the Year, Manchester United showed why they are the team of the year, why they will be champions, why they are packed with players who deserve individual honours.  Fighting back from Wigan’s Columbian striker Rodallega’s shock opener at 28’ it was once again an inspirational substitution by Sir Alex who made the difference. Coming on in the 58’ Carlos Tevez for Anderson.  Three minutes later the Argentine’s outrageous flick diverted in Carrick’s shot to level for United.

And resisting the enterprise of Steve Bruce’s men, United charged forward in red waves, refusing to contemplate two dropped points and four minutes before the final whistle they reaped the reward when Michael Carrick came running on to John O’Shea’s pass to shoot left-footed home from the edge of the area, really getting the title party started.  John and Jonny having another 90’ under their belt and one more point required for a new Premier League title and off course the Champions League final at the Eternal City is also looming. We’ll keep you informed in the forthcoming weeks…

SUMMARY FIRST LEG QUALIFYING ROUND

Ratko Svilar’s side take a 0-0 stalemate into the second leg at the Bosuil Stadium on Saturday night.  Christophe Martin, the RFC Tournai goalkeeper, who was man of the match in the first leg, is expecting another stern examination of his credentials on Saturday after he prevented Kenmogne and Pivaljevic to score after only 6 minutes at the Luc Varenne Stadium.  In a normal season you would say that the return leg is delicatedly poised but, given our recent home form, we shouldn’t have a hell of a mountain to climb.  A repeat of the 2-1 home victory a couple of weeks ago will be enough to qualify for the play-offs. 

The technical staff and the players of Royal Antwerp Football Club know they have a job to do and that they have got to do things a little bit differently and just got to try and win the next game as a stepping stone to the play-offs where six tough other ties awaits our team in pursuit of the promised land in the Jupiler Pro League.

In the other first leg of the qualifying round for the play-offs favourite K. Lierse S.K. drew 1-1 at KV Red Star Waasland.  Everything happened in a space of 5 crazy minutes at Puyenbeke.  After 28 minutes Tshiala sent Cavens into space, Jurgen gave the ball to Egyptian playmaker Wahed who fired superbly in goal.  But the advantage was not held for long when defender Tshiala gave away a free-kick on the left hand touchline with a rash challenge.  Van Geele took it and the ball was diverted unfortunately into his own net by Dreesen’s body.  So, K. Lierse S.K. do have the advantage of the away goal and are big favourites to go through in the second leg on Saturday.

PROFILE OPPONENT * RFC DOORNIK/TOURNAI

RFC Doornik-R Antwerp FC

Saturday 9 May 2009 - 8 PM (c.e.t.) - Stadium Luc Varenne
Referees: Tim Pots - Bart Vandeweghe - Edwin Rys

Good organisation from the staff, preparation, a fantastic work ethic, real hunger and a no-fear attitude are the strenghts of our next opponent in the Qualifying Round to reach the play-offs.  Is this an honest assessment or typical bravado to disguise concern that Royal F.C. Tournai did gain on the frontrunners by clinching this unexpected ticket on the last day of the season?  The Walloon based club started the season on a high note, after only 5 games played they were in second position followed by a cup run halted by highflying Jupiler Pro League side R.S.C. Anderlecht and then ‘Les Sang et Or’ had a short blip but recovered soon and ended the season with 14 wins, 12 draws and 10 losses in fifth position in the Exqi-League.

With goalkeeper Martin, Belgian defenders Di Tullio and Guilmot gaffer Gerrit Laverge has experience in abundance in the defensive area.  The manager can also count on French defenders Zébre, Duquesnoy and Mouissi and January acquisition Annijs to make up the numbers in defence and they all have scoring abilities making Royal F.C. Tournai’s backline the most potent in the Exqi-League.  Also drilled in Laverge’s system are midfielders Seoudi, Desire, Scarpino and dead-ball specialist Alexandre Frutos.  Two of the goals we conceded against this opponent came from set-pieces and we don’t want that to happen again, do we?  Up front a lot is expected from Sebastian Dorizon whose dribbling abilities and technical skills are a treat to watch.  He will be partnered by young forward Cardon, who netted four times in the last home game against K.F.C. V.W. Hamme at the Luc Varenne stadium. Reliable substitutes are goalkeeper Gueguin, Delbeeke, Olungu and Hamid (defender) and Ridouane Sekour (striker).

Head-to-head and team-to-team statistics in the regular Exqi-League season :
Goalscorer: Kenmogne (4th in ranking with 18 goals), Dorizon (7th in ranking with 16 goals) Attack: RAFC (5/19 with 55 goals made from 36 games, 1.53 gpg), RFCT (8/19 with 53 goals from 36 games, 1.47 gpg)
Defense: RAFC (2/19 with 32 goals conceded from 36 games, 0.89 gpg), RFCT (6/19 with 41 goals from 36 games, 1.14 gpg) 
Clean Sheet: RAFC (3/19 with 14 clean sheets), RFCT (9/19 with 9 clean sheets).
Biggest win: RAFC – FC M Brussels S. 5-1, RFCT – UR Namur 5-1. 
Heaviest loss: K. Lierse S.K – RAFC 4-1, RFCT – ROC de Charleroi-Marchienne 1-3 
Form Table: RAFC (1/19 with 15 points out of 15), RFCT (4/19 with 10 points out of 15)  Yellow cards: Fränkel (33rd with 7 bookings), Mouissi (7th with 10 bookings) .
Red cards: Verbiest, Trenson and van Hemert for RAFC, Breleur and Dorizon for RFCT.

Founded : 2002
FA number : 26
Address : Rue du Follet – 7540 Kaïn
Stadium : Luc Varenne (7552)
Ticket Office : 069/59 07 84
Website : www.rfctournai.be
Main Sponsor : Dufour
Kit Colours : yellow shirt, red short, yellow socks
Budget : between 600 000 and 800 000 euro
Chairman : Philippe Rasseneur
Gaffer : Gerrit Laverge (° 12/04/1952) – manager career : SV Waregem (1993-1998,assistant), KV Kortrijk (2000-2001), KSV Oudenaarde (2003-2004), KSK Ronse (2004-2005), KMSK Deinze (2006-2007), Royal F.C. Tournai (2008-first season in charge).

GLORY GLORY MAN. UNITED (PT SEVEN)

In front of a bumper crowd at the Emirates, once again in gathering glory, Sir Alex Ferguson got his game-plan absolutely right.  He flooded midfield, worker-bees called Anderson, Fletcher and Carrick buzzing around, harrying Fabregas, Nasri and other Gunners.  Out wide on the flanks Rooney and Park and in a central role Ronaldo.  Arsenal could hardly breathe, let alone move and with goals from the South Korean and the Portuguese wonderboy the Mancunians led 0-2 after only 11 minutes of play, the travelling contingent of 3,200 jubilant fans in delirium. After 61’ from an Arsenal corner, Park found Ronaldo, who backheels it to Park just 20 yards from his own penalty area. Park played in Rooney and when he served up a perfect pass between the legs of an Arsenal defender, there was Ronaldo to complete a picture goal with a finish high past Almunia. A virtuoso display from Manchester United only bittered by Italian referee Rosetti who showed a straight red card to Fletcher when Fabregas tumbled as the pair collided in the penalty area.  A consolation spot-kick goal from Van Persie made it a 4-1 aggregate score in a magnificent team effort with our former player John O’Shea playing at right-back (first 64’) and left-back (last 26’), that’s why Sheasy is known as ‘Mister Versatile’.

When the final whistle sounded the Last Post on Arsenal’s season, there were as many embarrassing gaps on the terraces as there had been in the hosts’ defence.  United’s supporters danced merrily down the road to the Eternal City but on Sunday there’s the small matter of the Manchester derby.  Although United’s defence was rock solid on the night adroitly marshalled by Ferdinand and Vidic, another chance to shine for our former stars O’Shea, Evans and Gibson (when the title is won) could be coming in the forthcoming weeks in the Premiership.

ALL TEAMS START FROM SCRATCH

In a two-leg semi-final in the coming two Saturdays Royal Antwerp Football Club plays Royal Football Club Tournai/Doornik in the Qualification Round to reach the play-offs.  It’s essential to know that yellow cards picked up in the regular Exqi-league season won’t count and that each participating team starts from scratch. Suspension will follow after receiving two yellow cards in different matches or also after two bookings in the same game.

SUMMARY DAY THIRTY-EIGHT

Nine months of dreams, disappointment, hope and joy did draw to a close this weekend with the end of the regular season in the Belgian Second Division, nowadays known as the Exqi-League.  Each team has played 3,240 minutes of football over 36 games – and for many all their hard work, endeavour, desire and commitment boils down to one gut-wrenching Sunday afternoon.  In short, what did unfold on Sunday was the drama of the final day of the Exqi-League season.

Over the course of this season we have visited grounds that ought to host Jupiler Pro League football (Belgian First Division) and others that felt more like a homely social club. For us, this is a central part of the beauty of the Exqi-League, the fact that its 19 clubs take us across a rich and varied footballing spectrum. Rich and poor often exist cheek by jowl and refreshingly the wealthy don’t always end up drinking the end-of-season champagne. Well, that’s not entirely true because financial powerhouse K. St.-Truidense V.V. backed by an influential politician clinched promotion to the Jupiler Pro League last week.

Sunday afternoon it was that some play-offs contenders discovered their fate after nine long months united by their incredible work ethic and an unwavering desire to succeed - some will need a long time to recover nursing a dissappointment of staggering proportions.  So, it was on the final day of the season that Royal F.C. Tournai, K.V.K. Tienen, KV Red Star Waasland, K.V. Ostend, K.S.K. Ronse and KVSK United all harbour hopes of snatching two places for the Qualifying Round for a play-off ticket with the first two in the driving seat of a six-way tussle that could lead to the promised land.  Walloon based club Royal F.C. Tournai did play Royal FC de Liège at the Kehrwegstadium and the ‘home’ team, wedged in the comforting if slightly underwhelming safety of mid-table, the game ended on a stalemate which secured gaffer Laverge’s team of a spot in the Qualifying Round.  K.V.K. Tienen on the other hand brought a visit at the Bosuilstadium to face the mighty Reds and they lost against a well-inspired Royal Antwerp side with the narrowest of margins ending the season for the ‘Sugarboys’.  From this slip KV Red Star Waasland profited by beating local rivals K.S.K. Beveren at Puyenbeke with the 26th goal of the season from their Cameroon striker Hervé Ndjana Onana!

Stadium Luc Varenne RFC Doornik - R Antwerp FC - RFC Doornik Bosuil Stadium

The draw has been made at the Belgian FA headquarters and this is the outcome : KV Red Star Waasland vs K. Lierse S.K. and Royal F.C. Tournai vs Royal Antwerp Football Club in a two-leg final (home and away with K. Lierse S.K. and Royal Antwerp Football Club having advantage (?) of playing the second leg at home).  Both winners will then take on nrs. 15 and 16 of the Jupiler Pro League in a round-robin of six ties in the play-offs to define the latest competitor of the Belgian First Division next season!

ROYAL ANTWERP - KVK TIENEN

Plenty of pre-match speculation as to the Royal Antwerp line up. Svilar keeps his own counsel and leaves out Kenmogne, Slovic, Pivaljevic and Ristovic as well as the injured Frankel, Trenson and Gbarssin. He juggles with the line-up, Van Trier in goal, Baert in and with the captains armband and a debut for Hairemans, 17 and the only reserve team player in the side. Do you want to know more? Read our report.

PROFILE OPPONENT * K.V.K. TIENEN

Sunday 3 May 2009 - 3 PM (c.e.t.)

referees: Christophe Delacour - Davy Buelen - Kristof Meers

In his fifth season in charge gaffer Daniël Nassen will go for the traditional K.V.K. Tienen virtues of solid organisation, psysical strenght and good team spirit in Sundays clash at the Bosuilstadium.  The ‘Sugarboys’ have to win this game to reach the Qualifying round for the play-offs.

The back four comprises Vanhees, Vandeput, Peeters and Triantafilidis who offer all the guarantees Nassen is looking for and in goal K.V.K. has the ever-present and reliable shotstopper Schuermans.  The defensive stategy is generally to force the opposition to attack on the flanks, where space is more restricted.  The very attack minded midfield with Bogaerts, Belme, Thijs and Vandecauter support the front two.  Normally exciting winger Ilenga Penga is one to watch and will buzz around in the left and central areas and in the centre prolific striker Dufoor links intelligently with forward Haznadar. Unfortunately all the aforementioned strikers have long-term injuries so gaffer Nassen must rely on winter break signing Nelis and Vanarwegen or midfielders to lead the attack in this crucial game for our next opponent.

Line-up vs Royal FC de Liège : Schuermans, Vandeput, Triantafilidis (85’ Lunenberg), Vandecauter, Vanhees, Belme, Nelis (82’ Neven), De Silva, Penga (60’ Thijs), Bogaerts, Peeters.
Goals vs Royal FC de Liège : Belme (2), Thijs, De Silva.

Founded : 1981
FA number : 132
Address : Bergévest 12 – 3300 Tienen
Stadium : Bergé (6000)
Ticket Office : 016/81 32 24
Website : www.kvktienen.be
Kit Colours : blue shirt, white short, green socks
Budget : between 1,1 and 1,3 million euro
Chairman : Willy Schepers
Gaffer : Daniël Nassen (° 24/11/1966) – manager career : VW Oorbeek United (2004), K.V.K. Tienen ( from 2005)

GLORY GLORY MAN. UNITED (PT SIX)

John O’Shea signed his professional forms at 17 and made his debut in 1999 at Villa Park in a 3-0 Football League Cup defeat. Following loan spells at Bournemouth in 2000 and Royal Antwerp Football Club in 2001 (14 Belgian league games and 3 friendlies) he returned to Manchester and began to feature in the United first team in the 2002-2003 season, demonstrating versatility by playing in goal (2007 vs Spurs), at left-back, right-back, centre-back, central midfield and even in the 2007-2008 season as an emergency striker due to the Mancunians' injury problems.

April 2001, John shows his colleagues (Jonas De Roeck, Gunter Ribus, Bernt Evens and Kris Mampaey) his road to the Theatre of Dreams

In the semi-final of the Champions League against the Gunners our former star had his finest moment in United’s colours after only 18 minutes of play at the Theatre of Dreams in front of 74 733 spectators.  His team-mate Anderson whipped over a corner from the right flank, the danger appeared to subside as the ball cleared the centre.  An all evening influential Michael Carrick had other ideas, reaching the ball first, rounding Diaby and crossing low and hard.  The Gunners panicked and former Manchester United player Silvestre poked out a leg but succeeded only in diverting the ball to the unmarked O’Shea.

April 29th 2001: John and his teammates (Jurgen De Neys, Ki-Hyeon Seol and Tony Sergeant) ready to compete Club Brugge KV

Our former player did drive the ball right-footed past the despairing Almunia with such force the net stretched violently on the stanchions.  So, the Republic of Ireland international gave Sir Alex Ferguson’s side the advantage and United will be confident about scoring at the Emirates next Tuesday, so requiring Arsenal to beat Edwin van der Sar three times if they are to reach the May 27 final in the Eternal City.  Congratulations for Sheasy, Jonny Evans (came on as a substitute for Rio Ferdinand after 87’) and Giggsy (came on as a substitute for Anderson in the 66’) making his 800th appearance for the English, European and World Champions!

LAST DAY WITHOUT SUSPENSIONS

7:Ray Fränkel (01.04.'09).

6:Roel van Hemert.

5:Zarko Jelicic (21.02.'09 + 07.03.'09).

4:Ivan Vukomanovic (01.03.'09), Ransford Addo (04.04.'09), Darko Pivaljevic (12.04.'09).

3:Matthias Trenson, Sebastian Setti, Emmerik De Vriese, Bas Vervaeke, Spencer Verbiest.

2:Darko Lukanovic (19.10.'08 + 27.12.'08), Adamo Coulibaly (24.01.'09 + 31.01.'09), Slobodan Slovic (12.10.'08 + 18.02.'09), Manu Kenmogne (25.03.'09 + 04.04.'09).

1:Bart De Corte (04.10.'08), Marco Gbarssin (23.11.'08).

SUMMARY DAY THIRTY-SEVEN

You need players who are motivated and committed to the cause of the team, each player needs to be able to communicate with his team-mates to enable them to raise morale, players need a sense that they belong to a team, are united behind the same goal and have clear plans for dealing with situations within games. The players have to focus on the right things at the right time and not allow themselves to be distracted by things that may go on during the games. You have to be able as a team to control your emotions amidst different situations on the pitch and it’s essential that yellow and red cards should be avoided because they end up costing the team dearly. Well, experienced gaffer Guido Brepoels managed a side that are able to bounce back from a loss or a dip in form as they did before the Winter break (only 4 points out of a possible 12) and this Exqi League season his team with the reliable and very promising goalkeeper Mignolet, a solid centre-back pairing with the likes of Cantaluppi and Euvrard, an influential captain in midfielder Delorge and a top goalscorer in giant striker Sidibe backed by Siani and two players with Belgian grit who can score from midfield in Wilmet and new signing Mennes took the lead in the Belgian second division in round six.  The Canaries from chairman Roland Duchâtelet went from strength to strength and this Sunday afternoon they clinched the title in front of 10 000 jubilant fans at Staaien.  So, next year in the Jupiler Pro League after a one-year absence S.T.V.V. is coming home to compete with Belgium’s elite clubs.  Congratulations!

While manager Helleputte gave several regular first team players a rest for the match against R.O.C. de Charleroi (3-2 win), Royal Antwerp Football Club clinched their ticket for the qualifying round of the play-offs with a below-par performance against a lacklustre K.M.S.K. Deinze with a brace from unsung hero Lukanovic.

For the other 2 places in the qualifying round there’s a battle between Royal F.C. Tournai, K.V.K. Tienen, KV Red Star Waasland, K.V. Ostend, K.S.K. Ronse and KVSK United on the last day of the Exqi-league season.

In the lower echelons of the second division the decisions are already made, despite a rocky start K.A.S. Eupen are safe from relegation worries, K.F.C. V.W. Hamme, R.O.C. de Charleroi and R. Excelsior Virton will battle with third division sides in the play-downs and our last opponents UR Namur (after a two year stay) and K.M.S.K. Deinze (after a sixteen year stay in this division) are relegated!

GLORY GLORY MAN. UNITED (PT FIVE)

Manchester United trudged into the dressing room two goals down, seemingly unable to stop an inspired Tottenham from cutting them apart with goals from Darren Bent and Luka Modric.  But then came Ferguson’s dressing room rhetoric and with the introduction of his Argentine catalysator Carlos Tevez United were inspired in the second half scoring five goals in the space of just 22 minutes, Wayne Rooney and Cristiano Ronaldo played the leads with two goals apiece and the fifth courtesy of former Spurs player Berbatov who perhaps sensing an urgent need to improve United’s goal difference.  With this win the Mancunians restore their three-point lead at the top of the Premiership with a game in hand.   Our former player John O’Shea came on as a substitute replacing Da Silva in the 70’ and another former Royal Antwerp star Jonny Evans was an unused sub.

Other important news is that Aston Villa forward Ashley Young took the Young Player of the Year award beating Manchester United defenders Rafael Da Silva and the Northern Ireland international Jonny Evans.  For the Professional Footballers’ Association Player of the Year award a certain 35-year-old Welshman took the plaudits and beat his team-mates Vidic, Ferdinand, Ronaldo, Van der Sar and Liverpool’s Steven Gerrard. His name… Ryan Giggs! If Ryan lines up against the Gunners in United’s Champions League semi-final first leg on Wednesday, it will be his 800th club appearance.

KMSK DEINZE - ROYAL ANTWERP

A point is all that is needed but a win is preferable in Deinze if Royal Antwerp want to book an early place for the qualifying matches for the play-offs. Coach Svilar has a number of selection problems and he has to cobble together a makeshift defence. De Corte, after waiting patiently for weeks, is a given a run out at left back, Vervaeke is at right back and Setti is asked to play further back than usual. Deinze need the win to keep alive their hopes of surviving the drop and have Elejiko in their line up, obviously hoping he can put one across his old team. Read how both teams did.

PROFILE OPPONENT * K.M.S.K. DEINZE

Sunday 26 April 2009 - 3 PM (c.e.t.)

referees: Sébastien Delferière - Dirk Gilon - Laurent Verkempinck

Our next opponents don’t have stability in the boardroom and ambitions will be hampered by the club’s precarious financial state, which means there is almost no money to spend on new players and the best outcome for this disappointing Exqi-league season is survival via the play-downs.  Can they rely on their current squad?  We don’t think so because