Years ago a friend of Arsène Wenger started managing an underachieving club (SK Beveren). He had a football school in Ivory Coast and send these young players to Belgium. At a given moment all but one player were from Ivory Coast . After a while they started getting better and better ... Do names as Yaya Touré & Eboué , Gervinho (AS Roma), Romaric and Boka ring a bell ?
Years ago a friend of Arsène Wenger started managing an underachieving club (SK Beveren). He had a football school in Ivory Coast and send these young players to Belgium. At a given moment all but one player were from Ivory Coast . After a while they started getting better and better ... Do names as Yaya Touré & Eboué , Gervinho (AS Roma), Romaric and Boka ring a bell ?
Guess thats why Beveren created a link with Arsenal then? - i.e. the friendship between Arsene and the friend you mention
Lost at Zulte-Waregem 0-2 on Saturday evening. Ceballos subbed off after 50 mins and Tex booked in 90th. They conceded 2 second half goals after having a man sent off.
Igor was out with a knock he picked up in the previous win; expected back this week.
It seems Ceballos got a groin/adductor injury. He has a scan due Monday and may miss at least the next game, which happens to be at home to Standard Liege next Sunday evening.
So... Igor lasted one game and Ceballos one and a half games. That's the trouble with players from these EFL clubs: they can't stand the rigours of a 30-game Belgian season, not to mention possible play-offs. You can't rely on them to turn up and show character on a mild summer evening in Zulte (or is it Waregem?), blah blah blah.
Contrary to Fraye, Jonas De Roeck had a bit of a career as a player. He was a solid defender in the German 2nd Division and with Royal Antwerp until about a year and a half ago. No clue how he will turn out as a coach ...
Beat Standard Liege 1-0 this evening. Tex and Botaka played; Tex got booked again. Two Standard players sent off late on. STVV now have 6 pts from 3 games, but are only 6th on GD.
Won 1-0 at home to Waasup-Bevern today and the scorer was... Igor Vetokele, after coming on as sub. So he only missed a couple of games, after all. Tex got booked for the 3rd time in the league this season. Botaka played and got subbed off.
STVV had players of 7 different nationalities in their starting 11, W-B 9 and there were 15 in total.
Comments
Of STVV's starting XI only three were Belgian, and only three of the subs. Gent had only one Belgian starter, and four subs.
Igor was out with a knock he picked up in the previous win; expected back this week.
So... Igor lasted one game and Ceballos one and a half games. That's the trouble with players from these EFL clubs: they can't stand the rigours of a 30-game Belgian season, not to mention possible play-offs. You can't rely on them to turn up and show character on a mild summer evening in Zulte (or is it Waregem?), blah blah blah.
He must be gutted.
Roly will be dancing in the streets of ST tonight !
STVV had players of 7 different nationalities in their starting 11, W-B 9 and there were 15 in total.
Top of the table looks like this:
1 Sporting Charleroi 5 +8 15
2 Club Brugge 4 +8 12
3 Sint-Truiden 5 +2 12
4 Royal Excel Mouscron 5 +1 10
They'll be dancing in the streets of St Trond tonight.
I spent yesterday driving through Belgium - Belgians are surely the worst drivers and football club owners in Europe.
However, they hadn't chucked out at the Brewery yet.