Red Devils rise to occasion as Lukaku comes of age Belgium 4-2 Sweden, Saturday 12 October 2013
In the key game of World Cup 2014 qualifying, Belgium all but clinched Group 8 with an impressive win against challengers Sweden in an incredible feast of football. The win was more than deserved for the gallant Red Devils, who gave their all and were suitably rewarded with a crucial three points. Having been much maligned over the past few internationals, Roma wonderkid Romelu Lukaku became a national hero with an inspired performance up front.
In what had been anticipated as a tense affair, both sides came out with attacking intentions, and it took just 10 minutes to break the deadlock. After some neat Belgian interplay moving into the Swedish half, the ball came to Romelu Lukaku on the left hand side; without hesistation, the big striker turned inside and unleashed a 20 yard thunderbolt past the helpless Isaksson. After such a dream start, the fans packed inside Stade Roi Baudouin lifted the roof, and the scene was set for an incredible game of football. The Scandinavians hit back on the half-hour mark, with the impressive Zlatan Ibrahimovic turning between the centre halves before thumping the ball home. It looked to be heading into the interval all square, until the Red Devils were controversially awarded a soft penalty after Eden Hazard fell inside the box…Moussa Dembélé made no mistake, and at half time Belgium were in control.
After the resumption, it was clear that the Swedes were throwing more players forward, and causing problems in the home defence. Within 10 minutes, Ibrahimovic has once again found space in the box, and calmly slotted his country back level. The game was on a knife edge; any decision from either manager could have been crucial…taking the initiative, Thierry Zvunka made the first move. Bringing on young creative midfielder Mats Rits for anchorman Ojo, his change made an instant impact; with his first involvement in the game, Rits won the ball back in the engine room, played a one-two with Lukaku and went on to send a placed shot into the far corner of the net! An incredible impact from the AC Milan youngster, and an equally brave call by Zvunka paid dividends.
Surprisingly, Thierry Zvunka decided to keep his side’s attacking approach, despite Erik Hamrén throwing caution to the wind in the opposite dugout. It soon became clear what the Belgian gaffer was thinking, however – by keeping the Swedes pinned back in their own half, with less players to support the defence, the Red Devils remained in the asendency, and were eventually rewarded when that man Lukaku finished the contest with another thunderous strike. It was just what Belgium deserved for their bravery and commitment, and the final whistle was greeted with delirious scenes both on and off the pitch.
After the vital win, Belgium travel to Armenia knowing that a win will guarantee their place in Brazil this coming summer, while if Serbia fail to defeat Sweden the outcome won’t matter. Given our impressive performances against the lesser nations so far, it is unthinkable that we won’t finish the job in 4 days time. For now, we can celebrate a famous win and performance, and look ahead to a (hopefully) routine final game against one of the group minnows with confidence.
Romelu Lukaku silenced his critics with a superb showing
Belgium clinch 2014 spot as romp concludes qualifying campaign Armenia 0-4 Belgium, Wednesday 16th October 2013
Belgium officially booked their place at the World Cup in Brazil next summer as group lightweights Armenia were swept aside in the final game of qualifying this evening. In truth, the Red Devils were never troubled, and having opened their account in the very first minute of the game the outcome was inevitable. Once again, young Romelu Lukaku starred, scoring his first international hat-trick in a virtuoso performance that left the analysts running out of superlatives.
After Serbia took three points with an impressive 3-2 win away to Sweden, Thierry Zvunka’s Belgium side knew that they had to win in Yerevan. Any fears were dispelled immediately, however, as Romelu Lukaku got the ball just outside the box, turned, faked a shot and dribbled past the opposing keeper to slot home after 32 seconds. It sparked wild celebrations amongst the small travelling support, and they would have plenty more to cheer during the 90 minutes. Time and time again, Lukaku memorised the Armenian centre-backs, with a lethal combination of skill and power; after converting twice more from cross balls, in the 30th and 42nd minutes respectively, he had sealed his first international hat-trick within the first half. The game was over, and the players were playing with the freedom that confidence and success brings.
The second half was largely a non-event, with the Red Devils content to control possession while their Armenian hosts shut up shop and looked to limit the scoreline to a respectable level. The only real incident of note came after 67 minutes, when substitute striker Tom De Sutter was fouled in an aerial challenge, and the referee had no option but to award a penalty to Belgium. Funso Ojo stepped up confidently, and sent the ball into the goalkeeper’s top right-hand corner to seal the emphatic victory with his first international goal. The final twenty minutes had the atmosphere of a friendly, with neither side looking to commit too much towards their respective attacks, and the match petered out to the final whistle. In contrast to the wild celebrations of the weekend, the players were muted and respectful to their hosts, and gathered together with the backroom staff to applaud the travelling hordes of fans.
With our place at the World Cup in the bank, it remains to be seen how our country will be seeded in the group draw. Our 12th place in the FIFA World Rankings suggests that we could gain a favourable group, but there is planty of time to wait between now and next summer’s tournament. In the end, the whole nation is simply delighted to be back in the big time, and eternally thankful to the gaffer, Thierry Zvunka.
Cheers again Carine - don't think anyone noticed the typo...ssshhh!
Quarterly Report: Feyenoord off to encouraging start Thursday 24th October 2013
De Club van Zuid fans have had plenty to celebrate so far
With the Eredivisie season well underway, it has been a good start for Thierry Zvunka as Feyenoord manager. On the pitch, results have been positive, with the exception of a loss in the derby game with Ajax. However, the fans seem willing to forgive this unfortunate result, as De Club van Zuid sit proudly atop the league table with 9 games played so far. In the Dutch Cup, the first team safely negotiated a tricky away tie to reach the next stage, and the reserves also progressed with a tournament-record 6-0 scoreline! Before the draw away to VVV, we had achieved a club record six victories on the bounce, and the following game against Heracles saw the club set a record for the highest ever Eredivisie attendance in the newly extended De Kuip stadium. Things are seemingly looking up both on and off the pitch.
Thierry Zvunka’s new-look Feyenoord team have been set up in a 4-2-3-1 formation, which has caused all sorts of problems for our opponents so far. The key to this system is the balance that it provides; both central midfielders are ball winners, and put pressure on when possession is lost, while the attacking midfield trio interchange and support the lone frontman. To counteract this, most of Zvunka’s adversaries have packed the middle of the pitch, but this leaves acres of space for both wing-backs to get to the byline. While this would initially leave the centre backs vunerable, at least one of the two combative midfield players tends to drop back in support.
The net result of this attacking formation has been goals…and plenty of them! It seems like the manager doesn’t mind conceding the odd goal, so long as De Club van Zuid create plenty of chances and convert on a semi-regular basis. In our 9 league matches so far, there have been an incredible 35 goals, sharing the 26 goals scored at the right end between 11 different members of the squad. At the other end, Ron Vlaar and Andre Bahia have been as solid as ever, even chipping in with a couple of assists! The only negative currently is a growing injury list, with Ron Vlaar joining three strikers in Fredy Montero, Wendel and Vakhtang Pantskhava on the treatment table.
In terms of the most impressive players so far, there have been two absolute standouts: firstly, much was made of the transfer fee lavished on new signing Eyal Golasa – with 3 goals and 5 assists in his first 8 league games, including 3 man of the match awards, he is well on his way to paying back that money on the pitch; secondly, James Morrison has forced his way into the first team with a couple of superb substitute appearances in crunch situations, contributing 5 goals to the attack in 2 starts and 5 matches off the bench. In addition, having missed the start of the season through injury Damian Marcq has returned to dominate the middle of the park, with most sides unable to challenge the rock of the midfield. The main concern as things stand comes from Jonathan de Guzman, who has now missed training 4 times so far this season and is reportedly seeking a move away from De Kuip.
Looking forward, it seems that missing out on European football will help the club in our challenge for the title, which this campaign is quickly developing into. With all our expected challengers negotiating several more matches than us, they will develop burnout symptoms as time goes by, while Thierry Zvunka should be able to keep our boys fresh and competitive if all goes well. If we can avoid any more major injury problems, we are more than capable of going all the way on the evidence of this season so far.
Plenty of encouraging signs, then. Let’s hope we are still as positive when the winter break arrives!
Belgium handed tough group in forthcoming World Cup Wednesday 4th December 2013
Having been designated as second seeds, Thierry Zvunka may have been expecting to face at least one international minnow this summer. Attending the draw in Rio de Janeiro, the Belgium manager couldn’t wait to find out our opponents in the initial group stage of the 2014 FIFA World Cup, believing that we have a fantastic chance of progression. In the end, Group E was our destination, alongside Argentina, the USA and Japan.
Acknowledged by the pundits as one of the toughest groups, even being labelled with the infamous “group of death” moniker, Zvunka seemed undaunted.
“One of my dreams entering management was to take a country to the greatest show on earth, and I’ll achieve that in the summer. I said repeatedly over the weekend that we would deal with whatever fate dealt us, and while it may seem to be a tough group on paper I can guarantee you that our opponents won’t be relishing the prospect of facing Belgium. In the end, the other sides in our group don’t matter, if we perform to the best of our abilities we will progress to the next round regardless of opposition.”
Now, with the draw made and everything in place, we play the waiting game – if we can avoid injuries to the likes of Romelu Lukaku, Thomas Vermaelen and Marouane Fellaini, we may just convert Thierry’s ambition into a reality.
Quarterly Report: De Club van Zuid build on strong start Monday 30th December 2013
The good times keep coming for fans in Rotterdam
After such an impressive opening to the 2013/14 Eredivisie, Feyenoord and manager Thierry Zvunka have looked to solidify their position atop the league. As we sit in the middle of the winter break, on the eve of a new year, the club seems to have opened a new chapter in it’s proud history. The wins have kept on coming, and there is now a six-point gap between the club and bitter rivals Ajax. Elsewhere, the side safely negotiated two ties in the Dutch Cup, defeating Scheveningen and AZ Alkmaar to reach the quarter-final stage. Unfortunately, the reserves fell one round short, losing narrowly to Willem II (who will now face the first team). Perhaps the most impressive development since the last report has been in defence – in the last 10 competitive games, Feyenoord have kept 9 clean sheets, while the goals continue to flow at the other end.
For the last couple of months, the gaffer has been working closely with the scouting team to find the best young prospects around the world. Having looked into the possibility of adding several talented youngsters, we can confirm the addition of 4 new potential stars in the coming transfer window: goalkeeper Ruud Postma is already a Dutch under 21 international, despite being just 17 years old, and arrives from Barcelona; Czech under-21 keeper Petr Zelenka is on his way to De Kuip from Villarreal; Francisco Javier of Cartagena is a third young goalkeeper, and a Spanish under-21 international; Peruvian attacking midfield starlet Marlon Espinoza will join from Alianza Lima in his home country. With first-choice goalie Luciano approaching his 34th birthday, and backup Darley set to leave in the summer, it seems that Zvunka has high hopes for the three young net minders to progress upward in the next couple of years.
In terms of the first team, there are no incoming moves anticipated during the forthcoming transfer window. There may be activity in the other direction, however: rumours persist over several players, including combative midfielder Damian Marcq, winger Gabriel Obertan and bad-boy playmaker Jonathan de Guzman. It seems that the fans have had enough of de Guzman’s antics, having now missed training on five separate occasions this season and regularly telling the press of his desire to leave the club. As he came on in the cup game with AZ, there were a significant number of fans booing his arrival – despite scoring, he still received a hard time for the twenty minutes he spent on the pitch. With Stoke City and Fulham reportedly interested, it will take around £3 million to facilitate his departure.
de Guzman - set to leave the league leaders?
Perhaps the only worry for De Club van Zuid fans is the rapid rise of the new manager – with several high-profile managerial positions becoming available early in the season, and after such an impressive start to his time at De Kuip, Thierry Zvunka was heavily linked with the positions at Manchester United, Sevilla and Toulouse. It is surely too early in his time here for the talented young Scots-Frenchman to leave for such a job, but Ajax fans will be able to provide a note of caution: Martin Jol’s departure to Palermo after a successful few years has severely affected morale in Amsterdam, and he will prove a tough act to follow.
As with the last report, plenty of encouraging sign as we reach the midway point of the campaign. If Zvunka can hold onto the core of this Feyenoord squad, the Eredivisie may just be within grasp come the publication of our next report - who knows?
There seems to be no stopping Feyenoord in the Eredivisie as they continue to break records left, right and centre! As we go to print, Thierry Zvunka has lead his men to 18 straight wins, a run stretching back to October last year. Naturally, this has resulted in title challengers PSV and Ajax losing ground, and there is now a 14 point gap at the top of the league. The run includes a narrow and hard-fought 1-0 cup win away to Willem II, pitting De Club van Zuid against PSV in the semi-final. There have been some spectacular results of late, but perhaps the game that will come to be remembered as pivotal this season came at the Philips Stadion, home of PSV: before the match, Feyenoord manager Zvunka was bullish about his side’s chances, declaring that they would set out as attacking as ever…PSV couldn’t cope, and an incredible 90 minutes ended with a crushing 5-1 win for the visitors. Once again, both attack and defence have been impressive for Zvunka’s side since the break, with 7 clean sheets in 8 games, and 23 goals being converted at the other end.
With the January transfer window having been and gone, there was a lack of any major transfer activity at De Kuip. Perhaps the biggest story is that the Jonathan de Guzman saga rumbles on, with the playmaker having failed to attract any concrete bids, resulting in his request to remove his transfer request. Naturally, success attracts interest, and the likes of Ron Vlaar, Eyal Golasa and Gabriel Obertan attracted many interested glances – in the end, only backup winger Tim Vincken left the club to join Rapid Wien for around £100,000. As far as transfer deals the other way go, there was only one negotiation completed: in another declaration of his youth policy, Thierry Zvunka has decided to bring in young right back Eric Boateng from the Feyenoord Academy, based in Ghana. While still a raw talent, Boateng is expected to act as understudy to Neil Eardley next season.
Vincken: on the move
The only negative aspect of the last few months has been in the physio’s room: young centre-back Ismael Ercan had just been beginning to work his way into the first team, having had a good experience shadowing André Bahia, when a training ground accident stopped him in his tracks. With cruciate damage to his knee, the prognosis is that he will be out for 9 months, meaning that he won’t don a Feyenoord shirt again until after the winter break next season. We all wish Ismael a speedy recovery, and hope to see him recover fully.
With squad morale at soaring levels, and the squad now familiar with each other, it seems that this unit will be unstoppable in the hunt for the Eredivisie title. There are just 9 games remaining, and the cushion at the top means that De Club van Zuid can afford to drop points in 4 games down the stretch – given their incredible run shows no sign of abating just yet, the league could be sewn up by early April, allowing the team to concentrate fully on cup matters. With the fans now expectant, it will be seen as a failure if the ‘double’ cannot be secured…however, if there is one man that we now have faith in to deliver it is Thierry!
It has been an incredible campaign thus far, now all that remains for Feyenoord is to clinch the title and to challenge for the Dutch Cup – the next few months promise to be both enjoyable and exciting in equal measure for fans of Rotterdam's success story!
Feyenoord crowned Eredivisie champions Sunday 6th April 2014
De Club van Zuid players celebrate after seeing off Telstar
Feyenoord finally clinched their first Eredivisie championship since 1999 this afternoon, after a routine 2-0 win over Telstar at a packed De Kuip. Having waited so long to return to the summit, the players made the most of the moment, celebrating with the fans long after the final whistle was blown.
This positive development comes at just the right time for the Rotterdam club, who have experienced a tough couple of weeks: firstly, loanee Wendel was forced to return home to Brazil after a jaw injury ruled him out of the remainder of the campaign; then, midfielder Gabi caused some friction in the camp after declaring (yet again) that he felt under-valued, despite featuring regularly…Thierry Zvunka was unimpressed, and immediately transfer-listed the midfielder. However, all negative thoughts were quickly dispelled today, as the fans rejoiced in the long awaited re-emergence of Rotterdam’s giants. Given that the first team squad has an average age of just 24, it seems as if the good times could be here to stay, as long as manager Zvunka is too!
Now, De Club van Zuid can turn their attentions to the Dutch Cup final, which will be contested against bitter rivals Ajax. A victory to clinch the ‘double’ would be all the sweeter for the fans at the expense of the Amsterdam side, so there is a lot riding on the match. Having last won the trophy in 2008, the only silverware to have been added to the cabinet at De Kuip for the last 14 years, many of the current squad know what is required to go all the way. Having been praised by several analysts, including club legend Pierre van Hooijdonk, it seems that Thierry Zvunka is been given the vast majority of the credit for Feyenoord’s successful 2013/14 season…we are all waiting with baited breath to see if his players can round it off in style!
Having secured one piece of domestic silverware, can De Club van Zuid win another?
De Club van Zuid complete domestic double: dawn of a new era in Rotterdam?
Feyenoord have traditionally been one of the giants in Dutch football. With a rich history, and several big-name players being produced through the years, the Rotterdam club have treated their fans throughout their history with regular successes and quality football on show. However, over the last decade or so, the club has experienced a rough time of things – with just a single Dutch Cup win since the dawning of the new millennium, the fans could have been forgiven for fearing that their best days had been consigned to the history books, never to be seen again.
Step forward Thierry Zvunka. Brought in from an unfashionable Scottish side in Kilmarnock FC, the young manager was certainly a risk-and-reward style appointment: untested at the highest level in club management, his only previous honours had been winning the European under 21 Championship (with arguably the best squad) and the Scottish First Division (which Killie were the favourites for). Arriving at De Kuip with bold promises and visions for the future, the board and fans knew that his tenure would result in either fantastic success or unmitigated failure. Luckily for the loyal Feyenoord support, it has been the former that has played out over his first season in charge.
Having clinched the ‘double’ with an impressive 4-1 victory over bitter rivals Ajax in the cup final, things are finally looking positive again for the fallen giants. The club have got their finances back into the black, the stadium is now the biggest in the country with regular sell-outs, and the squad seems to be happy with life in Rotterdam. In addition, the famous Feyenoord youth development system is beginning to work it’s magic once more, with the gaffer adding young talent from all over the continent in the hope of finding the stars of the future – with an impressive track record of finding and developing youth players, Zvunka seems set to have a lasting legacy at the club, no matter how long his tenure lasts.
In many ways, the final itself encapsulated just how much things have changed in Rotterdam over the past 12 months. Last season, De Club van Zuid were struggling to even make the European places play-offs, and went into matches against the leading lights of Dutch football with the aim of grabbing a point. Inevitably, they were usually broken down, and paid the price for negativity and a chronic lack of confidence in their ability. At the weekend, it was a completely different side that took the field: the wing-backs bomb down the wings at every opportunity, the central midfield duo doggedly hassle opponents into losing possession, the attacking midfield trio are constantly probing and worrying the opposing defenders while the lone frontman is the lynchpin in every move, dropping deep to allow runners space or running off the shoulder of mentally-weary centre backs. This new Feyenoord side have such self-confidence that they genuinely believe in their ability to defeat anyone on their day, and their play exudes this with flair, pace and trickery. In short, it is a joy to watch and a beacon of hope for the future of our game.
So what now for the Rotterdam side: was this campaign a mere flash-in-the-pan, or genuinely the start of something special? All the fundamental building blocks are in place, but the side will have to step up a level with Champions League football once again on the horizon. If they can add one or two more quality players, there is no reason why Feyenoord cannot become giants once more. Initial signs are encouraging, with the capture of talented goalkeeper Vincent Enyeama on a Bosman deal already confirmed, and possibly more to follow. One thing is for sure – the whole of Dutch football will be watching on with much interest.
BREAKING NEWS: Racing approach Feyenoord’s Thierry Zvunka Monday 12th May 2014
According to Sky sources, Racing Santander chairman Francisco Pernía has moved to appoint Thierry Zvunka as the club’s new manager. The Spanish Liga BBVA side, who currently sit just outside the relegation zone, 17th in the table with one game left of the regular season, are trying to entice the Scots-Frenchman away from Rotterdam after just one season in which he clinched the ‘double’ for Feyenoord. Our sources believe that Racing are offering a transfer budget of around £2 million, and a wage budget of 250k, which fall below the levels which Zvunka currently enjoys in Holland – however, the prospect of managing in one of Europe’s elite leagues may appeal to the rising star of the dugout.
In a hastily-arranged press conference at De Kuip this evening, manager Thierry Zvunka reaffirmed his commitment to Feyenoord by rejecting the approach for his services from Racing Santander. Flanked by assistant John Maorling and club chairman **** van Well, Zvunka himself opened the press conference with a brief statement, followed by the chairman’s thoughts as shown in the transcript below.
Zvunka: “Good evening everyone – I’m sure we all know why we are gathered here, so let me get this over and done with quickly.”
“This morning, I received a contract offer from Liga BBVA side Racing Santander, which gave me the opportunity to became the club’s new manager. To be honest, and contrary to the reports I’ve seen this afternoon, the offer didn’t tempt me to leave my position here at De Kuip. I am more than happy, therefore, to reaffirm my commitment to this football club by rejecting the approach – Mr Pernía and I had a brief phone conversation earlier today, and he has now moved on to pursuing other targets.”
“I hope that this decision, which John was fully consulted on as my assistant, can serve to prove our joint commitment to the project we have began in Rotterdam, and which we intend to carry on with. We are more than happy with our jobs and life in general at this football club, and it would take something very special for us to leave. Naturally, (chairman) Mr van Well was happy to hear that we will be going nowhere, and I believe that he would like to add a few words…”
van Well: “Thanks Thierry. Ladies and gentlemen, it gives me great pleasure to sit alongside these two men to confirm their continued employment by Feyenoord. The last campaign was our most successful in decades, and the main reason behind the success was the team of Thierry and John.”
“I received a phone call yesterday evening from Santander, informing me of their desire to speak with Thierry. As chairman of this football club, I was powerless to refuse, given that he is one of the brightest talents in European football right now, and that the Spaniards were willing to shell out full compensation if he chose to leave. Naturally, I feared the worst given what he has already done for our club, so I am thankful for his continued presence at De Kuip. Going forward, we will do everything in our power to hold on to all of our backroom team, and hope for continued progress in the next campaign.”
Quarterly Report: 2013/14 season ends, new era begins Saturday 31st May 2014
De Kuip was packed with 60,000 fans to close the campaign
With the conclusion of the relegation playoffs, the 2013/14 Eredivisie has concluded, and the season itself draws to a close. It has been a campaign to remember for Feyenoord, returning to the pinnacle of Dutch football by winning both the Eredivisie and the Dutch Cup – off the pitch, the club’s coffers have swelled as a result, which should allow manager Thierry Zvunka some transfer money to invest in an effort to prepare for the Champions League next season.
With the summer now approaching, and the transfer window ready to open, it remains to be seen what moves Zvunka will make this time around. Last summer saw the arrivals of Lee Wallace, Neal Eardley, Femi Ajilore and most notably Eyal Golasa: all of those mentioned rewarded the manager’s faith by contributing towards success on both fronts. Golasa arrived under heavy scrutiny after a lavish fee of £5.25 million was shelled out for his services, and he thrived under the pressure, performing as the main playmaker and now a shoe-in for player of the season. Given his success in the transfer market last time around, the club and fans have complete belief in Zvunka improving the squad once more.
In terms of the young arrivals, one player in particular is making a big impression – at the tender age of 16, Javier Zinkunegi has already turned out for the Spanish u21 side, and looked mature beyond his years in the Dutch Cup for the reserve side. Seemingly on the road to great things, the young combative midfielder has already attracted interest from the likes of Tottenham and Sevilla…the key to his development will be keeping his feet on the ground, and perhaps another tutoring experience after he shadowed Damian Marcq earlier this season.
With the manager having rebuffed interest from La Liga, it seems as if he is here to stay, possibly the best transfer news of the summer before the window even opens! It shouldn't be forgotten that this side broke records including goals scored and points gained under the stewardship of Zvunka, with his attacking approach paying dividends. With positives to draw on both on and off the pitch, it could well be that the 2013/14 campaign will be remembered as a turning point in the history of De Club van Zuid – with the taste of success returning to De Kuip, and a talented squad already in place, everything is in place to start a new successful era in the history of Feyenoord Rotterdam Football Club.
Thierry Zvunka unveils Belgium squad for World Cup Sunday 8th June 2014
The waiting is over – this afternoon, Thierry Zvunka finally unveiled his 23-man Belgium squad to travel to Brazil for World Cup 2014. Mixing youth and experience, the selection had little surprise inclusions…there was, however, a surprise omission: Moussa Dembélé. The West Ham attacker was key to our qualification for the tournament, but has not been featuring for his club, and as a result has been left at home wondering what might have been. The 23 men carrying the hopes of the nation are as follows:
With the time for speculation over, it is time for the real action to begin. Belgium kick off with a match against the USA, followed by group favourites Argentina and conclude with Japan. Steven Defour has publically stated that the squad are relishing the challenge, and if they can rise to the occasion progression is certainly possible!
Cheers for the comment mate - I'd just noticed that no-one had been responding to updates, and thought that I'd been doing them for nothing! I hope to end up in the EPL at some stage, need a job offer first though...there is possibly a "move" in the works mind you, am still debating whether to take an offer that's just arrived - I'm really torn!
Red Devils through to knockout stage Thursday 26th June 2014
Belgium have finished 2nd in Group E of the World Cup, securing their passage through to the second round of the tournament. Such a finish was the stuff of fantasy after a opening-day defeat to the USA, but a miraculous victory over giants Argentina and a scrappy success against Japan have seen Zvunka’s boys into the last 16.
The first game of the tournament brought huge disappointment for the travelling thousands backing Belgium. An abject defensive display allowed the USA to lead 3-0 at half-time, and it seemed that our World Cup dreams had been shattered after just 45 minutes after months of hard work just to be in Brazil. Jozy Altidore wreaked havoc, his sheer physicality disrupting the defence time and again, and leading to all three goals. After a dressing down from the manager, the Red Devils regained some pride in the second half, but only had a Romelu Lukaku goal to show for their efforts in the end. With some media pundits declaring our campaign over, something incredible was about to happen.
When Argentina come to town, you don’t expect a win. Quite simply, it’s usually a case of damage limitation. However, Thierry Zvunka changed his tactical setup to counter the South Americans, and he got it absolutely spot on. As the first period wore on, the Argentines became frustrated with the Belgian 4-5-1 retaining the ball and immediately hassling their more illustrious opponents when they got anywhere near the 18 yard box, and lost their concentration for a split second: in an instant, Eden Hazard had been given space to drift inside, and he took the opportunity to slip in Lukaku; he made no mistake one-on-one, and the Red Devils had an improbable half-time lead! The second period brought more of the same, with Argentina being restricted to long range attempts, and to the delight of the Belgian fans the game petered out tamely to give Zvunka’s men a renewed chance of progression.
Finally, the Japan match arrived. Once again, the opposing manager was surprised and caught off guard by Thierry Zvunka employing new tactics – this time, a 4-4-2 diamond system emerged from the tunnel, and exposed a weak engine room in the Asian side. Overall, Belgium completely controlled the first 45, despite entering the break goalless. The news from elsewhere was bleak, however – Argentina lead the USA, meaning that only victory would suffice for the Red Devils. Coming out with a renewed attacking flair, the Belgians began to really take the game to their opponents, and were duly rewarded after a controversial substitution: key frontman Romelu Lukaku was replaced by target man Tom de Sutter, to gasps of disbelief of many Belgian fans; just 5 minutes later, the AEK Athans man duly rewarded Zvunka’s faith with a thunderous finish from close range. Once again, the match proceeded to peeter out, and amazingly Belgium were through!
Now, barring an unlikely swing of 10 goals, we will face Germany in the next round. The Germans have been impressive thus far, having won both their matches by 3 goals, albeit in a weak group. It will be a tough ask, but if luck is on our side and Thierry Zvunka can find the right tactical approach we may yet stand a chance of going even further…who knows?
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