"A Hardman Winger?" The Career of Thierry Zvunka
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Cheers for the comments guys, nice to know that I've got readers! As requested, here are all the groups - some interesting teams qualified for 2014...
EDIT: Just noticed, you'll get to see who that job offer was from, because I accepted it...update to come after the World Cup!
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Red Devils thank lucky stars after fortuitous victory
Germany 0-1 Belgium - Monday 30th June 2014
Germany 0-1 Belgium - Monday 30th June 2014
Belgium was in a state of unbridled celebration last night after securing a historic victory over neighbours Germany to reach the World Cup quarter-finals. In truth, the 1-0 scoreline was extremely harsh on the Germans, who deserved to a least take the tie into extra-time, but nevertheless Thierry Zvunka and his players are being saluted as national heroes this morning.
Before the match, Germany were considered to be the overwhelming favourites, with many pundits conceding that Belgium had a chance if they played to their full ability. Perhaps the Red Devils best chance lay in their tactical unpredictability – during the group stages, manager Zvunka sent his side out in 3 different formations, geared to match up against their opponents in the most effective way possible. This game was no different, with the players adopting a counter attacking 4-4-1-1 approach, designed to break at pace in an attempt to expose a slow opposing backline. Just before the half hour mark, the deadlock was broken with a classic sweeping counter: winning the ball back just outside his own box, Marouane Fellaini immediately looked for playmaker Radja Nainggolan in the hole; turning quickly, he spotted Eden Hazard bombing down the left wing, and played a through ball in behind the full back; Hazard cut inside to receive the ball, and slotted it home into the goalkeeper’s near post to send the Belgian fans wild.
The final 15 minutes seemed to be going as the match had gone so far, with much wasted German possession under constant pressure from defensive midfielders Fellaini and Steven Defour, until a cross to the far post signalled disaster: at the back post, Mesut Özil had ghosted in from the wing, and waited to tap the ball in; spotting the danger all too late, right back Anthony Vanden Borre threw himself at the tricky German, and gave away a clumsy penalty; just 2 minutes before half-time, Germany had the chance to get back on terms, as Toni Kroos stood up confidently; however, his poorly placed spot kick was saved well by Liverpool’s Salvatore Crimi, and the shock scoreline at the break read 1-0 to the Red Devils.
The second 45 minutes proved to be a much tougher proposition for Zvunka’s men – Germany came out with their manager’s words ringing in their ears, and set about finding the equaliser. Crimi was called into action several times, primarily from 20-yard shots and headers from corners, and was an inspired form. Indeed, one save from a point-blank Mertesacker header led a German commentator to describe the keeper as ‘world class’! The Belgians remained a threat on the break, and with pacy frontman Kévin Mirallas coming on for the injured Romelu Lukaku constantly tested the aforementioned slow defensive line. Mirallas himself had a chance to clinch the victory with ten minutes remaining, sent through one-on-one with German keeper René Adler, but he inexplicably screwed his attempt wide of the gaping goalmouth – his blushes would be spared, however, as the Red Devils held off a spirited attempt from their opponents to force extra-time, and secured their passage to the quarter-finals where Slovakia lie in wait.
With Slovakia also exceeding all expectations of their countrymen, it promises to be quite a battle, as one underdog will reach the semi-final of the World Cup – an unthinkable achievement for either side before the tournament began. On the injury front, there were two pieces of bad news for Thierry Zvunka in the wake of our victory, with both Anthony Vanden Borre and Romelu Lukaku ruled out for the remainder of the competition. Influential striker Lukaku is a particularly big miss, as he has finally begun to transfer his club form to the international stage, and his goal against Argentina is the reason why we got out of our group in the first place. It remains to be seen whether Zvunka will elect for strong target man Tom de Sutter or poacher Kev Mirallas for the next match, but then again no-one knows what to expect from his tactics on the day! With excitement reaching fever pitch in Brussels and beyond, it is now all about character – can this Belgian side go even further? The quarter-final cannot arrive soon enough!
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The quarter-final draw, and the knockout stages overall make interesting reading
The quarter-final draw, and the knockout stages overall make interesting reading
Rotterdam’s favourite daily newspaper
Feyenoord ‘set to appoint new manager’? Confusion reigns in Rotterdam
Tuesday 1st July 2014
Tuesday 1st July 2014
The summer months are known as ‘silly season’ when it comes to football rumours for a reason. However, there is one rumour which seems to have substance, and just won’t go away – several sources are now speculating that Feyenoord are now seeking to appoint a new manager, despite Thierry Zvunka having declared his ongoing commitment to the club just a matter of weeks ago! With the man himself refusing to talk about club business while he remains on World Cup duty with Belgium, and De Club van Zuid themselves refusing to comment, it seems like we will need to wait for definite answers to the ongoing questions.
Looking back at the press conference held at De Kuip in the wake of Santander’s interest, it turns out that Thierry Zvunka didn’t entirely rule out a move away from the club. While maintaining his commitment to the job, he also said the following:
“We (Zvunka and assistant Morling) 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.”
If he has received an offer which is ‘very special’ during his time in Brazil, he may well have chosen to manage elsewhere next season, without publicly announcing his decision. If so, it would explain why Feyenoord are actively seeking a new gaffer – after last season, it will be a key appointment to make in order to solidify the progress made by Zvunka in his short time at the helm. As for the fans…there is no doubt that the Scots-Frenchman will go from ‘hero’ to ‘zero’ in the eyes of the support should he depart Rotterdam, after seemingly confirming his presence for the next campaign.
With Belgium continuing their World Cup journey, and many Dutch fans cheering our Benelux partners on, it seems as if we won’t get any confirmed answers for the next week or so. When that news does break, AD will be on the scene and ready to cast our critical eye over the fallout, whatever the outcome!
Belgium cruise past disappointing Slovakia to reach semi-finals
Belgium 2-1 Slovakia – Saturday 5th July 2014
Belgium 2-1 Slovakia – Saturday 5th July 2014
Against all the odds, Thierry Zvunka has led Belgium to the semi-finals of the 2014 World Cup after an impressive win this evening against a poor Slovakia side. In truth, the Slovaks played well within their potential, and didn’t give themselves a fair chance of reaching the final four. Having said that, the Red Devils controlled the match from first to last, and should have won by more than the narrow 1 goal winning margin.
The key decision for manager Zvunka ahead of the game was who to select up front – with Romelu Lukaku injured, the duty of leading the line fell to Kévin Mirallas, who would go on to play a crucial role in proceedings. Setting his stall with an attacking 4-2-3-1, the gaffer encouraged his side to go out and control proceedings, using a high defensive line to counter the threat of Slovakia’s powerful front line. It worked perfectly, with Steven Defour and Radja Nainggolan running the show in the middle of the park. It was Defour who first signalled the intentions of the Red Devils, striking the post from 20 yards after some delightful passing football. The Slovaks were pinned down in their own half for the duration of the first period, with only winger Vladimir Weiss having any impact on proceedings. The breakthrough seemed inevitable, but it would not arrive before the break. Despite dominating possession and creating some decent chances, Belgium entered the break on level terms.
As the players re-emerged from the dressing rooms, it was clear that the first goal would be crucial. The old saying foretells that “fortune favours the brave”, and this would prove to be the case: Zvunka encouraged his wing-backs to push on more, and gave Nainggolan much more creative freedom in the hole; after just 4 minutes, his changes had helped to send Belgium into the lead. Floating on the edge of the box, Nainggolan dropped off into space, received the ball from Marouane Fellaini and dinked a precise ball behind the defence – running on was Mirallas, who powered a finish into the roof of the net. The Red Devils had the lead that their play had merited, and Slovakia had paid the price for their negative approach.
Things were to get worse for the eastern Europeans soon after, as they began to show their attacking intentions. On the 54 minute mark, left-back Jan Durica was caught upfield as Marouane Fellaini once again won the ball in the heart of the midfield. Thinking quickly, he gave the ball to Nainggolan, who had already surveyed his options. Slipping the ball past Martin Skrtel, right winger Tom de Mul ran on behind the Slovak defence, and made no mistake with a placed finish across the goalmouth. At 2-0, the match seemed as good as over, and the fans began their celebrations…albeit a little too early!
With just 20 minutes left on the clock, Slovakia finally managed to threaten the Belgian rearguard, and make things a little more interesting. The impressive Weiss seized on a poor pass from Thomas Vermaelen, and sent through striker Eric Jendrisek, who finished superbly at the goalkeepers near post. Game on, or so it seemed. In the end, Zvunka refused to change his setup, maintaining his tactic of pressure high up the field: as Slovakia had thrown on their target man in Adam Nemec, they were unable to use his height to aid their attacks as he was more often than not forced to lurk at the halfway line. With this problem, the Slovaks seemed devoid of ideas, and finished the 90 minutes as poorly as they had started it – Belgium were deservedly through to the semi-finals, where after a shock result they will now face Scotland, who overcame bitter rivals England in a feisty encounter.
Spain face Switzerland in the other semi-final, meaning that Europe has once again dominated the biggest stage in world football to the disappointment of the hosts. It now seems as if Belgium have a genuinely good shot at the title, perhaps the best opportunity that we’ll ever have. Thierry Zvunka has reportedly been using the example of Greece’s Euro 2004 win as motivation for his Red Devils, and it seems that our team spirit is just as high as Otto Rehhagel’s side was. If the players can remain focused and confident, anything seems to be possible.
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The knockout stages so far
The knockout stages so far
Scotland crush Belgian hopes in cruel extra-time defeat
Scotland 2-1 Belgium – Tuesday 8th July 2014
Scotland 2-1 Belgium – Tuesday 8th July 2014
Belgium is in mourning this evening as the nation’s World Cup dream has passed away – ironically, at the hands of our manager’s country of birth, Scotland. In a tense and hard-fought game, it took 30 minutes of extra-time to finally separate the sides. In the end, Shaun Maloney’s second strike of the half hour proved to be too much for a spirited Belgium side, and the Scots progress to face Spain in the 2014 World Cup final.
The game itself was one of few chances, and those that did develop fell evenly on either side. The first half saw Scotland miss a glorious chance, as Steven Fletcher could only shoot straight at Belgium keeper Crimi when clean through, while the second half saw Eden Hazard miss the target from just 12 yards. In the end, the whole match developed into a midfield battle, with possession regularly changing hands as both combative sides were more effective in defence than attack.
For the purists, however, the 90 minutes will go down as a classic. Thierry Zvunka set his side up in a fluid 4-4-2 formation, attempting to exploit the flanks, while Scotland boss Craig Levein started with a remarkably similar system. As the match developed, both managers made changes and counter-changes in an attempt to gain the upper hand, with the effect of cancelling each other out. It was fascinating stuff for the tactically inclined, but much less exciting for the excitement-seeking neutral.
After the start of extra-time, the match suddenly exploded into life: 10 minutes in, a lapse in concentration by left-back Jelle van Damme saw him lose his man, Shaun Maloney; finding himself in space, he attacked the back post, meeting a pin-point delivery from Darren Fletcher. Belgium suddenly found themselves in trouble for the first time in the knockout stages, and with just 20 minutes to rescue their campaign.
Within 5 minutes of changing ends, the Red Devils were level: with Scotland sitting deeper as time ticked by, Eden Hazard began to drift into space at the edge of the 18 yard box. Receiving a pass from Mats Rits, he spun expertly past Gary Caldwell, and slotted through Kévin Mirallas; the poacher finished with a simple tap-in, and the game was once more on a knife edge.
Both sides seemed desperate to avoid the dreaded penalty shootout, and threw caution to the wind in equal measure. After 113 long minutes, the killer blow was struck – once again, the Belgian defence was caught ball watching, and a familiar set of circumstances played out, with that man Maloney sneaking in behind the back 4 to win the game for the Tartan Army.
Speaking after the match, a crestfallen Thierry Zvunka summed up his feelings:
“Never did I think that I would be greeting Scotland reaching a World Cup final with disdain!
“I am gutted for the players and the fans, we worked so hard to get to this point, and it hurts to have fallen so near the ultimate goal. Sure, we entered the tournament as major underdogs, but to get so near and then fail is horrible. Words cannot express my feelings right now, in all honesty. At the same time, I feel so much pride in this group of lads, we’ve done more than anyone could ever have predicted, and hopefully provided a boost for football in Belgium for years to come.”
Belgium will conclude their tournament with the 3rd Place Playoff against Switzerland. A victory, while welcome, will be a hollow success, as we have unfortunately missed possibly our best ever chance of winning football’s greatest honour. To compound matters, many analysts now expect Zvunka to leave his position after the match – we can only hope that these rumours are just that, and will be proven to be simply malicious speculation. A nation mourns…but with an incredible sentiment of pride and newly-found self confidence. “I am gutted for the players and the fans, we worked so hard to get to this point, and it hurts to have fallen so near the ultimate goal. Sure, we entered the tournament as major underdogs, but to get so near and then fail is horrible. Words cannot express my feelings right now, in all honesty. At the same time, I feel so much pride in this group of lads, we’ve done more than anyone could ever have predicted, and hopefully provided a boost for football in Belgium for years to come.”
Werder Bremen set to name Thierry Zvunka as new boss
Thursday 10th July 2014
Zvunka set to replace Klaus Toppmöller in the Weserstadion dugout
Having delayed their official unveiling, Sport Bild can reveal that Werder Bremen have appointed Feyenoord manager Thierry Zvunka as their new manager. Currently on international duty as head coach of Belgium, the Scots-Frenchman had requested that no announcement be made until his side’s participation in the tournament had come to an end. Now, after an unlucky defeat to Scotland in the semi-final, the club are ready to unveil their new gaffer after the 3rd Place Playoff on Saturday.
According to our sources, Zvunka will step down from his role with Belgium after Saturday’s match, having taken the nation to heights that were previously unthinkable. On the evidence of his World Cup performance, as well as winning the domestic ‘double’ with Feyenoord in Holland last season, he seems to be the ideal man to take the German giants forward. Initial reaction from the Werder fans has been universally positive, with the supporters singing their board’s praises for such a progressive appointment.
With transfers going to and fro at Weserstadion during the past couple of weeks, it has emerged that Zvunka had given the board a wishlist of signings, allowing the club to act quickly while he focused on the World Cup. Now, with 100% focus on Werder, it remains to be seen what effect he will have on the sleeping giants of German football. Automatic entry to the Europa League is a bonus, allowing complete attention to be given to the Bundesliga and German Cup during preseason preparations.
More to follow.
aww, would like to see you defeating Spain in the final
maybe next time
Yeah, it's the first time I've ever seriously considered starting a match again - thankfully, I'm too stubborn, so went on. Was gutted though, if I wasn't Scottish I'd hate the country by now!!!
Got a final World Cup update on the way.
Red Devils show class to upstage Switzerland
Belgium 1-0 Switzerland – Saturday 12th July 2014
Belgium 1-0 Switzerland – Saturday 12th July 2014
Belgium rounded off a incredible World Cup campaign with a deserved win over Switzerland this evening, clinching 3rd place in the tournament. Played like a glorified friendly at times, Thierry Zvunka’s side controlled possession in the midfield, and did just enough to take the spoils. With some reports claiming that his will be the manager’s last game in charge, it would be a fitting way to conclude his tenure with our country.
In all honesty, the match itself was nothing to write home about. The sum total of chances in the first half came through two 30-yard shots from Belgium, with Radja Nainggolan and Axel Witzel trying their luck and stinging the palms of Swiss keeper Diego Benaglio. The game finally woke up with just 15 minutes remaining, when the Red Devils clicked into gear: collecting the ball at left back, youngster Emiel Leyens decided to dribble down the line; finding a ball down the line to Eden Hazard, the mercurial winger cut inside his man, and looked up; executing a delightful through ball, Axel Witzel was presented with the chance to score his first international goal, and bundled home to end a delightful move with a clumsy finish. Zvunka’s side remained comfortably in control, and the Swiss looked exhausted after their semi-final exertions.
The final whistle brought muted celebrations, with the team having come so close to absolute greatness disappointment inevitably tinged the capture of 3rd place. It must be remembered, however, that this Belgian squad were not expected to progress from their group never mind go all the way to the last 4 – what Zvunka and his men have achieved is nothing short of remarkable, and will hopefully serve as inspiration for a new generation of young Belgian footballers. The squad will arrive back in Brussels tomorrow to a heroes welcome, and we will get an answer to Thierry’s future in the press conference which will follow.
For now, we can dream of what might have been, while watching our conquerors Scotland face the might of Spain in the 2014 World Cup final.
For all those that are interested, here's how the final played out...
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...Scotland have been helped by a couple of amazing regens coming on the scene, and a certain Spanish-born Celtic midfielder choosing to play for the Tartan Army. Seems like Marc Crosas made the right choice!!!
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...Scotland have been helped by a couple of amazing regens coming on the scene, and a certain Spanish-born Celtic midfielder choosing to play for the Tartan Army. Seems like Marc Crosas made the right choice!!!
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Several managers leave posts as 2014 World Cup ends
Sunday 13th July 2014
Sunday 13th July 2014
As a remarkable World Cup comes to an end, an intriguing and diverse managerial merry-go-round is just beginning to take shape. Several head coaches have left their positions, either through being sacked by their national associations or leaving on a high, having achieved as much as they can in charge.
Without doubt, the highest profile departure is that of Craig Levein. Having led Scotland to an incredible first World Cup success, there is no doubt that his skills will be in heavy demand around the biggest clubs in Europe. Levein made no secret of his desire to return to club management, and now having won the greatest international honour with his country he feels that the time is right to step aside and pursue other goals.
Other managers leaving their jobs on a positive note are Vicente del Bosque of Spain and Thierry Zvunka of Belgium. The former has decided that the time is now right to step away from football and retire having failed to overcome the final hurdle, while the latter is just beginning his journey in the game and is looking to move up the ladder after leading the Red Devils to an unexpected and much celebrated 3rd place.
On the other hand, several nations failed to live up to their potential, and disappointed their fans by bowing out of Brazil earlier than planned. There are no fewer than 7 national associations looking to appoint a new man at the helm having failed to meet expectations, and sacking their managers as a result: South Africa, Argentina, Brazil, France, Italy, Columbia and the USA have begun the painstaking process of finding the right candidate for their respective jobs.
More to follow.
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Dilemma for Thierry Zvunka – two offers on table, which to choose?
Sunday 20th July 2014
Sunday 20th July 2014
Who (if either) will Zvunka replace, Scotland's Craig Levein or France's Paul Le Guen?
Nationality is a complicated topic. For some, it is an expression of where they are born; others believe that it reflects where they come from; some think that your parent’s birthplace plays an important part; others tend to believe that multiple nationalities can exist in equal, perfect harmony. It is much easier to discuss and debate in theory, but as always making a distinction in practical terms is much harder to do. It is, without doubt, one of the most emotive subjects in our modern lives.
Spare a thought, then, for up-and-coming managerial phenom Thierry Zvunka. A man who was born in Scotland, but whose family history is very much French (hence the name!), he has been content to live by the motto of dual nationality – in other words, he supports both nations as his own, and feels part of both in equal measure. Having left the position of Belgium head coach in the aftermath of a successful World Cup campaign, Zvunka had made no secret of his ambitions to step up in class. Now, he faces the biggest decision of his career, and perhaps his entire life: with offers on the table from both the SFA and FFF, Zvunka must choose between the nation of his birth and the nation of his family background.
Scotland, having just won the World Cup in remarkable fashion, seems to be the less attractive role. After all, having just reached the pinnacle of world football, where is there to go? Expectations are sky high, and anything less than perfection will now be considered as a failure. On the other hand, this crop of Scottish players is clearly a ‘golden generation’, with many more talented young stars of the future seemingly ready to step up to the senior team the future looks just as bright. There is now a real chance to establish the Tartan Army as a genuine force, to be feared rather than loved, and this relentless pursuit of success may well appeal to the driven young gaffer.
France are at the opposite end of the scale from Scotland, having crashed out in the group stages and on a severe downer. A severe refreshment job is needed, with some older faces ready to be forcefully ejected from the international scene and young talent waiting in the wings. In real danger of losing their top seeding status with FIFA, the traditional European powerhouse is clinging on to it’s position of past reputation. Given that Zvunka led the under 21 side to the European title just 3 years ago, and many of that squad are now ready to make their mark on the full team, he may be tempted to try and emulate his success with the same generation of players.
If we can guarantee one thing, any decision that Thierry Zvunka makes will be with a heavy heart, such is his affection for the two countries. Of course, the third option would be to reject both approaches and continue to give all his attention to new club Werder Bremen, but would he regret missing the chance to take control of either his birthplace or family’s home in the future? Zvunka is notoriously unpredictable; so don’t be surprised if you predict the outcome of this particular dilemma wrongly!
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