Jo Coppens was once a top talent at Cercle Brugge and at the Belgian youth teams (of the generation Hazard, Benteke,…). But the big breakthrough never came. Coppens sought refuge in the lower classes, in the Netherlands, Germany and even Norway.
But at the age of 31, Limburger Coppens, who played for Racing Genk in the youth, is back in Belgium as the second goalkeeper at STVV. And because Daniel Schmidt couldn’t be there due to an injury, he was finally between the posts in the Jupiler Pro League.
“It had been 2013 since I had a match at the highest level. It was really enjoyable today.”
“But that’s it for any keeper, when you end up in a team like that. All the boys put their heads in front of it. I actually had nothing to do.”
If Schmidt does not get fit, Coppens will also play against Club Brugge on Wednesday in the Jan Breydel Stadium, the place where it all started for him. “A great game. That would be coming home for me.”
