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Goodbye Red Devils“>Thomas Vermaelen the player, hello Thomas Vermaelen the trainer. The 36-year-old defender puts an end to his football career, but immediately starts working as an assistant with the Red Devils.
Bart Lagae, Vincent Van Genechten
Today at 12:14
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About a month ago it was announced that Vermaelen would not extend his contract with the Japanese Vissel Kobe. The defender was immediately a free player. Who or what moved him to leave Japan is not clear to this day. Did Kobe not want to go on with him or did he not want it that far away anymore? It has been since the European Championship that we saw Vermaelen in Europe.
Vermaelen did receive some offers. Yes, also from Belgium. But no agreement was reached. Reports recently surfaced that Vermaelen was considering quitting and they have now been confirmed. He exchanges the football career for that of an assistant in the staff of Roberto Martinez. The national coach considers Vermaelen to be one of the best students in the separate trainer course that the Red Devils received during their meetings.
© AFP
In December, the Spaniard explained the project in which he wants to help as many Red Devils of the current generation as possible to obtain their trainer’s diploma. “Take the current situation of Vermaelen who has canceled his contract in Japan,” said Martinez. “Now he is considering, if he were to stop, to start as a trainer the next day.”
Our national team coach was looking for one or more assistants after Shaun Maloney left for Hibernian and it is also not certain that Thierry Henry, currently the only field assistant, will turn up.
ALSO READ. Our football chief regrets Thomas Vermaelen’s farewell: “We could still use him well at the World Cup”
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Vermaelen has been playing football for Vissel Kobe since the summer of 2019. The 85-time Red Devil (2 goals) then left FC Barcelona on a free transfer. He has been working for the Catalan top club from the summer of 2014, with a season in between on a rental basis at AS Roma (2016-2017). Before that, he defended the colors of Ajax (2003-2009), with a loan spell to RKC Waalwijk (2004-2005), and Arsenal (2009-2014) in between.
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