The cup is a guarantee of good stories. Unloved amateur clubs, reunions between old acquaintances and forgotten talents. Collected for you: five things to look forward to.
Lokeren-Temse: musing on better times
Will Daknam tremble again like in the heyday? Exactly ten years after the first of two cup fairy tales, they have been through a lot in Lokeren.
The relegation, then the takeover soap with Roger Lambrecht, then the bankruptcy.
After an initial flirtation with Hamme, Temse eventually accepted Lokeren’s advances for a merger. The club continued under the name KSC Lokeren-Temse in second amateur, where it is currently sixth.
The logo, among other things, still muses on the former Sporting Lokeren.
Trainer is old acquaintance Hans Cornelis (ex-Club, Genk and Lokeren). The chairman is called Hans Van Duysenis, grandson of the first chairman of Sporting Lokeren.
Thes Sport: the club that doesn’t want to promote
It’s also fun without pros. Thes Sport has been one of the best Belgian amateur clubs for years, but does not want to promote to 1B despite the successes.
“We have no money, but also no debts,” it sounds. Promotion would require substantial investment in infrastructure.
Sportingly, the step for Thes Sport might not be as big. With Thibeau Swinnen, Laurens Vermijl and Adriano Bertaccini there are some former youth products of Racing Genk.
Sam Vanaken – older brother of Red Devil Hans – is also a striking name in the selection.
Marnick Vermijl might also ring a bell. The wing defender once played two games for the great Manchester United.
Do you recognize them all? Marnick Vermijl (central in the bottom row) in the national U23.
Stijn Stijnen promises surprise to his Club Brugge
Cut it open it’s still bleeding blue-black. Stijn Stijnen will soon welcome his Club Brugge as trainer of Patro Eisden.
The goalkeeper was eleven years under the bar on Jan Breydel, but had to leave through a back door after an internet scandal. Stijnen is said to have conducted a smear campaign against teammates and board members under a pseudonym.
An end in minor, because the former Red Devil could never say goodbye to Club Brugge. On Wednesday evening he hopes to make up for that: “The fans have always supported me through thick and thin,” Stijnen told ATV this weekend. “I have something in store to thank them. You’ll see what it will be.”
Another thing: Patro Eisden – currently 3rd in first amateur – has not been in the hands of the flamboyant Dutch-Iranian businessman Salar Azimi for a while.
The American Common Group is now the main shareholder.
Antwerp must fear its old God
Antwerp is also looking an old acquaintance in the eye tonight. They just have to fear it on the field. One Dieumerci Mbokani signed a contract with SK Beveren a few weeks ago.
The former Golden Shoe, who played 3 seasons at the Bosuil, did not miss his return in Belgium in the least.
With two goals in four matches – including a gem in his debut – Beveren is at the top of the second division. Would Mark van Bommel know the reputation of the Congolese?
Meux is the great unknown
Every year there is one big unknown. This year, the Walloon amateur team Meux raises the eyebrows of many. The club from the village between Namur and Wavre will face a first division team for the first time in its history.
About half of the 2,100 inhabitants will soon come to Stayen with free buses. Yet they secretly would have preferred to see a real top poster against Anderlecht or Club Brugge at Meux.
Fun fact, the club was founded in 1946 by some friends who were tired of walking 6 kilometers in the rain to the nearest football field.
