“What would KRC Genk have expected from their new trainer when they started working with Wouter Vrancken in the summer of 2022? I think roughly of three things.”
“First: to become a ‘normal’ club again. After the miscast Bernd Storck, the club once again needed positive vibes. Unity within the player group and staff. And to an audience that could identify with their team. Did Wouter do that? Undeniably!”
“Second: achieving results. If you see where Genk came from when Wouter took over, it is a half-miracle that they fought for the title until the end last season and narrowly missed it. And that too with the most attractive football in the Belgian competition. At times it may have been a bit too risky, but overall I think the balance in terms of results at the end of the day was mainly positive.”
“And thirdly: generating financial returns. A top coach like Wouter Vrancken comes with a price tag. As a club you expect him to pay for himself. Did he do that? Well, take a look at the current core and all the players who have left in the past two seasons. Is there one of them who has not improved under Vrancken? I have gone through them all and have not come across a single player who is now at a lower level than before his arrival. So Wouter has also more than succeeded in his assignment in this aspect.”
© Dick Demey
Negative signals from management
“If you list all that, I ask myself the question: what more do you want from a trainer as a club? I therefore think that Wouter should have received much more support from the board when things were not going well. I am not talking about the official communication – which was always correct – but also about the communication behind the scenes, where people have been increasingly critical of Wouter in recent months.”
“It is remarkable how the atmosphere between both parties became so sour in a relatively short period of time that no other solution was possible”
Jacky Mathijssen
“Far too many negative signals were sent out about their coach from the board. And as a trainer you always find out things like that. Then it is logical that you start asking yourself questions. In a good marriage you sit down at the table together and harsh words can sometimes be said. But you talk it out and you move on together. Apparently that was no longer an option here. It is remarkable how the atmosphere between both parties became so sour in a relatively short time that no other solution was possible.”
“My conclusion? I find it incomprehensible that Genk has chased away one of the most sought-after trainers in Belgium. Du jamais vu even. Everything is still very early, but in twelve months the club board will have to reflect on this matter and ask themselves whether they have handled this correctly. Will we ever get an honest answer to that? Hopefully!”
© Dick Demey
“AA Ghent? Not a great move”
“I personally don’t think that Wouter will now more than likely choose AA Gent. For me he is ready for a foreign adventure. He already was that when he started at Genk. With Ghent he now chooses a club of a comparable level to Genk. You can’t call that a step forward. Moreover, he faces the difficult task of succeeding Hein Vanhaezebrouck. Walking into that man’s shoes is less obvious than walking into Storck’s sandals at Genk. But I sincerely hope he will succeed!”
