This week it was announced that Wouter Vrancken will retire from Racing Genk with immediate effect. To succeed Hein Vanhaezebrouck at AA Gent, it was already clear at the time, even though this has not yet been officially communicated. Vanhaezebrouck thinks it is a shame that his farewell to Ghent is in danger of being overshadowed by this affair, also from a sporting point of view.
It has been an open secret for some time that Hein Vanhaezebrouck will leave AA Gent after this season. The fact that Wouter Vrancken will succeed him has been included in the same folder of public secrets since this week.
Vrancken resigned before the end of the season, because there may be a conflict of interest if Genk had to play against Ghent in the European jump-offs. But according to Vanhaezebrouck, the damage has already been done.
“Annoying and unfortunate.” Vanhaezebrouck repeated those words several times during the press conference. “They are therefore significant and all-encompassing.”
“I find it annoying because it means you will ask questions about it.”
“It is unfortunate, because we may be cutting our own fingers. After all, this news creates an effect on a possible potential opponent (Ghent, ed.). That was completely unnecessary.”
Somewhere in my head I have a plan.
Hein Vanhaezebrouck (coach Ghent) about his future
Vanhaezebrouck did not want to look back on his own time at Ghent. “It’s not over yet, is it? There are still a few matches, including a very important one.”
The 60-year-old coach is also keeping his cards close to his chest when it comes to the future. Is he retiring? Does he want to continue? Maybe he already has a new club? The press has to guess for the time being.
“It could be that I have already made a decision. Somewhere in my mind I have a plan. But it is still too early to communicate about it.”
Olivieri (Genk): “Doesn’t want to participate in the us/them story”
In “the other camp”, at Racing Genk, of course, no more Wouter Vrancken at the press conference. However, his assistant Domenico Olivieri, who will finish the season as head coach.
Loyal soldier Olivieri emphasized “that he is not eager to take over”, even though he has done so before in the past.
“I am not going to make any statements about the situation with Wouter. Unfortunately, trainers sometimes leave a club, although this was a special way. But I do not want to participate in an us/them story.”
Tags: Annoying unfortunate Hein Vanhaezebrouck displeased events surrounding successor Wouter Vrancken
