OFFICIAL: Besnik Hasi is the new coach of KV Mechelen, assistants Vanderbiest and Vanhandenhoven remain on board

Besnik Hasi (51) is the new trainer of KV Mechelen. The ex-Anderlecht coach succeeds Steven Defour as head coach. After disappointing results and a painful cup elimination, Defour was thanked for his services.

READ ALSO. Besnik is Back: how did the ex-Anderlecht coach fare after his departure from Belgium?

We still know Hasi as coach of Anderlecht. The Kosovar, who played for Albania, guided the purple and white to a Belgian title in 2014 and a Super Cup in the same year. Afterwards he went to work for Legia Warsaw, Olympiakos, Al-Raed and Al Ahli (both Saudi Arabia).

After the dismissal of Defour – for whom the painful cup exit against third division Knokke proved to be the death blow – assistant Fred Vanderbiest took over temporarily. Vanderbiest led Malinwa to a deserved draw in Standard, but the position of T1 was not for him.

READ ALSO. RECONSTRUCTION. How KV Mechelen owner Philippe van Esch decided to dismiss Steven Defour after a round of discussions

From Tuesday, the Mechelen board started working on a successor for Defour. Various candidate trainers were interviewed and Hasi emerged as the winner on Tuesday evening. Other candidates would have been Bernd Hollerbach and Sven Vandenbroeck, but this has not been confirmed for the time being.

Staff stays on

Besnik Hasi signed a contract until the end of the season. In addition, it became known that there will be no other changes in the sporting staff. Fred Vanderbiest will be in charge in the match against Charleroi, after which Hasi will take up the gloves from Sunday.

Steven Defour thanks fans

Just under a week after his departure from KV Mechelen, Steven Defour said goodbye to the fans. “Thank you guys for your support, you know what this club means to me. Once a guy, always a guy,” the ex-international writes on X, the former Twitter.