Wouter Vrancken and KRC Genk are parting ways with immediate effect. This was announced on Wednesday evening. On Thursday morning, the Truienaar came to say goodbye to the group of players. A switch to AA Gent beckons.
The relationship between Wouter Vrancken and the board of KRC Genk had cooled for some time. After a brilliant first season, in which Genk produced refreshing football under Vrancken and ended up one minute shy of the national title, the performances in the second year remained below expectations.
© Sven Dillen
Difficult season
After the elimination in the preliminary rounds of the Champions League against Servette Genève, things also went wrong in the preliminary rounds of the Europa League against Olympiacos. Through penalties, KRC Genk qualified for the group stage of the Conference League at the expense of Adana Demirspor, but did not survive the group stage as number three behind Fiorentina and Ferencvaros.
Things also quickly went wrong in the Belgian Cup with the elimination on the field of the moribund second division club KV Oostende. While in the competition sixth place and the corresponding ticket for the Champions’ Play-offs could only be secured at the last minute.
Vrancken led the training on Wednesday, his last. — © Dick Demey
Major disagreement
That caused nervousness, because both parties had a different opinion about the cause of the poor performance. While Wouter Vrancken liked to attribute the big difference with the first season to the departure of strongmen such as Onuachu (January ’23), Trésor (August ’24), Munoz (January ’24) and Paintsil (February ’24), then the sporty managers are convinced that better performance is possible with the current core. In addition, it was also felt that the integration of talented young people should be faster, an element that is central to the club’s long-term policy.
On the way to AA Ghent
The mutual frictions became increasingly greater, also because there was an increasing feeling within Genk that Vrancken was committing his future to another club (AA Gent).
A strong start to the Champions’ Play-offs (10 out of 12) provided some peace, but was followed by a 0 out of 9, in the last three games the goal difference was 1-11.
The persistent frictions have now led to the termination of the contract of Wouter Vrancken, who will most likely become the new trainer of AA Gent. There is an agreement in the making between KRC Genk and AA Gent, which is prepared to pay part of the termination compensation.
