RSC Anderlecht remains a club where Neerpede players get opportunities. The slogan In Youth We Trust also remains current under Jesper Fredberg and Brian Riemer. The Danish trainer allows two Neerpede boys to fully express themselves. Mario Stroeykens is the next to develop well under Riemer.
Vincent Kompany came to Anderlecht in 2019 and during his three seasons in Brussels, many talents emerged. A lot can be said about Felice Mazzu’s passage afterwards, but he also gave the homegrown talents the necessary playing minutes.
Idle in January and summer
Last summer, Anderlecht fans were rightly concerned after the departure of Noah Sadiki, Lucas Stassin and previously Kostas Karetsas, Enock Agyei and Julien Duranville. Many talents left and Jean Kindermans announced that he was leaving the club after being fired by Wouter Vandenhaute a year ago. Fredberg could no longer solve that.
He must urgently find a solution regarding a successor. Ideally, RSCA will find a solution to let Kindermans go in January and then immediately introduce his successor. A file that must currently be the priority for the people of Brussels. After all, many youth players want clarity about the vision and the future. Partly because of this, many players left last season. RSCA cannot afford that for the second year in a row, even though there is still a lot of talent in Neerpede.
Leoni and Stroeykens
In recent months there has been light at the end of the tunnel. Many young top talents aged 15 broke open their contracts. In addition, Riemer fully chose Théo Leoni, who is the surprise of this season. Mario Stroeykens has also emerged in recent weeks.
Riemer and Fredberg have always been fans of the attacking midfielder and he signed until mid-2026. For the time being, Kompany’s words also come true. Leoni and Stroeykens Two years ago he spoke to Stroeykens and he indicated that he had to play in 50% of the matches the following season. He even did better with 41 matches.
This season had to be the season of the big breakthrough. That also seems to work. Stroeykens was allowed to start in the starting line-up in recent weeks and has made an impression. He scored against KV Mechelen and OHL, plus he was also very good during those first 45 minutes at Sclessin. Stroeykens, still only 19, has already played 63 matches at the highest level.
Until a few weeks ago, certain observers and journalists did not really know what Stroeykens’ best position was. That’s bizarre. Indeed, he was regularly deployed as a striker and even on the wing. Young attacking talents get playing opportunities there faster than a central position in midfield. Especially someone as versatile as Stroeykens. There they can make more ‘mistakes’, which are less likely to be punished.
Stroeykens has played as an attacking midfielder at Neerpede for many years, just like with the Belgian national youth teams. He has always been an attacking midfielder who works best behind a centre-forward. Stroeykens is powerful, has good technique and is also someone who has a knack for good positioning in front of goal when he can come up from midfield. He therefore contributes something extra to the complementary midfield at Anderlecht.
In Youth We Trust is still current
Riemer played the last games with Killian Sardella, Zeno Debast, Théo Leoni and Mario Stroeykens as starting pawns. Four players from their own training. In addition, Francis Amuzu is a stone’s throw from the base and Yari Verschaeren is still in the waiting room. Had Ethan Butera not been so impatient, he would already be fighting for a starting place. Despite a nice sporting plan, he did not want to sign again.
Riemer also often has Luca Monticelli and Tristan Degreef train with him. They were allowed to make their debut in the Belgian Cup and Degreef was also in the match selection of the first team this season. Neerpede is still the lifeblood of Anderlecht and for the time being Fredberg and Riemer are continuing the work of Kompany, who breathed new life into Neerpede. So not everything was lost after his departure.
“Our own youth players will always remain an important asset for RSC Anderlecht. That is why we are very pleased that, after players like Théo Leoni and Yari Verschaeren, we can now also retain Mario Stroeykens at the club for a longer period of time,” said CEO Sports Jesper Fredberg recently. via the club channels. These are not empty words.
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