Beerschot link up

[PurpleRain]

Doesn’t look too bad in real. Some history on one of the best players we ever produced:

Juan Lozano - Wikipedia

en.m.wikipedia.org

 

[Champagneblade]

Looks like another one in the door PurpleRain , Thibo Baeten.

At least there seems to be some sort of policy as opposed to the Championship manager beginner approach from last season.

With Quirynen, Van der Linden, Baeten and the retention of Rigo you have 4 players 23 and under and all Belgium. You then add Sanusi remaining and at least you start to have a local core rather than the influx of United Nations that were somehow meant to make a team last season.

It was suggested Coulibaly will not remian. I do think with 5 subs in England now that could make his introduction to the team easier.

I see some sites casting doubt about Van den Bergh remaining, hopefully he stays.

At least you have signed someone!

 

[PurpleRain]

Looks like another one in the door PurpleRain , Thibo Baeten.

At least there seems to be some sort of policy as opposed to the Championship manager beginner approach from last season.

With Quirynen, Van der Linden, Baeten and the retention of Rigo you have 4 players 23 and under and all Belgium. You then add Sanusi remaining and at least you start to have a local core rather than the influx of United Nations that were somehow meant to make a team last season.

It was suggested Coulibaly will not remian. I do think with 5 subs in England now that could make his introduction to the team easier.

I see some sites casting doubt about Van den Bergh remaining, hopefully he stays.

At least you have signed someone!

I heard today that the manager of Coulibaly has forced a second trial period with you guys. He is not expected at our training camp which starts next Monday. The 3 signings are all young promising lads. We now need 2 or 3 more experienced players to balance the team. Most of the fans are still mad with the ownership for the horror season and lack of decent enforcements and we don’t expect to sell many season tickets. We also have a crowd ban for the first two home games following crowd trouble last season so that doesn’t help. There are some interesting players available on free transfers like Kylian Hazard (younger brother of Eden), Steve De Ridder from STVV and Massimo Bruno from a Turkish side who was very good in the Belgian league previously. To create a positive vibe the owners would do good to sign one or two of those players who have some more pedigree and quality as a sign of ambition.

 

[adamawdhali]

I heard today that the manager of Coulibaly has forced a second trial period with you guys. He is not expected at our training camp which starts next Monday. The 3 signings are all young promising lads. We now need 2 or 3 more experienced players to balance the team. Most of the fans are still mad with the ownership for the horror season and lack of decent enforcements and we don’t expect to sell many season tickets. We also have a crowd ban for the first two home games following crowd trouble last season so that doesn’t help. There are some interesting players available on free transfers like Kylian Hazard (younger brother of Eden), Steve De Ridder from STVV and Massimo Bruno from a Turkish side who was very good in the Belgian league previously. To create a positive vibe the owners would do good to sign one or two of those players who have some more pedigree and quality as a sign of ambition.

Bit worrying if his manager Is having to push for a second trial

 

[PurpleRain]

Bit worrying if his manager Is having to push for a second trial

I don’t think you will regret it if he gets some confidence and warmth. His quality is definitely there.

 

[Champagneblade]

I don’t think you will regret it if he gets some confidence and warmth. His quality is definitely there.

I've really convinced myself that this move to 5 subs very much works in his favour.

He doesn't have to go into the XI straight away. He doesn't have to be competing on the bench to be overlooked by more established players.

He'll get a chance under 5 subs where he may have struggled under 3.

 

[PurpleRain]

I've really convinced myself that this move to 5 subs very much works in his favour.

He doesn't have to go into the XI straight away. He doesn't have to be competing on the bench to be overlooked by more established players.

He'll get a chance under 5 subs where he may have struggled under 3.

The best way to get the most out of him, is making him important from day 1, telling him he is the preferred box to box midfielder and will be a vital part of the team. He has shown enough to get that chance with that confidence boost in his period in Norway when he was wanted by Milan and Galatasaray and in his first season with us when he was rated higher than Lokonga who went to Arsenal and is not doing bad there. If you treat him as a trainee who has to earn his minutes I think it will a waste of time. To get him out of the bad spell after 1 year of injury and bad results he will need massive warmth and confidence injection. Just my 2 cents.

 

[PurpleRain]

First interview ever with UW group since their ownership with us. Clear that the prince has stepped back, seems no longer involved (things taken out of his hands by the Royal palace because he was losing too much money with his hobby and mortgaging his house or following the Newcastle take-over?). Good thing I read is that they are looking to step out sooner or later. So new owners are on the cards albeit probably not very soon. On the other hand they say they look to grow the club and double the number of clubs in the group by 2025. Bit contradictory that or maybe they will build the uw group and then try to sell the group to eg a US or Chinese investment company to make more money than when they would sell each individual club. Maybe that’s what they try to show now that with group deals like the Errea one you can make better deals as a group of clubs rather than as individual clubs, you can also spread a number of costs like scouting costs, administration, HR etc over several clubs and save money if you think about it from a business perspective. Only problem is that specific business concepts not always work in the very particular world of football.

Deel 1: United World, hoofdaandeelhouder van Beerschot, praat voor het eerst met Belgische pers: "Degradatie is forse tegenslag, maar geen ramp"

In februari 2018 streek investeringsmaatschappij United World neer op het Kiel. Ruim vier jaar later sprak Abdullah Alghamdi, CEO van United World, voor het eerst met de Belgische pers. Wij waren erbij in Parma, waar United World haar partnership met Errea voorstelde.

www.voetbalkrant.com

Deel 2: United World praat voor het eerst met Belgische pers: "Ik zou liegen als ik zeg dat ik een paars hart heb, maar we zijn nog niet klaar hier"

In februari 2018 streek investeringsmaatschappij United World neer op het Kiel. Ruim vier jaar later sprak Abdullah Alghamdi, CEO van United World, voor het eerst met de Belgische pers. Wij waren erbij in Parma, waar United World haar partnership met Errea voorstelde.

www.voetbalkrant.com

 

[Addison]

Good probing questions from the Belgian media our English counterparts should take a lesson from them. Seems the model is withdraw and manage from afar with as little resource as possible. Just 2 to manage the Clubs CEO and Football team manager. Yet at the same time spread the finances even thinner by doubling the size of the Clubs in the portfolio. It just doesn't make business sense not to grow existing assets whilst looking for new ones to invest in.

" All transfers are now group decisions, which are approved by the clubs and United World. This is more efficient and we are convinced that this is the right way of working."

If this applies to SUFC then we will be even more sluggish in the transfer market than we usually are!! We have become a collective and lost our individual identity. This distance management is hindering the Clubs progress. The sooner we unshackle ourselves from United World the better.

 

[Moan? Nope-I saw Longhorn]

.

Lawrence Shankland's move to Hearts makes progress

Lawrence Shankland's proposed transfer to Hearts is moving forward following an intense round of negotiations with representatives of Belgian club Beerschot.

www.edinburghnews.scotsman.com

So much for the (mutual) benefits of United World ?!?
Missed out on another ‘signing’ !?!

 

[Champagneblade]

.

Lawrence Shankland's move to Hearts makes progress

Lawrence Shankland's proposed transfer to Hearts is moving forward following an intense round of negotiations with representatives of Belgian club Beerschot.

www.edinburghnews.scotsman.com

So much for the (mutual) benefits of United World ?!?
Missed out on another ‘signing’ !?!

Why? He's nowhere near the level we would need.

He scored about 5 goals and look ok at times. It's not as if he was a resounding success and whilst he did well in the Scottish Championship, he didn't Dona great deal in the SPL, where Michael Higdon once smashed it.

 

[Champagneblade]

Good probing questions from the Belgian media our English counterparts should take a lesson from them. Seems the model is withdraw and manage from afar with as little resource as possible. Just 2 to manage the Clubs CEO and Football team manager. Yet at the same time spread the finances even thinner by doubling the size of the Clubs in the portfolio. It just doesn't make business sense not to grow existing assets whilst looking for new ones to invest in.

" All transfers are now group decisions, which are approved by the clubs and United World. This is more efficient and we are convinced that this is the right way of working."

If this applies to SUFC then we will be even more sluggish in the transfer market than we usually are!! We have become a collective and lost our individual identity. This distance management is hindering the Clubs progress. The sooner we unshackle ourselves from United World the better.

I don't get the logic of the quote to be honest..

If you gave the local club a budget and they signed who they felt they needed within this budget then that would be most efficient.

You're not convincing me that having to defer to head office each time brings any degree of efficiency. Now, if you want to maintain control over the type of players the group targets then I agree there is some sense. If the approval process was to be seeking the Prince to sign off then the newer model may be better but it can't be the most efficient because it involves multiple parties.

I do however applaud this interaction. The bit on schools and targeting at a younger age potential talent is clever but with football the issue will be the lack of patience as at least Beerschot and United have higher aspirations than their station. Beerschot were a div 2 team when they were bought but don't see themselves as a div 2 team at all. We were a League One team at the time of Prince being involved but we are anything but that. We expect to yoyo probably end ideally with good management be something like a Southampton, who to be truthful have no better support than us, probably slightly worse, but have been better run in recent years.

If we were a Plymouth or a Bristol, well supported but with less of an expectation to be at a higher level i.e. we spent the vast majority of our history in the top tier before the 80s, then you'd think they would be easier to keep on the same page.

I just think fans can be short sighted and will be thinking why can't we just spend more on the team and who pays for the United World folks? When really there are advantages. I bought a computer recently. I got an antivirus with us. I can use it on up to 5 devices. Same logic applies with scouting resources and hr and other things that are common. There is an opportunity to share costs, where individually you'd be baring the fixed costs all on your own.

 

[Nagima]

I don't get the logic of the quote to be honest..

If you gave the local club a budget and they signed who they felt they needed within this budget then that would be most efficient.

You're not convincing me that having to defer to head office each time brings any degree of efficiency. Now, if you want to maintain control over the type of players the group targets then I agree there is some sense. If the approval process was to be seeking the Prince to sign off then the newer model may be better but it can't be the most efficient because it involves multiple parties.

I do however applaud this interaction. The bit on schools and targeting at a younger age potential talent is clever but with football the issue will be the lack of patience as at least Beerschot and United have higher aspirations than their station. Beerschot were a div 2 team when they were bought but don't see themselves as a div 2 team at all. We were a League One team at the time of Prince being involved but we are anything but that. We expect to yoyo probably end ideally with good management be something like a Southampton, who to be truthful have no better support than us, probably slightly worse, but have been better run in recent years.

If we were a Plymouth or a Bristol, well supported but with less of an expectation to be at a higher level i.e. we spent the vast majority of our history in the top tier before the 80s, then you'd think they would be easier to keep on the same page.

I just think fans can be short sighted and will be thinking why can't we just spend more on the team and who pays for the United World folks? When really there are advantages. I bought a computer recently. I got an antivirus with us. I can use it on up to 5 devices. Same logic applies with scouting resources and hr and other things that are common. There is an opportunity to share costs, where individually you'd be baring the fixed costs all on your own.

United World would be fine if they actually new what they are doing. It seems to me that it is a project that is run by amateurs. Now don't get me wrong I am not someone who thinks we should be spending loads of money. I just think that there is not the expertise on board at United World to make it work.

 

[Moan? Nope-I saw Longhorn]

Why? He's nowhere near the level we would need.

He scored about 5 goals and look ok at times. It's not as if he was a resounding success and whilst he did well in the Scottish Championship, he didn't Dona great deal in the SPL, where Michael Higdon once smashed it.

Ref “!?!” & “?!?”

Irony ?!?!?!

 

[Champagneblade]

Ref “!?!” & “?!?”

Irony ?!?!?!

I was 50/50 as to whether you were being sarcastic or not.

The non-cynical side got the better of me. Lesson learned

 

[Moan? Nope-I saw Longhorn]

I was 50/50 as to whether you were being sarcastic or not.

The non-cynical side got the better of me. Lesson learned

I guess you’re now 52:48 ?!?
Or is it 48:52 !?!

 

[Champagneblade]

Looks like Biebauw will be retiring instead of returning to Beerschot:

You will not bump into Wouter Biebauw today at the first training of Beerschot. The 38-year-old goalkeeper hangs the shoes on the hook. Beerschot had offered him a contract for an extra season, but Biebauw had only one condition: that Mike Vanhamel would leave the club.

In contrast, another Antwerp native is expected to sign as competition:

Beerschot's fourth summer purchase is also young and Belgian. The 22-year-old Bill Lathouwers will in principle sign a contract at the Kiel tomorrow. Lathouwers comes transfer-free from Waasland-Beveren, where he was third goalkeeper.

 

[PurpleRain]

Van Hamel spied for van winckel and briefed through the dressing room gossip in return for a long term contract and the captaincy. Not many players want him in the team and Biebauw explicitly mentioned it to turn down a contract extension… nice atmosphere to start the new season…

 

[PurpleRain]

New signing from Pescara. Was really needed since we had zero left backs in de squad…

Mardochée Nzita - Player profile 22/23

Mardochée Nzita, 23, from Belgium ➤ Beerschot V.A., since 2022 ➤ Left-Back ➤ Market value: €300k ➤ * Feb 24, 2000 in Kinshasa, DR Congo

www.transfermarkt.com

 

[Yogi]

First interview ever with UW group since their ownership with us. Clear that the prince has stepped back, seems no longer involved (things taken out of his hands by the Royal palace because he was losing too much money with his hobby and mortgaging his house or following the Newcastle take-over?). Good thing I read is that they are looking to step out sooner or later. So new owners are on the cards albeit probably not very soon. On the other hand they say they look to grow the club and double the number of clubs in the group by 2025. Bit contradictory that or maybe they will build the uw group and then try to sell the group to eg a US or Chinese investment company to make more money than when they would sell each individual club. Maybe that’s what they try to show now that with group deals like the Errea one you can make better deals as a group of clubs rather than as individual clubs, you can also spread a number of costs like scouting costs, administration, HR etc over several clubs and save money if you think about it from a business perspective. Only problem is that specific business concepts not always work in the very particular world of football.

Deel 1: United World, hoofdaandeelhouder van Beerschot, praat voor het eerst met Belgische pers: "Degradatie is forse tegenslag, maar geen ramp"

In februari 2018 streek investeringsmaatschappij United World neer op het Kiel. Ruim vier jaar later sprak Abdullah Alghamdi, CEO van United World, voor het eerst met de Belgische pers. Wij waren erbij in Parma, waar United World haar partnership met Errea voorstelde.

www.voetbalkrant.com

Deel 2: United World praat voor het eerst met Belgische pers: "Ik zou liegen als ik zeg dat ik een paars hart heb, maar we zijn nog niet klaar hier"

In februari 2018 streek investeringsmaatschappij United World neer op het Kiel. Ruim vier jaar later sprak Abdullah Alghamdi, CEO van United World, voor het eerst met de Belgische pers. Wij waren erbij in Parma, waar United World haar partnership met Errea voorstelde.

www.voetbalkrant.com

Strange one that purple as like you say the clubs in the group seem to be run on a strict budget and yet money is apparently available to acquire more clubs.

 

[Champagneblade]

New signing from Pescara. Was really needed since we had zero left backs in de squad…

Mardochée Nzita - Player profile 22/23

Mardochée Nzita, 23, from Belgium ➤ Beerschot V.A., since 2022 ➤ Left-Back ➤ Market value: €300k ➤ * Feb 24, 2000 in Kinshasa, DR Congo

www.transfermarkt.com

Didn't see this confirmed. Is it a loan? Looks like he is contracted until 2024 there.

At least there is a strategy which seems Belgium, Belgium and more Belgium though it looks like you will be selling Shankland to Scotland and financing a winger from Ajax, Hassane Bandé, a guy from Burkina Faso.

Doesn't leave you much in the striking department though. He's 23 though, another good age. Can't help but feel experience is required at some point

 

[PurpleRain]

Didn't see this confirmed. Is it a loan? Looks like he is contracted until 2024 there.

At least there is a strategy which seems Belgium, Belgium and more Belgium though it looks like you will be selling Shankland to Scotland and financing a winger from Ajax, Hassane Bandé, a guy from Burkina Faso.

Doesn't leave you much in the striking department though. He's 23 though, another good age. Can't help but feel experience is required at some point

Officieel: Beerschot legt Belgische verdediger Nzita voor drie jaar vast

Inkomende transfer nummer 5 is een feit voor de Kielse Ratten. Mardochée Nzita komt voor een bescheiden transfersom over van het Italiaanse Pescara en tekent een driejarig contract bij Beerschot. De flankverdediger sluit vandaag aan op training.

m.gva.be

100k transfer fee.

 

[Champagneblade]

Officieel: Beerschot legt Belgische verdediger Nzita voor drie jaar vast

Inkomende transfer nummer 5 is een feit voor de Kielse Ratten. Mardochée Nzita komt voor een bescheiden transfersom over van het Italiaanse Pescara en tekent een driejarig contract bij Beerschot. De flankverdediger sluit vandaag aan op training.

m.gva.be

100k transfer fee.

It's updated now on Transfermarkt. They paid 750k for him a year back so that's a decent pick up for 100k.

What's that? Keeper, right back, left back, right winger and centre forward now + Rigo and Sanusi signing deals.

Taking shape a bit now.

Radic and Van den Bergh still in the building. The Ajax guy linked.

At least things are happening!

 

[Champagneblade]

Beerschot wants to complete two additional incoming transfers this week. After Bill Lathouwers and Mardochée Nzita, it is Ibrahim Alhassan's turn. The 25-year-old Nigerian midfielder comes transfer-free from the Portuguese Nacional. Hervé Matthys is also very close to a switch to Beerschot. The 26-year-old central defender has an expiring contract with ADO Den Haag and, like Alhassan, is therefore transfer-free.

Hervé Matthys - Player profile 22/23

Hervé Matthys, 27, from Belgium ➤ Beerschot V.A., since 2022 ➤ Centre-Back ➤ Market value: €600k ➤ * Jan 19, 1996 in Brugge, Belgium

www.transfermarkt.com

Ibrahim Alhassan - Detailed stats

These are the detailed performance data of Beerschot V.A. player Ibrahim Alhassan. The website contains a statistic about the performance data of the player.

www.transfermarkt.com

Left centre back (Belgium), 26 and defensive midfielder (Nigerian), 25. Good ages and at least come with experience.

Wonder if the left centre back is a replacement for Bourdain or a sign Van den Bergh is off?

7 now. Getting greedy!

That's a keeper. 2 full backs, a centre back, 1 midfielder plus 2 midfielders signing new deals, a winger, a centre forward and linked with the Ajax guy so almost a new team already.

 

[PurpleRain]

Like you say, at least something is happening. It’s all a bit low budget and a lot depends on whether Shankland, Radic and VDB will stay or leave as those 3 together with Sanusi are the remaining core of the team. If they stay, we can be relatively satisfied. Only big gap still is a creative midfielder to replace Holzhauser who was the only player creating goal danger and a back-up right back. Another winger is also needed, we only have 2 and 1 has a bad injury record. Maybe the Austrian trialist can fill that gap.

 

[Champagneblade]

And another! Ex-Beerschot youth:



Taking shape now. Didn't seem to play much club football last season though.

It seems the new coach, Andreas Wieland tends to play 4-2-3-1 and the current squad supports this:

G(3) - Vanhamel(32), Lejoly(24), Lathouwers(22)
CB(5) - Radic(22), Van den Bergh(27), Matthys(26), Konstantopoulos(19), Frans(33)
RB(1) - Quirynen(20)
LB(2) - Ndzita(22), Weymans(24)
CM(4) - Sanusi(30), Alhassan(25), Rigo(23), Okyere(19)
RW/LW/AM(4) - Verlinden(22), Soumaré(22), Sebaoui(20), Vaca(22)
CF(3) - Shankland(26), Baeten(20), Eleke(26)

Seems another right back as you say and a bit more in the attacking mid/winger space to be recruited unless any of the youth team step up like Sebaoui did.

It's a shame Seriki wasn't wanted/ready last year. A year older and with an excellent loan in non-league just behind him, he'd be a good alternative at RB one level lower than last year; I just think the management planned that very badly. I don't see United being especially long on wingers or attacking midfielder this time around to send anyone, unless Ayari was keen but as he's the same batch as Seriki, I'd understand if he is not positive on a loan to Belgium given what happened with his mate.

Plenty of noises about Shankland not being for sale this past few days. That's a positive. I think he will do well one level down.

Just a case then of replacing any that get sold. Possible loans not touched yet either. You have to look at Radic, Van den Bergh and Sebaoui and be thankful if they are still there when the window closes. Still possible Shankland's situation changes but in interviews he isn't pushing for a move either.

At least it is a squad that can grow together. I make the average age of new arrivals to be 22.6. The average age of the squad is 23.9 which is very young with only 3 players 30 or above and you have to question whether Vanhamel is fully forgiven yet.

 

[PurpleRain]

Soumare is refusing to train with us despite he has 4 years contract left, he wants a transfer to a French team. Send him to Chateaoroux I would say. He’s a decent talent but not a good mentality. Eleke is also a nut case, don’t think he will stay either. Matthys, the defender from Ado has not been made official yet. Maybe a last minute problem or presentation still to come. According to the rumors Radic will soon leave on a transfer and 2 more established players are close to signing. Could be Massimo Bruno, ex Anderlecht winger, Bande from Ajax or Collasin, forward from Anderlecht reserves.

 

[Champagneblade]

Soumare is refusing to train with us despite he has 4 years contract left, he wants a transfer to a French team. Send him to Chateaoroux I would say. He’s a decent talent but not a good mentality. Eleke is also a nut case, don’t think he will stay either. Matthys, the defender from Ado has not been made official yet. Maybe a last minute problem or presentation still to come. According to the rumors Radic will soon leave on a transfer and 2 more established players are close to signing. Could be Massimo Bruno, ex Anderlecht winger, Bande from Ajax or Collasin, forward from Anderlecht reserves.

How close is Frans to fitness? I suppose if he is fit and you have Konstantopoulos as his back up on the right that could be manageable and they can then get a good fee for Radic. I suppose there has to be a pathway for Konstantopoulos somewhere or not much point him being there. It did seem Radic didn't like the idea of dropping down, which is understandable after a positive season for him personally.

If you got those you mentioned then maybe they will be more open to offloading Soumaré and Eleke.

Get another right back in and you're onto 23 players should Matthys also sign. That's relatively workable I'd say especially as the odd youngster could also break through.

At least Bande and Bruno have experience.

I'm intrigued what happened to make you say Eleke is a bit of a nutcase. I see he got 7 goals and an assist in 24 game in Turkey.

 

[PurpleRain]

How close is Frans to fitness? I suppose if he is fit and you have Konstantopoulos as his back up on the right that could be manageable and they can then get a good fee for Radic. I suppose there has to be a pathway for Konstantopoulos somewhere or not much point him being there. It did seem Radic didn't like the idea of dropping down, which is understandable after a positive season for him personally.

If you got those you mentioned then maybe they will be more open to offloading Soumaré and Eleke.

Get another right back in and you're onto 23 players should Matthys also sign. That's relatively workable I'd say especially as the odd youngster could also break through.

At least Bande and Bruno have experience.

I'm intrigued what happened to make you say Eleke is a bit of a nutcase. I see he got 7 goals and an assist in 24 game in Turkey.

Eleke just doesn’t fit in. It’s his 3rd season and still has no connection with anyone. He looks lost at training sessions. If you follow his instagram account you will see what I mean. Thinks he is a world star but what he thinks of himself doesn’t match with what he does on a football pitch.

 

[Champagneblade]

Some more United World news.

One of the players I pinpointed at Chateauroux that I thought was worth keeping an eye on was the young 20 year old lad up front, Siriné Doucouré. 6'4" rangy centre forward.

It looks like he will be signed up by Ligue 1 Troyes, who are part of the City group.

Ordinarily you'd say United missed the boat a bit here but it just falls at a time when we are well stocked. Hard to suggest it is a beneficial move for the lad when we have Jebbo and Osula who will be 19 in August and are close to the first team. Easy to forget as well that Brewster and N'Diaye are both only 22 as well.

Hopefully they get a decent fee. Nothing reported in that regard but he had already expressed a desire to leave and had a year to run on his deal. Troyes just got 10m selling a defender to Forest, and they invested quickly on a Brazilian winger and a replacement defender, you'd hope for a useful fee. Not sure how much you can fully expect when languishing in National (French 3rd league).

If Beerschot hadn't been relegated he could have been a consideration but similarly 1B isn't that much of a credible division. Sooner they get out the better. Ligue 2 would have been a step up so Ligue 1 if even joining as a squad player is a good move for the lad.

Shame for Chateauroux as with him starting to grow and alongside Robinet, I think promotion would have been easier.