The Wandering Canuck

The Miracle in Montreal

2009-06-29T17:31:00.017+02:00

As the final whistle blew, it appeared as though once again Toronto FC would be missing out on that all so precious spot in the forthcoming CONCACAF Champions League. While the Vancouver Whitecaps clearly deserved to win, on paper TFC were the stronger team and should have at least picked up a draw. Evidently games are never won on paper. While the tournament hadn’t officially ended, with Toronto still having one game in hand, TFC would need to go to Montreal and beat the Impact by four goals. Indeed scoring four goals appeared as an insurmountable situation. While stranger things have occurred in the world of football, Toronto had only once before scored four goals. It was clear for many including myself that hope had all but faded.

Leading up to the match, I admit that I was waffling about whether or not I should make the trip to Montreal. I was close to finishing my first half semester of classes and I found myself with a lack of time studying for my final exam in Statistics. In the end, with a little motivation from a fellow Red Patch Boy here in Ottawa, I decided I should go. Whether they win or lose, I am Toronto Till I Die and I had the duty as a fan to go and support the boys in Red.

As the bus pulled into the Beri-UQAM station in Montreal, I knew I was in for a soggy night. Indeed as so eloquently said in French, Il pleuvait des cordes. Before going to meet up with some RPB’s (Red Patch Boys) at a local pub, a couple of friends and myself all headed down to the famous Schwartz Deli. Having never gone, I was in for a culinary treat. Indeed, not only does Schwartz serve some of the best-smoked meat in Montreal, it could be seen as the epitome of smoked meat in Canada and possibly the world. Surely if you are ever in Montreal you must not miss this fine establishment! Having eaten our fair share and feeling rather full, we then headed to a local pub before jumping on the metro.

The journey to the stadium was a pure joyride. With all the TFC fans together in two separate metro cars, singing and jumping at their hearts content, the metro literally jumped its way down to the Pie IX metro station. I can only imagine the relief felt by those not going to the match, who had no idea what was taking place. We all got off the metro and slowly winded our way to the stadium like a river of red. With just enough time to grab a drink before kick-off, we all crammed into section 223.

The match began poorly for TFC as Montreal were given a penalty in the 24th minute of play. Donatelli converted and TFC now needed five goals. Talk about a bleak picture. Fortunately for the reds, De Rosario finally got TFC on the board as he bicycle kicked a nice ball home in the 29th minute. De Ro slotted home another before half time and while the fans weren’t convinced that Toronto would pull off the miracle, the Red’s were sufficiently dominating the match to give the fans enough hope for a win before heading into the half.

Halftime came and went and only four short minutes after kick-off De Ro scored another goal to complete his hatrick. 3-1 TFC. We only stood two goals from pulling off an amazing result. The clock ticked a good twenty minutes before Guevara scored a simply amazing free kick from just outside the box. 4-1 TFC. This put TFC within one goal of winning. Could this really be happening?

Toronto continued to dominate and clearly the only sound emanating around the stadium came from the TFC supporters. Surely, this was seen as shameful among those supporting the homeside. While one could claim that this match was of no significance for the Impact, they would be duly wrong. As any one from Montreal can attest, les Montréalais do not like losing to any team from Toronto whether that be hockey, soccer or even lawn bowling.

As the TFC supporters became even more anxious with every minute closer to 90, Toronto finally won a decisive corner in the 82nd minute. As the ball curled into the box it was met by the head of who else but Chad Barrett who with a slight touch directed the ball fashionably into the ground before it finally bounced into the corner of the Djekanovic’s net.

Blur.

As I opened my eyes, I found myself four rows down from where I had started, hugging another supporter who I had never met. Mass hysteria filled section 223. Toronto had actually scored enough goals to overtake Vancouver in the standings. Toronto could actually be playing Champions League football for the first time in its short history. With another goal scored in the 90th by Guevara, Toronto had won the game 6-1 making it probably the greatest game in their history. The cherry on top was beating Montreal and stealing the crown that we as supporters had wanted since the inception of the Canadian Championship last year.

As a passionate fan of football, I feel privileged to have partook in this momentous occasion. While I had only attended one other final before this, (the much more prestigious UEFA Champions League Final in 2006 when FC Barcelona beat Arsenal FC) that final couldn’t even match a tentth of the emotion I felt in this final. I have no deep attachment to either FCB or Arsenal but I do with Toronto FC. I had watched Danny Dichio score the first goal in my living room in Alberta wishing I could be there. Thankfully I was in Montreal and I was living TFC’s history. I hope in 50 years I can tell the younger fans how I experienced first hand, the great Miracle in Montreal.

My thanks go out to all of the other TFC supporters who made the trip. The ambiance was great and we owe it to you who never stop believing in the Reds. Hope to see you all next year.

Cheers.

Tomasz Radzinksi Interview

2009-03-18T17:35:00.009+01:00

Question: I’d like to congratulate you on recently becoming a father. How has it been?

Tomasz: It’s been exciting and tiring. Before, I just had myself to take care of. Nonetheless it’s been fun. Although it does make the football more difficult since you find yourself with less rest.

Q: How has been your second experience in Belgium?

T: So far it has been great. When I signed, I never expected that we’d be near the top of the table fighting for promotion. I am also enjoying the football, which is the most important thing for me.

Q: How did you find yourself at Lierse SK?

T: After my wife became pregnant she mentioned to me that she would like to eventually move back to Belgium since she’s a Belgian herself. Initially, we got in contact with a few clubs in the first division. Everybody told me that I was too old, slow and worn out. Fortunately Herman Helleputte (who worked with Tomasz at the very beginning of his career at Geminal Ekeren) heard that I wanted to come back and talked to the president to see if he could sign me. It all worked out and a few days later I signed.

Q: You have scored 13 goals this season. While some may say that you are in your swan song, its would appear to the opposite: you are playing well and scoring goals. How much longer do you plan on playing professional football?

T: If I wake up and still want to go out and train then I’ll keep playing. Basically, if I still feel up to it I’ll be playing as long as I can.

Q: To the chagrin of many Canadian soccer fans, Canada once again failed to qualify for the World Cup. Why did we fail? Was it the lack of coaching experience shown by Dale Mitchell?

T: I am not one to point fingers, but I find it really unfortunate that with the team we had, indeed the best Canadian team I have ever played with, we still couldn’t qualify. Maybe there were problems on the pitch in regards to the player’s positions. For example, if I had been played upfront with De Rosario on the wings it would have changed things a little bit. Obviously there are always issues with the CSA. We have conversations with them every year about what we want and it’s always the same thing. We want to make one venue our home stadium so that when we play, we are at home and we get that advantage of being at home. Indeed those European teams who are accustomed to the same stadiums, hotels, travel and turf statistically win more games. Montreal would be a perfect venue since it’s closer to Europe and has a grass turf. Altogether we had conflicts with the CSA over the little things, which in the end make a huge impact.

Q: What are your thoughts about the artificial turf at BMO field?

T: Everybody hates it and it’s not ideal. Nobody plays on turf here in Europe. You have no idea how it changes the dimension of the game and what it does to your body.

Q: In order for us to qualify and see success at the international level, what needs to be improved and changed?

T: Firstly, the current structure must change. Secondly, the CSA should choose one venue and sell the tickets to Canadian fans. Don’t sell 50% or 70% to Honduran fans. Montreal should be this venue since it reduces the travelling time and has a real grass pitch. Thirdly, play the players according to their position at club level. Put them where they should be and not where you think they should be.

Q: Should the CSA organize more international dates so we can move up the FIFA Rankings and be seeded better for the next qualification?

T: Our budget is low which makes it hard. Nonetheless we have asked the CSA to organize games against whomever so that we can just get together and play. We know how easy it is to improve the budget of the CSA but because there are so many board members from different provinces who all want a piece of the pie, the money never really comes to the one thing that matters: the World Cup national team. What they fail to realize is the fact that if the men’s team qualifies for the World Cup the revenue will increase for everybody.

Q: One positive from this last qualifying campaign was the increase in Canadian support. Was this the best support you have seen for the Canadian Men’s National Team?

T: With the exception of the Honduran match, the support was fantastic. It was great to see all the flags, banners and pictures. I wasn’t expecting it at all. The support was tremendous this year and its hurts because we didn’t give anything back to the fans.

Q: Turning now to domestic soccer in Canada, have you given any thought to maybe playing one day for one of the three professional clubs: Montreal, Toronto or Vancouver?

T: You can cross Toronto off the list since the team plays on artificial turf. Montreal and Vancouver…why not? Especially Montreal since it’s a European type city and I really enjoy the lifestyle there.

Q: Have you heard anything about the Montreal Impact’s run in the CONCACAF Champions League and their crowd of 55,500 at the Olympic Stadium?

T: Yes of course! Thats the amount of support there should be for our national team.

Q: Have you officially retired from international football?

T: No I haven’t officially. I have been approached by the CSA to see where my future lies with the national team but right now I really don’t know.

Q: Would you consider a call up for national team for this years Gold Cup?

T: It all depends on whether Lierse SK has to play in the promotion playoffs or not. If we finish at the top of the league then we won’t have to. If we play the promotion playoffs, I won’t have a lot of vacation time which is important for me with a new baby and all.

Q: After your playing days, have you considered going into coaching?

T: I don’t think I am ever going to become a coach because this is something that I am not prepared to do. At club level you have 25 to 30 players that you have to deal with and only 11 can play. I am not the type of person to talk to 30 players.

Q: What has been your favourite international and club football memory?

T: My favourite international memory was my goal against Brazil even though we lost 4-1 (Gold Cup 1996). My favourite club memory was when I scored two goals against Manchester United in the Champions League (2000-01).

Q: Have you ever considered eventually writing a book about your nomadic playing experience? An autobiography?

T: Once I am finished I’ll think about it. Right now I think it’s too early. I think any player who brings out a book while he is playing, isn’t really writing an autobiography. How can you write a book about half your life? I’ve never really thought about it but if I ever considered writing something it would be well after I retired.

On behalf of myself and all the Voyageurs thank you for your years of dedication to the Men’s national team Tomasz.

Meer dan Maar een Club - More than a Club

2009-03-16T18:27:00.012+01:00

The journey from Brussels was painless and quick. After a short stop in Antwerp, I found myself on another train heading towards the small city of Lier, 20 kilometres southeast of the city. A city of 33,000, Lier is best known as the home to one of Belgium’s first football clubs, the Koninlijke Lierse Sportkrig or the Royal Sporting Club Lierse.

A Short History

In its extensive history, Lierse SK has won four Belgian League titles, two Belgian Cups as well as two Belgian Supercups. They have also had a notable history in European competitions having played in both the UEFA Cup and Champions League. Their most significant European victory came when they beat Leeds United 4-0 at Eland Road in 1971.

Unfortunately, the club recently fell on trouble times. Not only were they relegated after the 2006-07 season, they also found themselves seriously indebted after reconstructing parts of their stadium. Without a serious investor willing to undertake the teams’ debts, the club would have certainly faced insolvency and maybe even ceased to exist.

To solve this problem of debt, the club went looking for investors. Initially, a Chinese investor approached the team proposing capital to relieve a portion of the debt in return for a certain degree of control. While the club initially accepted, it turned out be a catastrophe since it was soon discovered that he planned on using the team (along with several other Belgian clubs) in an intricate betting scheme. Certainly this experience was an utter failure that left the club scarred. Indeed, for the club and fans themselves, it appeared as though the club had hit its dark night and was faced with a shadow of uncertainty. Nevertheless, in keeping with an ancient African proverb, “however long the night, the dawn will break”. This dawn broke when Maged Samy, an Egyptian entrepreneur who bought the team soon after.

Current Situation

After a mediocre 2007-08 season in the Belgian Second Division, Lierse SK has propelled itself up the table and currently has a shot at promotion. Indeed Samy can be attributed with this recent success since he brought in several high quality players. Currently, Lierse SK sits in second place, 5 points behind Sint-Truidense. They have also reached the semi-finals of the Belgian Cup having already tied K.A.A Gent 2-2 in the first leg. If they progress to finals, they could end up playing their archrivals KV Mechelen. In the best-case scenario, Lierse SK will be promoted this year and be playing European football come next season (if they win the Belgian Cup).

The Experience

As I left the train station, I had a pretty good idea of where I was going. Nonetheless, I decided to take the bus up to the stadium. Not only would the bus bring me to my desired destination but it would also give me a nice tour of the city. Lier was definitely a quiet city as there were hardly any people in the streets. As I took in the scenic roads leading up to the stadium, I felt at ease. Being here was relaxing since it took me out of Brussels, which is often congested and noisy. The closer to the stadium I got, I knew I was in Lierse SK territory since many where wearing the club colours of black and yellow. As soon as I got off the bus, I could see the stadium lights in the distance. My heart was beating at a faster pace as it always does before a football match.

The previous day I had contacted Terry Verbiest, the current Press Officer for the club. He told me that I would be welcome at Lierse SK and that he would graciously offer me a ticket to the game. Having arrived earlier than expected, I took a walk around the exterior of the Herman Vanderpoorten Stadium to orientate myself. In the corner of my eye I saw a supporters club. Wanting to get an interview with a fan, I thought there would be no better place.

The supporters were holding somewhat of a pre-game party. Indeed there were hundreds of fans drinking and eating to their hearts delight. I approached a supporter and asked him if he knew of anyone I could speak to in order to get a fan perspective. He directed me to Mario Wuyts, a former president of the Fagoempel Lierse SK Supporters Club. He kindly gave me an interview and a half a pint of Jupiler.

After having a Jupiler with Mario, it was time for me to head back to the stadium, find Terry and head to my seat. While I had thought that Terry would give simply give me my ticket then leave to attend to other match days affairs, he kindly allowed me to follow him into the Press Conference Room where the club was announcing a 10,000€ donation to a local charity. Before we entered into the Press Room, I saw the players tunnel and an emotion of giddiness overwhelmed me. Like a kid in a candy shop, I was in football heaven. I was in for a great night and it had only just begun.

After the press conference, I was lead into the player’s clubhouse where people had congregated to drink a pre-game tea and watch highlights from the Bundesliga. Terry was responsible for taking the mayor to her seat so I just stayed out of the way to facilitate smooth proceedings. As the room emptied, I saw a gentleman in corner on crutches. I approached him and we started to chat. His name was Selemani Ndikumana. I found out that he had recently broken his ACL and meniscus and was recovering from the operation. I could easily sympathise with him since I too had the same surgery. As the conversation progressed I discovered that he was a striker for Lierse SK and that he was also on the national team for Burundi. As I wished him luck with his recovery, Terry came back and we headed to our section.

Terry had given me a ticket to the exclusive club of Lierse SK, known as Club 30 (Lierse SK being the 30th professional team in Belgium). This was a club for exclusive members (1500€ membership fee). The game had just kicked off when I sat in my executive seat that was extremely comfortable. Tonight’s opponent was K.V. Red Star Waasland. Currently sitting in 9th place, Red Star found themselves without their star and leagues best striker Hervé Ndjana Onana (21 goals this season).

The first half had several exciting moments, which culminated in De Witte sending home a bouncing ball after it had initially been blocked by the keeper. The Canadian Tomasz Radzinksi also had a great first half playing extremely well. Certainly no one could have imagined that he recently celebrated his 35th birthday.

During the first half, the fans were very active and noisy. Lierse SK can boast as being one of the best supported teams in both the first and second division outside of the Big 3 (Anderlecht, Brugge and Standard). Tonight’s attendance was 6,998 but Terry explained that it was probably more like 7,200 since the official number only included those who paid for their tickets. Terry went on to explain that Lierse SK received the largest fan support in the second division. A band was also present at the match and would play a nice tune from time to time. Overall the atmosphere was good and I can only see it getting better once Lierse SK is promoted.

Soon after the commencement of the second half, Radzinksi slotted home an easy goal from the right hand side of the box. Being a Canadian myself and seeing Radzinksi playing the way he did, I think it would be great to have him in the line-up for this years CONCACAF Gold Cup. Having already scored 13 club goals this season, Radzinksi would surely be useful for the national team.

The final score was 2-0 for Lierse SK. Unfortunately Sint-Truidense also won their match and the gap between first and second team still rests at 5 points. With a handful of matches to be played, there is still a chance the Lierse SK will catch up and overtake the first position. If not they will be subjected to a playoff style competition with the three teams below them in the table. If they are one of the two teams to win this mini-competition, they will then play against either the 15th or 16th ranked team in the Jupiler League (the 17th and 18th are automatically relegated). If they win these games they will be promoted.

With the match finished, Terry and I went into the Club 30 lounge where he enjoyed a Duvel. He gave me an in-depth interview which enlightened me even more into the running of the club and its future. Following the interview, it was time for me to head back to the station and take the train to Brussels. Luckily, I caught the last train to Antwerp where I eventually boarded another for Brussels. Being it so close to St. Patrick Day, I was definitely feeling the luck of the Irish.

It was an incredible evening and definitely one I will never forget. The club, with the backing of Samy, is now seeing a time of optimism and hope after a few rough years of uncertainty. The fans will surely be rewarded for their dedication. In a day and age where football clubs have become corporations looking for their next revenue streams, Lierse SK can consider itself out of the ordinary. After being to the stadium, talking to the fans and management, I am convinced the Lierse SK is not just a club but also a community. From my experience, I believe that Lierse SK is a family where each fan, player, and member of administration is there for the betterment of the club.

My thanks go out to Terry, Mario and Lierse SK for giving me the opportunity to come and experience the club. It is certainly an exceptional club and you all have many reasons to be proud. Hopefully you are on the verge of a great season with a promotion to the Jupiler League and maybe even an appearance in Europe.

Cheers.

Terry Verbiest Interview

2009-03-16T18:11:00.004+01:00

Terry Verbiest is the current Public Relations and Press Officer for K. Lierse S.K. Originally a journalist, he has found himself in a variety of positions over the course of his career of more than 25 years. Not only has he been a TV and radio host, he has also been a producer and manager for various television stations and magazines. A long time Lierse S.K. fan himself, Terry is also currently an assistant to a member of the Flemish Parliament.

Question: Terry, can you give a short history of the club including its foundation date, who founded it and its largest accomplishments?
Answer: Lierse S.K. was founded March 6, 1906 and is one of the oldest teams in Belgium. As is the case for many European teams, a group of Belgian amateurs first saw football being played in England and brought it back to Belgium. Soon after the professional Belgian league was created, Lierse decided to join. Not only have we been champions of Belgium four times, we have also played in several European competitions. We notably beat the great Leeds team of the 1970’s 4-0 at Eland Road. For years after that victory, the wall of the players tunnel was painted with the word “Remember Leeds”. Recently speaking in the last 3 years or so, the club has had serious financial problems. Not only that, we were also relegated from Jupiler League. Luckily Maged Samy (an Egyptian businessman) bought the club and cleared it of its debts and we are currently seeking promotion.

Q: Could you give an idea about his short-term and long-term goals for the club?
A: He has set out a ten-year plan whereby he wants to bring Lierse to the highest possible level. Indeed with his financial backing it’s a plausible idea since the club can now attract players of a higher quality like Radzinksi or Cavens.

Q: Can you tell me about the stadium? When was it built? Does it have a nickname and are their plans to expand?
A: The stadium was built in the 1930’s. It was originally called the Lisper since the region around the stadium is called the Lisp. Its name officially changed to the Herman Vanderpoorten Stadium in honour of the once mayor of Lier (who also happened to be a big Lierse SK fan). The current stadium holds about 12,000 but there are plans to expand it to 15,000. We may further expand in the future to 20,000, which is plenty for a team in Belgium.

Q: What player is most liked among the fans? Is there a cult hero per se?
A: There isn’t a cult hero but Tomasz Radzinski is probably the favourite since he scores lots of goals and makes great passes.

Q: Lierse SK has many international players from various countries including Canada, Egypt and Thailand. Would you say this international flavour has brought success to the club in the league and from an advertising perspective?
A: From an advertising perspective no. In terms of success in the league then definitely yes. Samy was prepared to invest in the team and by paying higher wages he has attracted international players who are of a higher quality. Not only are they good enough for the second division but also for the first. In terms of advertising, it has always been a difficult task. Being in the second division there hasn’t been enough television coverage, which makes it harder to attract sponsors. This is changing though since the league recently sold their television rights to a broadcasting corporation known as EXQI (who also bought the league naming rights). They now have one weekly second division match on TV as well as highlights from the other games. Lierse SK also has a weekly television show, which is also shown this network.

Q: Demographically speaking Lier is a small city of roughly 33,000. Would you say the majority of fans are from the city itself or from surrounding communes such as Antwerp?
A: I would say that fifty percent are from Lier itself and the rest are from surrounding communes.

Q: In your opinion will Lierse SK be promoted this year?
A: I believe we will be promoted but we won’t be champions of the EXQI League. We will have to play the playoffs in our own division, which we should win. If we do win the second division playoffs we will progress to another playoffs with the 15th and 16th ranked teams in the Jupiler League (the league is composed of 18 teams). If we win again, we will then be promoted.

Q: It has been discussed whether a club is capable enough and at the right stage to be promoted. For example, Derby County FC were promoted from the Coca-Cola Championship to the Premiership in 2007 only to be relegated a year later after winning only a single game. Is Lierse SK ready to be promoted to the Jupiler League?
A: Lierse won’t be a yo-yo team. We have a strong squad composed of both international and Belgian players. Its not only me who believes this but different football pundits have also stated their belief that Lierse SK has a squad built for the first division. If we make the first division we will also bring in other players. Like I previously mentioned, Samy is committed to the club and making the team competitive in Belgium and Europe. We are ready for the Jupiler League.

Q: Can you picture the club being one day self-sustainable?
A: If you are in the first division, being self – sustainable is much easier. Right now our wages are high and we aren’t receiving the money that first division clubs receive from TV rights (1.5€M). Indeed 1.5€M is more than the average budget for many second division teams.

Q: What would be the best way for fans from outside of Belgium to keep in touch with Lierse SK’s progression in both the Belgian Cup and EXQI league?
A: The best way would be through our website www.lierse.com. We have an English website that includes previews for each game, post game interviews, as well as highlights for each match. If fans want to stay in touch then this would be the best way to do so.

Thank you very much Terry for giving me this interview. Good luck in the future for both you and K. Lierse S.K.

Mario Wuyts Interview

2009-03-16T17:20:00.016+01:00

Mario Wuyts is a long time fan of Lierse and a current member of the Fagoempel Lierse SK Supporters Club.

Question : How long have you been a supporter of Lierse SK?

Answer: I have been a Lierse fan since I was 7 or 8 years old. It was passed down from my father. I came to my first match when I was 8 or 9. This year I’ll be forty, so it will be 32 years since I became a fan.

Q: When were Lierse SK relegated from the Jupiler League?

A: Two years ago, this is their second season in the Second Division.

Q: Lierse SK were in serious debt when an Egyptian Entrepreneur (Maged Samy) cleared their debt and bought the team. Is that correct?

A: Yes but first there was another investor then after half a year Samy came and bought the club. At the beginning we were sceptical about whether or not he had good intentions, but now we have confidence in him. He is a really nice man; sometimes he will travel with the supporters in the bus to away games. Altogether we trust him and his intentions.

Q: Do you know anything about his short-term and long-term goals?

A: From what I know, he wants to make Lierse one of the top teams in Belgium and even in Europe.

Q: What has been the most memorable experience you’ve had as a supporter?

A: Definitely the Champions League in 1996 when we played against Sporting Lisbon, Bayer Leverkusen and AS Monaco. Another great moment was when we won the league. Nobody believed that a little club could be champions in Belgium. After we won there was a two-week festival here in Lier which was great.

Q: Are you feeling confident that Lierse SK will be promoted to the Jupiler League this year?

A: Yes we hope so but we are still five points behind first place Sint-Truidense.

Q: Who is your favourite player for Lierse SK?

A: Jurgen Cavens and then Tomasz Radzinksi.

Q: Together this season they have scored 26 goals, which is impressive. Do you think they form a good strike partnership?

A: Yes. Unfortunately, Tomasz only came to the team after 5 or 6 matches. During the period before he came we lost 2 and drew 2. In my opinion, if Tomasz had been here from the beginning of the season we would probably have won those matches and would subsequently be top of the table right now.

Q: How many years are left on Radzinksi’s contract?

A: I think he’ll be here for one more year after this season.

Q: Being that Lier is a small city of 33,000 people where do the majority of supporters come from? The city itself or from surrounding communes?

A: I would say that maybe 2 or 3,000 are from the city itself. For example tonight, there will probably be around 6000 supporters. 1500 will probably be from Lier and the rest from neighbouring areas as far as 20 kilometres away.

Q: Who is the number one rival of Lierse SK?

A: K.V. Mechlen. It another club 15 kilometres from Lier. When we were a good team they were in the second division. They then had financial problems and were relegated to the Third division. Now they are in the Jupiler League and we are in the Second division.

Q: So I imagine you are looking forward to being promoted so you can play them once again?

A: For sure. Coincidentally, both of us are in the semi-final of the Belgian Cup so we could meet them in Brussels if we make the finals.

Q: Can you tell me about the atmosphere in and around the stadium when you play against K.V. Mechlen? Is the match more tense than usual?

A: It isn’t that much more tense although some supporters from each team get into fights but then again this happens all over the world. Other than that it’s pretty calm. Although these days I would say that the younger generation of fans are becoming more aggressive.

Q: Do you support another team other than Lierse SK?

A: Not any other club, but I do support the Belgian National Team.

Q: Do you think they will qualify for the World Cup 2010?

A: Last time they didn’t have a chance, but this time they have several good players including Dembélé and Witsel so I think that they definitely have a better chance of qualifying this time around.

Thank you very much Mario for allowing me to interview you.

Chaudron de Sclessin

2009-03-06T19:09:00.016+01:00

March 1, 2009

Stade Maurice Dufranse does live up to its name as the Cauldron. Indeed it looks more like a lions den than a place where 22 men would congregate on a chilly sunday evening to kick a ball around. While it isn't the most celebrated of Belgian stadiums, it can boast as being the home of one of Belgium's most revered and famed football teams, the great Royal Standard de Liège.

Standard, as they are colloquially known among the fans, ranks among Belgium's Big 3 with Anderlecht and Club Brugge. While they have only won 9 league championships in their history, 20 less than their Brussels rival Anderlecht, they are one, if not the best supported teams in the country. Founded in 1900, Standard has had a rich history in which they have won numerous Belgian Cups and Supercups as well as reaching the Cup Winner's Cup Final in 1982 where they eventually lost against FC Barcelona. In 2008, they won their first Belgian League title after a dry spell of almost 25 years.

On this cool evening night in March, Standard found themselves 5 points behind arch rivals Anderlecht with 2 games in hand. If they had any chance of staying in the race for the title, they would have to win. In order to get all three points, they would have to beat their opponent of the night Cercle Brugge KSV. Cercle are also a Belgian team which hail from the Flemish town of Bruges (best known from the cult film "In Bruges").

For this match, I was accompanied by my friend Étienne along with his children. Like many Walloons, he professed his love for Les Rouches, having been a fan for as long as he can remember. As we approached the Stadium we saw hundreds of men and women clad in red. They were all singing songs, drinking Jupiler as well as eating some of the great food found in Belgium including fries, beer and waffles. There were also many busses which apparently came from different parts of the country. Clearly this was a well supported team. With the atmosphere boiling over outside the stadium, we all decided to grab some grub and Jupiler before heading to our section.

Having been sufficiently satisfied, I was ready for some football. If anything, I wasn't disappointed by the ambiance in the stadium. Having been to countless football matches across the globe, I would have to rate the fans of Les Rouches as among the best. Not only did they light flares and chant endlessly, they were also coordinated with the other fans at the opposite end of the stadium. This all culminated in a fantastic display of support.

As the game kicked off, it was clear that Standard was prepared to win. They dominated most of the first half and gave Cercle few shots on target. Playing with confidence, Standard opened the score in the 5th minute with some impressive pass and goes from the midfield which ended with a superb finish from the Belgian de Carmago. 6 minutes later, Mbokani doubled the score with some great footwork before firing the ball past the Cercle goal-tender. Before I knew it, Standard was up 2-0.

The second half brought two more goals and it was clear that Cercle never had a chance. While they did perform better during the second half, the Standard keeper Aragon performed at a world class level and kept the clean sheet. In all it was a job well done from the 11 on the pitch.

Having been to only one other Belgian Jupiler League football match (Anderlecht vs. Charleroi, September 2008) it would be presumptuous on my part to definitively say that the fans, stadium and team are the best in Belgium. Nonetheless, from what I experienced, I would have to say they are. If anything the fans are some of the best in Europe. I wish Standard all the best and I hope they qualify for the Champions League next year. Surely their fans deserve it.

If you find yourself in Belgium, make the trip to a Standard match and experience what Belgian football is all about. I promise you won't regret it.