The Journeyman Chronicles

[chesterfan2]

Foreword

I’d always wanted to be a football manager, right from when my elder brother, god rest his soul, bought home CM3 to play on the PC, back in 1999. While he was off at University I’d waste countless hours at home, when I should have been revising for my A-Levels, trying to get Brentford into Europe, and no, I can’t remember why I picked Brentford to play as.

So, a dream was born, Not to take Brentford into Europe but to become a top flight manager, but how was I going to manage to achieve it ? My footballing skills were never beyond the semi-professional level so the dream seemed beyond me. Nevertheless I kept trying and started at Sports Administration course at the University of Kent. There I met Dominique, a Belgian girl, and so, on graduation, I moved out to Deinze, where she was from, with the idea of finding work in nearby Ghent.

Find work I did, working for the organisation that runs a number of cycling events in Belgium, one of which, the Gent-Wevelgem starts in the Town Square in Deinze. The relationship with Dominique didn’t last, but I enjoyed my life in East Flanders so much I decided to stay.

It was as part of my role that I met Jan Lisabeth, the chairman of local club KMSK Dienze. I must have impressed him with my organisational skills as he offered me the job of manager at the club. On the ladder of football management at last !

The first step on that ladder. Where it would lead who knew ? But a role in the Belgian Third Division, a league that was currently Number 199 in the current list of European competition Reputation, was a start. Obviously I’d need to work my way up, I couldn’t expect a job at Man Utd or Juventus straight away, but I was determined to get to that kind of level.

[chesterfan2]

OK back on the horse. I started this one just as a way of practicing the art of match reporting, but the game has progressed far beyond what I first imagined, and here is the result.

I hope you enjoy

Chapter One – Getting my Feet Wet - KMSK Dienze

I was greeted at the entrance to the home of KMSK Dienze, the Burgemeester Van Der Weile Stadion, down by the River Leie in the middle of Deinze, by the chairman Jan Lisabeth. On the way in he told me a little of the history of the club.

KMSK Dienze were founded in 1926 and have won the Belgian Third Division (where they resided at that time) just the once, in 1993. It has a youth team and adequate training facilities, very basic junior facilities but average junior coaching and a very basic recruitment network. He also mentioned that Dienze are an amateur club. Well, I wasn’t expecting any wages, and that kind of explains why they’d accept a guy with no managerial experience, but some pretty good organisational skills to run their club.

On my first morning I also met with Ronan Denier the Assistant Manager. I got him to run the youth team, provide a team report and also arrange regular meetings with the coaching staff. All well and good so far.

[chesterfan2]

Meet the Players – KMSK Dienze

The team report was on my desk when I returned from lunch. It showed we had weaknesses out wide, left side especially, and we were a little light in goal. Cover everywhere was weak, but we did have a few good players. One thing was obvious; some hard work was going to be required if I were going to get this lot competing, both in terms of training and getting new players in.

Goalkeepers

1. Soren Van De Moortele – GK – Soren is the current number one. Rated very highly by the goalkeeping coach, Stefan Claus, less so by the Assistant Manager. Soren is 24 and has five years experience, three at Deinze, before spending last season on Division 2 at Roselaere. He has a good range of skills but doesn’t really shine in any one area. Goalkeeper is a position I want to upgrade, but there are more pressing concerns, such as left midfield to sort out first.

Stefan Roef, GK Only 20, Stefan is one for the future. Once again competent in all areas of the goalkeeping art, outstanding in none of them. He’s a product of the Anderlecht youth system and is one clearly set for better things. Reserve keeper for now though.

Defenders

4. Joachim van Holm – WB L, D LC, DM Joachim,32, is a new arrival, and the only left back in the first team. He spent the last four seasons of a thirteen year career at Coxyde and is a good solid defender. He has a good long throw and enough skill and pedigree to be able to make the left back spot his own this season.

22. Simon Vandegejeuchte, DC, DR At 17, Simon is in the team as backup only. He’s a touch too aggressive at this stage, but a good tackler when he can control himself at all. Too hit and miss for my liking.

2. Jan Masureel, DC, DR, WB R, 30, Jan joins us this season from Waasland- Beveren and is a highly experienced, very valuable, centre-back. He is tough and uncompromising, he’ll be an asset at this level.

13. Desire Agbokousse, DR, DC, WB R, 23, from Togo, is a backup full back, who had 13 appearances in his one season at Deinze so far. I have to say I have my doubts whether he’s cut out for this level.

19. Pieter De Wulf, DR, DC, DM, 25 and likely to be the starting right back. A one club man, in his seventh season here. Good for this standard of football, but likely as not, not much higher.

5. Mickenson De Pessemier, DC, 22, a very good young player, as things stand likely to play a big part in the heart of the defence this season. Knows his limits as a player, but what he does do he does very well.

3. Jens Vandenhende, DC, 18, another one for the future, Jens comes to us from the youth program at AA Gent. Highly thought of by the coaches here, he may well see a fair bit of playing time this season.

Midfielders

6. Kevin Pecqueux, DM aged 30, and in the latter stages of a long career which has seen him ply his trade at Mouscron in the Pro League for a time. He’s new to the team, and to be honest, doesn’t really add that much to the team, probably only the fourth best DM in the team at the moment.

15. Patrice Noukeu, DM, MC, 29, Cameroonian, Possibly the best player at the club he plays best as an Anchor Man. He’s currently the subject of some interest from the semi-professional side Eupen, and if they come in with a bid we’ll struggle to keep him. For our team he keeps the middle of the park ticking over. A real asset, if we can keep him.

7. Matthais Feys, DM, MC, AM C, 27, Another one of the set of really good defensive midfielders we have at the club. He’s a very well balanced player, good at the simple things, and another asset to the team.

8. Gauthier Lauwers, MC, 25, a good solid central midfielder, a good player at this level of football.

10. Foeke Rossel, MC,25, a ball winning midfielder, he’s new to the club, coming to us via third division RC Waregem, whether he’s an upgrade in the middle of the park or not is open to question.

9. Halil Krasniqi, AMC, 27. Halil scored 13 goals in 22 appearances for SW Harlebeke last season but I’m not entirely sure if a) he’s ready for a step up, or b)if we can reliably use him at all. Not the most talented player here, but does seem to have an eye for goal so will likely get a chance to impress.

Forwards

14. Nick De Groote, ST, AMR, 25. The one right winger at the club Nick’s preferred position is as a striker. He’s probably the third best striker at the club. New at the club he has always scored goals at this level and will get a chance to do the same here.

21. Xavier Deschacht. ST, AML, 27. At least we have a right midfielder in the reserves, Xavier is the only left sided attacking player at the club. His favoured position is also as a striker though, and he’s possibly the second best forward at the club. Composed and technically adept he will see playing time.

Jean-Paul Kielo-Lezi, ST, 28 from DR Congo, he’s a new addition to the club and looks set to play regularly as our deep lying forward. He’s scored goals at a higher level for a number of years it will be very interesting to see how he goes here.

11. Valentin Romont, ST, 26, prefers to lead the line, he’s probably the fourth best striker at the club, and may see playing time.

12. Hakim Boucheta, ST, 21, Moroccan, one for the future, not ready for first team football yet. Will only play in the direst of emergencies.

And that was the report. We need players out wide. Fortunately my next appointment was with the club’s scout, Christophe Segers. As a result of that meeting I contacted a number players, with the aim of signing them for the season. No left sided players though. At the meeting that followed with the entire coaching staff I asked the Assistant manager to produce a loan report on left sided midfielders.

[mark wilson27]

Well its about bloody time we had a story from you sir, looking forward to more mate

[chesterfan2]

Thanks Mark, I think...

A Week of Firsts

The First Press Conference

The following morning, 5th July, saw the traditional ‘new manager’ press conference. I told them it was a dream to be hired as manager, which it was. The rest of the conference flew by without incident. I said we wanted to keep Pieter De Wulf, and that I was the man to spark a revival at this club. Well, one can but dream, eh ?

The First Friendly

Was against Helmond Sport of Holland. We lost 1-0, but created a good few chances and on a luckier day we would have got a draw. In my press conference I had offered the fans attacking football and it looks as though we will actually have to do that if we are to get the best out of this team.

The First Signings

The day after the match against the Dutch team we made our first signing of the close season, one of the players the scout had recommended. Koen Schurmans, 29, is a goalkeeper with a lot of experience across the Belgian lower divisions. He’s a real upgrade at this position and will be first choice keeper for this season. A right winger, Nathaniel Cathalina, 23, a Dutch lad, was next in. He came from the youth program at Club Brugge and will do well here. I wanted more depth at this, and indeed all, wide positions, something we’d need to work on. He was quickly followed by Steve Barbe, 33, a central midfielder with bags of experience, a little prone to injury but he looked to be a real asset to the club, capable of making the midfield tick.

We did miss out on a couple of central defenders we offered contracts to, a disappointment as that was an area of the team I wanted to strengthen. Fortunately I didn't have long to wait as the third central defender I’d offered a deal to, 22 year old Brazilian Renan Felipe, signed on the dotted line and joined up. I hoped he wouldn't be the last defensive recruit, after all I still has some irons in the fire. The scout had now come back with a list of talent within Belgium, and I made a number of offers on the back of that.

The final player in this set was a lad on loan from Cercle Brugge, Stephen Buyl, 19, was a promising left winger, a bit of a rough diamond at that stage, for sure, but one with a bright future ? definitely.

[chesterfan2]

The Trialists Match and The Next Friendly

I went along to the match between two teams of trialists. Lads who had been released by their clubs and were being given this chance to drum up some interest. There were scouts a plenty at the game, but not many managers and I hoped the personal touch would count for something. For the record Team 2 played Team1 off the park, and I asked for reports on a number of the players.

Back at the club the signings continued, this time the first of the players suggested by the scout from his scouting of Belgium. Abou Coulibaly a 24 year old French striker, was the guy involved, good in the air, with a good finish for a big man he was a major improvement to the striking corps at the club. Also signing up before the next friendly was a DR Congolese left back by the name of Jospeh Djo Kipoy. He’s 23 and will give the incumbent in the position, Van Holm a real run for his money.

One more lad came in on the morning of the next friendly. Ray Frankel, 29, an experienced Dutch defender, who has played the previous four seasons at FC Antwerp in the Second League. He had the ability to add a great deal to the defence, and could also function pretty well in the middle of midfield too. A versatile presence.

The next friendly was at home to fellow Third Division team, FCV Dender, though they’ll play in Third Division B, where we are in Third Division A. Dender had a brief flight in the top division for a couple of seasons, as recently as the 2008/9 season. They've come down since then and were relegated from the Second League at the end of last season. Strong opposition then.

So to the match, and we started well, opening the scoring midway through the first half. It went downhill from there. Dender were level by half time and 4-1 up by the end, my team seemed to be very poor at defending crosses in general and set pieces in particular. Lots of work to do and no chance to ease off on the player recruitment either.

[chesterfan2]

Reacting to a bad result.

It turned out that we have a feeder club arrangement with AA Gent a fact which means I don’t have to ask the board for one. Anyway they sent us one player on loan this season. Kylian Butseraen is a defensive midfielder who looks to have a big league future. Not the best player here this season though. A back up at best.We picked up one lad from the trails match too. Domaine Luyckx a central defender, 18, once of Beeerschot AC. Another one for the back line, more of a back up than a starter at this point but one I wouldn't hesitate about bringing into the side if needs be.

Things suddenly got glum as I was visited by the club physio Dirk Thierie, he came to report that Jan Masureel had done his hernia in training and would be out for 5 to 7 weeks. We were still a couple of weeks away from the start of the season, but it was obvious he’d be unavailable at the start of the season proper, and for a few weeks at that.

A friendly away at Second League Boussu was next, a game in which we played much better and came away with a creditable 1-1 draw, a more defensive formation was picked for this, a good guide as to how to approach our away games I thought.

I reacted to Masureel’s injury as any manager worth his salt would, I signed some more players. Cedric Ciza is a 22 year old defensive midfielder from Burundi, who can also play right back. He didn’t quite make it at either Anderlecht or Charleoi, he’ll get another chance here. Oumar Cisse is a central defender, 23 from Guinea. He comes via FCV Dender and looked set to get some playing time in Jan’s absence. The final signing of this burst was 22 year old Emmanual Ngama, a left sided midfielder, our first at this club. He’s another Burundian, likely to hold down this spot until we found someone better.

We lost the next friendly too, 3-1 away at Eredivsie’s RKC, but I wasn’t too downhearted. We led 1-0 at half time and only surrendered the lead late on when we visibly tired against the Dutch professionals. An encouraging performance.

And that upward swing, performance wise, kept on going into the next friendly, a game at home against German Second Division team Duisberg. We got a goal midway through the first half, a near post corner powered home by De Pessemier, the second such goal in the pre-season, something to work with I thought. And we went from there. OK so we didn’t score again but we made ten chances, three of them on target. Our opponent’s managed three, only one on target and they didn't score from that. 1-0 the final score, and a great deal of satisfaction.

The penultimate friendly of the pre-season was away at Third Division B side Patro Eisden, we looked like we were coming into form at the right time, and we won 2-0 at a canter. The final friendly was away at Belgian Fourth Division side Walhain. We played open , attacking football, and ended up 6-3 winners. Shocking defending but vibrant attacking. We looked good, and I thought ready.

[chesterfan2]

A bad start to the season and some Belgian Cup action

Just as we were preparing for the Belgian Cup, Third Round game, that would mark the start of the season proper Eupen finally made their move for Noukeu. It being a professional contract they offered there was never any real doubt what would happen and the player moved on. This, however, had the potential to put a big hole in our season.

The first game of the season was a Belgian Cup Third round tie against non-leaguers, Wielsbeke. It was at our place so it shouldn’t have been any kind of a problem.

We went out with an attacking 4-2-4 formation and ripped into the visitors. We were a goal up after six when Kielo-Lezi knocked home the ball after it had come back off the bar from a Coulibaly header. A great start. On 26 it was two, Coulibaly this time able to get the ball under the outspread keeper, and into the net. Frankel made it three on 27 minutes, set up by Coulibaly who was having an excellent game.

So 3-0 at the half, but it wasn’t all good news. Kielo-Lezi limped off at the interval, his replacement Nick de Groot.

Wielsbeke opened the second period brightly and were rewarded with a goal on 52, a screamer from 30 yards that players from a much higher league than Wielsbeke would have been rightly proud. Their joy didn’t last long as we reasserted ourselves onto the game, Renan Felipe heading home from a Cathalina corner on 57 minutes. Wielsbeke got another one back near the end but it was over as a contest by then, and we cantered to being easy victors, and into the Fourth Round.

Final Score:

Deinze 4 - 2 Wielsbeke

Scorers: Kielo-Lezi, Coulibaly, Frankel, Renan Felipe

Team: Schurmans, De Wulf, Cisse, Felipe, Djo Kidoy, Frankel, Barbe, Cathalina, Ngama, Kielo-Lezi (De Groot, 45), Coulibaly

< -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------->

The fourth round of the cup was indeed the next match a week later. This time we were away, but against non-league opposition once again in the form of Lyra. We went into the game unchanged, Kielo-Lezi having recovered from his knock in the last game. We started brightly but without much luck or composure in front of goal. It took us 23 minutes to make the breakthrough and then it was an own goal. The ball pinged about the box in a goalmouth scramble, it was cleared of the line twice but then the ball was fired across the face of the goal and it was the defender who it came off and looped into the net. Unlucky for the lad, but what we deserved on the balance of play at that point. Coulibaly made it two on 31 minutes, heading home an early cross from the right unchallenged.

Coulibaly hit the bar with a headed effort from a corner near the half time break, but this time the rebound didn’t fall the right way and the ball was smuggled clear. So, half time, and a comfortable 2-0 up.

The second half was a little closer to begin with, but they didn’t look like scoring at any point. We got a third on 79 minutes, that man Coulibaly again, this time with a well-timed finish from ten yards out, once again after strong wing work by Cathalina. Lyra did get one back in the 91st minute as we switched off at the back a bit, but it was too little, too late and the game finished 3-1 to us.

Final Score:

Lyra 1 – 3 Deinze

Scorers: Coulibaly (2), own goal

Team: Schurmans, De Wulf, Cisse, Felipe, Djo Kidoy, Frankel, Barbe, Cathalina, Ngama, Kielo-Lezi ,Coulibaly

So into the fifth round of the Cup, but now the real work would start. The League would start next week.

[chesterfan2]

Opening Day

Wednesday August 22nd

Belgian Third Division A

Deinze(4th) vs Coxyde(3rd)

Of course League placings were only on alphabetical order at this stage of the season. Coxyde were not expected to do well by the pundits, but the proof of that was about to borne out. The bookies, interestingly enough, had us down as only narrow favourites for this one.

We made one change from the team that played in the cup four days previously. Steve Barbe, a sprightly 33 but slow to recover from his exertions then dropped out to be replaced by Lauwers. We set up otherwise in exactly the same formation as for the cup games in a 4-2-4 formation. A bit of shock and awe was called for here I thought.

We did indeed come out of the traps hot, and had the ball in the net after 3 minutes, though Coulibaly was a good yard offside when he turned it in, a transgression spotted by the linesman, and so obvious I didn’t have the heart to complain.

We had the better of the opening exchanges but fell behind on 17, as De Wulf was adjudged to have fouled a Coxyde player. A shocker of a decision in my book, but that’s the standard of this league. Schurmans got a hand to the spot kick but couldn’t keep it out.

We were level on 34 minutes, a Cathalina inswinging corner was met by Coulibaly coming off the near post to head home. A very well worked goal, and no less than we deserved.

We took the lead right on half time with a superbly well worked goal, a series of quick, precise passes tore open the Coxyde defence and allowed Coulibaly to steer home his second of the inside of the right hand post from 12 yards out. It was a thing of beauty that goal and led me into an upbeat half time team talk.

In fact I told them that good though the first half was I thought they could do better. I was rewarded with a scintillating opening to the second period, Kielo-Lezi grabbing a third with a diving header on 49 minutes.

Just past the hour it was 4-1 as Renan Felipe headed home a Cathalina corner from close range. Coxyde tried to get back into it, but forced Schurmans into only one more save after that point and we ran out convincing winners.

Final Score: Deinze 4-1 Coxyde

League Position : 1st

Scorers: Coulibaly 2, Kielo-Lezi, Renan Felipe

Man of The Match: Nathanial Cathalina

Team: Schurmans, De Wulf, Djo Kipoy, Renan Felipe, Cisse, Frankel, Cathalina, Lauwers, Coulibaly, Kielo-Lezi, Ngama

In the couple of days after the game we picked up another player, Oliver Mukendi, 21 a product of the Anderlecht youth system. He gives us another option up front and a bit more cover on the right wing.

[mark wilson27]

A good few pre season results and a good opening day result.

[mametz1536]

This is great, enjoying the view from the lower leagues. Even an Anderlecht player, looks good to me.

[chesterfan2]

Thank You gentlemen, your support is,as always, very much appreciated

Fifth Round Day

Next up was the Belgian Cup again, the fifth round this time and another away tie to a team from a league below our level, Spirmont of the Fourth Division were our opponents this time.

We were strong favourites for this game, so we went in with the formation that has worked us well in these games so far, the 4-2-4 formation. I made one change Xavier Deschacht in for Ngama who has struggled a little with the pace of the games so far, and been largely anonymous. Time to give another lad a chance, I thought to myself. On the other hand I kept Lauwers in, though Barbe was back to full fitness. The ageing midfielder would get his chance soon, in the meantime he’d be on the bench.

We scored with our first real chance of the game, a penalty on five minutes, blasted home by Kielo-Lezi. He’d been brought down when he’d latched onto a stray backpass and was hacked down as he bore down on goal, a case for a red card I thought but the ref kept his cards in his pocket, thinking, I guess, that the pen was punishment enough.

It was two on 16 minutes, that man Kielo-Lezi again, firing home from just inside the box after some sharp interplay from the lads in the build up. The final ball from Coulibaly to Kielo-Lezi cut out two Spirmont defenders and was a truly great through ball. We were playing well.

Spirmont rallied somewhat following that setback and forced Schurmans into a couple of smart saves. The renaissance didn’t last though and we got a third on 27, a fabulous goal, Kielo-Lezi’s hatrick. De Wulf and Cathalina had worked the ball to Kielo-Lezi on the right hand corner of the penalty area. From there he cut in and beat the Spirmont keeper at the near post with a blistering drive from only 8 yards out, Brilliant.

To their credit Spirmont didn’t seem to believe they were beaten, and mounted a spirited effort which, after a number of wayward shots, produced a goal on 37 minutes as one of those shots found the top corner of the net, a better keeper than Schurmans would have had trouble keeping that one out.

Half time came with no further action, 3-1 up at half time. The usual good, but you can do better speech. An exhausted Frankel off, Barbe on to replace him.

We started the second half well, but the Spirmont keeper must have had something in his tea because he was superb, producing a couple of saves. One, in particular, to deny Coulibaly a goal where he threw himself across the goal to tip away a goal bound effort, were top drawer.

We regretted not scoring there as Spirmont pulled back a second on 52. A cross from the byline headed home, not great defending.

It got worse. They levelled match on the hour as Schurmans spilled a shot from the edge of the box and the Spirmont forward was quickest to the rebound. Shocking. I jumped up from the bench and though they may not have understood the English phrase “Pull Your F***ing Fingers out!” that I yelled forcefully at them, I think that most of them got the gist of it. I also brought off Cisse who was having a bit of a mare and bought on Van Holm.

Well, they reacted like scalded cats, and crafted a fourth goal on 72 minutes. Spirmont lost possession as they tried to break up field and Barbe picked up the ball and lofted a pinpoint pass into the box where Nathanial Cathalina met it on the volley to give the keeper no chance. 4-3 to us, game on.

This game wasn’t over, not by a long shot. Spirmont fired wide when well placed on 74, and headed inches wide a couple of minutes later. On 80 minutes Cathalina limped off with an injured ankle to be replaced by the young lad on loan Stephen Buyl. Kielo-Lezi passed up the chance to secure the game on 86 minutes as he fired narrowly wide.

At the death Spirmont had a glorious chance to equalise, as they broke clear following a Deinze corner, but their right winger blew the chance as he blasted the ball high wide and handsome. The game finished Spirmont 3-4 Deinze. What a game.

Final score:

Spirmont 3-4 Deinze

Scorers: Keilo-Lezi 3, Cathalina

Team: Schurmans, De Wulf, Djo Kidoy, Renan Fillipe, Cisse (Van Holm), Lauwers, Frankel (Barbe), Deschacht, Cathalina (Buyl), Coulibaly, Kielo-Lezi

So through to Round Six by the skin of our teeth. This is where the board wanted us to be so I was glad to have achieved that much at least. We’d have to wait until the draw was made to find out who was next, and if we thought we could actually manage to progress.

In the immediate future, however, it was back to League action, this time away at Bornem. They had drawn their first match and as such lay fifth in the table at the head of all teams on one point thanks to their alphabetical advantage.

[chesterfan2]

Just another day

Wednesday August 29th

Belgian Third Division A

Bornem(5th)vs. Deinze(1st)

The previous two matches had bought us goals but this was a venture away from home so I changed formation to a defensive 4-4-2. A number of the players looked tired so we made some changes.Ngama returned on the left and Barbe replacing Cathalina on the right. Feys stepped in the in the midfield with Frankel. Masureel replaced Renan Filipe in the back line. The final change was Van Holm in for Djo Kipoy.

We set out very defensively, looking to catch the hosts on the break. Our two central midfielders dropped back to just in front of the defence and we successfully reduced Bornem at that stage to either shoot from distance or rush their efforts, meaning Schurmans was left with very little to do.

We made our first break out late on in the half, and we got a goal from it. Coulibaly feeding the ball out to the left and Ngama. The lad from Burundi turned his full back inside and out as he drove half the length of the pitch to reach the byline, where he crossed for Coulibaly to rise and power a header home. 1-0.

At the break I told them not to get complacent, a message that seemed to enthuse and offend the team in equal measure. Some liking it, some not. Anyhow, it did the trick as we scored again within three minutes of the restart, Coulibaly the provider this time as he threaded a ball through to Keilo-Lezi who still had a lot to do, but he closed on the goal, drew the keeper, and fired home, a lovely goal.

The game kind of fizzled out after that, Bornem had no reply. We changed a couple of player late on, Ciza for his first appearance, on for Feys who had picked up a knock, and Buyl on for his first taste of league football, on for the exhausted Keilo-Lezi. The game finished 2-0 with Abou Coulibaly getting the man of the match award.

Final Score: Bornem 0-2 Deinze

League Position : 1st

Scorers: Coulibaly, Kielo-Lezi

Man of The Match: Abou Coulibaly

Team: Schurmans, De Wulf, van Holm, Masureel, Cisse, Frankel, Barbe, Feys (Ciza, 73), Coulibaly, Kielo-Lezi (Buyl, 84), Ngama

We finished off the week by signing another player to round out the squad. Bastian Chantry is a right back and a bit of competition for De Wulf at that spot. He was a good player and would see some game time, but would need to impress if he were going to make the starting spot his own.

[chesterfan2]

Home Comforts ?

The next game came only four days later, but was at home against Temse who had started with a win and a draw in their two league games so far. It was, however, a game which were considered strong favourites for.

Saturday September 1st

Belgian Third Division A

Deinze(1st) vs Temse(7th)

Chantry came straight into the team at right back, whilst others were swapped in for players who, quite unsurprisingly for amateurs, were still tired from Wednesday night’s game. Back in came Renan Felipe, Cathalina and Djo Kipoy. In came Rossel and De Groote. We returned to the 4-2-4 formation, attack being the best form of defence and all.

A scrappy opening was quickly followed by us scoring on our first real attack. Cathalina down the right, Coulibaly’s head, off the post and Nick De Groote there to knock home the rebound. 7 minutes gone, and we were one-nil up.

Temse rallied from that set back and caused us some problems, both our central midfielders picking up yellow cards for foolish tackles. Schurmans, however, wasn’t really called on and if anything we finished the half the stronger. Still at only 1-0 at the break I thought we’d let the initiative slip a little, and I was only too willing to tell that to the players.

Most seemed to get the message. Worryingly a couple obviously didn’t.

The results were nevertheless encouraging. We were two up within a couple of minutes of the restart, though it was a defensive error that gifted us the goal, a woeful backpass gleefully dispatched by Cathalina for his first goal for the club.

The two goal lead didn’t last long as Temse pulled one back on 54, as we failed to clear a long punt upfield successfully, and the ball was struck home from 25 yards with a powerful drive. A very good effort from the lad, I had to admit.

We had a goal disallowed on 56 minutes as Coulibaly was adjudged to have fouled the goalkeeper as he rose to head home a cross from deep by Chantry. I had to agree it had looked a bit physical. This turned out to be a false dawn as Temse equalised on 74 minutes, a goal from a corner again, something we would clearly have to work on.

I turned the air blue at this point, and exhorted them to get out there and attack, and, finally, we got some response. This culminated in a Djo Kipoy cross from the left being headed home by Cathalina for his second goal of the game. 83 minutes gone and we were 3-2 up.

On 87 minutes Foeke Rossel was adjudged to have fouled a Temse player. I thought he won the ball cleanly but the ref didn’t see it quite that way and sent the lad off for a second yellow. I responded by taking De Groote off and replacing him with the young defender. Luyckx in an attempt to pack the defence for the last few minutes. The tactic worked, and we saw the game out without any further worries. I had a go at the lads after the match, though, as the performance wasn’t anywhere near good enough. They didn’t like that.

Final Score: Deinze 3-2 Temse

League Position : 1st

Scorers: De Groote, Cathalina 2

Man of The Match: Nathanial Cathalina

Team: Schurmans, Chantry, Djo Kipoy, Renan Felipe, Mausreel, Barbe (Ciza 74), Cathalina, Rossel (off 87), Coulibaly, De Groote (Luyckx, 87), Ngama

In the set of games the following day Wetteren won 3-0 at home to become the only other team with 9 points from 3 games. The following weekend Ngama and Ciza both won their first senior caps for Burundi. A milestone for them. These weren’t the only players on international duty as Keilo-Lezi was with DR Congo, whilst Coulibaly and Cisse were both with Guinea, and as such we didn’t have a game. In the only Third Division A game that Saturday Temse beat Wetteren to go third.

The big news of the weekend though was the draw for the sixth round of the cup. When asked who we’d want in the next round after our triumph in the fifth round I’d flippantly said Anderlecht at home. Yes, you guessed it, that’s exactly what we got. A massive fixture. A hopeless fixture, still the revenue would make up for it. The following day Anderlecht offered the club £75,000, and a share of the approx. £300,000 greater gate receipts to play it at their place. Simple finance told us that’s exactly what we’d have to do. The deal was done.

[chesterfan2]

After the Lord Mayor's Show

Saturday September 15th

Belgian Third Division A

Deinze(1st) vs Izegem(6th)

The international week had meant it would be two weeks before, this, our next league game. We remained in first, and what’s more we had now played a game less than everyone else. Izegem, our visitor’s that day, lay in sixth place, and their main crime so far that season had been inconsistency, a couple of good wins followed by an inexplicable defeat, for example.

The gap between games had let some of the lads recover a bit, only the lads just back from Africa showed any signs of fatigue, though only Ciza was left out on the grounds of being not match fit. In fact we went here with as strong a side as I thought we had at that time.

The first half was a very evenly fought and , if truth be told, dour affair with chances few and far between. Our best one came right at the end of the half and drew a fine save from their keeper. It was as close as either side came in the first 45. I told the lads at the break that I was disappointed. It would be interesting to see how that message was acted on in the second period.

We did a little better in the second period but never really troubled their keeper again. To our credit they never looked like scoring either. Final score 0-0 and a fairly dull match.

Final Score: Deinze 0-0 Izegem

League Position : 1st

Man of The Match: Bastain Chantry

Team: Schurmans, Chantry, Djo Kipoy, Renan Felipe, Masureel, Barbe , Cathalina, Frankel (Lauwers, 57), Coulibaly, Kielo-Lezi, Ngama

Frankel’s injury turned out to be not that bad, with a prognosis of 8 to 10 days from the club physio.

Wetteren won their game the following day to go top, albeit having played one game more. RC Waregem also won and so we dropped to third.

[chesterfan2]

Making Up The Numbers

Wednesday September 19th

Belgian Third Division A

Rupel Boom(15th)vs. Deinze(3rd)

This was our game in hand, the one rearranged from the international weekend. I decided to take quite a defensive approach to this one. Our opponents had home advantage and had to this date been on the end of a couple of close defeats, I figured that that meant their league position was a little bit false. Frankel was out injured and this formation didn’t suit Barbe so Feys and Ciza occupied the midfield slots in the centre of the pitch. One other change, Cisse in for Renen Felipe, as I tried to discern our best central defensive partnership.

In the first half our defensive set up had pretty much the desired effect as it limited the hosts to long range shots that failed to trouble our keeper. The problem with it was we created practically nothing ourselves so the question was how to tackle it in the second period.

In the end I sent the team back out in a more old fashioned 4-4-2 formation but told them to play on the counter. I also told them they could win the game. And indeed, in the second period things seemed to be going a bit better, we pushed forward a bit more and still kept Rupel Boom to long range efforts. We grabbed the first goal of the game on 57 as the hosts failed to clear a corner and Jan Masureel was on hand to slam the ball home from close range. Rupel Boom tried to get back on terms, but failed. They should have equalised on 86 minutes but shot into the side netting when they finally broke beyond the last man. We saw out the game in more comfort than the 1-0 scoreline would suggest really. And now we were back on top of the league.

Final Score: Rupel Boom 0-1 Deinze

League Position : 1st

Scorers: Masureel

Man of The Match: Jan Masureel

Team: Schurmans, Chantry, Djo Kipoy, Masureel, Cisse, Feys, Ciza, Cathalina, Coulibaly, Kielo-Lezi , Ngama

[chesterfan2]

Management Trials

Sunday September 23rd

Belgian Third Division A

Geel-Merhout(11th)vs. Deinze(1st)

We kept the 4-4-2 that we finished the last game with as the formation for this one. A couple of changes were made in the defence, De Wulf and Renan Felipe in, Chantry and Cisse out, these changes rotational. Also Barbe and Rossel in the middle of the park, dropping Feys and Ciza was tactical.

We started ok, but began to lose a grip on the game after the quarter hour mark. Geel-Merhout stoked up the pressure from that point on and it was no surprise when they scored just before the half hour mark. A missed tackle and a goal on the rebound gave it an air of fortune to be sure, but in reality it had been coming.

The goal spurred our lot into life and we piled on the pressure, getting an equaliser only 5 minutes later, Keilo-Lezi latching onto a hopeful through ball and rifling it under the keeper for a well taken goal, 1-1. On 42 minutes we grabbed the lead Coulibaly popping up in a goalmouth scramble following a half cleared corner to slam the ball home from all of three yards. Wasn’t pretty, but frankly, who cares ?

So 2-1 up at half time. I told them there was still room for improvement and I made one change Cisse on for Renan Felipe who had had a bit of a stinker in the first half.

The second period started brightly but we failed to take advantage of a number of good opportunities. Geel-Merhout made us pay for the profligacy by equalising in 72, once again we had a number of chances to clear but we failed to do so. 2-2.

We had chances to win the game late on, but failed to take them, and we had a goal disallowed late on for a foul on the keeper (the ref may have had a point) and it ended 2-2. I ranted at them a bit after the game, told them they weren’t good enough. It didn’t seem to have much effect on a couple of the players, there would be changes next match, there would have to be.

Final Score: Geel-Merhout 2-2 Deinze

League Position : 1st

Scorers: Keilo-Lezi, Coulibaly

Man of The Match: Jan Masureel

Team: Schurmans, De Wulf, Djo Kipoy, Masureel, Renan Felipe (Cisse 45), Barbe, Rossel, Cathalina, Coulibaly, Kielo-Lezi , Ngama[/b]

The draw kept us in first spot as the teams in second and third both lost, Wetteren by five at Izegem. How we laughed at that one.

In the week after the game a couple of incidents occurred that showed the tougher side of being a football manager. Young Stephen Buyl came to me first, requesting that his loan spell be cut short as he wasn’t getting enough games. I refused the request, he’s not going to get any games back at Cercle Brugge and the requirement here is two U-21 players on each match day squad. The lad fulfils that role when he sits on the bench as he has done for each match this season. I thought I’d probably play him a bit more, just to get his spirits up.

The second incident was a tad more serious. Djo Kipoy who seemed to think my tirade after the match against Temse was directed solely at him had been in a bad mood ever since then. This week he decided to skip training. I did all I could do as the manager of amateur players and warned him as to his future conduct. He seemed to take it on board, but I didn’t like the lad’s attitude and he’d now be taking a break from first team action.

[chesterfan2]

Ups and Downs

Saturday September 29th

Belgian Third Division A

Deinze(1st) vs Berchem(18th)

Berchem the visitors on this day had lost their previous four games and sat at the foot of the 18 team league table. Part of me told me that it was still early season and we shouldn’t take anything for granted, another part of me told me that this lot were useless and we should really go out there and take the game to them. That bit won.

So I went 4-2-4 with Frankel replacing Rossel in the middle of the park. van Holm in at left back, replacing the recalcitrant Djo Kipoy and finally a start for Buyl replacing Ngama who was carrying a knock. I liked the lad’s attitude, he wanted to play, who could fault him for that?

I told them to exploit the flanks and to win the game for the fans, and sent them out there. We pushed on early, unlucky not to get a goal out of an almighty goalmouth scramble on 9 minutes. But that was about as good as it got for us in the first period.

So, 0-0,at half time and I was not impressed. I told them I was far from pleased. I got a good reaction from a couple of players and a disinterested reaction from one. I took him, Keilo-Lezi off and replaced him with Xavier Deschacht, I thought that had more of an effect.

Unfortunately things didn’t get any better on the pitch. Deschacht hit the post with a drive early on in the half, and Coulibaly missed a sitter at the death, but in between there was nothing, nothing to entertain the fans. Or me. I told them as much after the match, utilising the international language of the annoyed manager, the flying teacup.

Final Score: Deinze 0-0 Berchem

League Position : 1st

Scorers:

Man of The Match: Jan Masureel

Team: Schurmans, De Wulf, van Holm, Masureel, Renan Felipe , Barbe, Frankel, Cathalina, Coulibaly, Kielo-Lezi (Deschacht 45) , Buyl[/b]

The draw kept us in first place with Olsa Brakel moving into second, at least for that evening until the round played out on the Sunday, on the back of their win. They seemed to be hitting form, an unsettling thought with us being due to play them a couple of weeks later.

Both RC Waregem and Wetteren lost their home games in the Sunday set of matches. Izegem on the other hand won away at Coxyde and went second, a point behind us.

[chesterfan2]

The month end saw the physio’s report show that he was still worried about fitness levels. In response to this I turned the focus of our twice weekly training sessions to be more fitness based, with pre-match training to work on our attacking set pieces. The news of international call ups came at this time too, the same as last time with Coulibaly and Cisse for Guinea,Keilo-Lezi for DR Congo and Ciza for Burundi, but with a new one too, and what a delight it was too. 30 year old Ray Frankel called up by Surinam, a team he qualifies for through his father’s ancestry. This meant our game against Olsa Brakel would be pushed back from the 13th to the 24th of October.

Our match that week was on the Sunday. On the Saturday RC Waregem returned to winning ways with a 4-2 victory at the hapless Turnhout. This put them top on Saturday evening, level on points with us on 15 points. So the pressure was on for our Sunday game.

Sunday October 7th

Belgian Third Division A

VW Hamme(13th)vs. Deinze(2nd )

Hamme started the season very badly, only two points from their first five games, but had since then picked up and won their last two to climb the table to 13th. Not a side to be messed with, I thought. So we went back to our usual 4-4-2 but no change in personnel. I wanted to see a response from the players after the last game, so it seemed right to give them a chance to do so.

We didn’t manage to get much of a foothold in this game, and were behind on 18, with a penalty being awarded to the home side, not sure what for. Things got worse only 4 minutes later as we went to sleep at the back and allowed a long through ball to bounce, the forward shooting home from a tight angle from well inside the box. We rallied a little thereafter but couldn’t make any impression.

Two-nil down at the break and a quite predictable stream of invective from me. They seemed motivated for once by my show of anger, and I hoped for a better second half. It didn’t happen though and we were three down on 51 minutes. This finally got some response out of the boys and they pressed forward in what was looking like a lost cause. We did get a goal back on 74, Cathalina arriving at the far post to convert a parry of a Keilo-Lezi shot. That was very much the high point of the match and we ended up on the wrong end of a 3-1 scoreline.

Final Score: VW Hamme 3-1 Deinze

League Position : 3rd

Scorers: Cathalina

Man of The Match: Nathan Cathalina

Team: Schurmans, De Wulf, van Holm, Masureel, Renan Felipe, Frankel, Barbe, Cathalina, Coulibaly, Kielo-Lezi , Buyl (Mukendi 61)

There followed the international weekend in which both Frankel and Keilo-Lezi both picked up their first caps for their countries.

[mark wilson27]

A very good start to the season there Chester, lets hope it continues throughout the season...

Loving the match reports, well written as I would expect from you.....looking forward to more

[chesterfan2]

Thank you, Mark, you are most kind, I hope I can continue to live up to that praise

Sunday October 21st

Belgian Third Division A

Hoogstraten (7th)vs. Deinze(4th)

Another away fixture and, on paper at least, not a game that looked good for stopping the current run of poor form. I thought long and hard about making changes from the last match, and as a result bought Djo Kipoy and Chantry back in at the full back slots. Deschacht started on the left of midfield, young Buyl having picked up a knock. Other than that we were unchanged.

We started well enough, taking the lead on 18 minutes, a collector’s item in as much as it was Steve Barbe’s first goal of the season, a long, speculative, drive that flew into the top right hand corner of the net. It was two just short of the half hour as Cathalina provided a sweet cross for Keilo-Lezi to turn home from close range. 2-0.

That’s how it was at half time, and it was time for one helluva lot easier team talk than in recent weeks. ‘Don’t take your foot off the pedal’ was the message. The good news in the second period was that they didn’t. A third goal didn’t come until the 67th minute though, this one coming from Coulibaly, knocking in rebound from a fierce Keilo-Lezi shot. Hoogstarten got one back on 77, confusion once more reigning on the Deinze backline .

Things started to go from bad to worse as only two minutes later Ray Frankel picked up a second yellow and the right to have an early bath. I sacrificed Keilo-Lezi in the shuffle that followed, De Wulf being asked to fill an unfamiliar midfield role. But that was as bad as things got, we ran out clear winners, and ,at this point, back into second spot.

Final Score: Hoogstraten 1-3 Deinze

League Position : 2nd

Scorers: Barbe, Keilo-Lezi, Coulibaly

Man of The Match: Jean-Paul Keilo-Lezi

Team: Schurmans, Chantry, Djo Kipoy, Masureel, Renan Felipe, Frankel (off 67), Barbe, Cathalina, Coulibaly, Kielo-Lezi (De Wulf 67),Deschacht

[chesterfan2]

Wednesday October 24th

Belgian Third Division A

Deinze(2nd ) vs Olsa Brakel (6th)

So, for this game against the rapidly improving Olsa Brakel we’d be without our usual midfield pairing of Steve Barbe and Ray Frankel, Frankel, of course, suspended after the sending off and Barbe who was out for a month with an ankle twisted near the end of the last match. I went with Lauwers and Rossel as replacements, with one more change in addition, Cisse in for Renan Felipe who had struggled a bit in recent games. Ngama was still a ways away from match fitness so Deschacht kept his place on the left of midfield.

Not much to report from the early stages of the game, very cagey. The first real action came as late as the 24th minute when Olsa Brakel had a goal disallowed for a push, quite possibly harsh on them I thought, not that I would have ever admitted as much. We capitalised on that bit of good fortune and were ahead on 29. A corner wasn’t cleared and Keilo-Lezi was on hand to prod the loose ball home. Not pretty but it counts the same as any other goal.

We extended the lead to two on 41 minutes, this one a belter as Rossel played a perfect through ball for the full back Chantry to run onto and then blast the ball past a statuesque goalkeeper into the bottom left hand corner. A picture goal. So 2-0 up at half time, and quite an easy team talk.

Easy, indeed. It was three on 52 minutes, a Deschacht cross met by Coulibaly with a diving header that flew in, a lovely goal to watch. Coulibaly had the chance of a fourth only a couple of minutes later but his header was straight at the keeper and he should have done better. Then, on 59 minutes, Djo Kidoy gave away a penalty, no complaints from me about that one, but Schurmans guessed the right way and saved the penalty easily.

That seemed to drain Olsa Brakel of all fight and it was one way traffic after that, culminating in Coulibaly’s second of the game, and tenth of the season, a sharp strike from twelve yards out following good work again by Deschacht.

Four-nil, that’s the way it finished. Back to the top of the table too, a very nice way to get there. I told the lads that it was a very good win, and you know what, it was.

Final Score: Deinze 4-0 Olsa Brakel

League Position : 1st

Scorers: Keilo-Lezi, Chantry, Coulibaly 2

Man of The Match: Abou Coulibaly

Team: Schurmans, Chantry, Djo Kipoy, Masureel, Cisse , Lauwers, Rossel, Cathalina, Coulibaly, Kielo-Lezi , Deschacht

With that game, as I say, we moved back top, and it’s a feature of the Belgian Third Division that the team that is top after 10,20 and 30 games is guaranteed a playoff spot. This was the tenth game, and we were now so guaranteed. We still had the one automatic promotion place to play for, of course, so it wasn’t season over.

[chesterfan2]

Saturday October 27th

Belgian Third Division A

Deinze(1st ) vs Turnhout (17th)

Another home game just three days later and the desire to play an unchanged side came up against the need to rest tired players. In the end I decided, perhaps unfairly, that Deschacht would be the only casualty, he looked more tired than the rest of them put together to be honest, and Ngama was now fit and raring to go. Cathalina also looked tired, but dropping him was another matter.

In the game Turnhout came out in 3-5-2 and looked to overrun the midfield, we went backwards initially but within a few minutes were back onto the front foot. We scored in the tenth minute, a Chantry cross, a scramble and Keilo-Lezi to knock the ball home. It descended into a bit of a battle thereafter with Rossel and Masureel both picking up yellows. Turnhout managed to turn aggression into pressure late on in the half and grabbed an equaliser on 37, Schurmans unlucky I thought as he saved the first two efforts but couldn’t get to the third rebound. Coulibaly came close to restoring the lead on 39, but his header went just over.

One-one at half time and some work to do. I told them to keep working and the result would come. I also sent them in a more counter-attacking frame of mind. I hoped that I was right.

It seemed from the off that I was, we dominated the early exchanges and retook the lead on 52 minutes, Keilo-Lezi sending Coulibaly beyond the last defender and he made no mistake in the ensuing one-on-one.

The yellow card count on both sides increased in the period after that goal, during which the exhausted Rossel was replaced by Feys. Slowly we reasserted ourselves and it was no surprise when we grabbed a third on 70 minutes, Cathalina feeding Coulibaly inside the area, the big man swiveling and turning and firing a laser of a shot into the bottom left corner. From there we saw out the game with no problem. Three-one, and at a canter, really.

Final Score: Deinze 3-1 Turnhout

League Position : 1st

Scorers: Keilo-Lezi, Coulibaly 2

Man of The Match: Abou Coulibaly

Team: Schurmans, Chantry, Djo Kipoy, Masureel, Cisse , Lauwers, Rossel (Feys 56), Cathalina, Coulibaly, Kielo-Lezi , Ngama

[chesterfan2]

Wednesday October 31st

Belgian Cup Sixth Round

Anderlecht vs Deinze

A game that showed every sign of being as one sided as The Alamo, right from the moment we chose to take the money and play the game in Brussels. In terms of the team Renen Felipe returned at the back and Frankel and Ciza came in to the centre of midfield, we put out in an extremely defensive 4-4-2 formation.

The beginning of the game was tiresomely predictable. We gave up a goal, a header from a corner in the fifth minute, and had to withstand some serious pressure. But then things changed. We got onto the front foot and created a couple of chances. We equalised on 17 minutes, when Masureel headed home an Ngama free kick from the left, cue pandemonium from our section of fans. Normal service was resumed on 25 as Andelecht scored a screamer from 30 yards. 3-1 on 38 minutes as they cut open our defence as a hot knife would go through butter. If we thought that was it for the half, we were wrong. Renan Felipe went through the back of an Anderlecht forward and they made no mistake with the resultant penalty.

Not much to say at half time, I asked them to try as hard as they could for the fans. And play better they did, holding their own for much of the second half. In fact Anderlecht only scored one more, right at the death to make the final score 5-1, a sign of just how dominant Anderlecht had been. There had been 16,651 spectators at the game, and we’d get half of the proceeds. Not that bad a result then.

Final Score: Anderlecht 5-1 Deinze

Scorer: Masureel

Man of The Match: Jan Masureel

Team: Schurmans, Chantry, Djo Kipoy, Masureel, Renan Felipe (Cisse 45), Frankel, Ciza (Feys 70), Cathalina, Coulibaly, Kielo-Lezi , Ngama

[dirtboy]

Great story mate, love it

[chesterfan2]

Thank you Dirtboy, much appreciated

Saturday November 3rd

Belgian Third Division A

Deinze(1st ) vs RC Wargem(4th)

And it was back to league action on the following Saturday, this time at home to high flying Wargem. Changes from midweek, De Wulf in for a tired Bastian Chantry, Rossel in for Ciza and De Groote and Deschacht in for an exhausted Cathalina and Ngama respectively.

It was one of the replacements who set this game alight in the third minute. Xavier Deschacht picked up the ball midway into his own half and then proceeded to beat three players as he took off down the left flank, beating another two as he cut in, and scoring as he stabbed the ball past the onrushing goalkeeper for one of the best goals I have ever seen. Think Ryan Giggs against Arsenal and you get the idea.

There followed an end to end half in which both sides threatened but neither side could add to the score. 1-0 at half time, and a team talk that asked them to play better in the second period.

This time they didn’t play better and Waregem were level within two minutes of the restart. We lost possession carelessly and paid the price as a low cross was turned home. This spurred the lads on and we were back in front on 52 as Masureel headed home a Deschacht corner. A straightforward goal, to be sure, but it had been an effective route to goal for us that far that season.

But back came RC Waregem and they were level just past the hour mark with a shot through a crowd of players from just inside the box leaving the keeper unsighted. The game kind of settled down after that and the two sides played out a draw. Deschacht missed a good chance late on, but a draw was no more than RC Waregem deserved to be honest.

Final Score: Deinze 2-2 RC Waregem

League Position : 1st

Scorers: Deschacht, Masureel

Man of The Match: Xavier Deschacht

Team: Schurmans, De Wulf, Djo Kipoy, Masureel, Renan Felipe, Frankel, Rossel (Feys 63), De Groote, Coulibaly, Kielo-Lezi , Deschacht

[mark wilson27]

Whats the league table looking like, how far in front are you boss

[chesterfan2]

Played this part of the game a while ago Mark, and I didn't take a table until the end of the season, but you will note my character gets more obsessed with league placings as the seasons progress, in fact he tells you at the end of this match.......

Wednesday November 7th 2012

Belgian Third Division A

Torhout (6th)vs. Deinze(1st)

For the uninitiated the existence of two teams with such similar names as Torhout and Tornhout can be confusing. But make no mistake the team with one less letter is significantly better than the one with the ‘n’ and at this point in the season sat in sixth place. I certainly wasn’t going to make a mistake and think this one would be easy.

It was only four days since the last game and as a result I made some changes based on the fitness levels of some players. Feys replaced Frankel, Van Holm was in for Djo Kipoy and Cathalina and Ngama returned on the wings.

The well made plans fell apart pretty quickly as Feys picked up an injury in the third minute and had to be replaced by Frankel. The game itself settled into a battle with half chances falling to both sides. Torhout had a goal disallowed on 26 minutes for offside, a correct decision. For us Keilo-Lezi had a sharp chance well blocked on 32, but it was fairly clear that one side was going to breakthrough eventually.

It was us who broke through, 38 minutes and the ball dropped to Coulibaly on the edge of the box and he blasted the ball home. No further alarms before the break so we went in one up.

Torhout came out in search of an equaliser, and pushed us hard, but we held firm.

This 45 minutes of football really pleased me as we hadn’t really been put under a great amount of pressure at any point in the League season thus far. The fact that we stood up to everything that was thrown at us, an everything that culminated in the rock-like Renan Felipe clearing the ball to row Z from under his own crossbar in the 91st minute, was most satisfying.

What was more satisfying was that second place Izegem lost away at the now third Geel-Mourhout, and that meant that our lead at the top of the table now stood at 5 points.

Final Score: Torhout 0-1 Deinze

League Position : 1st

Scorers: Coulibaly

Man of The Match: Renan Felipe

Team: Schurmans, De Wulf, Van Holm, Masureel, Renan Felipe, Feys (Frankel 3), Rossel, Cathalina, Coulibaly, Kielo-Lezi ,Ngama

[chesterfan2]

Saturday November 10th 2012

Belgian Third Division A

RC Mechelen (12th)vs. Deinze(1st)

It struck me that RC Mechelen were punching well below their weight so far this season and couldn’t be counted upon to roll over and die. To that end we left out some tired players, and bought in some fresh ones. In came Djo Kidoy at left back, Lauwers and Ciza into the centre of midfield and young Oliver Mukendi into the right midfield slot, with Catahalina dropping to the bench.

The first half was very disappointing, to say the least, from both teams. We might have done better from a corner late on in the half, but that was as good as it got. A half time rocket followed.

The second period wasn’t a whole lot better, but it was nevertheless a bit of an improvement. RC Mechelen opened the scoring on the hour mark with a goal that looked a clear yard offside.

We levelled it up on 73 with an own goal following a corner, when a fly hacked clearance came off the back of the defender’s head and flew straight in. No more than we, or indeed they, deserved and the game petered out to a 1-1 draw. Not terribly satisfying, but at least we didn't lose.

Final Score: RC Mechelen 1-1 Deinze

League Position : 1st

Scorers: own goal

Man of The Match: Jan Masureel

Team: Schurmans, De Wulf, Djo Kidoy, Masureel, Renan Felipe, Lauwers, Ciza, Mukendi, Coulibaly, Kielo-Lezi ,Ngama

[chesterfan2]

Saturday November 17th 2012

Belgian Third Division A

Deinze(1st ) vs R Cappellen FC(7th)

A few changes followed the disappointment of the previous game. Chantry returned to the side, as did Frankel, Rossel and Cathalina

We started the first half well, pressurised our opponents but without any luck in front of goal. We were in danger of getting frustrated but were gifted a goal on 38 minutes as Ngama was tripped as he went into the box. A soft penalty to give away, but penalty if definitely was. Keilo-Lezi took the responsibility and fired the ball home. One become two within four minutes as a Rossel shot was palmed clear, but only into the path of Abou Coulibaly who made no mistake from close range.

Two-nil at the half and quite a straightforward team talk. I told them they were doing well, and that they should keep it up. Well, it wasn’t rocket science at that point was it ?

The second half was indeed more of the same but we could only add one more goal, a close range Coulibaly effort close to the end of the game, to give the game a 3-0 scoreline that really didn’t flatter us at all.

Final Score: Deinze 3-0 Kapellen

League Position : 1st

Scorers: Keilo-Lezi (pen), Coulibaly 2

Man of The Match: Abou Coulibaly

Team: Schurmans, Chantry, Djo Kipoy, Masureel, Renan Felipe, Frankel, Rossel ,Cathalina, Coulibaly, Kielo-Lezi , Ngama

[chesterfan2]

Sunday November 25th 2012

Belgian Third Division A

Ronse(14th) vs. Deinze(1st )

During the pre-match press thing for this game the local journo tried to get me to say that I thought we’d win the league title. We were doing well, don’t get me wrong, but for me it was still too early to start counting chickens.

No game in midweek so no fitness worries, and with that in mind I made just the one change, van Holm in for Djo Kipoy at left back. I don’t like the lad’s attitude and his performances in recent games have been below par. I thought a spell on the sidelines might help, but to be honest my patience with him was beginning to run thin.

I set the team up to play on the counter-attack and gave the defenders specific notice to get tight onto their lone front man, who had bagged eight goals thus far in the season. He was a real threat and I wanted him dealt with.

Early on in the match the lad from Ronse got completely clear but shot straight at Schurmans, it didn’t look to be working. Nevertheless I didn’t change anything, as I wanted to see if they could cope with more detailed pre-match instructions than simply ‘Go out and do your best’.

On 13 minutes we took the lead with a truly simple goal. It went Ngama inswinging corner, Jan Masureel attacking the near post, header, goal. Ronse were level on 17, as we failed to clear a routine long ball in, the centre forward, curiously free from marking, there to ram the ball home at the second attempt. Quite what Renan Felipe thought he was doing there is beyond me, I have to say.

He kind of improved as the half went on, but got himself booked on 44 minutes and in doing so made think about replacing him at half time. This would be our second substitution of the day, Ray Frankel picked up a knock on the half hour, replaced by Gunther Lauwers.

In the end I decided not to replace Renan Felipe at this stage, a decision I thought I might well come to regret. Meanwhile, I firmly told the lads in the half time talk that they could still win this game. Their stony faced responses made me think they might not actually believe that.

Our cause was further dented by Cathalina limping off on 47 , to be replaced by Buyl. On 61 we had a real let off as Ronse managed to miss an open goal from four yards with Schurmans nowhere. Coulibaly then, on 67, managed to miss a sitter following good work by Ngama on the left, the big man heading wide when centrally placed, 6 yards out. It seemed neither side wanted to score again and that’s how it turned out, a 1-1 draw in a game I thought we could have won. I told the lads as much as that after the game. Good responses from most of them, a couple of them looked downcast though.

Final Score: Ronse 1-1 Deinze

League Position : 1st

Scorers: Masureel

Man of The Match: Jan Masureel

Team: Schurmans, Chantry (Cisse 92), van Holm, Masureel, Renan Felipe, Frankel (Lauwers 27), Rossel ,Cathalina (Buyl 47), Coulibaly, Kielo-Lezi , Ngama

The bad news came after the match. Frankel’s knock would keep him out for a couple of weeks but Cathalina had broken ribs and would be out for a month or more. However, the really bad news came from Bastian Chantry’s injury. He’d limped off right at the end of the last match but his injury had been diagnosed as torn knee ligaments and he’d be out for a minimum of three months.

[sherm]

Just caught up with this chesterfan. Awesome start, keep it up!

[chesterfan2]

Why, thank you Sherm, most kind.

Sunday December 2nd 2012

Belgian Third Division A

Wetteren(11th) vs. Deinze(1st )

Wetteren had not been in the best of form in November and we were heavily favoured to win the game by the bookies. Nevertheless I stuck to the counter-attacking philosophy that I thought worked better for us away from home. The only changes I made from the last game were the ones enforced upon me by injury. De Wulf in for Chantry. Mukendi for Cathalina and Lauwers in for Frankel with Barbe returning to the bench after his long injury lay off. I tried another flavour of defensive set up with Jan Masureel as a stopper and Renan Felipe as a cover man.

The early pressure was all ours, but without ever seeming to really trouble their keeper. Wetteren came back into the game after the quarter hour mark and were unlucky not to take the lead on 22 minutes when a deep cross was headed against the crossbar with Schurmans well beaten. The one good thing from that incident was that was we were first to that rebound and Renan Felipe hacked it away. Wetteren had the ball in the net on 34 minutes, but it was disallowed for an offside that, frankly, I didn’t see myself. A let off for sure.

Half time came, the match still goalless. I told them we could still win the match, at least none of them visibly doubted me this time. Time would tell as to if we could make any chances stick.

Whatever their take on the half time chat they came out like men collectively on fire and scored after only 5 minutes of the new period, a quite lovely interchange of passes on the right saw Mukendi pass the ball to the edge of the six yard box where Rossel was running on the tuck home his first ever league goal for Deinze. Schurmans was on hand to protect our lead on 55 as he went headlong to turn away a stinging drove from the edge of the box.

The rest of the second half was played out at 100 miles an hour, or so it seemed. Half chances galore for both sides, but neither of us came anywhere near adding to the score line. The game culminated with Wetteren blazing wide a half chance, and us running out winners by a single goal.

Final Score: Wetteren 0-1 Deinze

League Position : 1st

Scorers: Rossel

Man of The Match: Jan Masureel

Team: Schurmans, De Wulf, van Holm, Masureel, Renan Felipe, Lauwers , Rossel ,Mukendi, Coulibaly, Kielo-Lezi , Ngama

[chesterfan2]

Sunday December 9th 2012

Belgian Third Division A

Coxyde(13th) vs. Deinze(1st ) [/ b]

Another week, another away game, our third in a row. This one was at Coxyde, a side who, after an appalling start to the season, have recently picked up some form. Thirteenth spot in the league isn’t great but I wasn’t going into this one thinking it would be easy.

An unchanged team, I thought about dropping Lauwers for Barbe but decided against it in the end.

The first half was, to be frank, dire. Practically nothing in the way of chances from either side. The only things of note were an injury to van Holm that led to the introduction of Cisse on 37 minutes and a yellow card for Masureel late on in the half that was his fifth of the season. He’ll serve a one match ban due to that.

I told the players at the break to try and perform as the crowd expected them to, and that seemed to raise spirits a little.

The second half started much as the first, but slowly Coxyde got the upper hand. They took the lead on the hour, which was no surprise the way the game was going at that time. This finally roused into some kind of play, though it remained laboured and Coxyde kept us at arms length. Finally we crafted a chance in the 83rd minute, Ngama doing well down the left, and Keilo-Lezi controlling the ball, turning and firing home in one movement. 1-1, at last. Keilo-Lezi was guilty of missing a gilt-edged chance late on, and the game closed out 1-1.

Final Score: Coxyde 1-1 Deinze

League Position : 1st

Scorers: Keilo-Lezi

Man of The Match: Jean Paul Keilo-Lezi

Team: Schurmans, De Wulf, van Holm (Cisse 37), Masureel, Renan Felipe, Lauwers , Rossel ,Mukendi, Coulibaly, Kielo-Lezi , Ngama

Following the weekend I got news that both Sampdoria and Liverpool had sacked their managers. Now I’ll admit ambition was what was driving me here at Deinze but it was quite obviously too early to go for this type of role. It was better to wait for me to be linked in the press with other roles before I even thought of moving on from here.

We made another signing that week as well. Christian Toko was a 19 year old Cameroonian striker with a very high upside. He gave us another U21 option (League rules stated a minimum of two U21 players per match), and was a good enough player already to spell the forwards near the end of tough matches.

[chesterfan2]

Saturday December 15th 2012

Belgian Third Division A

Deinze(1st ) vs. Bornem(18th )

A home game. Top against bottom, 6-1on favourites for the match. What could possibly go wrong ?

Fortunately van Holm had recovered from his knock and so the only change was Cisse in for the suspended Masureel. Frankel, fit again, took Cisse’s spot on the bench. I put young Toko on the bench also. I hoped the game would go smoothly enough to allow us to give him some experience.

My pre-match team talk was one of the worst I’d ever given. I told them I expected them to win, realising as soon as I said it that this was a great way of inspiring complacency.

My fears were somewhat realised as we huffed and puffed our way to discovering neither of our wide players can head the ball, both, in turn having half decent chances that they headed wide. Bornem then went out of their way to make our lives easier as one of their central midfielders was given a straight red for a bone crunching challenge on Rossel. Then then gave away a soft penalty. The lad pushing Mukendi in the back as he received a throw in from van Holm not one yard inside the area, and with his back to goal. Clear penalty, easily dispatched by Keilo-Lezi. 1-0.

If I thought the flood gates would open at that point, I was wrong. More wasted chances was what I got instead. On 43 minutes Bornem finally crafted an attack, and scored from it. Of course. 1-1, I sent for some teacups ahead of the half time ‘chat’.

So, 1-1 at half time, and instead of yelling at them I tried to enthuse them to victory. “We are the favourites here, go out and give the fans a performance to cheer” were my exact words. Time would tell if this was the right choice.

Five more minutes of huff and puff and I switched the formation to our 4-2-4 set up, pushing the wide midfielders further forward to be proper wingers. This bought with it incessant pressure, and numerous chances met by a keeper playing out of his skin. With 15 mins to go I bought off Lauwers and Keilo-Lezi and bought on Barbe and Toko for his debut. On 80 Barbe strode through the middle of the Bornem defence and struck a shot that was, once again, palmed away by the Bornem netminder. Ngama took the resultant corner and Coulibaly rose like leaping salmon and headed the ball home. 80 mins, 2-1. In the 89th minute Ngama volleyed a De Wulf cross home from a tight angle to make it 3-1, a bit of gloss, and a slightly more respectable scoreline to finish with.

Final Score: Deinze 3-1 Bornem

League Position : 1st

Scorers: Keilo-Lezi (pen), Coulibaly, Ngama

Man of The Match: Emmanuel Ngama

Team: Schurmans, De Wulf, van Holm, Cisse, Renan Felipe, Lauwers (Barbe 77), Rossel ,Mukendi, Coulibaly, Kielo-Lezi (Toko 77), Ngama

[chesterfan2]

With that we went into the mid-season break, a month or so off. I let the lads go and enjoy Christmas with their families, training would start again on Jan 2nd. It may seem a bit harsh to curtail their New Year’s celebrations but we did have a friendly against HSV of Germany on the 5th that we needed to prepare for. HSV won the friendly 6-2, a scoreline you might expect if you put Van Der Vaart and co against a Belgian Third Division side, but the main point of the friendly was to give Cathalina a run out on the road back to fitness and to give some of the fringe players in the squad a game with a bit of a sense of occasion about it. In those terms it was a roaring success.

Otherwise I spent the mid-season break doing two main things. One was checking out what was happening job wise. I had no intention of moving on at that point, after all a league win, even of a league ranked the 199th best league in Europe, would be an improvement on my very sparse cv. No, I intended to lead Deinze to glory and then move on. How loyal was that ?

The other things was to try and tap up the league’s leading goalscorer at the break, Roy van der Linden of Hoogstraten. This was of course with a view to him joining us the following season, hopefully in the Second Division. He seemed interested for a while but in the end decided not to take us up on our offer, which was a shame.

[chesterfan2]

Saturday January 12th 2013

Belgian Third Division A

Temse(16th) vs. Deinze(1st )

I hoped rustiness wouldn’t be a factor in this, a game we should be winning. For this game Cathalina was back. I also brought in Barbe, with Frankel moving alongside Masureel at the back.

Early on our passing was a joy to watch as we pinged the ball around, Temse just not getting near it. Only 2 minutes in and Coulibaly struck the post with a fine effort, the ball bouncing harmlessly away. On 8 minutes Masureel ended up in a heap when trying to leap for a corner, the referee having no hesitation in pointing to the spot. Temse complained their hearts out, but that didn’t affect Keilo-Lezi and he slotted the ball home. 1-0.

Coulibaly made it two on 14 minutes at the end of another slick move. A succession of one-twos and first time balls led to Coulibaly receiving the ball in the box, turning on it, and firing it home. Masureel was allowed to attack the next corner on 22, and he headed home with power from the corner of the six yard box. 3-0 up, and not even half way through the first period.

We had numerous chances to extend the lead still further in the remainder of the half. We dominated the play and Ngama and De Wulf in particular were guilty of glaring misses. Even with that I couldn’t see Temse getting back into this and I told the lads to go out and enjoy the second half.

Perhaps that was the wrong note as Temse scored within a minute of the restart to make it 1-3. We steadied for a while and seemed to be seeing the game out. They scored again on 89 minutes, sloppy defending the case for this one, I’m afraid. We had three minutes of injury time to see out, which we managed to do without incident.

Final Score: Temse 2-3 Deinze

League Position : 1st

Scorers: Keilo-Lezi (pen), Coulibaly, Masureel

Man of The Match: Jan Masureel

Team: Schurmans, De Wulf, Djo Kipoy, Masureel, Frankel, Barbe, Rossel ,Cathalina, Coulibaly, Kielo-Lezi , Ngama

This time when Buyl came to me stating he wanted the loan terminating as he wasn’t playing I accepted his argument and the arrangement was terminated. Obviously now with Toko on board, the need for Buyl to be a U21 player on the bench had now passed, and we could safely release him.

One more player left the club that week. Desire Agbokousse came in to complain about a lack of first team football and wanting to move on because of it. I told him he could go at the end of the season. He replied by saying, ‘that’s good but you wouldn’t want a disruptive influence on the team’. I thought I didn’t want one of those now, so I told him to get out of the club, and not to come back.

[chesterfan2]

Saturday January 19th 2013

Belgian Third Division A

Deinze(1st) vs. Rupel Boom(10th)

I went with an unchanged side for this match, though I did consider dropping Barbe who had not recovered quite as well as the other players, a sign of the time he’d spent out with injury I thought.

Rupel Boom started the game well and missed a sitter on 5 minutes. This stung us into action and we roared back at them, scoring on 16 minutes as Coulibaly turned home an Ngama cross. It was two on 25 minutes as Cathalina popped up in a goal mouth scramble to tuck the ball away. It was three on 37, a disaster for the lad, Wosky in the Rupel Boom back four as he deflected a wayward Coulibaly header into his own net.

Three-nil up at half time, and as good a display of football as I had seen from this lot. I told them as much, and sent them back out with smiles on their faces.

We carried on in the same vein in the second half with Masureel turning in an Ngama corner for number four on 50 mins. On 57 minutes, however we handed Rupel Boom a lifeline as De Wulf scored an own goal when under very little pressure. The game from that point, however, then faded. We lost Barbe to injury on 70 minutes, Lauwers coming on to replace him, but that was as exciting as it got and the game ended 4-1 to us.

Final Score: Deinze 4-1 Rupel Boom

League Position : 1st

Scorers: Coulibaly, Cathalina, an own goal, Masureel

Man of The Match: Emmanuel Ngama

Team: Schurmans, De Wulf, Djo Kipoy, Masureel, Frankel, Barbe (Lauwers 70), Rossel ,Cathalina, Coulibaly, Kielo-Lezi , Ngama

[chesterfan2]

Sunday January 27th 2013

Belgian Third Division A

Izegem(4th) vs. Deinze(1st)

This was going to be a difficult game. Izegem were on an excellent run of home form at the time, riding as high as fourth spot in the league on the back of it. We went in with the same team again, Barbe having recovered from his knock in the last game. For the pre-match chat I told them that if they played their own game then they would win. They seemed relaxed and ready to go when they stepped out.

Relaxed they may well have been but it didn’t make for a good first half performance. It was closer to attritional warfare than football at times in that first 45, with neither side making any clear cut chances. As one Michael Palin once said in Ripping Yarns, we were lucky to get nil.

Goalless at half time and a word of encouragement from me. We could win this game, we just had to go out there and do it. We got more of the same in the second period. Izegem gained an upper hand and forced a string of corners on the hour mark. We survived those and managed a spell where we were a bit stronger. We scored in that spell, on 68 minutes, Coulibaly setting up Keilo-Lezi, his shot from the edge of the box being the technical highlight of the match thus far.

Keilo-Lezi was exhausted by then and I soon had him off, replaced by Toko. Izegem had a man sent off for a second yellow on 72, and that was quickly followed by Lauwers coming on for a tired Barbe. To their credit Izegem didn’t give up, and with better finishing could have got something out of this game. It wasn’t to be though, the coup-de-grace coming late in injury-time when Catahalina fed in young Toko in an acre of space inside the box, and looking a good yard offside, he tucked the ball into the corner of the net. No flag, two-nil.

Final Score: Izegem 0-2 Deinze

League Position : 1st

Scorers: Keilo-Lezi, Toko

Man of The Match: Jan Masureel

Team: Schurmans, De Wulf, Djo Kipoy, Masureel, Frankel, Barbe (Lauwers 74), Rossel ,Cathalina, Coulibaly, Kielo-Lezi (Toko 69), Ngama

The good news was that second placed team RC Waregem lost at fifth place VW Hamme, thus making our lead at the top after 22 games, a healthy looking 8 points. The other good news in the days following the match was that Bastian Chantry returned to training following his two month layoff with knee ligament damage.

[Spav]

I am most impressed, cf2. Keep up the good work, sir.

[chesterfan2]

Thank You Spav, most kind. I started this as an exercise in match reporting and kind of enjoyed it, carried on, and here it is

Saturday February 2nd 2013

Belgian Third Division A

Deinze(1st) vs. Geel-Meerhout(4th)

Geel have been a bit up and down this season, but cannot be relied upon to be ‘down’ here so I made sure the guys were fully keyed up for what I reckoned to be a tough match. Unfortunately we had to play without Ngama who had come out of the last match with a knock he had failed to shake off. I responded by playing Cathalina on the left and Mukendi on the right. Otherwise we were, once more, unchanged.

We had the best of a well contested first ten minutes, neither side coming close to creating anything of note. We had to change our plans a little on 11 minutes as Barbe limped off with a serious looking injury, Lauwers his replacement. Lauwers took a little while to settle and Geel-Meerhout came back into in the game. It became a very evenly matched contest.

It was quite surprising, then, when we crafted a goal out of nothing on 27 minutes. Lauwers found Catahalina in space, 25 yards out from goal. The lad made to run into the space and then executed a perfect chip into the net as he spotted the keeper edging off his line. A splendid goal.

So 1-0 at half time, and a job half done. That’s what I told the lads. I made no changes and sent them back out there.

The second half began with us on the front foot and though Geel’s top scorer fluffed a great chance to level the match, completely against the run of play. That, more than anything I said at half time, told them not to be complacent and we set out in search of the second goal.

It arrived on 80 minutes as a Mukendi cross was headed in by Coulibaly. We were never threatened after that and ran out comfortable winners.

Final Score: Deinze 2-0 Geel Meerhout

League Position : 1st

Scorers: Cathalina, Coulibaly

Man of The Match: Jan Masureel

Team: Schurmans, De Wulf, Djo Kipoy, Masureel, Frankel, Barbe (Lauwers 11), Rossel ,Mukendi, Coulibaly, Kielo-Lezi , Cathalina

There was some bad injury news after the game. Jan Masureel had picked up a thigh strain and would be out for 3 weeks.

[chesterfan2]

Sunday February 10th 2013

Belgian Third Division A

Berchem(17th) vs. Deinze(1st)

Deschacht in for this one on the left, Cathalina reverting to his more usual right sided slot. Cisse in for the injured Masureel, otherwise unchanged.

A game we were slated to win comfortably. A game we could easily be overconfident in. Noting this I told them to go and play their hearts out, hoping to enthuse them to a performance. There was no sign of it having worked on the way out of the changing room.

If anything it worked them up a bit too much as we picked up two yellows in the first ten minutes. That tempered their enthusiasm a little and they started to play like the league leaders they were.

On 11 minutes Deschacht swung over a free kick from just inside the opponents half, the ball was allowed to drop in the box and Coulibaly popped up to slam the ball home. 1-0. Three minutes later it was two. Rossel capping a slick interpassing move that left Berchem chasing shadows.

With 34 minutes gone one of the goalscorers, Rossel had to come off with a knock, replaced by Lauwers. On 43 minutes we made it three. We were passing through this lot like a knife through butter. In this one the ball ended with De Wulf on the penalty spot and he steered the ball home for the third of the day.

Three-nil at half time and totally in control. I told them to keep it up, and to enjoy the second half.

Into the second half, and a fourth goal on 56 minutes. Deschacht crossing for Catahalina arriving at the far post and volleying home. Berchem then, god bless ‘em, showed some pride and put together their best period of football in the match, The scored once, on 74 minutes, a rasping drive, and had one disallowed for offside.

This prompted the lads into new life and it was 5-1 on 77 as Keilo-Lezi latched onto a through ball from Cathalina and rifled the ball home from a narrow angle.

That’s the way it finished, a top drawer performance from the lads.

Final Score: Berchem 1-5 Deinze

League Position : 1st

Scorers: Coulibaly, Rossel, De Wulf, Cathalina, Keilo-Lezi

Man of The Match: Nathanial Cathalina

Team: Schurmans, De Wulf, Djo Kipoy, Cisse, Frankel, Barbe , Rossel (Lauwers 34) ,Cathalina, Coulibaly, Kielo-Lezi , Deschacht

[chesterfan2]

Saturday February 16th 2013

Belgian Third Division A

Deinze(1st) vs. VW Hamme(3rd)

A difficult game, this one, and we could be sure about that. Hamme have been bang in form in recent weeks and had climbed the table to third by this point in the season. My plan for overcoming this challenge was to play the same team again as far as possible, and to pass them to death.

Just the one change in the end, Rossel not fully recovered, replaced by Feys in the ball winner role.

This was a hard fought battle from the off , with chances for either side being very hard to come by. We were the first to make a chance count, half an hour into the match as Frankel headed the ball home at the near post from a corner. I can’t say we deserved to be ahead at that point, but I can’t say that we didn’t deserve it either. It was quickly two-nil, Keilo-Lezi turning and shooting from just inside the box, the strike was unexpected and caught the keeper out. A bit soft, if I’m honest.

But still a two-nil lead at half time was nothing to be sniffed at. I told the lads to keep it up. I introduced Lauwers for Barbe, he was exhausted, and sent them back out there.

The second half flew by, we were the better side, working their keeper on regular occasions, but we didn’t add to our score. More importantly we didn’t let Hamme back into the game and ran out comfortable winners.

Final Score: Deinze 2-0 VW Hamme

League Position : 1st

Scorers: Frankel, Keilo-Lezi

Man of The Match: Ray Frankel

Team: Schurmans, De Wulf, Djo Kipoy, Frankel, Cisse, Barbe (Lauwers 45) , Feys ,Cathalina, Coulibaly, Kielo-Lezi , Deschacht

We started thinking about the next season, as other bosses around the league have also seemed to start doing. We made our first move by securing the services of the league’s second highest goalscorer (Coulibaly at that time was third), Stijn De Wilde from our last opponents VW Hamme. He would join us during the off-season on July 1st.

[chesterfan2]

Sunday February 24th 2013

Belgian Third Division A

Olsa Brakel(9th) vs. Deinze(1st )

In the league games on the Saturday second placed RC Waregem had won a squeaker 1-0 away at Torhout and in doing so came to within five points of us, albeit having now played one game more. This was, of course, the game ‘in hand’ and as such we’d have to win if we wanted to keep the pressure up. Still, it wouldn’t be easy Olsa can be a very good side on their day. True they don’t have that many good days but we’d still need to be careful.

Rossel came back into the side, Feys the one to lose out. Otherwise we were unchanged.

We started well, but were reduced to shooting from distance initially. We did eventually force a corner, and from that we once gain scored. Keilo-Lezi this time rising at the near post to head home, ten minutes on the clock.

Olsa Brakel came back at us pretty strongly after the goal and managed a spell of prolonged pressure. They equalised in the 43rd minute with a well taken goal, no more than there pressure deserved really.

I was happy to get to half time level, and for once I eschewed the tea cups and simply asked the boys to keep working hard, the result would come. If they did work hard, it probably would.

Well they did work hard, it was like a different side out there in the second period, but the goal would not come. Chance after chance went begging until on 77 minutes we were awarded a penalty. Keilo-Lezi stepped up to take it, stroked it firmly to the bottom right hand corner, where the keeper went headlong to his left to turn it away, a fabulous save. It was at that point I thought it wasn’t going to be our day.

But the day had one final twist. 89th minute Djo Kipoy crossed from deep, Coulibaly getting ahead of his marker rose and planted a firm header goalwards, the keeper somehow got a paw to it, kept it out… but Coulibaly was there to power home the rebound from a yard out. Two-one up, two minutes of injury time left, football doesn’t get much sweeter than that.

Olsa Brakel briefly huffed and puffed but couldn’t get anywhere and we ran out 2-1 winners in a game that was far closer than it should have been. Eight games left, I can now see why this is called ‘squeaky bum time’.

I decided to tell them a couple of home truths after the game. We weren’t good enough that day, and we’d have to play better against better opposition if we wanted to win the league. Some of them didn’t like what I had to say, but I thought I needed to say it.

Final Score: Olsa Brakel 1-2 Deinze

League Position : 1st

Scorers: Keilo-Lezi, Coulibaly

Man of The Match: Steve Barbe

Team: Schurmans, De Wulf, Djo Kipoy, Frankel, Cisse, Barbe, Rossel ,Cathalina, Coulibaly, Kielo-Lezi , Deschacht

[chesterfan2]

Saturday March 2nd 2013

Belgian Third Division A

Deinze(1st) vs. Hoogstraten(6th)

So, straight into another one of those ‘tough’ games I was telling the lads about. Truth be told it would surprise me if any of the eight remaining games in the league weren’t tough. But the advantage here was that we were playing on the Saturday, and of our rivals only fourth placed Geel-Meerhout were playing as well, with the rest playing the day after, Sunday that we could apply a bit of pressure if we won today’s match. Masureel was fit again, so Cisse dropped to the bench, otherwise, no changes.

The game started out fairly even. Slowly, slowly, we started to apply some pressure and scored with our first real chance on 18 minutes, Rossel getting on the end of a flowing move inside the box and sliding the ball past an onrushing keeper, a very well taken goal. Just two minutes later and we were two up, an incisive break, a desperate challenge inside the box and Keilo-Lezi making no mistake this time with the resultant spot kick.

31 minutes and the third goal, the best of the bunch thus far. Deschacht blazing down the left and pulling the ball back from the byline for Rossel to smash home his second and our third. 34 minutes and it was four-nil, Rossel crossing for Coulibaly to head home at the end of a sweeping move that flowed from the edge of our own box a full 80 yards up the pitch. This was all brilliant picture-book football. Brilliant.

Half time and four-nil up, total domination and a very easy team talk. Basically it was ‘Well Done. Carry On.’

And Carry on we did. Five up on 53 minutes Rossel scored from 20 yards with a powerful drive for his hatrick. We had chances to extend our lead, but it was ok we didn’t take them. The final 5-0 score emphasised our superiority in this match.

Final Score: Deinze 5-0 Hoogstraten

League Position : 1st

Scorers: Rossel 3, Keilo-Lezi, Coulibaly

Man of The Match: Foeke Rossel

Team: Schurmans, De Wulf, Djo Kipoy, Frankel, Masureel, Barbe, Rossel ,Cathalina, Coulibaly, Kielo-Lezi , Deschacht

[chesterfan2]

Saturday March 16th 2013

Belgian Third Division A

Turnhout(14th) vs. Deinze(1st )

Slightly easier on paper at least was the verdict of the Assistant Manager when we looked at this fixture. I saw a place where we could slip up if we weren’t very careful.

I thought at least we’d have the luxury of being able to name an unchanged side but Steve Barbe stubbed his toe in training the previous day and was unfit for this game as a result of it. Lauwers took over.

It took a while for either side to make an impression on this match. There wasn’t a clear cut chance until the 27th minute when Cathalina fired straight at the keeper when well placed. But we played better after that and crafted a goal on 39 minutes, the goal machine Coulibaly getting on the end of a lovely passing move and making no mistake from just inside the box.

Just the one up at half time and so I resorted to an old favourite for the team talk, ‘that was good, but I know you can do better’.

It took only ten minutes for us to register on the scoreboard again, and it was that man Coulibaly again who provided the well-executed finish. That was as good as it got in the second half. It just kind of petered out. Nevertheless it resulted in another win, our tenth in a row, and a Third Division Record. More importantly even if RC Waregem won their game the following day we would still be eight points clear with only 18 to play for.

Final Score: Tornhout 0-2 Deinze

League Position : 1st

Scorers: Coulibaly 2

Man of The Match: Abou Coulibaly

Team: Schurmans, De Wulf, Djo Kipoy, Frankel, Masureel, Lauwers, Rossel ,Cathalina, Coulibaly, Kielo-Lezi , Deschacht

We had no game the following weekend due to international call ups, but in that time RC Waregem lost heavily, as did third placed VW Hamme. One step closer to the title.

[chesterfan2]

Wednesday April 3rd

Belgian Third Division A

Deinze(1st) vs. Torhout(13th)

My assistant reminded me just before this match that it would take only 8 more points to secure the league title. This was a home tie, so I thought we should probably start here. Cathalina had picked up a ban through the number of yellows he’d picked up, Mukendi was out with a knock picked up in training so De Groote was selected to have a go. Barbe and Chantry returned to the team today as well.

Twelve minutes in and we took the lead, Chantry and De Groote made a crossing opportunity on the right, and Coulibaly headed home the resulting cross. A workmanlike performance followed from our boys. Not terribly stretched they held Torhout at arm’s length, and went without any alarms to the 34th minute and a second Deinze goal, with Masureel heading in a Chantry corner. Chantry was creator again when his cross was headed home by Coulibaly in the 45th minute for his second goal of the game.

Three-nil up at half time, and at a canter really. This makes for quite a difficult team talk, in the end I just told them how happy I was with their performance so far, and to go out and enjoy themselves in the second.

The second half developed much as I had expected, we played well, made some half chances and failed to take them. We did get a fourth goal eventually, as De Groote crossed for Coulibaly to head the ball home for his hatrick.

Final Score: Deinze 4-0 Torhout

League Position : 1st

Scorers: Coulibaly 3,Mausreel

Man of The Match: Abou Coulibaly

Team: Schurmans, Chantry, Djo Kipoy, Frankel, Masureel, Barbe (Feys 84), Rossel ,De Groote, Coulibaly, Kielo-Lezi , Deschacht

After the game the table looked like this:

| Pos   | Inf   | Team          |       | Pld   | Won   | Drn   | Lst   | For   | Ag    | G.D.  | Pts   | 
| ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| 
|[b] 1st   | Pl    | Deinze        |       | 29    | 21    | 7     | 1     | 67    | 21    | +46   | 70   [/b] | 
| ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| 
| 2nd   |       | RC Waregem    |       | 29    | 19    | 2     | 8     | 47    | 26    | +21   | 59    | 
| ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| 
| 3rd   |       | VW Hamme      |       | 29    | 15    | 7     | 7     | 51    | 33    | +18   | 52    | 
| ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| 
| 4th   |       | Geel-Meerhout |       | 29    | 12    | 12    | 5     | 44    | 31    | +13   | 48    | 
| ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| 
| 5th   |       | Kapellen      |       | 29    | 13    | 6     | 10    | 41    | 28    | +13   | 45    | 
| ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| 
| 6th   |       | Hoogstraten   |       | 29    | 12    | 8     | 9     | 56    | 51    | +5    | 44    | 
| ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| 
| 7th   |       | Wetteren      |       | 29    | 13    | 2     | 14    | 33    | 37    | -4    | 41    | 
| ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| 
| 8th   |       | Izegem        |       | 29    | 12    | 5     | 12    | 35    | 39    | -4    | 41    | 
| ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| 
| 9th   |       | Rupel Boom    |       | 29    | 12    | 3     | 14    | 38    | 38    | 0     | 39    | 
| ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| 
| 10th  |       | Olsa Brakel   |       | 29    | 10    | 8     | 11    | 33    | 36    | -3    | 38    | 
| ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| 
| 11th  |       | RC Mechelen   |       | 29    | 10    | 8     | 11    | 30    | 36    | -6    | 38    | 
| ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| 
| 12th  |       | Temse         |       | 29    | 9     | 7     | 13    | 35    | 46    | -11   | 34    | 
| ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| 
| 13th  |       | Torhout       |       | 29    | 8     | 9     | 12    | 22    | 31    | -9    | 33    | 
| ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| 
| 14th  |       | Coxyde        |       | 29    | 8     | 7     | 14    | 28    | 41    | -13   | 31    | 
| ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| 
| 15th  |       | Turnhout      |       | 29    | 7     | 9     | 13    | 33    | 50    | -17   | 30    | 
| ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| 
| 16th  |       | Ronse         |       | 29    | 6     | 12    | 11    | 32    | 39    | -7    | 30    | 
| ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| 
| 17th  |       | Berchem       |       | 29    | 5     | 8     | 16    | 23    | 43    | -20   | 23    | 
| ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| 
| 18th  |       | Bornem        |       | 29    | 3     | 12    | 14    | 25    | 47    | -22   | 21    | 
| ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| 
|       |       |               |       |       |       |       |       |       |       |       |       | 
| ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| 

[mark wilson27]

11pt lead, very impressive chester..

[Spav]

11pt lead, very impressive chester..

Wait for next season in Division 2, that'll sort him out, Mark.

KUTGW cf2.

[greekgeorge]

Nice work chesterfan. Belgium brings back memories. Played 12 years there back in 1999. Good luck in division 2.