Speculation and sleaze in Belgian football

Big in Brasov

A very interesting article from the New York Times

https://www.nytimes.com/2017/09/09/sports/soccer/belgian-clubs-and-foreign-money-a-modern-soccer-mix.html

So much potential for undermining the integrity of the sport, especially with players agents moving into club ownership

N01R4M

How long before Roland claims they are all copying him, and that imitation is the sincerest form of flattery?

ForeverAddickted

Is it very different to how Arsenal used Beveren for years though?

Belgium has more lenient rules when it comes to signing Non-EU players so the likes of Arsenal were able to send the likes of Toure and Eboue over to Beveren for a few years until they were then eligible to get a permit allowing them to come and play here in England

TelMc32

Reading that, I think I get an understanding of how Duchâtelet thinks he is a success. That Belgian 2nd Division sounds like a mess and full of power hungry & money mad individuals, with no idea about football at all.

Belgium appears to be a cheap and slightly dirty country that accommodates these people and the players they are trafficking.

Lincsaddick

Chatting to some Leicester fans recently who were singing the praises of Nigel Pearson .. 'where's he now' asked I .. 'managing a club in Belgium owned by the same people who own us (i.e. the Foxes)' was the reply .. so the Duchatelet 'model' is far from unique .. the owners of Watford have shown that it can work given the right resources and management

T_C_E

N01R4M said:

How long before Roland claims they are all copying him, and that imitation is the sincerest form of flattery?

It's pretty clear that the methods employed at St Truiden are working at The Valley!

https://twitter.com/raybates57/status/976891673954447360?s=21

SDAddick

Love Rory K. Smith (or now just Rory Smith). The articles he writes for the NYT are so good, especially for an American publication, that it's unreal.