Football Challenger Pro League SK Beveren
SK Beveren laid the foundation for the second part of the competition in the Spanish sun. According to trainer Wim De Decker, the winter training went smoothly. “We have achieved the things we set out to do.” — © Belgian
After an intensive winter training in San Pedro del Pinatar, Spain, SK Beveren is back home. Coach Wim De Decker looks back on the training camp with satisfaction and looks forward to the second part of the season with great enthusiasm.
Wim Houttequiet
SK Beveren laid the foundation for the second part of the competition in the Spanish sun. According to trainer Wim De Decker, the winter training went smoothly. “We achieved the things we set out to do: tactically and physically as well as as a group. If you can redeem that, you have had a good internship. The group handled that very well. We were able to train in more detail here, while the first months our focus was mainly on the basics. I feel the group is ready. Although that remains to be seen, of course. Maybe it’s good that we just have to start at home against Beerschot. And if you look at the stats, we’re at the top of almost everything. It is up to us to continue building on that path.”
There was also good news from the Beverse infirmary. Louis Verstraete and Joan Simun Edmundsson joined the winter training camp again after a long absence. And that to the great satisfaction of De Decker. Although we may have to wait a while to actually see them in action. Beveren played two practice matches on winter training. The first against series mate SK Deinze was lost. Against Orihuela, a local opponent, was won. “I would have preferred to play against other opponents, but that was not possible due to circumstances,” says De Decker. “You always have to put such practice matches in perspective. The result is subordinate to the delivered game. I’ve seen things I wanted to see and we trained hard for. That is much more important than the result itself.”
Serious reinforcement
With Jakov Filipovic there was one new face. “We were looking for an extra option at the back to tighten up the competition,” explains De Decker, who has been following Filipovic for some time. “Certainly in this system it is not a superfluous luxury to have several options. I remember him from Lokeren and his level has only increased since then. You don’t become captain of BATE for nothing. In short, he is a serious reinforcement for us.”
For the rest, it remained quiet on the transfer market for the time being. Brent Gabriel returned early from FCV Dender and Michael Mulder left the Freethiel. “But there is a real chance that something will happen,” says De Decker, without going into detail. “I certainly can’t complain about the team, but we shouldn’t be blind either. If we can strengthen the team, we will not let that pass. Outgoing there is some interest, especially for players who play less. But also in players who perform well. We should not be naive, but prepare well so that we come out of the transfer period even stronger.”
Additional manpower
Flavien Le Postollec, who De Decker still knows from his period at Deinze, was added to the technical staff during the winter break. “If we wanted to train in more detail, we needed extra manpower,” explains De Decker. “Flavien has always played football himself and is close to the world of the group. Moreover, it is always enriching to include people who have a different approach. They don’t all have to live in Beveren. He is someone who can have a certain connection with players. We were still looking for such a profile to include in our staff. It is an advantage that I already know him, so that the integration does not have to take long.”
