If he had also defended the colors of Standard with whom he had filled his trophy cabinet with three Belgian championship titles between 1968 and 1971 even if he will remain the eternal understudy of Jean Nicolay then Christian Piot, it was at Mambourg that he had built his legend. “When I showed up for the first team at 17, he was 30. We trained together. One day he gets injured. Jean Piccinin chose me to replace him. Right away, he took me under his wing. After 4 matches, he still told me in Walloon that he liked me but that he still wanted to play for 5 years.” smiles Philippe Vande Walle, moved by his disappearance.
After 4 matches, he still told me in Walloon that he liked me but that he still wanted to play for 5 years.
Because the two men shared unforgettable moments between the third halves and everyday life at Marcinelle. “I returned to Charleroi as goalkeeper coach for the first team, continues the former Red Devil. Daniel looked after the doormen at the training center. And then in 2007Abbas Bayat names me T1. We had to find a goalkeeping coach. I went to look for him. He admitted to me that it was one of the happiest days of his life.”
Together, they will find the last ramparts like Damien Lahaye. “He trained us at the same time in Couvin-Mariembourg in the first promotion. The Charleroi first team was looking for a second goalkeeper behind Bertrand Laquait but the leaders could not find it, remembers Lahaye. So, he told me to come and do a test with the reserve. After 6 minutes, I take a red. He beat me up in the locker room. He was really angry. Philip (Vande Walle) Told him to calm down.”
Because the T1 at the time had validated his choice despite his exclusion. It was Daniel Mathy. A goalkeeper who had an eye and who was appreciated by all the people who knew him. “He was great, resumes Lahaye. When I heard the news this morning, I cried. He’s the kind of person who can’t have enemies because he’s so cool.”
Vande Walle remembers all these moments of life spent in his company. “I remember at 17, during an internship in Vichy, that he told me to be serious but that I still had to enjoy it. We discovered all the cafes in the spa town. On the other hand, it was the first to come home late but be the first to wake up the next day to go to training.”
Like a model of a dad’s football, definitely gone and who will be missed so much. Like Daniel Mathy.
