The RAAL goes to Seraing this Friday evening to open the 15th day of Challenger Pro League. With one objective: to regain this leadership seat… lost due to the bankruptcy of Deinze. What Frédéric Taquin, coach of the Wolves, cannot digest.
Frédéric Taquin lost neither his smile nor his sleep, but he clearly did not appreciate that the RAAL lost its place as co-leader to the disadvantage of the bankruptcy of Deinze. The Wolves took 3 points at the Dakota Arena. “I remember saying at the time that it was worth 6 points,” he breathes.
“We took these points against a determined and ambitious Deinze, before their problems. So I find it very unfair,” regrets Taquin. Zulte Waregem, for their part, had drawn at Deinze and therefore only lost one point. The Flandriens are now the sole leaders of the Challenger Pro League. “In a sense, you ‘favor’ those who have lost points.”
A situation all the more absurd given that, within a week, it was avoidable: if Deinze had played this weekend against AS Eupen, the withdrawal of the first round was not pronounced, each team having faced the declared club bankrupt. “There was only one match left, their youngsters were ready to play it. How is that even possible? It wasn’t difficult to wait for this match,” complains Fred Taquin, who even has a thought for the other clubs.
The RAAL is no longer “co-leader”, and Taquin doesn’t like that
“For us, that’s one thing. But Molenbeek, what should they say? Here they are at 7 points compared to a team which only lost 10 in the entire first round. Good luck coming back”, he points. “I feel cheated but I’m not alone. It was hard-won points, it was there… The lead taken over Lommel, Lierse, is slipping away. And of course, no longer being able to to say that we are “co-leader”… it’s been a long time. You’ve been getting into the game, even as a promoted person (smile).
When we point out that the RAAL will perhaps at least be able to take advantage of the situation to seek reinforcement from the now dismantled core of Deinze, it is very clear: “Their players are expensive. Priceless, even. They have become accustomed to a salary and are not going to accept five times less,” estimates Taquin.
“We can pay several RAAL players with the salary of a Deinze executive. But we are not going bankrupt (laughs). The club is managed “as a good father”, this has been the case for 8 years and that’s not about to change.” The bankruptcy of Deinze, like those before them of KV Ostend or even Mouscron, makes the realistic and well-managed project of La Louvière even more appreciated.
“I spoke with an employee of Deinze who was already very happy with his salary, and told me that the new owners had tripled it. In these cases, what do you want to do? With us, when it is not in the budget, it is not in the budget Maybe the Pro League should ask for a clear budget plan from the start with guarantees to avoid this kind of situation Because if it was known. start of the season, it’s pretty crazy”, concludes Frédéric Taquin.
