How Club Brugge built Rik De Mil’s coaching career: “The development of Spileers, De Cuyper, Sabbe and Vermant is him”

A crucial step in his career which raises questions. How did the current successful Zèbres technician land in one of the best youth schools in the country when he was coaching an amateur club and never played at the highest level? “I have known Rik since he was a provincial goalkeeper at Oostkamp. I was youth coordinator there and I had already seen, when he was on the pitch, that he had coaching qualitiesanswers Christophe De Nolf. When he had to end his career, young, after repeated injuries, I asked him to manage our U19s. After one season, he took over the reins of the first team. In three years, he took us from P3 to P1. During all these years, he proved that he knew how to lead a group. I was also working at Club Bruges at that time. I suggested to Pascal De Maesschalck, the director of the training center at the time, to take Rik while we were looking for someone for the U19s.”

From teacher in Blankenberge to Bruges U19s

“At the time, he was a teacher in Blankenberge but we already knew him because he came to give training to young people during the summer camps.confirms De Maesschalck, now technical director of Strasbourg. The U19s are a special category. I compare it to a laboratory. We find either players who do not have enough talent to be in U21, or physically late-maturing elements like De Cuyper at the time. However, Rik managed to make it a team.”

So much so that in his first year, he managed to be crowned champion. “It wasn’t the most important thing for the club but it showed that he knew how to manage a group”continues De Nolf. “In line with what he had shown to Oostkamp. “

“I often faced him in the derbies with Varsenare. Traditionally, it was always close matches and both teams were on the same level but when Rik took his place on the Oostkamp bench, that’s where they started to get the better of us.”smiles Danny De Coninck, now coordinator at Oostkamp, ​​and who has encountered De Mil on numerous occasions on amateur pitches.

“He changed everything about ussays Paul Devliegere, the legendary president of the KVCSVO. Beyond the results and these two climbs from P3 to P1, he brought a working mindset. He was able to stay at my house until 2 a.m. to discuss the team. Even though we were a provincial team!” If this club reached the amateur D2 in ten years, it is thanks to the foundations laid by De Mil. His hard work there sums up who he is: a tireless worker with exceptional loyalty. Even when Club Brugge knocks on his door.

President d’Oostkamp’s blessing to go to Bruges

“We had an agreement with Rik for him to stay an extra season. The preparation was already underway and he came to see me at home telling me that he had received a great opportunity in Bruges but that he had an agreement with me, recalls Devliegere. I told him straight away that this was the chance of a lifetime and that he had to take it.”

Which he did brilliantly. The best part is that he was able to progress at an incredible speed. “He was not yet the coach he became. His real challenge was to become a tacticiannotes De Maesschalck. But he was so passionate that it grew quickly. Some are stubborn. He is quite the opposite. Rik is very open in discussions and he knows how to be self-critical.”

“It was a sponge, confirms De Nolf. He looked at the other coaches of the club. During the first three years he learned a lot.” To the point of taking over in January 2018 from Sven Vermant, who left for Beveren to coach the first team, among the Bruges hopefuls. His rise continues. His progress too. “The Youth League constituted an additional challenge in his learning”specifies De Maesschalck.

The Covid that changed everything

Covid too. While the whole world is at a standstill, De Maesschalck, De Mil and other collaborators are taking advantage of this technical unemployment to rethink the entire training model of the reigning Belgian champion. “Every day we discussed football. Like crazy, continues the man who was subsequently director of youth development in Monaco before coming to Alsace. Vincent Mannaert’s goal was to bring five academy players into the first team. Better than that, there are four trained at the club for the national team (Openda, De Ketelaere, De Cuyper, Engels). That’s what I’m most proud of about my work with Rik.”

His interim in the first team following the failure of Scott Parker will prevent the Union from being champions and will allow certain young people to assert themselves. “The development of Spileers, De Cuyper, Sabbe and Vermant is him”, recalls De Nolf. Tactically, the current coach of the Zebras has matured over all these years, but all the players who have observed his rise are unanimous: “As a man, Rik has never changed.”

Now, the forty-year-old has taken off, far from his region of origin. With Charleroi, he demonstrates all his potential without us knowing what his limit will be. “One day I asked him what his dream wasconfides De Maesschalck. His answer was clear. I want to be a coach in a full stadium. He likes this tension in important matches.”

This Friday, when it’s time to return to the club that meant the most in his career, he will be served. And given what he achieves with the Hennuyers, it is not sure that the reunion will end like the last time.