Steven Defour: “Third place is the ceiling for this Anderlecht, Standard will not reach the playoffs 1”

Steven, when you hear the term Clasico, what does that mean to you?

“2008. The Standard titles. That’s when these matches reached their peak. For the first title, everyone could admit that we were the best, even Anderlecht. The second year, no one wanted us see champions again. These test matches were double or nothing and the whole country was watching. This atmosphere was fantastic. Sunday, I’m going to watch the match, at home or at friends’ houses. But it’s not as important as it used to be. The value of both clubs has decreased, the playoffs have something to do with it too.”

How do you view Anderlecht?

“They are less good than last season when they could make the difference with individual flashes. Now that (Thorgan) Hazard is injured, what (Anders) Dreyer scores less and (Mario) Stroeykens is sometimes on the bench, it’s more laborious.”

Anderlecht winner at Real Sociedad

Is there enough quality in this team?

“It’s not the Anderlecht of its successful years. It’s a few levels below. It’s not a shame if you want to start again. You have to have the courage to tell your fans that you believe in your own youth and you want to bet on it. This means that you could miss the playoffs or European football. Now there are unrealistic expectations when, for me, they are not one of the best teams.

What is the best possible ranking for this Anderlecht?

“Getting to the Champions playoffs first. The first two places are too high in my opinion. Third place is their ceiling.”

Did fans wrongly dismiss Riemer?

“The champagne football that fans want to see has become a utopia. Last season, they accepted Riemer. After years of misery, he took them back to the playoffs. They were even in the title race. It created expectations. But results-oriented football doesn’t happen at Anderlecht, under Weiler, they became champions like that and despite everything, the fans didn’t want him.

What do you think of Ivan Leko’s current Standard?

“He does it with the means he has. Last year, it was really top-ranked football. Leko enjoyed success at Sint-Truiden, at Club (Used) like in Antwerp. Clear football. There was nothing like it at the Standard because the quality wasn’t good enough. They weren’t really players worthy of the Standard jersey. This year it works better.”

Standard can better exploit its corridors

And in Sclessin, the supporters are calmer than in Anderlecht. What is this due to?

“Another level of expectation. In the past, Standard also had to win every match. Now the financial situation is such that every point is a bonus. The way does not matter. In Liège, they especially want the players fight.”

Can Standard reach playoffs 1?

“No, because the quality isn’t there.”

Could you follow an Anderlecht – Standard, in Brussels or in Sclessin?

“It wouldn’t be a good idea (laughs).”

Do you do it again, would you sign for Anderlecht again?

“At the time, I wanted to play. At Porto, I hadn’t played during the entire preparation. It was already mid-August and I was starting to get nervous. PSV had also contacted me, but they couldn’t to conclude with Porto. Anderlecht insisted that if I played well the fans would accept me, but it didn’t really work out.

Have you not had contact with the Standard?

“In a roundabout way, the question was asked to (Roland) Duchâtelet. He said there was no interest. If PSV had reached an agreement with Porto, I would still have played there. Maybe I could have thanked Anderlecht kindly and waited a bit, but then you also take the risk that in the end nothing will happen.”

What is your daily life like now that you are no longer a coach?

“Paddle, golf, cycling, running… (laughs). I also work as an analyst for Play Sports and Sporza. I watch a Manchester City match from time to time. My wife is best friends with Michelle, Kevin De Bruyne’s wife. I also introduced him to golf (laugh).”

Do you still want to be a coach?

“I have already received several offers, but I have become more demanding. I only sign for a project in which I find myself 100%. My next job must connect with my philosophy and my ambition.”

Have you sent your application to Anderlecht?

“(Laugh) No, it’s still too sensitive. I am open to a healthy club with an ambitious project. I have the luxury of not having to take every job that comes along to stay in the spotlight or to be financially comfortable. The only reason to take a team has to be the game and a club where I can continue to develop as a coach. I prefer a club at the top of the table to a club at the bottom.”

What have you learned from this year in Mechelen?

“Even if I consciously made this choice, it was not an ideal situation. Sportingly, panic quickly set in if things were going a little less well. After this first season, KV had difficulty financially strengthening itself . I have my vision of football and I stick to it. It would have worked in the long run in Mechelen, but I didn’t have the opportunity to show it.

Would you make the same choice?

“Staying as an assistant longer would have been ideal. Until the end of the cycle. Frédéric Vanderbiest did not want to do it (be T1) and they (leaders) turned to me. There is obviously a lot of emotion involved in such a decision. I grew up in Mechelen. In itself, I was also ready, but you always have to learn a little by doing.”

David Hubert is now in a similar situation at Anderlecht. What would your advice be if we asked him to stay?

“I think he would say ‘yes’, but at Anderlecht this job is even more difficult. All eyes will be on him. It’s not an easy task. He’s doing well. Being a coach is that was always in him. At Mechelen, he was already my captain at the youth level. It was already clear at the time that he would become a coach. He organized things on the pitch and took responsibility off it.

Who will your heart beat for this Sunday?

“Standard was a fantastic period which will always remain engraved in me. Axel (Witsel) and I played there for five years and during that time the club completely came back to life. It was fantastic and we saw it at 100 miles an hour. At Anderlecht, sportingly it was perhaps not great, but I made friends because, at that age, I experienced it a little more consciously. Gunther Van Handenhoven for example. I regularly (Guillaume) Gillet on the phone and obviously Oli (Deschacht). But with Anderlecht as a club, the connection is less strong because there has been no sporting success.”