Hans Vanaken tempers praise from Extra Time for a strong report against top teams: “But that’s not that logical, is it?”

Racing Genk, Anderlecht and AA Gent. Hans Vanaken found the net most often against those teams during his career. That is striking, but logical, notes the Club Brugge player himself. “That’s what we play against the most.” It does bring back memories for Gert Verheyen and Wesley Sonck, the analysts at the table.

“It’s striking: you score the most against Genk, Anderlecht, Ghent, Antwerp and then Kortrijk is also among them. So there are a lot of top teams,” opens Filip Joos.

“That’s what we play against the most,” Hans Vanaken immediately responds. And that’s true, because the top teams naturally meet each other more often through the play-offs.

“That’s a good comment,” jokes Gert Verheyen, who also adds some nuance. “But that’s why it’s not that logical.”

Finally, you still have to score the goals at the most important moments.

Westerlo with Jef Delen, the running wonder of Westel. Always difficult.

Wesley Sonck

It does provide a short thought exercise at the table. Against which teams did Gert Verheyen and Wesley Sonck score the most?

For Verheyen these were Germinal Ekeren, Beveren – “never easy”, according to him – and Standard. For Sonck it turned out to be Mouscron and Westerlo.

“The Mouscron of Mbo Mpenza, a top team,” Sonck notes. “And Westerlo with Jef Delen, Westel’s running prodigy. Always difficult.”

I had waited 14 years for that.

Gert Verheyen

And no, scoring did not go smoothly for Gert Verheyen against every team. Only in his 28th straight match, in his last season, did he score a goal against Anderlecht.

Verheyen celebrated the goal with his finger on his mouth. “I had waited 14 years for that,” the ex-Club Brugge player laughs. “I often thought: now I’m going to miss him again.”

That celebration is reminiscent of a moment from last season, when Vanaken celebrated prominently with the supporters of AA Gent. “It was more of a reaction because they were singing,” he recalls.

Looking back at matchday 18 of the Jupiler Pro League

Football talk show in which Filip Joos keeps his finger on the pulse of football current affairs with the help of high-profile guests. Guests are Wesley Sonck, Gert Verheyen and Hans Vanaken

Monday 16/1264 min

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