Vandenbempt may expect white smoke in the national coach’s file this week: “The reality has changed”

These are exciting days for football-loving Belgium. Now that Julen Lopetegui’s name has emerged as one of the contenders for the job as national coach, the search is increasingly under a magnifying glass. Everyone is wondering out loud: when can we expect news? Our analyst Peter Vandenbempt assesses the situation.

Everyone would love to know this week. I can also imagine Vincent Mannaert. It is a very intense period and not an obvious search.

Because the reality is that the Red Devils are no longer the international team that every available and absolute top coach abroad is eager to coach, as was the case in the golden period around 2018. In addition, there are still a number of financial limitations, which is also different from then.

And sometimes you are just unlucky… If Milan had not come to steal Sérgio Conceição in the extreme, Belgium might have had a new coach for a few weeks.

Anyway, it is not that the Devils will soon be coached by Oscar Crucke, so we don’t have to panic about that.

When Mannaert puts forward a candidate, the sporting committee will follow him.

We also know from Mannaert from his period at Club Brugge that he likes to keep his options open until the last minute when looking for a trainer. He will already have a ranking in his head, but in the end he will completely choose one candidate.

The hope is that that choice will happen in a few days, perhaps this week.

The difference with Club Brugge is that he made the decision himself, but now the choice also has to go through the sporting committee of the football association.

The search is also done in consultation and if Mannaert puts forward a candidate who fits the financial picture, they will follow him.

But look, until then we have to wait in anticipation.

Peter Vandenbempt