There is a growing Belgian flavor around England’s PremierLeague right now, and it isn’t the country’s fine chocolates. On day one of thenew soccer season, Marouane Fellaini, the Everton player distinguishable,destroyed Manchester United. “Unplayable” was the description used by United’sveteran manager, Alex Ferguson. Fellaini, is the front-runner of a new batch ofBelgian-born players opting to earn their fortunes in British pounds ratherthan euros.
We have already seen Eden Hazard, take to life at Chelsea asif he had been born to be a star there. There is Simon Mignolet, currently thegoalie at Sunderland. Good as he is,Mignolet is not the best of the rising young Belgian keepers. Thibaut Courtois,only 20, joined Chelsea more than a year ago and, because the London team isserved well enough by its Czech goalkeeper, Petr Cech, young Courtois has beenloaned out to Atletico Madrid ever since. Courtois is not the only developingBelgian in the Chelsea system, RomeluLukaku and Kevin De Bruyne, are contracted to Chelsea, but loaned to garnerexperience at West Bromwich and Werder Bremen respectively.
There is now a complete Belgian national team growing underEnglish ownership. The central defendersare Vincent Kompany and Thomas Vermaelen. The attacking fullback Jan Vertonghen hasjoined Tottenham Hotspur. In midfield, Moussa Dembele began the new season inthrilling form for Fulham and has now signed for Spurs. Everton has justpurchased Kevin Mirallas. You mightthink that Marc Wilmots, the recently appointed Belgian national team coach,would need only a one-way ticket on the Eurostar train to keep tabs on hisplayers in England. “We have a group of 35 potential players” Wilmots saidbefore his first game a friendly against the old rival, the Netherlands.
“First, we have to learn how to work together,” he added.“No more excuses.” He started wellenough, Belgium came from a goal down to beat the Dutch, 4-2, in Brussels.Contests between the neighbors are never mere friendly encounters, and this onewas no exception “ because not only was it Wilmots’s debut as head coach, itwas also the first game for the Netherlands since Louis van Gaal returned ascoach. And van Gaal, like Wilmots, rages in defeat.
But it will be a fascinating journey watching the Bull ofDongelberg as he attempts to draw together the young players, many of themalready made rich abroad, and convince them to eclipse his own career bypulling together for Belgium.
