Belgium

[Brihodge]

Anyone with any information on the top league or other leagues in Belgium? Any info at all is appreciated, a schedule of the whole league would be best. Thanks in advance.

[darrenjolley]

Try the following sites: http://sunsite.tut.fi/rec/riku/soccer_html/bel.html http://www.belgiumsoccer.com

[LiveinYokohama]

I saw a Belgian league for the first time.
Because Japanese player transferred to Genk.
But I was surprised.
The level of the Belgian league is low.

[Brihodge]

Many thanks for the sites.

Yokohoma- you think the level of the league is low compared to what?

[LiveinYokohama]

Originally posted by Brihodge
Many thanks for the sites.

Yokohoma- you think the level of the league is low compared to what?
J-league

I thought that the level of Belgium was higher than Japan.
But, it was as much as J-leauge.
Possibly, it may be lower than J-luauge.
There are such many opinions with the Japanese bbs.

[gerby]

The level may be low but with such a small country you can't expect to be as strong as Spain,Italy,England...
The richest club (Anderlecht) as 25.000.000 USD for the year so (you can laugh if you want !)...Now with soccer money goes first so...no money no big stars...no big stars...no increasing level ans so on.But despite our "so called low level" we can be proud of our national team and we are still "a name" in international competitions.

[Belgian guy]

Well, I still think we are better then J- league

[darrenjolley]

It would be unrealistic to expect the Belgium league to compare with those of Italy, England, Spain Etc. However I think that a lot of the problems stem from the late eighties when a lot of the clubs overstretched themselves financially. Belgium is a good example of the danger to football of artificial clubs.

[madman]

Originally posted by LiveinYokohama
I saw a Belgian league for the first time.
Because Japanese player transferred to Genk.
But I was surprised.
The level of the Belgian league is low.


How is the Japanese player performing in, as you say, this "low level" league ?

I'm assuming he must simply be dominating ?

[gerby]

I supposed we are talking about Suzuki.
I wonder why he is not playing if he is SO GOOD ?

[madman]

Originally posted by gerby
I supposed we are talking about Suzuki.
I wonder why he is not playing if he is SO GOOD ?

Good question.

He must be a good player, though...otherwise Genk wouldn't have been interested.

Hmm..maybe the league level is not all that low after all.

[gerby]

Salut Madman !
on va continuer en anglais pour nos amis coréens.

I really do not understand why this guy was transfered if he doesn't play .For the moment he is only a shirt-seller.
I'm sure he is a good player but is he good enough for Champions League ?.
I can't imagine he was transfered just for the corean TV which bought some Genk games.OK for Seol from Anderlecht but not Suzuki, let's be serious !

[madman]

Salut Gerby !

Oui, et pour moi, aussi.

I don't understand either. ?

Before moving to Belgium, I had "heard" about how low a level of football was played in Belgium.

Having watched a few games, I can't agree. However, it seems to remain a popular rumor.

Sure, the Belgium league has low level games and teams from time to time, but what league where does not ?

[gerby]

Salut Madman,

I agree we have a low level COMPARING TO:
-Spain
-Italy
-England
-Germany
That's all !!!!!
As in every country some games are boring, others really good and pleasant.
What games have you seen ? first division ?
Personnaly it has been a few years I haven't seen a 1st division game.As I leave in deeeeeeeppppp
south Belgium, far away from the closest 1st division club and due to the fan card system I prefer to drive 15kms and go to Virton in 2nd division where the fans are terrific and where you can watch guys really playing with their heart and the love of the shirt they weir (the seems to be exceptionnal nowadays !!!).

@+
Gerby
PS: were do you come from ? (as you said "before I moved to Belgium")

[madman]

Originally posted by gerby
Salut Madman,

I agree we have a low level COMPARING TO:
-Spain
-Italy
-England
-Germany
That's all !!!!!
........their heart and the love of the shirt they weir (the seems to be exceptionnal nowadays !!!).

@+
Gerby
PS: were do you come from ? (as you said "before I moved to Belgium")

Salut Gerby,

I couldn't agree more about the love of the shirt being quite an exception nowadays.

Hey, didn't you forget Japan and the US...right after Germany ? Ha !

I live near Mons...west, central Belgium, so most of the games I've seen, have involved RAEC Mons. I watched several Mons games last year when they were second division plus I've seen R.Standard de Liège, R.Antwerp FC., and R.SC.Anderlecht play. Will try to catch Sp.du Pays de Charleroi, if I can purchase a ticket somehow without the fan card. I'll have to admit I'm most familiar with the U16 age group (2nd div.) last season and the U18s (1st div.) this season. I probably saw every U16 2nd division team play at least one game last season and got to see most of the teams for two games. FWIW, I've a German coach friend and he (surprising to me) said that he believed the youth development program of Belgium was probably equal or close to that in Germany.

I was happy that Mons was promoted this year, but I'm not sure about that "fan card system". I heard the words explaining the need for the fan card system, but ???? just not sure about it. Definitely turns me off.

Madman

I was in Florida for a little over 15 years before moving to Belgium.

[panicfc]

Not to throw this too far off track, but I think Germany is going through an upheaval in youth training. I think Belgium has been on a upward course.

On another question, how do you compare the Belgian first division to MLS?

By the way, each league has dog games, England, Italy, Germany, Spain. They happen and always will.

[madman]

Originally posted by panicfc
....

On another question, how do you compare the Belgian first division to MLS?

....

On average the Belgian first division is a level above MLS.

But I think there are some MLS teams that probably would be very successful in the Belgian first division...at the same time, there are some Belgian second division teams that would do very well in MLS.

[panicfc]

So with that in mind, the Belgian league is probably stronger from top to bottom, but the MLS could compete in it and not be embarrased.

[madman]

I think that sums it up...at least in my opinion...and I'd be the first to admit...I'm certainly no expert when it comes to MLS.

We can take the recent Tottenham/DC United result as a data point (only one data point)...of how MLS would compare with European Leagues.

Being the match was a friendly (to the best of my knowledge), the info provided by the result is definitely limited.

I think MLS is doing good...for the league's age. It's a kindergartener compared to other leagues....maybe a prekindergartener.

It has had a good start...I just hope it survives long enough to take the next step.

If you were to compare the top 4 teams of the Belgian League to the top 4 teams of MLS...I don't think the MLS would compare well at that level. I don't think they would be embarrassed, but I don't think they would be successful....not quite yet.

[panicfc]

How do you think Belgium compares to Scotland?