Mpenza Just Glad To Be Back Home

Standard Liege have completed the signing of former star player Emile Mpenza from Schalke 04 with the striker boasting that Belgian football is a better standard.

The Belgian international has struggled with injuries over the last two years in Germany and decided that he wanted to return to his homeland with the club where he made his name. Mpenza agreed a three-year deal with Standard Liege after four seasons in Germany. After a successful first two seasons in the Bundesliga Mpenza began to suffer from a string of injuries and was restricted to a handful of games. He felt that the time was right to move on.

"Emile told us he didn't want to play for Schalke any more and we have no use for people like that," Schalke's general manager Rudi Assauer said. Nevertheless, the 25-year-old, who has represented his club in World Cups and European Championships, had a parting shot for his German masters on his way out of the door: "When you hear everyday that you're not good enough then it certainly starts to get at you. Some of the management didn't even say hello to me towards the end."

"I could only have coped with one or two more weeks, a full season would have been unbearable. I've never had so much stress in my life than in the last few months - at least through in football."

Indeed, the striker even refuted claims that he is going back to his homeland with his tail firmly between his legs: "Who says Belgian football is any worse than German, or am I wrong in thinking that Brugge knocked Dortmund out of the Champions League?"

However, when he links up with the Brussels based club he will not be brushing shoulders on the training ground with former Belgian international striker Giler De Bilde who has been sent on a season long loan to fellow Belgian outfit Lierse.

In the last few months De Bilde has found himself left out in the cold by coach Hugo Broos and at one point was made to train away from the rest of the squad. Therefore he realized that it was time to move on and has received a number of offers with Chicago Fire and Vitesse Arnhem showing an interest.