I was wondering what people on BS remember from Belgian football? Do you have any knowledge about our competition, about our national team, or our mostly unglorious past? Are there any names that spring to mind (Enzo Scifo, JM Pfaff, Michel Preudhomme,...)? I became a fan of the red devils in '86, when they became third in the Mexico Mundial. The matches against Spain, Russia and the Argentine were great...
I know next to nothing about Belgain football. I remember watching Belgium play Korea in the 1998 World Cup. Then for four years, I did not watch international football. Then once again in World Cup 2002, I remember seeing the highlights of Japan and Belgium. Since I was a Feyenoord supporter, I liked Thomas Buffel, so when he was called to the National Team, I started to gain more interest in Belgium. But even when Buffel leaves Feyenoord, I'll still try and keep an eye on Belgium. I saw Genk play Real Madrid on US Television a few years ago, and that got me kind of interested in Genk. I was surprised a team from Belgium could hold mighty Madrid to a draw. Well it wasn't actually holding them, I think the final score was 3-3. I was disappointed that Belgium didn't qualify for Euro 2004, but I hope you guys qualify for the next World Cup. I hope everyone on these boards educates me about the Red Devils and Belgian footbal in general.
We try our best . Did you only start watching football from '98 or was it just your first contact with Belgium? We were also great at WC '90 but we got kicked out by a lucky England. Do other soccer lovers in America know Belgium? I have the impression that a lot of people follow the Dutch league, but that the Belgian league is badly looked upon.
The first time I came in contact with the Belgian National Team was '98. I watched WC '94, it was in my own back yard, but I don't remember too much of it. Of course football in America has always been looked down upon. Even when I played I hardly ever watched it and just recently I got into our domestic league, the MLS. Of course the city I live in, isn't a football city, so I'm not sure what it's like in other parts of the country.
Too bad. After the good performance of the US NT in Korea and Japan you would think more people start liking football. Is it also true that you get a lot of matches from the Mexican league?
okay I started following Belgium back in 1990. Scifo and company.Preudhomme and a few other guys. Always liked the country since I was a little kid, and the Red devils were a hard working team. I was hoping they'd beat England back when David Platt scored that damn goal in 1990. I've got more, but the wife is asking me some stuff...
Unless the US actually wins the World Cup, I doubt America will start caring. I think we need another good showing in WC '06 (assuming we make it) for fans to get the bad taste of WC '98 out of their mouth. I don't see any Mexican league matches where I am, but I don't get the famous Fox Sports World or ESPN Deportes. The only football I see on television is the occasional MLS match, US Mens/Womens National team matches, and Champions League Football and sometimes college.
Yeah each year the MLS has a "super draft" which is similar to the NBA where mainly players from colleges in the U.S are drafted. Though last year the number one pick was Freddy Adu. I wanted to become interested in Belgian football whe I heard of Gooch and the impact he is making. Arguably, he is making the biggest impact of any American player in the league they play for in Europe. I also see it as a league while not as publicised as other league it is still a league with alot of talented players. Also it is a league that loses its top players to other league yet is great at finding up and coming stars and has foriegn born players that can make a big impact on the league. So while I am new to Belgian football it is a league that is interesting because of the way it is portrayed as.
You would think, but soccer fans are a minority Recent Oberver/Guardian piece http://observer.guardian.co.uk/osm/story/0,6903,1270849,00.html You are right; the MFL is widely available and widely ignored by anglophone Americans. Otherwise, if you want to follow the international game you must pay through the nose for cable channels that carry the game. The two main English-language channels are Fox Sports World (FSW) and GolTV. FSW carries an average of 3-4 English matches, 1 from Germany, 1 from France, 1 from Brazil and 1 from Argentina. They also carry American soccer matches: the MLS and A-League. FSW used to carry a weekly Eredevise match and two Bundesliga matches, but they've cut back. I think they also used to carry matches from Scotland as well. GolTV carries 3-4 Spanish matches and 3-4 Italian matches per week. They also carry matches from Guatemala, Colombia, Ecuador... a few more. I really haven't watched much of those games. Alternatively, you could follow basketball (college and professional), American football (college and professional), hockey, baseball, golf and have your fill on a daily basis. You could also read a book every now and then. No Belgian soccer; though many fans try to keep up with Americans playing in Belgium. In particular, Oguchi Onyewu ("Gooch") at Standard Liege
Nice comment: I don't agree with the article however when it says football can be trained alone. You can learn certain movements, but I think Zidane is the best proof of the importance of playing together when training. Compare it to baseball: you can learn to hit or pitch on your own; seems far more individual to me.
Here's a more recent Guardian article. http://football.guardian.co.uk/comment/story/0,9753,1343156,00.html This one claims that soccer is bound to take over here in the US. I don't think so. Basketball and (American) football are well positioned to remain central to American culture. The social schedules of high schools and colleges around the country are basically rituals built up to celebrate these sports. Baseball is a game that traditionally is played during the summer (when school is out) and is not part of the social calendar of American schools-- and suffers for it too. Soccer has no place in the calendar either. The author of the first Guardian article argues that there are "limits to American unilateralism". The author of the second writes: This is just silly. Its not that soccer is gay, feminine, or commuistic. Its that the game is foreign. The best players. The best leagues are elsewhere... and a substantial number of American sports fans couldn't be bothered with foreign sports anymore than they could be bothered with foreign cultures, movies, languages, or food. Anyway, regarding your comment. Baseball is a pretty difficult game to master. There is very little that you can do to improve your skills on your own-- you need at least another person. (And not everyone can do it. You might be a great, great athlete. That does not mean you can hit a baseball.)
Legendary players of Belgium: Enzo, Mark Ceulumans, George Grun,Scifo, Michel Preu d"homme, Van der Elst,and Versavel. If you have ever seen Belgium in 1986, it was so awesome. Belgium played good football in 1990, Just OK in 1994 Poor in 1998 and good in 2002. Although the red devils is now having problems with Serbia and Spain, Belgium still has tradition. never underestimate belgium.
I remember many a Holland-Belgium classic but I think even the Belgians will agree that they're pretty rubbish at the moment. Most of their national team aren't even getting any first team football with their club.
True. This is the worst generation of footballers since the... well ever. The teams of the 80's and 90's as well as the teams of the 70's and 60's had a lot more quality. And I'm affraid things might get worse before they get better.
I expect a reduction of foreign players pretty soon. They've got to get the Belgians on the pitch, and guys like Buffel will need to return and be stars.
I too believe you're too negative. Soon Sonck and Buffel will have a club they can play for regularly and then we're back in the game. Some kids at Ajax might break through (I personally have a lot of faith in Stanley Aborah) and Gabi Mudingaya seems to be doing a great job at Torino (serie B). Arsenal, Inter and a bunch of other clubs are scouting the guy and he is called the revelation of serie B. Kompany and Van den Borre will only get better, Emile Mpenza is still only 26. I only hope Blondel breaks through soon at Brugge. Then we have one youngster at ManU and one at Chelsea. Whether they will get there once is still an open question. And don't forget that Van den Bergh is only 21; he might follow up his father.
What I find strange is that just two years ago everybody was very excited about the new generation of players, they were showing a lot of promise. What on earth's happened to them? The Dutch always wish Belgium well as you know. I know it's not the other way round but still.
They're all being benched for the moment; Sonck, Blondel, Buffel, Junior (Anderlecht), Walasiak (Standard), Dufer (Caen). Plus some have not developped the way the were expected to (yet); Mpenza, Daerden, Huysegems, Roussel, Van Buyten. Sometimes these players put in very good performances at their clubs, but in NT they have a lot of troubles prooving themselves. IMO the new generation looks more promising than the former. These players should be ready in a few years time, with Kompany, Haroun (Genk), Van den Bergh (Genk), Lombaerts (AA gent), De Mul (Ajax), Aborah (Ajax), Messoudi (GBA), Dembele (GBA), Van den Borre (Anderlecht), Dickson (GBA), Prince Asubonteng (GBA), Karel Geeraerts (Standard), Hans Cornelis (Club Brugge). Actually, if you look at it, also Walasiak, Huysegems, Daerden, Blondel, Buffel and Junior are from this generation. In 6 years time we should be ready.
I agree with you. But I still think this is the weakest generation of footballers. The 80's team with Ceulemans, Grunn, Gerets, Vercauteren, Vandereycken, and the team of the early 90's with Scifo, Van Der Elst, Preud'homme, Albert were superior to this team. As were the 60's and early 70's team with Van Himst, Van Moer, Anoul, ... The only comparable situation was the late 70's. But even those guys were superior to our current team.
Our current team is definitely the weakest of the last 50 years, but everyone is saying that the future looks bad and I just wanted to point out that there are some things to look forward to. The 80's team was the best ever, only a pity Ludo Coeck died so early and Lozano got injured.
He is part of the national team but hasn't played much yet. Everyone was surprised he didn't start against Serbia and Montenegro. Will AZ be able to hold on to him?
One talent less it seems. Nicolas Lombaerts from AA Gent has a serious knee injury. He will be out for a couple of months. Must be hard for such a young player.