Belgian press full of praise after the first two matches
1 min readPSV icon Mark van Bommel is praised in the Belgian press. In Belgium, Van Bommel is generally viewed positively.
The native Maasbrachter made an excellent debut last Friday as head coach of De Rode Duivels with a 0-2 victory over Italy. Last Monday, the Belgians lost late in time 0-1 to France because of a goal by Michael Olise.
Despite this, the media among our southern neighbors is full of praise for the match with Les Bleus. ''Did it all go perfectly? No. De Bruyne even missed controls you would have thought couldn't happen to him. De Ketelaere, in turn, was often kept boxed in by a French cage. And Moreira was often far too enthusiastic. But the Devils did entertain. They didn't let themselves be dazzled'', as reported by Het Laatste Nieuws.
The Nieuwsblad clearly sees differences between the playing style of the former PSV player and his predecessor, Rudi Garcia. “The Red Devils started quite straightforwardly, just the way Van Bommel likes it. Godts shook off a few dribbles from his feet, De Bruyne scattered a few passes, and Roméo Lavia established himself as a regular starter,” it says.
La Dernière Heure nevertheless believes that there is still a long road ahead. ''This team promised a lot upon its return from Rome, and that is still the case. It has only been placed back where it belongs again: with the right teams, not with the big ones'', writes the outlet.
Finally, Sudinfo also sees enough positive points. "In the context of the start of a new cycle and despite the justified frustration over a defeat in the last two minutes, the three out of six points in three days has everything to suggest a very good balance," said Sudinfo.
Comments8
🔥"Godts schudde enkele dribbels" and De Bruyne spraying passes sounds promising. But losing 0-1 with a late goal is exactly what Belgium needs to stop leaking. For a new cycle, it is positive... still, i want to see more control under pressure.
Om eerlijk te zijn, "goed bij de goede ploegen, niet bij de grote" is the honest take. Three wins in two duels is nice, but France is still France. If PSV taught anything, its that structure and calm moments decide these games.
Die kritiek van La Dernière Heure snap ik wel: drie uit zes in drie dagen is leuk, maar "niet bij de grote" blijft een waarschuwing. Van Bommel heeft basis gelegd, nu moeten ze ook tegen echt topteams overeind blijven.
"Liep het allemaal perfect? Nee." Eens, dat blijkt ook wel met De Bruyne die controles mist en De Ketelaere die ingesloten werd. Toch knap dat ze zich niet lieten afbluffen, dat is precies de mentaliteit die je van een PSV-trainer zou verwachten 😤⚽
"De Duivels entertainden wel" is true, they always want to play. But Het Laatste Nieuws also said De Ketelaere was in a "French cage" and Moreira was too enthusiastic... that feels like something that can bite when the opponent presses better. Hope Van Bommel fixes the balance fast.
Interesting how Belgium is already praising Van Bommel despite that 0-1 vs France. If De Bruyne really missed controls he shouldnt, thats exactly the kind of thing PSV fans would call out. Still, the "they didnt get bluffed" vibe is solid, but lets see it for a full run.
Tbh vind ik het grappig dat ze zeggen
Van Bommel wordt hier in België echt als vernieuwer gezien, begrijpelijk. Maar die twee minuten tegen Frankrijk blijven toch knagen... Olise was echt de spelbreker. #psv #duivels