First course in Brussels
Tonight’s match with Montenegro is definitely the entrée before the main course which will be served at Wembley next Saturday. These matches are especially important for two men: Marc Wilmots and Eden Hazard.
When Georges Leekens jumped ship for the extra cash on offer at Club Brugge, the suits at the Belgian FA looked at each other and decided to ask the guy in the office at the end of the corridor to take charge. Wilmots asked for a few hours to think about it and then decided he had to do it for his country. Leekens’ no. 2 is universally respected and his decision was welcomed. A couple of good results would see him well placed to get the job permanently, but more about that later.
Wilmots has already made an impact by saying that he wants Hazard to be as important for Belgium as he has been for Lille. That sees the little playmaker move into the centre, playing just behind Borussia Mönchengladbach’s Igor De Camargo. Previously, under Leekens, Hazard was just one of four candidates for a position on the flanks, in competition with Twente’s Nacer Chadli, Fulham’s Moussa Dembélé and PSV’s Dries Mertens. There was a bit of a power struggle between the Lille playmaker and Mister Georges, as the latter always liked to be seen to be in charge – in every aspect of the national team’s preparation, not to mention its commercialisation.
The squad for the two games
The squad was announced a couple of weeks ago – presumably selected by Leekens – and it looks very strong. There were 26 named, but only five – maybe six at a pinch – could be called automatic selections: Manchester City’s Vincent Kompany, Arsenal’s Thomas Vermaelen, Ajax’s Jan Vertonghen, Hazard and Benfica’s Axel Witsel. You could possibly add Everton’s Marouane Fellaini to that list, which leaves four outfield places up for grabs.
Tonight the team lines up as: Thibaut Courtois (Atletico Madrid/Chelsea); Dennis Odoi (Anderlecht), Vertonghen, Toby Alderweireld (both Ajax), Nick Lombaerts (Zenit St Petersburg); Fellaini, Witsel, Hazard; Kevin Mirallas (Olympiakos), Mertens; De Camargo.
For tonight’s match, Kompany and Vermaelen have been ruled out – rested – with calf and hamstring injuries respectively. Bayern Munich’s Daniel Van Buyten has been given a few week’s off, to prepare for the new season. Finally, Chelsea’s Kevin De Bruyne is still recovering from his broken toe before he travels with his new club to the USA in July, along with Romelu Lukaku.
The squad players not selected tonight will – I believe – all be on the bench at the Roi Baudouin stadium. They are: Bologna keeper Jean-Francois Gillet, Porto’s Steven Defour, Cagliari’s Radja Nainggolan, Nuremberg’s Timmy Simons, Anderlecht’s Guillaume Gillet, Dembélé, Chadli, Genk’s Christian Benteke and Jelle Vossen, Lokeren’s Benjamin De Ceulaer and Lukaku. The only fit player not in kit tonight will be Sunderland keeper Simon Mignolet, who has been promised a start at Wembley.
Tonight’s match
Tonight’s team will play in the usual 4-3-3 formation. It’s the first time that the Ajax duo Vertonghen and Alderweireld will play for Belgium together in their club positions and it’s a debut for young Anderlecht right back Odoi. The latter has had a funny season, hardly featuring for the champions after his summer move from Sint Truiden. The big point in his favour is that he is a full back, of which Belgium has an acute shortage.
The midfield trio of Fellaini, Witsel and Hazard could be the heart of the team for years to come. Fellaini started as a defensive midfield player with Standard Liege and can do the job. It will be tough for Defour to get re-associated with his old mates; he must be thinking where did it all go wrong. There’s a lot of competition for the three forward three positions, but Belgium do lack an international-class consistent striker. No one is an automatic choice but players like Dembélé and Dries Mertens have a big future.
Wilmots has said he wants his team to dominate Montenegro and all the Belgian players will be motivated with Wembley in mind. The visitors will again be without Fiorentina striker Stevan Jovetic but the defence looks strong with Manchester City’s Stefan Savic and a certain Milan Jovanovic – the Spartak Nalchik version.
The future
Returning to Wilmots and his chances of being given the job on a long term basis; that is a tough one to forecast. The majority of the fans would like Eric Gerets to get the job. He’s the last Belgian to pick up a European Cup-winner’s medal – the real variety – when with PSV and he’s got solid credentials. Recently, however, he’s said his job as Morocco’s coach has only just begun. As Michel Preud’homme is living a life of luxury with Saudi Arabian champions Al Shabab Riyadh, it’s not obvious who the FA will turn to … or be able to afford. Now where did we put Ariel Jacob’s number? Oh, let’s wait until we’ve been to London – it’s the Jubilee weekend as well!