34 days after the game against Cercle Brugge, in which Club was able to celebrate its 19th national title, Blauw-Zwart is already playing its first preparation game for the new season. In Heist-aan-Zee, Club will take on R. Knokke FC.
The selection
Nicky Hayen's troops are not yet complete. Some players are still active at the European Championship, others joined only this week. We expect a mix of A-core players and youngsters from Club NXT at the kick-off.
The opponent
R. Knokke FC plays in First National. Last season the club finished in third place. They finished just behind promotionists RAAL La Louvière and KSC Lokeren-Temse, who will join Club NXT in the Challenger Pro League next season.
Knokke's coach is 52-year-old West Fleming Jannes Tant. He has been coach of the coastal team since mid-2023. Between 2008 and 2011, he already worked for Knokke and was also youth coach with Club Brugge's U21. As a player, he was a youth product of Blauw-Zwart. In 1992-93 he was part of the A-team as a defender, but could not command any playing minutes. He also subsequently played for SV Waregem, KV Oostende and SK Sint-Niklaas, among others.
Knokke is a regular opponent in Club Brugge's preparation. The last encounter was in 2020. Then Knokke came along in Basecamp (5-0 win). Before that, there were duels in 2016 (0-3 win), 2012 and 2006 (0-8 win each time).
Last season, Knokke was able to stunt in the Croky Cup by eliminating KV Mechelen in the 1/16th finals. In the 1/8th finals, Knokke only lost to OH Leuven after penalty kicks.
Well-known players are Merveille Goblet (ex-Waasland-Beveren) and Jens Naessens (ex-Zulte Waregem and KV Mechelen). Players with a past with Club Brugge's youth are goalkeeper Wout Meese and defender Naguy Maertens. This summer, other former Club youth players Noah Aelterman, Brendan Schoonbaert and Lennert Hallaert left the coastal team.
