A reaction from our captain Hans Vanaken and coach Nicky Hayen after the lost Super Cup match against Union Saint-Gilloise.
Hans Vanaken: "Too low intensity in the first half"
The first appointment of the new season turned into a missed opportunity for Club. According to Hans Vanaken, however, a draw was in the cards.
"At the end we came close to the equalizer through Tzolis, but it was not to be," were the Club captain's first words. "I think we showed too little intensity in the first half. Not that we were outplayed, but the duels needed to be better, and we also played a bit too static and didn't find the free space enough, something we did much better after halftime. Then we could put some pressure, maybe we scored a little too late, but I think a draw was certainly deserved. But I don't think it was a penalty. How long did it take before the ball went on the spot, four minutes? Well, then I think you know. Simon (Mignolet, nvdr) then grabs it, but still the ball goes in under him."
"Then you know that against Union, if you fall behind, it's going to be difficult to force anything. They then play with a very low block and speculate with long balls on the counter and that makes it difficult sometimes, but actually our defense did a good job. We did everything we could to make up the 0-2 deficit, but unfortunately it didn't work out. We know we still have some work to do, but I think we are on the right track."(FDC)
Nicky Hayen: "Everyone has to look in the mirror"
Club Brugge went down 1-2 against Union and so Blauw-Zwart could not start the new season with a prize. Coach Nicky Hayen reacted disappointed, but drew on his team's last half hour. "The eagerness was greater with Union than with us in the first sixty minutes. After that we did show a reaction, but it turned out too late. We showed too little intensity and played too static to play a team that was more eager out of context. The last half hour, on the other hand, was good. We have to build on that, but we have to be able to sustain that for longer. Everyone has to be one hundred percent, then you see the real Club Brugge. Whether the alarm bells are going off now? No, but there is a certain concern about those first sixty minutes. Everyone has to look in the mirror. Those may already be big words, but we want to be there from the beginning." (SF)