After ‘successful Antwerp treatment’, Van Bommel seems ready for a new coaching adventure

NOS Football•today, 08:14

Trainer Mark van Bommel will play the cup final in Belgium this afternoon with Antwerp against Union Sint-Gillis for the second year in a row. For the 47-year-old coach, winning the Croky Cup would be a nice conclusion to his largely successful Flemish adventure.

Because almost everyone in Antwerp assumes that Van Bommel is in his last weeks at the Great Old, as the club is also called. “I still have a contract here for one year, but we are still discussing whether we will continue,” the Dutchman said last week, showing that his future at Antwerp is uncertain.

The precarious financial situation of Antwerp and the sportingly poor season (with the last place in the play-offs for the championship with six defeats in seven matches) probably determine that Van Bommel will probably call it a day after two seasons.

The club recorded a loss of 46 million euros for the 2022/2023 championship season (the largest financial loss ever for a Belgian football club), while the year before also had a deficit of 32 million euros in the books.

Club chairman Paul Gheysens (owner of a real estate company) then spent a lot of money to keep Antwerp afloat. Van Bommel, in turn, realized that the short-term options are not great and undoubtedly drew his conclusions.

This was in addition to the departure of the talented midfielder Arthur Vermeeren, who went to Atlético Madrid during the winter break for approximately 19 million euros. It may have been a forced departure. After all, the club can use the money well.

After his dismissal from PSV (December 2019) and a failed adventure at VfL Wolfsburg (October 2021), Van Bommel was given a chance at Antwerp. Technical director Marc Overmars texted him in the spring of 2022. “Fancy a football conversation?” he said curtly.

Van Bommel agreed. Could this be his last chance to succeed as a coach? He grabbed that opportunity with both hands.

Mark is the best trainer I have ever had, in all facets.

With Belgian veteran Toby Alderweireld and the Dutch Vincent Janssen, Jurgen Ekkelenkamp and Calvin Stengs as newcomers to the team, Van Bommel experienced a dream season through Antwerp, after an unprecedented denouement. to deliver the first national title in 66 years.

Antwerp then also won the cup and the super cup with Van Bommel in 2023. It earned Van Bommel the ‘trainer of the year’ award in Belgium.

His captain Alderweireld was named ‘player of the year’. “Mark is the best trainer I have ever had, in all facets. Without him I would not have had such a good year,” the former international said in January during an interview with Het Laatste Nieuws.

Alderweireld, a former player for Atlético Madrid, Tottenham Hotspur and Ajax, among others, had a progressive insight during the interview. “I’m worried about next season. I would be very sad if Mark were no longer there.”

And that will most likely happen, but Van Bommel and Alderweireld (35) still have a cup final to end their joint period in a nice way. A period that Van Bommel will probably cherish for years to come.