RVG lands new job in Belgium
Former national football team coach Ronny van Geneugden (RVG) has been hired as technical and sporting director for his native Belgian second-tier First Division B League side Lommel SK.
The ex-Flames mentor, whose contract was not renewed by the Football Association of Malawi (FAM) following its expiry, was quoted by www.tvl.be that he was excited with his new role.
“This feels a bit like coming home,” he said upon being unveiled in front of cameras.
RVG—who also heads the club’s youth academy— was not available for comment yesterday, but had a poor start to his new task when Lommel lost 0-2 to Westerlo.
They lie second from bottom with a point from three games and tied with table anchors Roeselare, but Lommel have a better goal difference.
Ironically, Lommel SK have also hired a new trainer Stefan Gislason and together “they are building a new team”.
RVG’s two-year deal withe Flames expired on May 31 this year and FAM executive committee resolved not to renew it on the basis of the team’s poor results that saw the Flames registering only two wins out of 21 matches.
Before his departure, the former Flames mentor pleaded with FAM not to abandon the team of “small potatoes” that he had built, saying it had a bright future.
He also expressed satisfaction with his performance and dismissed suggestions that he had failed.
“I believe that I set up a good foundation for the future. My main task was about developing the standards.
“I have [also] assembled a team of small potatoes who showed during the 2019 Afcon [Africa Cup of Nations] qualifiers that they have great potential by holding African giants Cameroon and Morocco.
“I also developed about 10 coaches and I am happy that some of them, in particular Meke Mwase, have been maintained in the coaching panel,” he said. Mwase was appointed RVG’s successor.
