Royal Antwerp 4-2 OH Leuven
Bosuilstadion
13 July 2013
Pre Season Friendly
My good friend from Antwerp, Hans and I have an annual ritual. I turn up at the first pre season game, and he tells me how this year will be different, gushes over all the talent they have bought in and, after a couple of beers, starts singing 'We're going up this year'!
Well this time it was different. Social media and the internet have been full of the comings and goings in Deurne so I was already well prepped. John Bostock is obviously the big signing, but get used to the name Emrullah Güvenç as you will be hearing alot about this guy. In addition, there was no ironic chanting from my friend from Antwerp. There was no need, just a quite confidence that comes with knowing your side has got better over the summer, alot better.
After 45 minutes where the home team destroyed their Jupiler League opponents (and led 3-0) its was clear to me, and all others present watching for the the first time this season, that coach Jimmy Floyd Hasselbank was putting together the sort of squad needed to get promotion and return this wonderful old club to where it belongs; alongside the likes of Anderlecht, Standard and Club.
The second half saw the customary raft of substitutions and a couple of defensive lapses almost let Leuven back into the game. But the fans were more than happy with what they had seen, and let their side know this at the end.
And so the 'Great Old' will enter the season with expectation finally outweighing hope. There will be twists and turns along the way (there always are) but maybe, just maybe, this will be the year when we get to hear Hans sing his song in May rather than July!
Well this time it was different. Social media and the internet have been full of the comings and goings in Deurne so I was already well prepped. John Bostock is obviously the big signing, but get used to the name Emrullah Güvenç as you will be hearing alot about this guy. In addition, there was no ironic chanting from my friend from Antwerp. There was no need, just a quite confidence that comes with knowing your side has got better over the summer, alot better.
After 45 minutes where the home team destroyed their Jupiler League opponents (and led 3-0) its was clear to me, and all others present watching for the the first time this season, that coach Jimmy Floyd Hasselbank was putting together the sort of squad needed to get promotion and return this wonderful old club to where it belongs; alongside the likes of Anderlecht, Standard and Club.
The second half saw the customary raft of substitutions and a couple of defensive lapses almost let Leuven back into the game. But the fans were more than happy with what they had seen, and let their side know this at the end.
And so the 'Great Old' will enter the season with expectation finally outweighing hope. There will be twists and turns along the way (there always are) but maybe, just maybe, this will be the year when we get to hear Hans sing his song in May rather than July!