IT’S THE FINAL game of the 2011 Belgian League season and Genk are going for their first title in nine agonising years.
At home to second-placed Standard Liège – who need a win to take the title — Genk require a point to cap an incredible season with just their third ever title. As the final minutes slowly tick by, it’s 1-1 at the tense Cristal Arena and the predicted Liège onslaught has begun.
Five minutes from time, Liège’s prolific forward, Aloys Nong, is played in on goal. Eyeball-to-eyeball with the ‘keeper, the Cameroonian lets fly with a trademark strike into the top corner from point-blank range.
It’s sure to be Nong’s fifth goal in ten games and, undoubtedly, the greatest moment in the 27-year-old’s career. Only, Thibaut Courtois has other ideas.
The athletic 19-year-old pulls off the save of the season at the death, using every inch of his towering 6ft 6in frame to position his left elbow to deflect the strike over.
Incredibly, Courtois was not finished yet. From the resulting corner, the Belgian makes a breathtaking double save at his near post from two bullet headers.
It was the birth of Thibauting, the Belgian term for astonishing saves.
At the start of the season, few Genk fans had heard of this prodigious goalkeeper; now he was to win the club’s Player of the Year award, as well as being voted the league’s goalkeeper of the year after 14 clean sheets.
It all began with Franky Vercauteren, the only man, alongside Diego Simeone, to have coached Courtois at a senior club level.
Advertisement
“When I first met him in 2010, he was second or third-choice goalkeeper at Genk,” Vercauteren told TheScore.ie. “We had two very young, promising goalkeepers in the squad. It was quite strange coming into a club where you had two young goalkeepers of that quality in the squad. I had to make a choice between Courtois and Koen Casteels because our first-choice goalkeeper, László Köteles, was not registered in time for the Europa League.
“I chose Thibaut and it’s always a special memory, because it proved the right choice. It was an important decision and, as a coach, it’s something you always remember because it was such a difficult decision between two very good goalkeepers.
“But, Thibaut was a talented guy. Not only was he strong physically or technically but, mentally, he was a little bit exceptional. The top players have all those attributes together. He was not afraid to have ambition; he was not afraid of other players. Thibaut was very aware of where he wanted to go. It might seem I only have good things to say about him, but it’s the truth.
“Thibaut was very confident: he was just focused on what he had to do. A lot of players, when they start out, think: ‘I have to win. I have to play well. I cannot make any mistakes.’ But Thibaut believed in himself and his focus was on the right things. He was able to keep that focus on the right path. Most young players, especially goalkeepers, have difficulty in doing that but he put pressure on the older ‘keeper [Köteles] and never lost his place. He managed the pressure easily.”
Gregorio Lopez
Gregorio Lopez
Clearly, the teenager had the maturity and physique beyond his tender years and, perhaps, Courtois’ prodigious goalkeeping ability came from an unorthodox source: volleyball.
Courtois’ father, Thierry, was a professional volleyball player in the ’90s and the ‘keeper’s older sister, Valérie, has been capped 11 times by the Belgian national volleyball team since 2008.
“I’m sure that background helped. I believe that any other sport players have a background in can help them. I can’t understand the argument that if you’re a football player, you only have to play football. With the younger generation, the more things they do, the more it can help them – whether it’s volleyball, basketball or anything else.
“I think they can make a player a more complete athlete and help them learn to become better at different levels. Even mentally, I think it’s important for a top player to do different things.”
Starring in a team that featured the likes of Kevin De Bruyne and Jelle Vossen, Courtois proved crucial to Vercauteren winning his third Belgian title in 2011.
Inevitably, the Belgian’s displays triggered the interest of Europe’s top clubs and Chelsea agreed a £7.9 million deal in July 2011.
“I don’t like to say one player is important; you win a title with a team. There are some players who are not ‘in the picture’ like he was but, of course, he was outstanding in some games. He won us points, as others did, but even in the last game, he made saves that made us all jump out of our seats.
“I wasn’t angry that he went to Chelsea, as there were financial reasons for the club and the club needed money. Also, it was a fantastic opportunity for a player with great quality. I was very happy for Thibaut, because I think a player should always move to a higher level if they can. Why not? I helped him to move somewhere else at a better level, so I was happy for both Thibaut and the club.”
Vercauteren would follow Courtois out of the Cristal Arena that summer, joining Al Jazira in Abu Dhabi.
Currently managing K.V. Mechelen in Belgium’s First Division, Vercauteren will be among those watching Courtois take on his parent club, Chelsea, with Atlético Madrid tomorrow.
“I don’t think he will have a problem. He will handle the pressure. But, it will be very difficult for him because, for sure, there will be comments if anything happens. Imagine if he makes one mistake? Everyone will focus on that one mistake.
“If there are any problems, I don’t think it will be him because he will be able to put it all to one side. Mistakes can happen, but he’s a fighter and the easy way out for him would be not to play. I don’t think that’s come into his mind at all. I’m convinced he’ll give 200%.”
Genk's former goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois and his girlfriend pictured during the Jupiler Pro League match between KRC Genk. Press Association Images
Press Association Images
Ahead of the World Cup, Vercauteren – who won 67 caps for Belgium and played in three international tournaments between 1977 and 1988 – is convinced Courtois’ generation will deliver.
“I hope they will do better than our fourth-place finish in ’86, because this is a very good crop. The whole country knows it will be very difficult, because there are so many good teams with ambition. But we have a very talented squad, with quality and quantity. We have more than one good goalkeeper, more than one good forward. But, we could be surprised so this talented generation has to show what they can do at the World Cup. A quarter-final or a semi-final is the target.”
Having also coached Belgium in 2009, what does Vercauteren make of the supposed tensions within the squad along Flemish/Walloon lines?
“It was never an issue during my career. It’s always been about football. Of course, football can be more than a sport, politically, at times but when I played for the national squad, there was never a difference between the Flemish or the French. It was just one, quality national team. We left it to one side: we were our country’s representative. I think it’s the same today. There are a lot of problems and divides politically, but as a national team, we are one Belgium under one flag.”
Meet the man who made Thibaut Courtois number 1
IT’S THE FINAL game of the 2011 Belgian League season and Genk are going for their first title in nine agonising years.
At home to second-placed Standard Liège – who need a win to take the title — Genk require a point to cap an incredible season with just their third ever title. As the final minutes slowly tick by, it’s 1-1 at the tense Cristal Arena and the predicted Liège onslaught has begun.
Five minutes from time, Liège’s prolific forward, Aloys Nong, is played in on goal. Eyeball-to-eyeball with the ‘keeper, the Cameroonian lets fly with a trademark strike into the top corner from point-blank range.
It’s sure to be Nong’s fifth goal in ten games and, undoubtedly, the greatest moment in the 27-year-old’s career. Only, Thibaut Courtois has other ideas.
The athletic 19-year-old pulls off the save of the season at the death, using every inch of his towering 6ft 6in frame to position his left elbow to deflect the strike over.
Incredibly, Courtois was not finished yet. From the resulting corner, the Belgian makes a breathtaking double save at his near post from two bullet headers.
It was the birth of Thibauting, the Belgian term for astonishing saves.
At the start of the season, few Genk fans had heard of this prodigious goalkeeper; now he was to win the club’s Player of the Year award, as well as being voted the league’s goalkeeper of the year after 14 clean sheets.
It all began with Franky Vercauteren, the only man, alongside Diego Simeone, to have coached Courtois at a senior club level.
“When I first met him in 2010, he was second or third-choice goalkeeper at Genk,” Vercauteren told TheScore.ie. “We had two very young, promising goalkeepers in the squad. It was quite strange coming into a club where you had two young goalkeepers of that quality in the squad. I had to make a choice between Courtois and Koen Casteels because our first-choice goalkeeper, László Köteles, was not registered in time for the Europa League.
“But, Thibaut was a talented guy. Not only was he strong physically or technically but, mentally, he was a little bit exceptional. The top players have all those attributes together. He was not afraid to have ambition; he was not afraid of other players. Thibaut was very aware of where he wanted to go. It might seem I only have good things to say about him, but it’s the truth.
“Thibaut was very confident: he was just focused on what he had to do. A lot of players, when they start out, think: ‘I have to win. I have to play well. I cannot make any mistakes.’ But Thibaut believed in himself and his focus was on the right things. He was able to keep that focus on the right path. Most young players, especially goalkeepers, have difficulty in doing that but he put pressure on the older ‘keeper [Köteles] and never lost his place. He managed the pressure easily.”
Clearly, the teenager had the maturity and physique beyond his tender years and, perhaps, Courtois’ prodigious goalkeeping ability came from an unorthodox source: volleyball.
Courtois’ father, Thierry, was a professional volleyball player in the ’90s and the ‘keeper’s older sister, Valérie, has been capped 11 times by the Belgian national volleyball team since 2008.
“I’m sure that background helped. I believe that any other sport players have a background in can help them. I can’t understand the argument that if you’re a football player, you only have to play football. With the younger generation, the more things they do, the more it can help them – whether it’s volleyball, basketball or anything else.
“I think they can make a player a more complete athlete and help them learn to become better at different levels. Even mentally, I think it’s important for a top player to do different things.”
Starring in a team that featured the likes of Kevin De Bruyne and Jelle Vossen, Courtois proved crucial to Vercauteren winning his third Belgian title in 2011.
Inevitably, the Belgian’s displays triggered the interest of Europe’s top clubs and Chelsea agreed a £7.9 million deal in July 2011.
“I don’t like to say one player is important; you win a title with a team. There are some players who are not ‘in the picture’ like he was but, of course, he was outstanding in some games. He won us points, as others did, but even in the last game, he made saves that made us all jump out of our seats.
“I wasn’t angry that he went to Chelsea, as there were financial reasons for the club and the club needed money. Also, it was a fantastic opportunity for a player with great quality. I was very happy for Thibaut, because I think a player should always move to a higher level if they can. Why not? I helped him to move somewhere else at a better level, so I was happy for both Thibaut and the club.”
Vercauteren would follow Courtois out of the Cristal Arena that summer, joining Al Jazira in Abu Dhabi.
Currently managing K.V. Mechelen in Belgium’s First Division, Vercauteren will be among those watching Courtois take on his parent club, Chelsea, with Atlético Madrid tomorrow.
“I don’t think he will have a problem. He will handle the pressure. But, it will be very difficult for him because, for sure, there will be comments if anything happens. Imagine if he makes one mistake? Everyone will focus on that one mistake.
“If there are any problems, I don’t think it will be him because he will be able to put it all to one side. Mistakes can happen, but he’s a fighter and the easy way out for him would be not to play. I don’t think that’s come into his mind at all. I’m convinced he’ll give 200%.”
Ahead of the World Cup, Vercauteren – who won 67 caps for Belgium and played in three international tournaments between 1977 and 1988 – is convinced Courtois’ generation will deliver.
“I hope they will do better than our fourth-place finish in ’86, because this is a very good crop. The whole country knows it will be very difficult, because there are so many good teams with ambition. But we have a very talented squad, with quality and quantity. We have more than one good goalkeeper, more than one good forward. But, we could be surprised so this talented generation has to show what they can do at the World Cup. A quarter-final or a semi-final is the target.”
Having also coached Belgium in 2009, what does Vercauteren make of the supposed tensions within the squad along Flemish/Walloon lines?
“It was never an issue during my career. It’s always been about football. Of course, football can be more than a sport, politically, at times but when I played for the national squad, there was never a difference between the Flemish or the French. It was just one, quality national team. We left it to one side: we were our country’s representative. I think it’s the same today. There are a lot of problems and divides politically, but as a national team, we are one Belgium under one flag.”
Alex Ferguson is auctioning off his famous €3m wine collection
This Irish start-up is making snacks for some of the world’s top athletes
To embed this post, copy the code below on your site
Aloys Nong Atletico Madrid Belgium Chelsea Franky Vercauteren Genk Interview Jelle Vossen Kevin De Bruyne Koen Casteels Laszlo Koteles Thibaut Courtois thibauting