Wouter Vrancken has publicly backed his successor Fred Vanderbiest. The former KV Mechelen coach, now at Scottish side Hearts, offered advice to help the current boss steer the team out of a poor start to the season.
Vrancken stressed that there is full confidence in Vanderbiest within the club, despite the bad results. KV Mechelen currently sit 18th in the Jupiler Pro League with just three points from seven games. The team is yet to win a match and is on a run of five games without a victory.
"You can see there is enough energy and drive in the group," said Vrancken. He added that everyone inside the club is doing everything to turn the situation around, but that it takes time to compensate for a loss in quality.
Vrancken's key advice to Vanderbiest was clarity. "If you have an idea in your head, the most important thing is to communicate it clearly to your group," he explained. "There's no point in doing crazy things or for the staff to start doubting."
The support comes at a critical time. On Sunday, KV Mechelen host STVV, who are 11th, in an attempt to break the negative spiral. The full standings show the scale of the catch-up required. The last defeat was a 3-2 home loss to Karpaty, with Bas Boersma and Million van Brederode on the scoresheet.
Ahead of the upcoming fixture, Vanderbiest can consult the current squad and injuries lists. The club had already issued a statement of confidence in the manager, a message now reinforced by his predecessor.
The original report is at voetbalnieuws.be
