Belgium
“It is clear that we do not join this tournament as underdog. We had an excellent preparation with three wins over the Netherlands and Slovakia as well while playing with a relatively young team” he adds. “I was very impressed by the spirit displayed by my players. Some had just got back from their commitments in national leagues abroad that had come to a close only one up to four days before the start of the camp with the national team. This says enough about their mentality and their attitude. It was a joy to see the group playing and working together. It feels great to work with such group” Vande Broek – who has been a long-time mentor of the national team as well as of Asterix KIELDRECHT – stresses.
Nevertheless he does not underestimate his opponents in Kortrijk, i.e. Portugal, Switzerland and Northern Ireland. “Northern Ireland is a kind of newcomer on the international stage and I am very curious to see where they stand. However, Portugal and Switzerland are going to be our toughest competitors. Both have said they have the ambition to win this tournament and this means they are coming here very motivated” Vande Broek says. “However, our long-term goal is to be among the top 10 or even top 8 teams in Europe. And not just for one year, but a major force everyone always has to reckon with. I think that with this talented generation we have got the right potential to achieve this goal” he concludes.
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