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Q & A: Belgium coach Robert Waseige
Posted: Tuesday April 23, 2002 2:43 PM
What
are your chances at the World Cup?
Let's get the first round out of the way and then we'll talk about
them. Obviously, our first game, against Japan, is very important
if we want to reach the next stage.
Who
will win the World Cup?
Argentina are the obvious favorites but you cannot rule out either
France or Brazil.
Who
will be the surprises?
I think that Japan are going to be the main surprise, which may
not be good news for us. No one in Europe knows much about them,
but at least we have seen them on video.
Which
player will be the star?
Francesco Totti is the player I most like watching. He is very strong,
has enormous talent and I'd like to think he will be the star of
the tournament, followed perhaps by Zidane and Raul.
Will
the conditions affect you?
We'll be there on May 23, which will give us plenty of time to acclimatise
to the Japanese weather. There should be no problem.
Can
Belgium regain the form they showed in the play-offs against the
Czech Republic?
Of course we can. Since our qualification we have been unable to
play our strongest team in the games against Norway and Greece.
The pitch was very bad on the night of the Norway game and we could
not play at our normal level. The injury that has kept out Emile
Mpenza hasn't helped. Also, I have rested certain players and experimented
in defense in an effort to find the perfect partnership.
Can
you find room for both Johan Walem and Marc Wilmots in your team?
It all depends on whether I need Wilmots for the attack and that,
in turn, depends on Mpenza's fitness. Wilmots is very versatile,
and if everyone is fit, I think that he would be the preferred choice
in midfield. Unless Wilmots plays just behind the front two, there
is not room for both players in midfield.
What
is your ideal attacking partnership?
It could be Emile Mpenza and Wesley Sonck, but Mpenza's ankle injury
means that we still have not had the opportunity of trying them
together.
Would
you ever be prepared to change from your preferred 4-4-2 formation?
No. I have always said that 4-4-2 is my strategy, and so far it
has been relatively successful. I don't like to adapt for the sake
of the opposition.
Do
you feel the pressure knowing that Belgium's disappointing showing
at France 98 effectively ended Georges Leekens' time as coach?
I don't feel any pressure because my contract takes me up only until
the end of the finals. The Belgian FA president, Jan Peters, has
said that he wants to extend my contract until Euro 2004. If everything
works out well for us in Japan, then maybe I'll stay on longer.
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