De Jong: "Anderlecht is no longer Anderlecht"

INTERVIEWS Max de Jong left RSC Anderlecht in mid-May, after eight years. A decision he made being set apart for Jelle ten Rouwelaar. De Jong mainly wants to remember the good things after his dimissal, but he also saw the club change more and more since arrival of Marc Coucke.

"Of course I am disappointed after my resignation", de Jong begins his story, "But mostly I want remember the good things, three titles, four times in the Champions League. I was eight years at the club, so I can say I have Anderlecht's DNA and then it was done".

Relieved and disappointed

"I have two feelings about my resignation: relief and disappointed. The first because I am now back with my family and because the club has changed a lot in the last two years. Since the arrival of Marc Coucke, Anderlecht is no longer the same. The family caracter has disappear. The atmosphere has also completely changed. Everone looks over the shoulder and is afraid of losing their job. So they no longer dare to say what they think".

Disappointed because I thought I had a little more credit in those eight years. The intention was first that I also train another goalkeeping coach in my senior year. When Jelle ten Rouwelaar arrived, it became clear that I was no really going to be allowed to do anything; I was no longer allowed to determine the content of the workouts. Then I kept my honor. I did not want to be the fifth wheel of the car in my last year".

Financial agreement

When de Jong indicated he wanted to leave, the difficult part began: finding a financial deal. "It was not a simple task. At one point, Vincent Kompany also participated in those discussions and then he was tired. I called to Michael Verschueren and told him to drop some of the money I was entitled to, so now I read that they are going to increase capital, I have not been treated correctly".

Kompany wants to moove so fast

"Kompany's qualities are out of the question, only he wants to advance so fast. He also did not have a fair chance as a coach, he also thought that Anderlecht had already progreded".

"The goalkeepers I have worked always given me positive reviews, so I stayed with the club for eight years. I am not going to shout that I am the best, but in those eight years, none of my goalkeepers has had a muscle injury, He also gave them little tips on how to increase theri confidence".

Farewell messages

"I sent a farewell messages to almost every keeper I have ever worked with: Proto, Roef, Kaminski, Sels, Van Crombrugge. Also Kudimbana, who once worked as a third goalkeeper. That was good and enough work I have done".