YOUTH - OTHER On Sunday, Anderlecht will be in the spotlight when they travel to Antwerp, the club where Jean Kindermans is now making his mark. The former architect of Neerpede welcomes his ex-employer with mixed feelings, but above all with respect. In an in-depth conversation, Kindermans looks back on his years with the Purple & White, reflects on the club's current direction, and shares strikingly clear advice for one of its young standard-bearers: Nathan De Cat.
Although Kindermans has been active at Antwerp for a year and a half now, Anderlecht remains a reference point for him. Not by chance. For years, he was the beating heart of the Brussels youth academy, where an entire generation of Red Devils was shaped. “At Anderlecht, convincing talent was often easier,” he explains. “When parents asked about a future plan, I only had to point to names like Lukaku, Tielemans or Doku. That was the plan.”
According to Kindermans, Anderlecht is once again reaping the benefits of that philosophy today. “People sometimes say we were too soft at Neerpede back then. But look now: five or six players from that generation are carrying the first team today. That says enough.” He does regret that players like Sadiki and Stassin were let go too early. “Too much emphasis was put on data. Sometimes you also have to feel what a player can bring.”
In the current Belgian youth landscape, Anderlecht remains the benchmark in Kindermans' view. “Together with Club Brugge and Genk, Anderlecht form the absolute top, and for me they are still number one. That also has to do with resources: at Anderlecht, a significant part of the budget goes to youth development. You always see that difference in the long run.”
One name that symbolizes today's Anderlecht is Nathan De Cat. Kindermans follows his development closely and recently spoke with the player's family. His advice was clear and unambiguous: stay. “At least another season and a half at Anderlecht,” he says. “Become champion here, win a trophy, wear the captain's armband before long. Your value will rise naturally. Leaving too early for abroad often produces more benchwarmers than starters.”
He points to plenty of examples: Tielemans, Vermeeren, Doku, Lukaku, De Ketelaere. All talents who had to fight for minutes after their moves. “Why take that risk if you're undisputed here?”
When it comes to a possible return to Anderlecht, Kindermans remains cautious. His departure at the time was difficult, although the appreciation from figures such as Marc Coucke and Romelu Lukaku remained intact. For now, he is committed to his current role. “I'm under contract until 2029 and I'm working with full conviction on my project,” he says. Yet there is also a tone of reconciliation. “I didn't really leave Anderlecht. I stepped away from a club that had lost itself. Today, I see Anderlecht again as the club I worked for.”
On Sunday, the two clubs will face each other, but the conversation with Kindermans revolves above all around one conclusion: Anderlecht is becoming itself again. And that, he believes, is good news for Belgian football.
Source: © Internal source
