INTERVIEWS Antoine Sibierski has officially taken up the role of technical director at Anderlecht. The Frenchman was at Neerpede yesterday to finalise the last formalities. He brings substantial experience — and a personal story that has deeply shaped him. His approach is straightforward, thorough and uncompromising.
“I won't let anyone obstruct me,” he says. Sibierski is modest about his playing career — “I wouldn't call myself an exceptional footballer” — yet he built a respectable trajectory. “I lacked pace and flair, but made up for it with commitment, discipline and the right mentality.” He turned out for clubs in France and England, including Nantes, Lens and Manchester City, and finished his playing days at Wigan. After retiring he stayed in England and worked as a player agent alongside his brother. His life was struck by tragedy in 2010 when his daughter died at 18. The loss left deep marks and led him to create a foundation that supports vulnerable young people.
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Continue reading He later returned to France, serving as technical director at Lens and working as a scout for Hull City, while also completing coaching education. His most recent appointment was at Troyes, where the City Football Group installed him as sports director. At Troyes he immediately impressed with a wide-ranging, well-thought-out vision. “I presented a plan across dozens of slides explaining my method. If I do something, I want to do it properly,” he says. That translated into swift, decisive changes in the backroom staff soon after his arrival — changes he considers part of his remit. “You must dare to intervene when something doesn't work. Always with thought, but without delay.”
Discipline, commitment and humility are central to his philosophy. “If you don't buy into that, this isn't the place for you.” When selecting a coach he is meticulous: long interviews, assessment across three key areas — personality, coaching and management — and even simulated situations to test reactions. Under his leadership Troyes enjoyed both sporting and financial success: promotion to Ligue 1 and significant transfer revenues. Still, a split with the board followed, notably over the club's sporting autonomy.
“Debates are fine, but I have to be able to do my job,” he says. That rupture has paved the way for a new chapter at Anderlecht, where Sibierski prefers to build quietly and from the shadows. Expect few interviews: “I'd rather speak with deeds than words.”
