John Textor, the American Chairman and majority shareholder at the Brussels football club RWDM, has sacked the club’s Head Coach Vincent Euvrard and three assistant coaches just four days ahead of the start of the new Belgian First Division football season. The decision to part company with Euvrard, who steered RWDM to promotion to the First Division, came a month after Textor relieved the club's popular former Chairman, minority shareholder Thierry Dailly, of his duties at the club.
As was the case then a difference in vision on the future of the club is cited as the reason for John Textor’s decision to part company with Vincent Euvrard and assistant coaches Jonathan Alves Fred Stilmant and Thierry Berghmans.
In a statement John Textor said, "Looking to the future we want to lay the foundations for consistent success in Belgium and eventually in Europe too”. The decision to sack almost the entire first team coaching staff at RWDM is a further sign that the American businessman, whose Eagle Club Holdings also includes the English Premier League Club Crystal Palace, the French Ligue 1 club Olympic Lyon and the Brazilian club Botafogo, is tightening his grip on RWDM.
Having been reborn just 8 years ago, RWDM gained promotion to the First Division after winning the Belgian Second Division Championship (photo above) last season. The club’s promotion to the topflight means that for the first time in 35 years there are now three Brussels clubs (Union, RWDM and RSC Anderlecht) in the Belgian First Division.
RWDM concluded their programme of pre-season friendlies on Sunday evening with a 1-0 home win against Olympique Lyon. The club’s first league match is this coming Saturday at home against KRC Genk.