A Swiss match with two Belgians in it, well, two of ours from the past: for me, that’s a Belgian match. Lausanne were at home to Thun. On the Lausanne bench, Luka Elsner, who coached Standard for six months. For Thun, Brighton Labeau, a former Union striker. I posted it in “Sunday Devils” before I even knew the score. My brother-in-law replied with a thumbs-up. He always replies with a thumbs-up.
70th minute: Lausanne lead 4-1. That’s historic. I’m weighing my words. An ex-coach from the Jupiler league (Belgium’s top flight) putting four past someone is proof that our championship produces people.
Twenty minutes later: 4-5. Thun scored four goals in twenty minutes, and the last one is Labeau, late in added time. That’s a disgrace. I’m weighing my words too. Except it’s a former Union player scoring, so it’s historic. So my thermometer shows both, and it has started leaking from the bottom.
The detail that finished me off: Labeau only played at Union after Elsner had left the club. They never crossed paths in Brussels. It took Switzerland. It’s a sign, and I still don’t know of what.
Then Lausanne-Sport ended their collaboration with Elsner. In their statement, quoted by Voetbalkrant, the club says results are decisive in professional football. I’m not saying that because I’m a supporter. Well, yes: with 4-1 on 70 minutes, I’d have kept the coach until the 70th minute of the following week, at least.
Nadine, at 4-1 I make two substitutions for the kids. It’s never cost me a game. We’ve never led 4-1, admittedly.
I ate my cone of chips cold, for morale. Now we take it one game at a time, you know. Even Thun’s.
It’s true, we checked: Voetbalkrant.
