June 27 – Gérard Linard (pictured), the new chairman of the Belgian Football Association (KBVB), wasted no time criticising his predecessor Francois De Keersmaecker, saying that the federation needs to end its current malaise and modernise.
“Under the previous chairman there was a bit of a malaise,” said Linard. “Something new was needed. Nothing moved, I started the innovation. For the good of football it was necessary, as well as for our relationships to the outside. There is much talk about modernisation, digitalisation and progress. Putting that into practice is a task in itself.”
Linard, a 74-year-old businessman, defeated Gilbert Timmermans by 14 votes to eight. He will take over from De Keersmaecker, who served six terms as president, but was not up for reelection.
Linard was the head of the FA’s francophone wing and his candidature was successful with the support of the Walloon amateur clubs and the professional clubs, who vehemently opposed De Keersmaecker. The Flemish Amateur League backed Gilbert Timmermans.
Previously Linard was also CEO ad interim of the KBVB and he helped streamline the FA’s finances, which hit a high – at least the revenue – with the success of Belgium’s national team. Linard will delegate the delicate negotiations about the bonuses for the ‘Red Devils’ to Bart Verhaeghe and Mehdi Bayat.
The new chairman hasn’t ruled out that the national team may have to play its matches abroad when the Heysel stadium becomes unavailable in 2018. Currently the Eurostadium, which will be Brussels’ venue for Euro 2020, is encumbered with procedural and legal difficulties holding up its construction.
“There is a need for a stadium of 40,000 spectators, otherwise we will lose money and that’s something we can’t afford,” commented Linard. “But if the stadium will be built in Brussels or if two or three clubs will build one that is big enough, isn’t that important?”
“There is a solution, even though I don’t know if it is desirable: to play abroad,” offered Linard. “There are stadiums in France and the Netherlands, though I don’t say we have to do that. I don’t even know if it is possible.”
Linard is the first Walloon chairman of the Belgian FA in 50 years. However, at 74, he will only be in the position for a year as FA rules state that chairperson must retire at the age of 75.
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