2023-11-28 16:33:00
Club Bruges: a departure of Vincent Mannaert can no longer be ruled out
Still, this news is quite a bolt from the blue in the Venice of the north. It was announced to Club staff this Tuesday and was immediately made public. “President Bart Verhaeghe and the board of directors will take the time to find a suitable successor and will communicate in more detail about this in due course,” reads the press release.
Arriving in 2011, Vincent Mannaert was a key player in the recovery of Club Bruges. “The last 12 years have without a doubt been the most intense of my life,” he said in the press release. “It has been an absolute honor to lead this wonderful club, THE Club, with Bart and grow it to its full potential. I experienced unforgettable moments during these years, in the company of many colleagues, some of whom became true friends.”
According to initial information, it seems that it was Mannaert himself who made this choice. “I thought long and hard before making this decision. I will remain involved with the Blauw en Zwart as a shareholder. But as CEO, I will pass the torch and the time has come to take on other challenges”
Bart Verhaeghe also spoke after this decision which will change the future of Club Brugge. “For 12 years I worked intensively with Vincent and stood by him. I think we can rightly say that we have brought Club Brugge back to the place it deserves,” he said.
The club president added that he was happy to see his friend remain as a shareholder. He also wanted to reassure everyone: Club Brugge is not going to collapse without one of its strong men. “This organization is now strong enough not to depend on individuals. We have talented, competent and highly motivated staff at all levels. I will now take the time, with my Board of Directors, to find a suitable successor so that the Club can continue to grow and succeed.”
An incredible track record
As CEO, Vincent Mannaert changed the face of Club Brugge. After a great experience with Zulte Waregem, he arrived in Bruges with a project: to make himself the leading club in Belgium.
In twelve years, the Blauw en Zwart became champions five times, were runners-up four times and won a Croky Cup. On six occasions, Bruges appeared in the Champions League where they played in the round of 16 for the first time in their history last year.
If his sporting record is no longer in doubt, he has also given a big boost to the club’s economy. Under his leadership, Bruges increased its equity by 68 million euros and ended with a positive financial year on nine occasions.
Another interesting statistic: the club’s 22 best financial sales were made under his leadership. We have to go back to Timmy Simons’ departure for PSV to find any trace of a transfer in which he was not involved. Another time since it goes back to… the 2005/2006 season. Obviously, football changed during his mandate. But that says a lot about the place he had taken at Club Brugge.
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