Belgium NT

  • I couldn't find any topic related to Belgium NT, so I decided to create new one.


    Here is an interview with Freya regarding the situation in national team. It's in polish so you need to use translator :D

    https://newonce.sport/artykul/freya-aelbrecht-wywiad-radomka


    Some translated parts here:


    You're right, we're not old after all. I am talking n about me, but also about Helene Rousseaux, Lisa Van Hecke, Laura Heyrman - we are all in our thirties, plus or minus one or two years.

    Why did the successes end there? In my case it is a matter of the coach (Gert Vande Broek). He kicked me out of the national team two years ago. In his opinion, I was already too old and did not fit the concept. He believed that it was time to rejuvenate the team and put on players just in their twenties. What was behind this idea? He honestly will never answer it. In my opinion, he did it to be an underdog all the time. Nobody blames you for losing, because the young players have to gain experience.


    In 2013-2015 we had a great team. After bronze eight years ago, there was a fifth place. Expectations grew around us, but we did everything to meet them. We were even close to going to the Rio Olympics. It wasn't too much for anyone except the coach. After EuroVolley 2017, he began the process of destroying the well-coordinated team. Charlotte Leys left quickly, and so did Valerie Courtois. Van Hecke and Heyrman said they have health problems and did not want to play anymore. On the other hand, I felt great, I wanted to continue performing. Vande Broek had to find a way to kick me out of the national team. Working with us, experienced players, began to overwhelm him. We played for top teams in Europe and he never went beyond Kieldrecht and Belgium.


    Moreover, he [Gert] has a job in the government which ensures good funding for the volleyball federation. He brings money, so he can say what he wants - that's the attitude. Because of this, no one wants to listen to us, the players. He has been in the national team for thirteen years. There is always an explanation for everything. "Lisa and Laura? They quit because of knee pain. "


    Helene Rousseaux didn't want to think too much about it. Charlotte and Valerie left on their own, but it's mostly the coach's fault. They didn't want anything to do with him anymore. One more problem remained - me. When he resigned from me, he said: -Just don't go to the media with it!

    - It is known that I will not call journalists now. I wanted to say goodbye to the fans so I wrote "thank you" on social media. After all, they were with me for ten years. The press soon began looking for answers to the question why I was no longer in the picture. Who did they call for clarification? To Vande Broek, not to Aelbrecht. No one was interested in my point of view.

  • quute strange. Such a promissing team. With all players, Belgium could be a dark horse for any team in the world.

  • I hate it when federation values dumb trainers more than players! It happened with Poland previously and now with Belgium.🤦


    Belgium could be such a dangerous team with veterans from previous generation + herbotts. They are missing a good setter but they have one high class player in every other position

  • Belgium is just like Netherlands. Full of promising talents but always has problems with the coach.

    How come? Only player who missed the NT was Meijners and even she came back at some point. Who else left NT due to coach?

  • Here is a trailer about the pains of professional Belgian athletes.

    H. Rousseaux, V. Courtois and Freya Aelbrecht describes psychological violence used by Vande Broek.



    "Emotional abuse is something that happened to our group. I am very afraid to talk about it. I am still afraid. I think not only me. I am glad that now I have the courage to do it" - H. Rousseaux


    All communication with the volleyball players was to be based on screams and screams:

    "It was" divide and rule "using the fear of the group." - Freya


    "After losing the semi-final at the European Championships in 2013, we were verbally abused for two hours. We were all too fat, it was derogatory. Many players cried for an hour" - Freya


    "I had to force myself to enjoy this medal at the European Championship" - Helene Rousseaux

  • It seems like the Belgian Volley Confederation isn't planning on changing anything soon: https://sporza.be/nl/2021/12/0…ande-broek~1638892077484/


    Besides, Herbots stated the following about Vande broek: "It clicks with everything and everyone. I think the whole team is 200 percent behind Gert Vande Broek right now. I think everyone is feeling good."


    Then again, Herbots and the rest of the current team are the generation after Rousseaux & co...

  • I was planning on watching back the documentary, but reading this, I can't believe Belgium volleyball federation don't listen to their players and Vande Broek still is the headcoach of Belgium NT:down:

    It's such a shame, because Belgium could be a competitive team if they would have all available players!

    I have respect for all the players who made the decision not to play for NT anymore, because the environment didn't felt well for them, since representing your own country is a big honor:saint:

  • The drama:white:


    Herbots can say whatever she wants, but this post and resignation from Van de Vyver clearly refutes everything. And she was (unlike the other 3) part of the team until last summer. Ilka said in the caption: "I decided that after last summer, I don't want to work in this culture anymore. I am all out..."


    Also I find the Belgian federation reaction so stupid. They're just looking away from the problems.


    Another article: https://sporza.be/nl/2021/12/0…ande-broek~1638857470426/

  • Lise van Hecke (currently Monza) confirmed the allegations of the other three and says she supports them 100%. Van de Vyver's post is also picked up by Belgian media now.


    So far it's very much the former players against everyone else in Belgian volleyball. Right now everyone in the federation back ups each other under the guise of "I have known him for such a long time."

    I can't because that's exactly the opposite of the right response (and the federation should know since these kind of cases were all over sports and other industries in the last years). Good to see other volleyball players giving support on social media. I'm curious this wil develop...


    (fun fact: Valerie Courtois is the sister of Belgian/Real Madrid goalkeeper Thibault Courtois)


    Some more:

    https://sporza.be/nl/2021/12/0…n-de-coach~1638811905752/

    https://sporza.be/nl/2021/12/0…iet-rijmen~1638863136257/

    https://www.hln.be/meer-sport/…t-is-mijn-keuze~a316e711/

    https://www.nieuwsblad.be/cnt/dmf20211206_98027511

    https://sportmagazine.knack.be…l?cookie_check=1638902060

    https://sportmagazine.knack.be…article-news-1809929.html

  • Exactly! It's a shame that the confederation acts like this. They look stupid with their weak statements, completely ignoring and discarding everything the Van Hecke & co are saying...:down:


    And indeed, it's good to see that the players got each other back! And also curious how this will play out, especially with all the current players staying silent (except for Herbots and her uhm... 'opinion')

  • Also Laura Heyrman supports the words said about vande Broek.


    https://www.demorgen.be/nieuws…3A%2F%2Fwww.google.com%2F

  • Lol so now all the players who were literally the backbone of Belgian volleyball for years, all confirmed it:

    - Heyrman

    - Rousseaux

    - Van de Vyver

    - Albrecht

    - Van Hecke

    - Courtois


    Imagine all those players in the NT with a decent (foreign) coach... that would be a pretty competitive team. Ofc not all of them are in the best shape anymore but they still play at top teams in the world and have tons of experience. Good news that there will be an investigation now. I'm wondering whether Herbots will change her opinion, and what the opinion of other current NT players is

  • I'm wondering whether Herbots will change her opinion, and what the opinion of other current NT players is

    I also would like to know what's Dirickx's opinion on that. She also has been part of that 'old' national team and now she is working with Gert in NT.

  • I'm curious Charlotte Leys will make a statement, since she was captain of Belgium NT for many years. As captain she probably had to communicate the most with vande Broek. She quit playing for NT already at the age of 28 and it was at the same time as Courtois, wouldn't be surprised if her retirement from NT had something to do with vande Broek...

    Also Frauke Dirickx was one of the most important players for Belgium NT for many years. If I'm not wrong, she is currently assistant coach of vande Broek, so I don't think she has a problem with him:/


    From the current squad I expect van Gestel to become the new captain, so maybe she will make a statement?