Colin Coosemans replaced him playing his first minutes with the A team at the end of his fourth season at Anderlecht. He had tears in his eyes. And Mads Kikkenborg, the goalkeeper bought from Lyngby at the end of January after the departure of Maxime Dupéfelt other emotions, much less positive, seeing himself pushed aside to his great astonishment.
Brian Riemer did not want to argue, explaining that Coosemans was currently Schmeichel's understudy thanks to his experience against Kikkenborg (24 years old) who has never played outside the Danish championship. But it is clear that the fight among the goalkeepers is for the number 2 position. “I never gave up, even when Mads arrived. I worked a lot. My rise to the game is the fruit of this work”welcomed the former Ghent and Club Bruges goalkeeper.
I didn't want to become a caricature of myself. I'm not just an ambiance player, I remain a guardian.
More than an hour after the final whistle, Coosemans (31) still had his eyes red with emotion as he spoke. “It's happiness, after so much time waiting. I have always been positive in the locker room, playing a big brother role, but I never wanted to become a caricature of myself. I’m not just an ambiance player, I’m still a goalkeeper.”
These 45 minutes, managing the day-to-day affairs of a match that was already over, hurt Kikkenborg. A few days ago, he gave an interview to the Danish newspaper Tipsbladet. He did not hide a certain frustration. “I didn't come here to be on the bench or even sit in the stands. I hoped for more but I continue to work a lot. I see that I am getting back to my best level in training after a difficult first few weeks.”
Kikkenborg had never lived outside Denmark. “For now, I'm staying in a hotel. I also had an Airbnb. There are a lot of practical things to sort out. It was a shock to play abroad for the first time. But don't imagine that I cry every night at home. I was able to count on the help of the other Danes, especially my former teammate Anders Dreyer with whom I also went to secondary school. Thanks to them, I feel less alone.”
I'm staying in a hotel after sleeping in an Airbnb. Playing abroad for the first time was a shock.
The Danish goalkeeper will have to wait. Unless there is a massacre among the goalkeepers, he will not play in the playoffs. Riemer is not worried, however. “Mads arrived from a small club. He must learn another way of playing football and resolve certain things off the field. From next season, I expect him to be able to provide competition.”
Denmark's number 1 within three years?
At Anderlecht, we know that Kikkenborg has real potential. It is not Freyr Alexandersson, the coach of Kortrijk and the former coach of the Danish goalkeeper at Lyngby who will say the opposite. “Mads has a lot of class. I wouldn't be surprised if he is Denmark's number 1 goalkeeper in the next three years. He has an incredible winning mentality. But he shouldn't stay on the bench for too long. I don’t think we will one day see him in the RSCA goal given the choices that are made.”
A problem that Riemer and his staff will have to resolve next season.
