“This Saturday evening, we had to shout a little louder to be heard because there were so many people,” laughs Maxence Maisonneuve, almost speechless at the final whistle.
A collective more than individuals
Scorer on the 3-1, the defender validated the victory for his team after seeing Ghent reduce the score on a penalty to 2-1 in the 2nd period. “We never doubtedassures the 25-year-old Frenchman. In fact, it's even a scenario that we had already encountered this season. We knew how to keep a cool head. Apart from this goal, Ghent didn't have many chances either.”
His goal above all rewards an almost perfect season for the giant central defender. Arriving from the Olympic, he found his place in the center.
”The days before the match, I convinced myself that I was going to score and Adri came to serve me perfectlyhe says with stars in his eyes. The season is superb but it is mainly thanks to the collective. I came to this team without inventing a role for myself, I stayed true to myself. It’s my first title, the emotion is enormous.”
In a champion team which has had such a good season (13 points ahead with three games remaining, better attack, better defense and only one defeat in 30 games), Maxence Maisonneuve is not wrong in saying that success is collective. Very few elements of the pack can be placed in the “disappointments” category.
We have also gained in maturity this season.
In the cages, Mike Vanhamel did not have the most eventful season of his career given the domination of Louviers but the grandpa also played his role. At 34 years old, he is the only core player to have played every match!
”It’s thanks to my family, my loved ones but also my coach who pushes me to trainingexplains the Flemish TV consultant who was not afraid to go down as an “amateur”. I didn't take it as a risk because I'm a football fan. I loved playing in this division where there is a lot less chatter around and that feels good. I'm happy to have participated in this rise to D1B. This is the 5th title of my career and each one has a special flavor. Now, I hope that the adventure will continue and that I will pass this milestone with the RAAL.”
Approached by other teams, the goalkeeper does not know what his medium-term future will hold but he intends to continue to play a series of matches even if Valkenaers is still biding his time. “It's not me who makes the selection, smiled Mike. Every week, with the other goalkeepers, the competition is relaunched. I thank them because they have a thankless role. Arno is fabulous! I hope he gets an opportunity and I would like to get that 20th clean sheet.”
Present in important moments
This collective and family side as Vanhamel emphasizes is a bit what pushed this team towards the title while at one point, Lokeren had managed to make the break. Seven months later, the RAAL achieved the comeback it needed to win this 3rd title.
Questioning ourselves after our successes has been our strength.
”This season, we never missed a meeting, we were present in all the big matches and we were good in the approachanalyzes Victor Corneillie, the captain of the day. We were actually patient throughout the season, a bit like Saturday against Ghent who took the ball at the start. It was a bit the same against Lokeren. We also gained in maturity this season, which ultimately made the difference. We remained confident, we spent this period of sharing without worrying too much. And now, we were able to experience this apotheosis! In my career, this is my second title but the first with invasion of the field. What happiness! I hope to know more!”
Pointed, with Lokeren, as big favorites for the climb, the Louviérois did not tremble. However, the team had evolved quite a bit. Just like the staff where Micka Seoudi arrived as T2 last summer. A first that the former pro has achieved. “To be 13 points ahead, there are no secrets, it's the result of a lot of workenthuses T2. It's a feeling of pride to have won this for my first season. We managed to find great harmony in the staff and we progressed in daily life, in the way of working by finding solutions together in the most complicated matches. We showed that we deserved to be champions. We always questioned ourselves after our successes, that was our strength.”
