Football Season Guide

Oostende are looking to keep up their steady progression as a side ready to challenge for honours every year after completing the best season in their history last year. They showed some superb football at times last season and managed to stay among the best four or five sides throughout the campaign. A win over Genk in a play-off clash at the end secured a sweet place in Europe and the hopes of the entire club are to do themselves justice there whilst also continuing to be among the top sides in the country. However, Yves Vanderhaeghe faces an unenviable task in managing expectations after the success from the last few years and he knows that it will be much tougher this season, especially after losing a top player like Landry Dimata. The big lanky striker was an unknown a year ago but has enjoyed a superb season and earned a move to the German Bundesliga. He has not been replaced so far, with Cyriac Gohi Bi back from a loan and expected to start as the lead forward. Adam Marusic is another important departure, moving to Lazio, and he also leaves a gap behind him after a superb campaign, having played in a multitude of positions. Nicolas Lombaerts may be a big name and his signing shows how far Oostende have progressed as a club. Yet, his best years are behind him and it remains to be seen whether he can be an effective player. The most exciting new addition is certainly Richairo Zivkovic, the speedy striker who was expected to become a top player a couple of years back but has struggled to progress since. Ramin Rezaeian also looks like a good addition at the back but the overall feeling remains that the squad is not quite complete and Oostende may have harder time in reaching the standards from last season.