Football Season Guide

Zulte Waregem turned into one of the more impressive teams in the league towards the tail end of last season. They came within one game of actually getting a Europa League slot as well but a defeat to Genk in the final play-off game meant that they missed out, having really struggled to gel in the first half of the season. Francky Dury made some impressive mid-season signings in the form of Theo Bongonda and Hamdi Harbaoui that made Essevee much more effective in attack and they start the new season with some sense of momentum and clear idea how they want to play. The squad has been bolstered in some positions ahead of the start of the season and Dury already feels that he has his core starting 11 at place with a couple of weeks of pre-season left. Keeping Bongonda on a permanent deal after his strong run in the spring is certainly the best piece of business that the club has done so far. Signing veteran Thomas Buffel looks like an interesting move too as he definitely still has something to offer at this level while centre-backs Marco Burki became a Swiss champion last season and will contend for a starting slot. Midfielder Florin Tardeau and defender Erdin Demir also look like players capable of enhancing the squad. The squad has been stripped of just one first-team regular so far as Brian Hamalainen has left for German side Dynamo Dresden. A host of players who were on loan last season have departed as well but the squad already looks to have good depth and spread of quality, with the one concern being the lack of real alternative to Harbaoui up front. Zulte-Waregem look ready to challenge for the play-offs again and in Dury have a very experienced coach who knows his squad inside out. Therefore, they will be expecting of themselves to do better and prove more of a nuisance for the top clubs this time around.