Next Belgium Manager Odds

Following the resignation of national team coach Roberto Martinez after Belgium’s shock exit at the 2022 World Cup, the Red Devils are on the lookout for a new manager.

Belgium finished third place in Group F behind the likes of Morocco and Croatia with just three points to their name, with their only victory coming via a 1-0 win over Canada on matchday one.

Prior to this, Martinez had a decent reputation at international level, having led Belgium to third place at the 2018 World Cup in Russia as well as to the semi-finals of the Nations League in 2021, where they were defeated 3-2 by France. Euro 2020 was seemingly where the doubts started creaking in about the Spaniard though, as they regressed to beaten quarter-finalists.

Could AS Monaco manager Philippe Clement be Martinez’s successor?

The 48-year-old who once plied his trade at Coventry City as a player in the 1998/99 season started his coaching career off at Club Brugge in 2011, working his way up from a scout, to their assistant manager, before leaving them in 2017 to join Waasland-Beveren as manager.

During his time at Waasland-Beveren, Clement won nine and drew five of his 22 matches as a manager, before taking the manager role at Genk where he won the Belgian Pro League title in 2018/19.

Following a successful spell at Genk, Clement once again moved on, taking charge of Club Brugge, where he won the Belgian top flight in both seasons as a manager (2019/20 and 2020/21) before leaving partway through his final season to coach Monaco.

Clement has a good record at AS Monaco, having managed to earn them a third-place finish, while this campaign, they are sixth in the table, four points adrift of Rennes after just 15 games.

Burnley manager Vincent Kompany has been heavily linked with the Belgium national team job, due to him being one of the nation’s most iconic footballing figures.

The ex-Manchester City defender has been superb at Burnley, overseeing a squad revamp at Turf Moor while applying his style of football on the side. The Clarets currently sit at the top of the Championship and have won 13 and drawn eight of their 23 matches under the 36-year-old.

Kompany has reportedly stated that he is committed to the Lancashire club as he believes that it may not be the right time in his career. However, in football you never know what is around the corner.

Thierry Henry is in the running for the job, with the 45-year-old currently in his second spell as assistant manager of Belgium.

In between these spells, Henry struggled in management, as he took charge of his former club, AS Monaco, where he won just four matches from 20, seeing him sacked In January 2019 after only getting the job in October the previous year.

He did slightly improve in his next role, as Henry was appointed as manager of Montreal Impact in November 2019 where he won nine of 29 matches, seeing the MLS outfit have their first play-off berth in four seasons. But, the Frenchman departed the club in February 2021 to be closer to his family.

Legendary Belgium goalkeeper Michel Preud’homme has also been put in the mix for the job.

The 63-year-old made a total of 58 appearances for the Red Devils between 1979 and 1994 and won a total of 13 major honours as a player, before becoming a manager.

During his time as a manager, Preud’homme managed to win a Belgian Pro League with Standard Liege in 2007/08, as well as a Belgian Cup with Gent in 2009/10, before moving away from his homeland. Preud’homme went on to manage FC Twente, winning the Johan Cruyff Shield in 2010, as well as the KNVB Cup in 2011.

Standard Liege’s Vice President’s achievements don’t stop here either, as he managed Saudi side Al-Shabab to the Saudi Pro League title in 2011/12 before returning to Belgium with Club Brugge - winning the Belgian Cup in 2014/15, the Belgian Pro League in 2015/16, as well as the 2016 Belgian Super Cup.

The final candidate on this list comes in the shape of former Borussia Monchengladbach striker Wesley Sonck.

At present, Sonck is the manager of the Red Devils Under 19s, having initially started off as Belgium’s Under 18s manager in August 2017.

Sonck has a decent record in charge of Belgium’s Under 19s side, having managed six matches, winning three and drawing two. Belgium currently sit second in their Under 19s European Championship qualifying group with four points from three games, three points behind Italy, but, one ahead of Finland and two clear of Germany.

During his playing career, Sonck scored 24 times in 55 matches for his country. Could he be about to step up as manager of their senior side?