Derijck provides Belgian backing

Already reputed for his defensive steel, Belgium captain Timothy Derijck has repeatedly demonstrated an attacking mettle to match, and his versatility could be crucial to his side's chances at the 2006 UEFA European Under-19 Championship.

Goalscoring threat
Unaware of what was happening in the other Elite round Group 6 fixture, Belgium's bid to reach Poland looked to be ending in failure going into added time of their final game against Northern Ireland. Needing a win to secure qualification, Marc Van Geersom's team had contrived to squander a 2-0 lead when Feyenoord man Derijck rose to head in and make it 3-2. It brought a nice symmetry to the Belgians' qualifying campaign as the former RSC Anderlecht teenager had netted the first goal of their opening match seven and a half months before.

Defensive steel
In between times, Derijck did not miss a minute of action and although a tally of three goals – he notched the same figure in 2005 qualifying – hints at his attacking threat, his primary role is defending. Able to play anywhere across the back line or as a holding midfielder, the 1.85m-tall youngster not only dominates the air but also has that rare commodity in football – two strong feet. Already Derijck is demonstrating why Anderlecht fought so hard, albeit in vain, to keep him last summer.

Obvious backbone
Chances were limited at Feyenoord but a loan spell at NAC Breda brought crucial first-team experience. It means he travels to Poland with the practice to accompany his talent, and Derijck, former Anderlecht team-mates Jonathan Legear and Roland Lamah, as well as LOSC Lille Métropole's Kevin Mirallas, are likely to provide Belgium's backbone. They will need to hit the ground running as the Czech Republic await in their opening fixture.