Curtain falls for Van Meir

Former Belgian international Eric Van Meir is retiring from football to concentrate on coaching.

Technical role
The 35-year-old defender is joining the technical staff at his old club K. Lierse SK once his current contract at R. Standard de Liège expires on 1 July. Van Meir has not played for Standard since 26 October last year after suffering a major knee injury.

'Familiar environment'
The former Lierse captain was delighted to announce his return to his old club, saying: "I am very satisfied with this. It is good to be able to return to a very familiar environment and work with people I know very well.

New role
"I will lead the second team and give individual training to certain players of the first team, especially the defenders," he added. "I also will be the man that will maintain the connection between the youth department and the first team. I will guide the youngsters towards a professional career."

Goalscoring record
Much loved during his five-year spell at Lierse between 1996 and 2001, Van Meir won the Belgian First Division title with the club in the 1996/97 season. A regular scorer from defence, Van Meir found the target 58 times in 145 matches for the club. He also played 34 matches for Belgium, scoring once, and bowed out following the 2002 FIFA World Cup finals in Korea/Japan.

Belgian experience
Van Meir was at R. Charleroi SC before moving to Lierse. He left the club to join Standard in 2001.