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Brugge target title repeat

Champions Club Brugge KV have rebuilt under coach Jan Ceulemans who will hoping to keep RSC Anderlecht at bay.

By Berend Scholten

Club Brugge KV have made sweeping summer changes despite winning the title last season. The northern Belgian side led by as many as 15 points, although a late stutter saw their margin of victory cut to three. But it will be a new-look side that lines up against R. Excelsior Mouscron on Friday evening for their opening game of the 2005/06 season.

Belgian heroes
Norwegian coach Trond Sollied has left for Greek side Olympiakos CFP and was replaced by KVC Westerlo coach Jan Ceulemans, who brought with him another playing legend, Franky Van der Elst, to be his assistant.

Simons departs
Captain Timmy Simons has left, along with Nastja Ceh, David Rozenhal and Peter Van der Heyden. 27-year-old Croatian international Ivan Leko has arrived along with Belgians Gregory Dufer and Sven Vermant, both midfield players, and defender Joos Valgaeren of Celtic, hoping to keep RSC Anderlecht at arm’s length.

Degryse targets title
"We have signed experience in order to become champions again. You cannot rest on your laurels just because you won the title last season," said Club Brugge sporting director Marc Degryse.

Vercauteren momentum
Anderlecht are again the main challengers, with coach Franky Vercauteren hoping to continue the impressive form shown since he took over from Hugo Broos in February 2005, leading the Brussels club to second place.

Dindane departure
Belgian international Silvio Proto should sort out their goalkeeping problems after his transfer from RAA Louviéroise, while another international, Bart Goor, is back from Feyenoord. Striker Aruna Dindane was sold to RC Lens, but Turkish talent Serhat Akin, fresh in from Fenerbahçe, will be hoping to fill his boots. They have retained key players Vincent Kompany, Nenad Jestrovic and Christian Wilhelmsson, indicating their readiness for a serious challenge.

Standard expect
With the top two in such expansive mood, KRC Genk and R. Standard de Liège may again have to settle for the minor places. Expectations are high in Liège as Portuguese winger Sérgio Conceição, Milan Rapaic and Sambegou Bangoura have all agreed to stay with the club, while Genk replaced coach René Vandereycken with Broos despite the former achieving UEFA Cup qualification.

Minnows set for struggle
At the other end of the table, promoted sides SV Roselare and KSV Zulte-Waregem have their work cut out to stay among the élite. If they do, last season’s strugglers KSK Beveren, K. Sint Truidense VV and FC Molenbeek Brussels Strombeek could be in for an uncomfortable time.

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