Reactions after Union - Club

Nordin Jackers: "I grab the chances I get whenever the team needs me."

With Simon Mignolet unavailable having collided with Promise David on Thursday, Nordin Jackers manned goal at the Duden Park.

“You don't wish ill for no one, but I grab the chances I get. We knew this would be a vital game for both teams. We played a bit more organised than we are used to, but still we created enough chances to score. Unfortunately we didn't."

No miracle saves needed by Nordin, as Club's goalie was not called upon to a huge extent. “We hardly gave anything away today. I saw a lot of positive things we can take with us. Playing Union tends to be a tight affair, so it's no coincidence that I had so little to do. It also means that our block was well structured. It's a pity we only take one point from this game."

“It's still all pretty much in the open. We shouldn't be calculating our chances, and just take it one game at a time, and try to win all of them, and then we'll see", Club's goalie concluded.

Hans Vanaken: "Almost the perfect game, we just lacked that goal"

"We really deserved the win here, as we had the chances to score. We hardly gave anything away, but then it boils down to finishing your chances. Particularly when you realise you won't be getting many. It's never easy playing such a defensive block. We put in almost the perfect game, we just lacked that goal. Four games to go, and just one point difference. It's all to play for."

Nicky Hayen: "Merited the win the most"

Club the chances, Union the organisation, no one the goals. Still, Nicky Hayen had no trouble coming to terms with the draw in Brussels.

"We were more entitled to claim this win", the coach kicked off his analysis. "We lacked efficiency, however, so it's a missed chance. You are playing a very strong and sturdy opponent who can play well too. We had three excellent chances to be winning it today." Union is the type of team that keeps others from creating many chances. "That is correct. Score the opener, and you can try to unsettle them. They would have to come a bit more, and we can lean back and maybe try and do something on the break. They would have to show more initiative. As long as the score is at 0-0, they don't feel the need to come and they remain on top. The draw makes it all to play for, however."

The best chances fell to Talbi, but Club's youngster lacked efficiency today. "We do realise those chances have to go in if you want to achieve the highest trophy. You just have to tap them in, so it's a bit bitter that it didn't happen. I reckon today's Club Brugge was different than the team you saw on Thursday. With better intensity, matching that of Union. We brought the type of football to the pitch we like to represent, and the chances we created were well played out. Then there's that 'finishing touch' we missed to be claiming the three points." 1 out of 6 for Club against Union. "For all we know we could have drawn on Thursday and won today, given a bit more efficiency. It's all so close, and you can see it in the table with the three top spots. The differences between the teams are so slight, you have to make sure the details decide in your favour. We failed to do so today and on Thursday." A midweek game against Gent now awaits. "Antwerp also managed to claim the three poinst at Genk, so there will be no underestimating anyone. When you try to reach the biggest trophies, you just have to win that game." 

A striking moment at Club was skipper Hans Vanaken's replacement shortly before the end. "Hans had twisted his ankle, and asked to be subbed. You could see that it was of a slightly lesser quality, so there's no need to keep taking risks."

No rest for the wicked, as some tense weeks still await. "We've gone used to them with all those games in Europe, and we have to keep playing like that. We need to bring the same intensity as we did today. The key word is efficiency, and that was lacking today, and that will have to improve in our next games. We will do all we can to change that", Nicky Hayen concluded.