We lack some tactical intelligence at Belgium, we are well aware of that. But there is not so much of an alternative. What Wilmots lacks in tactical genuis is made up in other fields. He is highly determined and a superb man manager. What is more, our players just wouldn't accept a change, they love Wilmots and they choose to have Wilmots. As a result, team moralle and cohesion is extremely good, our players are highly motivated on the pitch and that has it's worth too.
The Belgian national team changed in identity with Wilmots. Before Wimots many of our current players might have stood less of a chance of sellection. Now the Belgian national team has become a symbol of multiculturalism. It's weird but Wilmots has become something more than just a manager, he is becoming something of a National symbol. Belgian nationalism was never a strong thing, Belgium is a rather fractured country politically but our national team has rejuinated "Belgian pride" and gave new meaning to it, it brings community's toghether. Wilmots has always been a fighter for Belgium back in his footballing days, a symbol of determination and fighting spirit, someone who have us some pride in times where being "Belgian" was something of an Oxymoron. Wilmots has lots of political weight, maybe not easy to understand for an outsider.
Also he's not so stupid to not listen to his staff for what regards his shortcommings. We don't have any superb Belgian managers though, coudl you name one that is managing a top club?
yes we don't always get the most of some of our star players. The issue there is also that many of them are stars that benifit from a football system that is more oriented to their needs. We can't build a team around say just Hazard or KDB or Lukaku, bringing all that talent toghether in a perfect working package is not easy, they kinda all want to play their own game logicly. We have some "surprizing" performers at our team, fellaini most notably, even when he was having bad years at Manchester we played them despite laughter from abroad but he always kept providing for us (one of our top scorers) and he brings a certain element to our game that is usefull for the playing style of many of our players, as such it's remarkable how much he can be a miss if he's not on the field.
KDB is our main man, recognized in Belgium as our best player and he will play central in our team. His versatillety means that we can practicly always make him perform both with goals and assists. Hazard is more fitting to a certain pacy playstyle which we cannot always provide for him. We didn't get the best out of Lukaku neither but we are increasingly playing a more possesion based game and Lukaku had some work on that field a few years ago, but has visibly improved in that regard. And it was not like he didn't get his chances in the world cup, and he scored a goal too against USA, but in the first matches he had it difficult to yield for us and we had other options. Origi did very well for us in that campaing and is highly talented too, has a bit of a bad year now but watch that guy for the future.
As it was, we had options at the striker role. We had good strikers, but none really world class. Luka is getting there now though, it's going to be hard to look besides him. It's not an easy thing to put up Belgiums formation, were going to have a few difficult ones onto the EC. What about our captain Vince? He would be a miss but is not in form currently and we have good defenders to replace him. What about Fella? He hasn't got a great year neither but we play good with him, and yet KDB and Radja Naingolan will most likely be starters in the central mid so there is going to be plenty of competition for the last spot, and Moussa is doing quite well too. What about Hazard? Bad season now and we have other options there too.
Long post sorry, just giving you more insight into the Belgian team, and note that it's from the perspective of a relative amateur eitherhow, not saying youre observations don't hold value but this is more like the perspective going aroudn in Belgium. Lukaku will be most likely a starter though, under that beastly stature there is a kind heart and he is well liked in Belgium.
guess we can wait a decade now before reconsidering a splitup.
