| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Date of birth | 23 November 1952 (age 71) | ||
| Place of birth | Belgium | ||
| Managerial career | |||
| Years | Team | ||
| 2005–2006 | Újpest (assistant) | ||
| 2006 | Újpest[1] | ||
| 2007 | Sint-Truiden | ||
| 2008–2009 | Dessel | ||
| 2009–2011 | Beerschot A.C. (youth)[2] | ||
| 2011–2012 | KVK Tienen[3] | ||
| 2012–2013 | Swaziland | ||
| 2012 | Swaziland U20 | ||
| 2014–2016 | KFC Duffel | ||
| 2016 | KVK Tienen | ||
Valère Billen (born 23 November 1952) is a Belgian football coach. He has coached in Ivory Coast where he managed Satellite FC Abidjan.[4]
Coaching career[edit]
Swaziland national team[edit]
Appointed Swaziland head coach in 2012 on a one-year contract,[5] Billen was bought a new car by the National Football Association of Swaziland as a mode of conveyance was one of the rules his contract embodied.[6] With a monthly salary of 100000 Swaziland lilangenis,[7][8] and the Swaziland Football Association spending 40000 on his rent, the Belgian's first match was a friendly against Lesotho in October,[9] losing 2–1.[10] Two days later, he helped them achieve a 1–0 victory over Lesotho again.[11] Praising his players for their efforts that game,[12] his charges held Lesotho to a 0–0 stalemate[13] in their third and final friendly in preparation for the 2014 African Nations Championship qualifying two-legged round opposing Angola,[14] losing 1–0 both legs. That same month, the former footballer stated that his desire was to work with local coaches and predicted a rise in the FIFA World Rankings, claiming that they would improve dramatically over time.[15] In 2013, he went with the national selection to participate in the 2013 COSAFA Cup, not having a presentiment of failure and predicting that they would overcome all seemingly insuperable obstacles and deliver a good showing in the tournament;[16] however, despite a draw with Botswana in their opener,[17] the Sihlangu never progressed past the group stage, losing 2–0 twice to Kenya and Lesotho with Billen reconsidering his job as coach.[18] Being thrashed 10–0 by Egypt in a friendly worsened the trainer's position, with fans requesting for his immediate dismissal as they were not expecting such a scoreline;[19] but, despite fan pressure, the National Football Association of Swaziland still did not sack Billen[20] until November 2013, with local Harris Bulunga taking up the interim post.[21] The reason they gave for his firing was that he was in Belgium too often and spent more time there rather than helping the Swaziland Football Association.[21]
The coach temporarily returned to Belgium to care for his mother, who was ill.[22]
One year succeeding his appointment, Billen criticized his Swazi coaching colleagues, saying that they never allowed him to share his ideas.[23]
References[edit]
- ^ "Billen steps up for Újpest". 14 July 2006.
- ^ "Valère Billen landt op 't Kiel".
- ^ http://www.voetbalbelgie.be/nl/article.php?id=38391 [dead link]
- ^ "Valère Billen wordt trainer in Ivoorkust".
- ^ "Swaziland appoint Belgian Billen".
- ^ "Times of Swaziland".
- ^ "Times of Swaziland".
- ^ "Times of Swaziland".
- ^ "Billen's first step of a long journey | Ghanamma.com". news.ghanamma.com. Archived from the original on 7 November 2017.
- ^ "Times of Swaziland".
- ^ "Times of Swaziland".
- ^ "Times of Swaziland".
- ^ National-Football-Teams
- ^ "Times of Swaziland".
- ^ "Times of Swaziland".
- ^ "SuperSport".
- ^ "Botswana stumbles to a draw v Swaziland".
- ^ "Times of Swaziland".
- ^ "Times of Swaziland".
- ^ "Times of Swaziland".
- ^ a b "Valère Billen: Le sélectionneur belge du Swaziland viré !". 5 November 2013.
- ^ "Times of Swaziland".
- ^ "Times of Swaziland".