Domenico Olivieri, Michel Ribeiro and Eddy Vanhemel are completing the season at KRC Genk after the departure of Wouter Vrancken. That means they have the lead for three games. Or four, in case Genk finishes the Champions’ Play-offs in fifth place and still has to complete a European jump-off in front of its own audience against AA Gent.
The previous three interims of Olivieri, who wore the Genk shirt 272 times as a player, were shorter because they fell in the middle of the season and Dimitri de Condé quickly came up with the successor of the dismissed or departed coach. That is not happening now, because Genk understandably wants the new coach to start preparing for next season with a blank slate.
Striking: Olivieri has achieved the maximum number of points so far. In three takeovers he was head coach for two matches and KRC Genk won six out of six. A look back.
September 15, 2020: Olivieri gives good advice to Lucumi during the 3-1 win against KV Mechelen. — © JEFFREY GAENS
Domenico I: ten days between Wolf and Thorup
On September 15, 2020, Olivieri had to play for the first time, when Hannes Wolf was dismissed after a painful 5-2 collapse in Beerschot and a 2 out of 12. Together with Michel Ribeiro he was in charge for about ten days. KRC Genk played and won one match: KV Mechelen was beaten 3-1 at home. On the bench with the visitors was a certain… Wouter Vrancken.
Olivieri allowed Toma to make his debut, gave 17-year-old Oyen his first starting spot and brought Hrosovsky out of oblivion. After Mrabti’s 0-1, Onuachu (2x) and Ito corrected the lopsided situation. A few days later, Genk brought a new head coach on board with Jess Thorup.
When Thorup chose FC Copenhagen, Olivieri coached KRC Genk to the derby victory against STVV. — © JEFFREY GAENS
Domenico II: week between Thorup and Van den Brom
Barely a month later, Olivieri and Ribeiro were benched again during one of the strangest passages in club history. After a 4-0 win on Friday evening against Eupen and a great 11 out of 15, coach Jess Thorup left for his home city of Copenhagen for a weekend… never to return. He signed a contract with FC Copenhagen, in the run-up to the derby at Stayen.
A replacement was found quite quickly with John van den Brom, the Dutchman chose to follow the derby from the stands. He saw that interim coach Olivieri, who only chose Ito over Dessers compared to a week earlier, also completed his second assignment with flying colors. Two goals from Bongonda were enough for the 1-2 win, Suzuki’s equalizer was only good for the statistics.
Olivieri’s third period as interim coach was limited to the training field. — © JEFFREY GAENS
Domenico III: two days between Van den Brom and Storck
Olivieri’s third interim lasted just two days and was limited to the training pitch. Together with the Dane Glen Riddersholm, he filled the void that arose after the dismissal of John van den Brom. He ended his period in Genk with a draw (1-1) at KV Mechelen, which ended a black series at 5 out of 24.
Van den Brom was succeeded by Bernd Storck, who immediately took over. Appointed on Tuesday evening, he was already on the training field on Wednesday morning and was on the bench in the crucial Europa League match against Rapid Wien on Thursday evening. They lost 0-1, which meant that Genk did not hibernate in Europe. (mg)