Latest news with #Antwerp
Daily Mail
a day ago
- Sport
- Daily Mail
Former Liverpool fan favourite is SACKED after suffering relegation from Belgian top flight... as club reveals they've already hired his replacement
Former Liverpool star Dirk Kuyt has been fired as manager of Belgian side Beerschot. The 44-year-old was appointed by Beerschot in December 2023 and guided the club to promotion to the Belgian Pro League in his first season. However, the club struggled in the top flight and were relegated after just five wins from 36 matches. Beerschot have now parted ways with Kuyt despite his popularity with supporters. 'The club sincerely thank Dirk Kuyt for his commitment, dedication and positive contribution,' said Beerschot in a statement. 'His energy and involvement were a source of inspiration within the team. We wish him every success in the continuation of his coaching career. 'The new head coach will be introduced later today.' Speaking last month, Kuyt admitted he was unhappy criticised the club's poor facilities 'The worst thing I found was that at one point we simply didn't have a field to train on', he told Het Laatste Nieuws. 'We couldn't train on the field during the last training session before our home match against Union Saint-Gilloise, as there was no training ground available and our main field was being rebuilt. We worked in the gym and prepared the boys with video footage.' He added: 'At one point, I started driving around Antwerp itself looking for fields to train on. I saw amateur clubs that had five or six fields, while we didn't have a single one. It was appalling. I mean what I say: I don't feel too good for anything. I'm happy to work hard and give it my all, but only in the role for which I was hired.' The Dutchman previously managed Feyenoord's youth sides and had a short-lived stint in charge of ADO Den Haag, where he was also sacked after just 16 games. As a player, Kuyt is best known in England for his time at Liverpool where he became a fan favourite. During his six seasons on Merseyside the former Holland international scored 71 goals in 285 games for the Reds and was part of their 2011-12 League Cup success - scoring in the final against Cardiff City. He departed Merseyside in 2012 and joined Fenerbahce where he spent three years before make the switch back to Feyenoord and eventually retiring in 2017. At international level, Kuyt made 104 appearances for the Netherlands, scoring 24 goals.
Vogue
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Vogue
Ann Demeulemeester Resort 2026 Collection
Before being handed the reins at Ann Demeulemeester in 2023, Stefano Gallici—still shy of 30—cut his teeth briefly interning under Haider Ackermann in Antwerp. Call it karma, Antwerp was in the cards. He's now the heir to the queen of the legendary Antwerp Six, stepping into her '90s legacy of poetic, elegant grit. Demeulemeester's signature was always more than fashion; it was a mood, a sound. Through her bond with Patti Smith, she channeled a kind of raw, androgynous, sonic minimalism. Gallici seems to get it — his high-wired bohemia pulses with the frequency of today's music communities. Rumor has it, he and Demeulemeester trade playlists. Gallici is bookish and cool, quoting Kerouac and waxing poetic about West Coast literature; he has also studied the playbook, and he's rewriting it in his own ink. Respectful of the archive, yes, but not quite reverent. He's got the future wide open, and enough swagger to leave his mark. The '90s three-piece silhouette that cemented Demeulemeester's place in fashion's hall of fame has been reimagined more than replicated. Lines are still slender and layered, but structure is more deliberate, with a sense of both control and abandon. Tailoring is now softly oversized, but precise; black and white still has pride of place, but is counterbalanced by a subtle palette of sage, powder pink, and beige. Dévoré velvet calls for romance. Denim, bombers, varsity jackets, bikers, and perfectos are folded into the mix. A wardrobe for the tribes Gallici runs with. 'For Ann, it was the pulse of late-'70s East Coast—CBGB, Max's Kansas City, that downtown grit,' Gallici says. 'For me, it's West Coast—Beat poets, San Francisco, Morrison, Ginsberg, Neal Cassady. That's my language.' He's definitely riffing on his own tempo.
CNA
2 days ago
- Business
- CNA
European lawmakers call for tighter controls on foreign ownership of key ports
ANTWERP, Belgium: Some European lawmakers are increasingly calling for tougher regulations on foreign ownership of critical transportation infrastructure within the European Union, amid mounting concerns over security risks. Chinese companies currently hold stakes in more than 30 European ports - a vital component of the bloc's trade network. The stakes are high as about 75 per cent of goods entering or leaving Europe do so by sea. Over 800 million tons of goods passed through the continent's major ports in the third quarter of last year alone. Essentials such as food, energy supplies and military equipment pass through these vital maritime gateways, raising alarm about their potential to be targeted in geopolitical conflicts. CHANGING NATURE OF THREATS Ana Miguel Pedro, a Member of the European Parliament representing the European People's Party, flagged the evolving nature of threats to critical infrastructure. 'Threats, they don't always come in the form of war. The modern threats are even harder to see,' she told CNA. She cited examples like GPS signal interferences and cyberattacks, as well as damage inflicted to internet undersea cables. In November last year, two telecommunications cables were cut in the Baltic Sea within a 48-hour period, prompting suspicions of "sabotage" and "hybrid warfare". The severing was reportedly linked to a Chinese ship. The European Commission recently raised concerns about foreign control over what it terms "critical transport infrastructure'. It placed particular emphasis on the risks associated with sensitive information flow through ports, including details relevant to operations by the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) military alliance. Pedro is among those calling for tighter regulations. 'We need to address not only the capital but as well the controls, who has the operational access, who manages the data, who supplies the port software,' she noted. UNEASE AROUND CHINESE FIRMS The current unease has lately centred on Chinese firms that have a large footprint across Europe's ports. Companies such as COSCO and China Merchants control stakes in over 30 of the continent's biggest terminals. Such investments intensified over a decade ago, driven in part by a European port sector heavily in debt. Last year, EU-China trade stood roughly at US$970 billion, or about a third of the world's gross domestic product. However, concerns over China's alignment with Russia amidst the ongoing war with Ukraine has reportedly led to growing anxiety over potential conflicts of interest, according to a recent report by Polish think tank Centre for Eastern Studies. 'We see that strategic interests are drifting apart,' noted Konrad Poplawski, the think tank's coordinator for connectivity and regional integration. 'Therefore, having an actor or even private entities in a strategic infrastructure under the influence of such a partner - it's not so sustainable as before.' One notable example is the port of Antwerp-Bruges - the second largest in Europe - which has attracted significant Chinese investment through the Belt and Road Initiative. In a statement provided to CNA, the port said a balanced approach is needed when it comes to foreign investment, and the goal should be to effectively detect and prevent undesirable foreign interference without hindering the openness that fuels economic growth. The need to keep trade flows open was echoed by the China Chamber of Commerce to the EU. It emphasised the need to keep trade flows open, noting that security discussions should be grounded in facts. 'First of all, (the Chinese companies) were transparent. Secondly, they complied with the EU and national level laws, so we should not ignore the facts,' said the chamber's director of communication and research Linlin Liang. 'And thirdly, it's very important to distinguish and not to politicise the business sector and the trade sector.' Amid recent US-China tensions over control of the Panama Canal, the issue of foreign ownership of ports has been increasingly on the radar of European officials.
Scottish Sun
3 days ago
- Sport
- Scottish Sun
Michel Ange-Balikwisha to Celtic latest as Hoops make fresh approach for winger'
Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) CELTIC are reportedly locked in talks with Antwerp over a potential deal for winger Michel Ange-Balikwisha. The 25-year-old wide-man has been a long-time target for the Scottish champions, having first emerged as a target last summer. Sign up for the Celtic newsletter Sign up 2 The Antwerp winger has been a long-time target for the Hoops Credit: Getty 2 They've reignited their interest in the 25-year-old Credit: AFP Brendan Rodgers ended up not signing a new winger during last year's window but he did secure a move for Jota to return to the club in January. Ange-Balikwisha was still on Celtic's shortlist during the winter window and the player himself even confirmed there was "concrete interest" from the Glasgow club. Speaking in February, he said: "Celtic's interest was concrete, but I chose to stay. "Leaving with an injury was not ideal for me. I would rather take good care of myself so I could be ready for the play-offs. "We will see in the summer transfer window." And Rodgers has seemingly reignited his interest once again as reports from Belgium suggest Celtic have been making moves to sign him this week. Journalist Sacha Tavolieri claims discussions between both clubs are already underway and the winger himself is "keen" on the move. It's no secret the Celts boss is looking for another winger and striker to bolster his attacking options after being left wanting more in January. Benjamin Nygren can operate in both positions but he plays his best football while being deployed in the No10 role. The Hoops will face being without Jota for a number of months following his long-term setback at the end of last season. The diggers move in as Celtic Park pitch is dug up They could potentially lose Nicolas Kuhn this summer too as SunSport understands RB Leipzig are exploring a potential deal to bring their former winger back to Germany. Rodgers will welcome back Luis Palma and Marco Tilio for pre-season but the pair are expected to leave the club permanently this summer. Keep up to date with ALL the latest news and transfers at the Scottish Sun football page
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Ireland stun Belgium for first win in Pro League
Ireland have stunned world number two side Belgium in the FIH Pro League in Antwerp. Goalkeeper Jamie Carr saved a penalty stroke in the first half before Louis Rowe and Lee Cole gave Ireland a two-goal advantage. Advertisement Nicolas De Kerpel responded for Belgium, however Cole landed his second penalty corner and 's side had enough to hold on despite Thomas Crols' effort. It is a first win in the 2024-25 campaign for Ireland and it came a day after Belgium ran out 5-1 winners in the first game between the sides. "It was nice to bounce back after yesterday, we were very disappointed [with the performance] as a team," said Carr. "I was happy to contribute a little bit to that. Defensively that was a much better performance, and where we wanted to be. "We beat Belgium twice [in Antwerp] last year, but we have been struggling to get over the line this year. It's nice to get a win on the board." Carr saves set up Irish win After dominating the game a day before against an Ireland side without a victory, Belgium were heavy favourites in Sunday's game and had the perfect chance to take the lead when Ben Ryder gave away a penalty. Advertisement However, Carr guessed correctly and denied his club team-mate Alexander Hendrikx to keep the scores level in the opening quarter. Ireland then took a shock lead early in the second half when Fergus Gibson worked some space down the right and he found Rowe, who smashed home to break the deadlock. Belgium immediately searched for a response and Carr was again called into action, but it was the underdogs who extended their advantage when Cole flicked home a penalty corner. The pressure from the hosts finally told when De Kerpel shot past Carr two minutes later, and the Irish goalkeeper denied Tom Boon as Belgium flew forward. However, some good work by Matthew Nelson allowed Cole to convert his second penalty corner of the match, and the Irish held on despite Crols' late effort.
