Thibaut Courtois has been a busy man at the start of his summer holidays. Not only is he a central part of EA Sports’ promotion campaign for FIFA 16, he’s played a couple internationals for Belgium, welcomed a new baby, and even hosted a TV show back home. It was during this show that he revealed his efforts to help his old goalkeeper coach (who was a special guest) land a new job.
“I have his number given to Chelsea and even said that he is free. He can really make goalkeepers get better.”
-Thibaut Courtois; source: HBVL via Google Translate
The man Courtois is talking about is Guy Martens, who was fired by KRC Genk last week after 25 years on the job. Martens is largely responsible for making Courtois into the goalkeeper he is today.
“I have worked a long time with Guy. He is for me the best goalkeeping coach ever. I think it is very sad that he was fired at Genk. Maybe they had a good reason for it is a decision of the Genk board…”
“I just know that we have lived together very nice time and I have a lot to thank him. I’ve also let him know with a text message. It is also thanks to Guy that I am here now.”
-Thibaut Courtois; source: HBVL via Google Translate
With Petr Cech on his way out, it would not be too surprising to see Christophe Lollichon do the same, and follow his long-time protege on whatever adventure he may decide on next. It was Cech who got Lollichon, his old coach at Rennes, the Chelsea job after all, way back in 2007 after Mourinho and most his of staff (including then goalkeeper coach Silvino Louro, who has since transitioned to a more general role) left the club.
While I don’t know much about Martens, and I do love Lollichon’s intensity and unorthodox training methods, Courtois bringing in his old coach would be yet another parallel between him and Cech. These things can get pretty personal for goalkeepers; they’re a peculiar breed in that way. So if Lollichon does decide to follow Cech, we could probably do worse than cater to our new, young goalkeeping star and sign up this Martens fellow. SB Nation
