It’s safe to say that, without the upcoming cup final, KV Mechelen have been one of the most disappointing sides this season. The usually entertaining Malinwa have been a shadow of the side we saw under the leadership of Wouter Vrancken, now leading Genk in their title challenge. Mechelen are in 13th place, with just one win in their last five as survival was secured a few weeks ago.
However, despite their poor season one player has risen above the malaise and deserves a ton of credit. 31-year-old Geoffry Hairemans is arguably the ones responsible for Mechelen not being in a relegation battle with one game to go. The former Antwerp winger has scored nine goals and provided seven assists for the side in 31 league matches this season. Of those 31 games, he has started 30.
Hairemans previous best season was the 2020/2021 campaign, where he scored eight times and provided three assists. His nine goals this season are the most he has scored in a single season for Mechelen, while the seven assists are also the most he has accumulated during one league campaign.
While this has been a season to forget for Mechelen fans, the future is hardly rosy. Finances are tight, so any incomings will need to be funded via outgoings. At 31, and with a contract until 2025, the club may have a decision to make on whether cashing in on the winger’s good season is worth the income it will provide. However, they should certainly consider what the absence of the experienced winger would have meant for their prospects this campaign.
Mechelen will face Antwerp in the Belgian cup final on the 30th of April.
GBeNeFNÂ |Â Ben Jackson
