Marc Degryse, former Genk player, calls for Racing Genk to adopt stricter discipline after two defeats on 1 August 2026. He accuses the players and coach Jess Thorup of lacking responsibility and urges a 'hit the table' scenario at the club.

Critique of Recent Results

On matchday one, Genk lost at Zulte Waregem in a game they should never have lost, and on Saturday at Antwerp it happened again, but even more severely. The team allowed a 1-4 lead to slip away in the final ten minutes while the opposition made a comeback. Degryse calls this a clear lack of match management and emphasizes that players should take the responsibility they ought to.

The Players' Role

Degryse specifically points to players such as El Ouahdi and Matte Smets, who according to him often stood passively while Antwerp made a 4-4. He notes that midfielders with good feet must freeze the ball and force opponents into mistakes, while strikers must keep the ball. He says the coach Jess Thorup must be stricter and possibly intervene if players keep making mistakes.

Coach Jess Thorup

Jess Thorup, the current coach of Racing Genk, reacted angrily to the criticism. Degryse suggests that Thorup must steer more and set a clear boundary: 'Until here and not further'. He says the coach, if not strict enough, cannot motivate players and that a 'hit the table' is needed to get the club back on track.

Wider Context

Degryse compares the situation with other clubs. KV Mechelen, under Fred Vanderbiest, is under pressure after a series of poor results. Degryse notes that Vanderbiest must manage the group and possibly strengthen the squad with a clear technical profile or character. Sporting Charleroi is also mentioned as a club struggling to win three matches in a row.

Conclusion

Marc Degryse stresses that a top club like Racing Genk cannot be too kind to each other. He hopes the club will receive a hard message and that concrete measures will be taken to show the players and coach that there is no room for mistakes. Degryse expects that someone will hit the table to put the club back on the right track.