Eric Van Meir Explained

Eric Van Meir
Height:1.95 m
Birth Date:1968 2, df=yes
Birth Place:Deurne, Belgium
Currentclub:Belgium U-19 (assistant)
Position:Defender
Years1:1985–1991
Clubs1:Berchem
Caps1:124
Goals1:9
Years2:1991–1996
Clubs2:Charleroi
Caps2:115
Goals2:14
Years3:1996–2001
Clubs3:Lierse
Caps3:145
Goals3:57
Years4:2001–2003
Clubs4:Standard Liège
Caps4:35
Goals4:2
Totalcaps:419
Totalgoals:82
Nationalyears1:1993–2002
Nationalteam1:Belgium
Nationalcaps1:34
Nationalgoals1:1
Manageryears1:2003–2010
Managerclubs1:Lierse (assistant)
Manageryears2:2010–2011
Managerclubs2:Lierse
Manageryears3:2011
Managerclubs3:Turnhout
Manageryears4:2013
Managerclubs4:Lierse (assistant)
Manageryears5:2013
Managerclubs5:Lierse
Manageryears6:2014
Managerclubs6:Berchem
Manageryears7:2014–2015
Managerclubs7:Lierse (assistant)
Manageryears8:2015–2017
Managerclubs8:Lierse
Manageryears9:2020–
Managerclubs9:Belgium U-19 (assistant)

Eric Van Meir (in Dutch; Flemish pronounced as /ˈɛrɪk fɑn ˈmɛiər/;[1] born 28 February 1968) is a Belgian football manager and former player who played as a defender.

His former clubs include Lierse, Charleroi and Standard Liège. Van Meir played for Belgium and was in the squad for the 1994, 1998 and 2002 World Cups and also for the Euro 2000 but played only a few matches.

Van Meir won the Belgian First Division Title with Lierse in 1997, and the Belgian Cup in 1999, also with Lierse. In 1997, he scored 17 goals and won second place in the Belgian Golden Shoe award.

Club football

Van Meir played in his career for Hoboken SK, Berchem Sport, Sporting Charleroi, Lierse SK and Standard Liège, enjoying the most successful spell in his career at Lierse, winning the Belgian League in 1997, the Belgian Cup in 1999 and the Belgian Supercup in 1997 and 1999. He also finished second in 1997 in the Golden Boot voting behind Pär Zetterberg.

He also played several times in European club football, including the Champions League in season 1997–98.

Meir scored exceptionally high for a defender. He was in top scorer for his club in 1997, 1998 and 2000.

At the 100-year anniversary of Lierse in 2006, Van Meir was elected by supporters as a player in the "Lierse team of the century".

International career

Van Meir played for the Belgium national team for almost ten years. He attended three World Cups (1994, 1998, 2002) and one European Championship (2000), but each time he only played a few matches. In total he won 35 caps for the national team.

Coaching career

Following his retirement as a player in 2003, Van Meir was appointed an assistant coach at Lierse SK. Following the dismissal of Aimé Anthuenis in September 2010 in the club's first season back in the Belgian First Division, Van Meir took over as head coach of the club, assisted by Chris Janssens, but was replaced in the beginning of 2011 by Trond Sollied.

In March 2020, Van Meir was hired as an assistant manager for Belgium U-19 under manager Wesley Sonck.[2]

Honours

Lierse[3]

Belgium

Notes and References

  1. In isolation, van is pronounced in Dutch; Flemish pronounced as /vɑn/.
  2. https://www.rbfa.be/fr/nouvelles/jacky-mathijssen-nouvel-entraineur-federal-des-u21 JACKY MATHIJSSEN, NOUVEL ENTRAÎNEUR FÉDÉRAL DES U21
  3. Web site: Palmares Belgische landstitels De Morgen.
  4. Web site: FIFA.com. Belgium honoured with the FIFA Fair Play Award. https://web.archive.org/web/20201111032351/https://www.fifa.com/worldcup/news/belgium-honoured-with-the-fifa-fair-play-award-82624. 11 November 2020. live. 2020-11-07. www.fifa.com. en-GB.