Westerlo looking to take promotion winning head coach from Dender

Het Nieuwsblad are reporting that Westerlo are looking to bring in Dender head coach Timmy Simons for the 2024/2025 season. The former Zulte Waregem head coach led to side to an unlikely promotion from the Challenger Pro League this season which has seen him become a wanted man by a number of Pro League sides. Westerlo, having parted ways with two managers during the season, are looking to bring in a young up and coming coach. The side did have Rik De Mil in charge for most of the season but after a 1-1 draw with Genk that ended in farcical fashion he was sacked.

Westerlo could do with having a better summer than last year. The side spent a lot of money in relation to previous years during the 2023 summer transfer window but only just avoided finishing in the bottom four. They have plenty of young talent that needs to be brought together by the right head coach. De Mil had shown signs of doing this during his tenure, and the side are clearly hoping that Simons will be able to bring the success he has shown at Dender to Westerlo.

It would certainly be a huge blow to Dender to lose their head coach before the start of their first Pro League season since 2008/2009. Their relative small size and lack of finances will see them as early favourite to be relegated, something that will certainly remain the case if Simons departs.