Former player Franky Vercauteren faces tough task of helping to revive the fortunes of a struggling national team.

6 May 2008

BRUSSELS - Former Belgium player Franky Vercauteren became an assistant coach of the national team on Monday through the 2010 World Cup campaign.

Vercauteren, who starred as Belgium reached the 1986 World Cup semi-finals, will try to help coach Rene Vandereycken revive the fortunes of a team that has slipped to 48th place in the FIFA rankings.

Belgium failed to qualify for the European Championship in June, and faces a tough task to reach the World Cup in South Africa as it has drawn Spain and Turkey in its group with only the top team automatically advancing.

Vercauteren was fired by Anderlecht in November after a string of bad results left the team struggling in the Belgian league and UEFA Cup. He won two league titles since becoming Anderlecht coach in 2005.

[AP / Expatica]

We invite you to contribute to this article by sending related photos or videos. You can either send them to photos@expatica.com or add them to our newly-created flickr group at http://www.flickr.com/people/expatica/. All contributed material will be credited accordingly.