Union SG director in no need of encouragement from Celtic-supporting Glasgow relatives ahead of Rangers games

“My mother originally comes from Edinburgh and she has family in Elgin,” said O’Loughlin, the far-travelled Irishman who has been the sporting director at the Belgian club for the past three years. “But I have cousins in Bearsden in Glasgow as well. They are Celtic supporters and have been in touch.”

To wax lyrical about what a fine side the Europa League finalists are? Or to urge Union to dish out a devastating defeat to the Ibrox club and deny them a lucrative place in the group stages of Europe’s premier club competition? It is not difficult to imagine how the conversations went.

The Joseph Marian Stadium outfit, though, need no extra encouragement to do well in the double header, which will get underway when the first leg kicks off in the Den Dreef Stadium in Leuven tomorrow evening, in the coming days.

This is the first time they have played in the Champions League in their 124 year history. Their involvement is a result of meticulous planning, shrewd investment and sheer hard graft by many people. They fully intend, then, to take advantage of their opportunity. 

“It is a bit of a cliché, but Rangers have a European pedigree,” said O’Loughlin. “As a club, they have the experience. As a squad, they have gone into difficult environments and come through difficult tests. They have a manager who has played in and won the competition in Giovanni van Bronckhorst. They will naturally come here as favourites.

“We are going into uncharted waters. It is a brand new experience for us and until we go through it we won’t know how everyone responds. But that’s our challenge. We wanted to play European football and we wanted to play a top football side and we are. Everyone was delighted when we got Rangers. These are massive games and we are looking forward to them.”

Union, who get average attendances of less than 6,000 at their home matches, stunned Belgian football last season when they came close to winning the Jupiler Pro League in their first top flight campaign in 49 years. They topped the table at the end of the regular season only to be pipped by Club Brugge in the play-offs.

They have been victims of their success since. Manager Felice Mazzu, who also oversaw their victory in the second tier Challenger Pro League the previous term, was lured away to Anderlecht. Meanwhile, striker has Deniz Undav has joined Brighton and midfield lynchpin Casper Nielsen has departed for Brugge. All three men are major losses.

Can Union, who beat Charleroi 1-0 at home on Friday night, reproduce the form they showed last season against Rangers, pull off an upset and progress without them?  

O’Loughlin, who has worked closely with president Alex Muzio and chief executive Philippe Bormans during their remarkable and rapid rise, fully anticipated the summer exits. He has faith in rookie manager Karel Geraerts and his charges.  

“It is quite normal that some people will leave,” he said. “We gave them a platform and they have then been given the chance to move on. It is an opportunity for the manager and it’s same for players. It’s their challenge now. The players who have stayed and the players who have come in can step up and take us forward with the new scenarios which are coming.”

Striker Dante Vanzeir, midfielder Teddt Teuma, centre half Christian Burgess and goalkeeper Anthony Moris, all maintsays of their heroic title bid, have been joined by, among others, winger Simon Adingra, forward Denis Eckert, defender Ross Sykes. The latter two both scored in a 4-0 win over Feyenoord in the Netherlands in pre-season.

Geraerts, who was assistant under Mazzu and has pledged not to make major changes to their counter-attacking style of play that served his predecessor so well or tinker with his 3-5-2 formation, will certainly not be overawed by the occasion.

The former central midfielder represented Brugge, Standard Liege, OH Leuven and Charleroi as well as the Belgian national team during his playing career.

“Karel and I joined at the same time,” said O’Loughlin. “He understands what we are trying to do here. He also understands how European football works as he has been involved in it before himself. He is the only one along with Bart Nieuwkoop, who played for Feyenoord. I am sure the other players will look to them for guidance and advice.”

Union are not allowed to play Rangers at their iconic Joseph Marian Stadium – it is a listed building in Belgium duo to its unique Art Deco façade – because it does not meet UEFA requirements.

However, O’Loughlin is unconcerned about the change in venue putting them at a disadvantage. He knows that they will receive their usual vocal backing from their passionate supporters.

“It is sad but understandable that we have had to move,” he said. “It would have been pretty special to have played in our home stadium. But if we concentrate on that we will make it a problem. It’s not like we’re not familiar with the ground. We have played there before (Union beat Leuven 4-1 there back in March).

“We always knew the reality. Our fanbase is amazing. They come to games for the right reasons and create a great atmosphere for 90 minutes.  Everyone here is excited about the game.”

Having coached and managed extensively, in South Africa, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Australia, England and Belgium, O’Loughlin had no intention of swapping his place in the dugout for a seat in the boardroom when he was approached by Union in 2019. 

“It is not something I was looking to do,” he said. “One day after training Kortrijik, my club in Belgium, I had three messages waiting for me on my phone, two from different coaches wanting me to come and work with them and one which said sporting director. 

“Initially, I had no interest in being a sporting director. But I suppose with age comes a bit of sense. As I researched it and thought about my own journey in football and the frustrations I had experienced the more it intrigued me.

“What I liked first of all at the meeting I had with the president and chief executive was the clear vision they had and the way wanted to grow the club.”

Union, who were crowned Belgian champions on 11 occasions before the Second World War, have been revitalised since being taken over by Tony Bloom, the English professional gambler and chairman of Premier League club Brighton, and Muzio in 2018 after decades in the lower leagues. 

But they still have one of the smallest budgets in the Jupiler Pro League. O’Loughlin explained that detailed analysis of the transfer market and some strategic signings have underpinned their dramatic transformation.

“The club’s philosophy is we can’t spend money that isn’t there,” he said. “Football is very competitive in Belgium. You have to be careful not to overinvest. You need to build a sustainable model and live within your means. Not so long ago, we were in the third division, which is semi-pro to amateur level. It’s a process.

“We have a romantic stadium, but we get modest crowds. The revenues from TV money in Belgium, even in the top division, are not huge in comparison with other European leagues. We have a strict budget. We try and find players who are undervalued financially, technically and tactically.” 

They have succeeded in doing so. Undav, who scored 27 goals in all competitions last season and was sold to Brighton for €6m, was brought in from Meppen in the third tier of German football on a free transfer in 2020. 

“The planning for the First Division was in place long before we got there,” said O’Loughlin. “We started building the season before we won the Second Division. We were recruiting free transfers in November.

“Players left and there were changes in staff. We brought in players, no disrespect to them, to get us out of the Second Division. But we also brought in players we believed could go on and play in the First Division. You have to look long-term.

“When we built that Second Division squad we really believed in them. When we went into the First Division we all thought we would be competitive. Alex Muzio is very strong with data and he believed we would be towards the top end of the league. But last season was incredible.”

The 43-year-old, who spent much of his childhood in South Africa and speaks with a distinct “eccent”, has had a few memorable experiences in the game since leaving Northern Ireland to pursue a coaching career 15 years ago.

He had a spell as assistant to his compatriot Jim Magilton at Melbourne Victory and encountered Celtic manager Ange Postecoglou. He has not been surprised at how well the Greek-Australian, whose appointment last summer was ridiculed by many, has done in this country. 

“I don’t want to pretend that I know him personally, but Melbourne played his Brisbane Roar team,” he said. “They were very impressive, their movement, their rotations. Football is not just about knowing your job, it is about conviction. He was very respected in Australia.”

Royal Union Saint-Gilloise are highly regarded in Belgium and have every intention of making a name for themselves in Europe.