At first the verdict looked quite alright. “We all thought it was just an ordinary muscle injury. A common thing in football. A couple of days rest and then you can go on”, Dom explains. “But the pain never went away and the club doctor eventually decided to have it checked thoroughly. After a couple of scans in hospital and a small operation where some fluid behind the muscle was sucked away, I seemed ready to pick up training again.”
“The only problem was the wound didn’t heal properly and completely at first but the muscle problem had disappeared, so early January I got the green light to start training with the team again. Conditionally I wasn’t 100% yet, but with the help of our Head of Performance Pieter Jacobs I soon got over that problem. His exercises worked perfectly. So last week in our home game against Club Brugge I was recalled and part of the squad again. A big relief.”
One week later Joren Dom played his first full game for months. “The original plan was I’d play as long as I could but I immediately felt confident, didn’t feel any pain and was sure I’d last the full ninety minutes. It has always been and still is my priority to finish things I start”, Dom winks.
Joren Dom’s header was his first goal in the Belgian top flight. “I’d already scored twice in Play Off 2, but those goals don’t count as such, do they? So yes, this was my first goal in Division 1A. A great feeling. Actually, the day before the match I had told Fré Frans it was months since I scored a goal. Prophetic words they were. I wasn’t marked too well when Rapha took that corner, and his pass came exactly at the spot where I expected it to come. For me this was the perfect comeback.”
How does Joren Dom evaluate Hernan Losada leaving Beerschot for DC United and Will Still replacing him as head coach? “It is very satisfying we were able to offer Will a first win is his second game in charge. He immediately adapted the system with a couple of minor tactical interventions. Will’s football knowledge and drive are tremendous, and he knows how to convince players of his tactical plans. His orders are short and clear. Everybody knew what was expected from him. He predicted we could make the difference on set pieces. And so it turned out. Brilliant.”
